Changes for next year

[Rossyspsce]

Credit to nicksalanitri for this idea, but there should be a dime bonus like the really old Wright Stuff rules. The dime(s) could be placed on/under the ping pong ball and could result in a 10-20% increase in score.

I think this would be a great change, but these are just my two cents. Hopefully this idea makes cents; I can't think of any other idea for a bonus atm.

[MoMoney$$$;)0)]

Yeah... I'm quite surprised that the rocket survived. 30 bar is 435 psi

I am pretty sure most bike pumps don't go past 12 bar.

I don't think they do... we may have broken the pump lol.

Lol was that at mentor invitational, since I heard something very similar happened there where someone smashed their rocket into the ceiling putting in too much psi.

[sciolyperson1]

Credit to nicksalanitri for this idea, but there should be a dime bonus like the really old Wright Stuff rules. The dime(s) could be placed on/under the ping pong ball and could result in a 10-20% increase in score.

I think this would be a great change, but these are just my two cents. Hopefully this idea makes cents; I can't think of any other idea for a bonus atm.

I'd like to +1 that idea, it would be similar to 2015-2016 wright stuff rules. Each dime (up to 3) would increase the original time by 25% - so between 125% and 175%.

[will0416]

Credit to nicksalanitri for this idea, but there should be a dime bonus like the really old Wright Stuff rules. The dime(s) could be placed on/under the ping pong ball and could result in a 10-20% increase in score.

I think this would be a great change, but these are just my two cents. Hopefully this idea makes cents; I can't think of any other idea for a bonus atm.

I'd like to +1 that idea, it would be similar to 2015-2016 wright stuff rules. Each dime (up to 3) would increase the original time by 25% - so between 125% and 175%.

Hmm... the weight of a dime is roughly the same as a standard ping pong ball tho. It'd be interesting to see how teams could make a parachute work when it's essentially tied to four balls.

[sciolyperson1]

Credit to nicksalanitri for this idea, but there should be a dime bonus like the really old Wright Stuff rules. The dime(s) could be placed on/under the ping pong ball and could result in a 10-20% increase in score.

I think this would be a great change, but these are just my two cents. Hopefully this idea makes cents; I can't think of any other idea for a bonus atm.

I'd like to +1 that idea, it would be similar to 2015-2016 wright stuff rules. Each dime (up to 3) would increase the original time by 25% - so between 125% and 175%.

Hmm... the weight of a dime is roughly the same as a standard ping pong ball tho. It'd be interesting to see how teams could make a parachute work when it's essentially tied to four balls.

Which is why the bonus would need to be so substantial to outweigh the disadvantages. You'd want to avoid something like the Canard bonus (for ELG), which is harder to test and obtains worse results.

[MoMoney$$$;)0)]

I'd like to +1 that idea, it would be similar to 2015-2016 wright stuff rules. Each dime (up to 3) would increase the original time by 25% - so between 125% and 175%.

Hmm... the weight of a dime is roughly the same as a standard ping pong ball tho. It'd be interesting to see how teams could make a parachute work when it's essentially tied to four balls.

Which is why the bonus would need to be so substantial to outweigh the disadvantages. You'd want to avoid something like the Canard bonus (for ELG), which is harder to test and obtains worse results.

I feel that we would be better off having a random unknown weight given to you, and you don't know how much it weights and you have to use it if you choose to. Then you would modify your parachute to add on the weight in the 8 minutes. However, there would be a weight limit of like 20 grams to masses. Also, perhaps you have a choice between coins, which you are given on the day of the competition for example; 1$ coin, 50 cent, 25 cent, 10 cent, 5 cent, 1 cent; accordingly giving a bonuses in due to weight of the coins, and perhaps having a platinum coin which will double or tipple your time. Food for thought...?

[sciolyperson1]

I feel that we would be better off having a random unknown weight given to you, and you don't know how much it weights and you have to use it if you choose to. Then you would modify your parachute to add on the weight in the 8 minutes.

How would you even alter it? Make the parachute smaller? Cut the strings shorter? The optimal parachute for any weight is more or less the same.

However, there would be a weight limit of like 20 grams to masses. Also, perhaps you have a choice between coins, which you are given on the day of the competition for example; 1$ coin, 50 cent, 25 cent, 10 cent, 5 cent, 1 cent; accordingly giving a bonuses in due to weight of the coins, and perhaps having a platinum coin which will double or tipple your time. Food for thought...?

A ping pong ball is 2.7g. Adding a penny more than doubles the weight. Adding 3 dimes (6.6g) more than halves the sec/ft of the parachute. Without trying a dollar coin, 50 cent coin, or quarter, it's obvious that it would not be worth putting any more than 0 of any coin, other than dimes and pennies, on the parachute.


The whole point of changing an event is to spread out the score distribution, with minimal changes to the rules. As bear and soinc have mentioned, teams that lack funding and coaches often have trouble buying materials for their devices and lack time to test their parachute. Adding another such varying factor, like a random weight up to 20 grams, simply increases this factor and disadvantages many teams.