Unbroken track

[WickedLightbringer]

Does unbroken track mean that the track can’t bend once the ball lands on it?

[builder83]

Does unbroken track mean that the track can’t bend once the ball lands on it?

I believe it means 1 piece of track with no gaps in it. However it should not hit the side wall of the curve during that first 5 cm.

[shri]

Does unbroken track mean that the track can’t bend once the ball lands on it?

I believe it means 1 piece of track with no gaps in it. However it should not hit the side wall of the curve during that first 5 cm.

The rules say nothing about not hitting the side wall. It will be so hard for the judge to check if the ball touches a side wall. Why do you say that is a requirement?

[builder83]

I was using this judges interpretation. https://youtu.be/gE3g5vt7muo

I believe he would argue hitting a side wall is no different than hitting a wall (within the first 5 cm) to stop a ball.

[shri]

Hmm. It is a video from this year too.

[Coalminor01]

So when a ball lands after it jumps a gap, it has to travel 5 cm on a surface, and then it can bump into the wall (whether it hits it hard or soft)? Example: it can land on a landing pad that is 10 cm in length before it hits the wall, that is ok? It then would turn 90 degrees and gravity would direct it downhill to the rest of the track ... to me if it says the gap cannot end with the ball hitting the wall, the literal interpretation could be that the ball flies through the air and hits the wall first. I can see the only other interpretation that it can roll towards the wall greater (and less than) 5 cm, and if it hits a wall and then gravity directs it downhill then that is a violation too?

[knightmoves]

So when a ball lands after it jumps a gap, it has to travel 5 cm on a surface, and then it can bump into the wall (whether it hits it hard or soft)? Example: it can land on a landing pad that is 10 cm in length before it hits the wall, that is ok? It then would turn 90 degrees and gravity would direct it downhill to the rest of the track ... to me if it says the gap cannot end with the ball hitting the wall, the literal interpretation could be that the ball flies through the air and hits the wall first. I can see the only other interpretation that it can roll towards the wall greater (and less than) 5 cm, and if it hits a wall and then gravity directs it downhill then that is a violation too?

I think you are right here - if you're landing on a 10cm pad with a wall at the end, then your 10cm landing pad is "track" and the ball travels more than 5cm along it before anything else happens. If your wall was less than 5cm away, it wouldn't be 5cm of "unbroken track".

I'm a bit nervous that some ES might decide that a flat surface with no sideways constraint isn't a "track" - I'd put small side walls on your landing pad to make it look like a wide u-shaped "track".

[Coalminor01]

I'm nervous about it as well. Our ball clears the gap fine, and goes 5+ cm, hits the wall (which the landpad is connected to), then ricochets around a bit before heading downhill on the track. The sidewalks are a good idea though, but the ball will eventually hit wall. Tough rule with no full explanation. Maybe we will reconfigure the landing so it is pulled away from the wall a bit. Have the ball land on a pad and go 5+ cm, then drop off the the next level where the track is. Hmm. More opinions on this?

[WhoKnows]

I was using this judges interpretation. https://youtu.be/gE3g5vt7muo

I believe he would argue hitting a side wall is no different than hitting a wall (within the first 5 cm) to stop a ball.

In my opinion, Nowhere in the video does he say that the ball can’t hit the sidewall within the first 5cm after jump. All he says is that the ball has to hit the track first and not any of the walls directly. Hitting the sidewall before it hits the track is a clear violation of gap can’t end by hitting a wall.

[shri]

I'm nervous about it as well. Our ball clears the gap fine, and goes 5+ cm, hits the wall (which the landpad is connected to), then ricochets around a bit before heading downhill on the track. The sidewalks are a good idea though, but the ball will eventually hit wall. Tough rule with no full explanation. Maybe we will reconfigure the landing so it is pulled away from the wall a bit. Have the ball land on a pad and go 5+ cm, then drop off the the next level where the track is. Hmm. More opinions on this?

Its hard to understand your scenario without a picture, so difficult to comment for me.