Dead End Path

[eeidfn]

Hi,

What is a "parallel or dead path" ?

Thanks

[Unome]

I think a dead path is one that doesn't end up at the final task, and parallel tasks may refer to two sets of tasks running simultaneously (my knowledge is mostly speculative here, since I've never done this event).

[killer225whale]

A parallel path is one that runs simultaneously and also leads to the same step (think of making redundancies - even if one path fails, a parallel path might still complete and keep everything going.) An example of this would be something like 1 -> 2a -> 3 happening at the same time as 1 -> 2b -> 3. 2a and 2b are parallel paths, and either one can work in order to get from 1 -> 3. I believe it is still considered a parallel path even if it requires both 2a and 2b in order to get to 3.

A dead end path is as Unome said - a path that doesn't end up at the final task, and therefore is extraneous.

[Olympian_Cau2134]

Do you know if the simple machines in a dead end path/ parrallel path count for points?

[Unome]

Do you know if the simple machines in a dead end path/ parrallel path count for points?

I do not currently have the rules with me, but I would be willing to bet that they answer this question (if I remember correctly, in previous years they haven't, but I'm not completely sure about this year).

Edit: According to the rules, parallel paths and dead-ends are not allowed (under section 2 somewhere), and judging by my (limited) experience with other building events, a device with parallel paths or dead-ends would be tier 2'ed.