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haha! thats awesome! at the first competition i did jyc we were given large bolts. the instructors told us at the end we could keep it as our $.33 gift for doing the event.

Will the judges be using ONE item for everyone or an identical item for each team? Also, the material can't be damaged right? so you couldn't tear/rip it up to use, or (probably) get it wet. Is that correct?

tehkubix wrote:Will the judges be using ONE item for everyone or an identical item for each team? Also, the material can't be damaged right? so you couldn't tear/rip it up to use, or (probably) get it wet. Is that correct?

The same item is used for every team. well not the same item, but the same kind of item with the same dimensions. (ex: if you are given a 20g bolt, every other team is given a 20g bolt). and you cannot damage the item. Also, you cant tape it or anything. which makes the challenge more difficult. it has to be easily removed from the model.

An example: we got a large bolt for our first comp, we put it in the place of a washer that was holding the scale plate together...if that makes sense. we TIED it to the model. thats a good way to get around the "no tape" rule.

wait, we cant tape the mystery material to the device? darn, i gotta reread these rules.

yeah the rules are somewhat clear on that

division c rules state:

"Unmodified materials may not be painted, taped, glued, bent, cut, pierced, smashed or altered in any way before or during construction."

also you cant use glue at the comp... so the glued part inst really necessary.

are division b rules different? i suppose they could be, but i doubt it.

jazzy009 wrote:"Unmodified materials may not be painted, taped, glued, bent, cut, pierced, smashed or altered in any way before or during construction."

The sentence immediately before the one above is:

Supplied Materials and Required Materials must remain unmodified during construction and running of the device, unless otherwise stated

Therefore the sentence quoted by jazzy009 should apply only to "Supplied Materials" and "Required Materials" and not to "Mystery Material" which is covered in the next paragraph.

The only restriction on the Mystery Material I find is:

Mystery Material(s) must remain undamaged during construction and running of the device so they may be re-used by another Team.

Of course, there is no guarantee how it will be interpreted at your tournament.

Hmm... I thought that the mystery material was considered a "supplied material"

can anyone back up fleet? i hope so, that would make this a little easier.

jazzy009 wrote: are division b rules different? i suppose they could be, but i doubt it.

I think it's only in C this year, I believe it goes to B next year. If your obviously just puting the mystery material in for no reason at all except for to use it then the judges are probably not going to like that too much .

jazzy009 wrote:Hmm... I thought that the mystery material was considered a "supplied material"

can anyone back up fleet? i hope so, that would make this a little easier.

I second what fleet said. Makes sense to me.

Here's the problem:
Whatever the rule-writers intended is now irrelevant. Neither you nor the judges at most tournaments were involved in the rule-writing process and therefore have no way of knowing what the intent might have been. The only information you have to go on is what is written in the rules.

Here's MY interpretation:
Since there is no language in Para. 4 or Para. 4.a to link sub-paragraphs i thru vii together, they each stand alone as a separate statement and do not apply to the other sub-paragraphs, unless they contain specific language which indicates otherwise.

Additionally, the terms "Supplied Materials", "Requires Materials" and "Mystery Material(s)" (among others) are capitalized, making them proper nouns, which have specific meaning. They are described in separate paragraphs and there is no language to indicate any are a subset of another. The fact that "Mystery Material(s)" are supplied does not make them "Supplied Materials" (Note capitalization).

"Unmodified" is used only in the paragraph 4.a.iii in reference to "Required" and "Supplied" materials. This paragraph contains no mention of "Mystery" material. My interpretation is that the "unmodified" language is an attempt to prevent practices such as filling a ping-pong ball with sand to make it easier to accomplish the task.

Of course, there is no guarantee this interpretation will apply at your tournament!!!