Target Time

[as_ap]

Can someone explain what exactly a target time means? What are you supposed to accomplish during this time?

[fuddermuffin777]

The Target Time is the maximum time for the entire Rube Goldberg contraption to work. For each second up until the target time, you will receive 2 points. It your machine time surpasses the Target Time, you will be docked points. Hope this helps!

[as_ap]

Oh, thanks!

[Uncle Fester]

Target Time is the desired time, not the maximum tine. At States and nationals, it's selected by the event sup, usually someone in love with large prime numbers (seriously).

Maximum time is the absolute max time you're allowed to run before a "mercy rule" of sorts kicks in. Unfortunately, at this point, earned time points equals penalty time points, and they cancel each other out.

Gotta watch those definitions. They're important.

[killer225whale]

Target Time is the desired time, not the maximum tine. At States and nationals, it's selected by the event sup, usually someone in love with large prime numbers (seriously).

Maximum time is the absolute max time you're allowed to run before a "mercy rule" of sorts kicks in. Unfortunately, at this point, earned time points equals penalty time points, and they cancel each other out.

Gotta watch those definitions. They're important.

Agreed. Getting your device to run for as close to the Target Time as possible gives you the most points, as you get points up to the Target Time but lose points after it.

The earned time points only cancel out with the penalty time points at Regionals; 2 points per second up to 60s, and -1 point from 61s to 180s. At State and Nationals even running to the 180s time limit still gives a positive time score.

[Uncle Fester]

Oh, good, they fixed that hole. At nationals in 04 and 06, a few last-second (and I mean second) decosions had to be made.

[watermydoing14]

Quick tip in case some teams don't realize how the target time for State and Nationals works - when it says the target time will be announced at impound, that means there will be a specific time chosen (it's not that you want your machine to run between 60 and 90 seconds) so that you should be ready to adjust your machine during your 30 minute prep period to run for the target time.