Why are these events?

[JoeyC]

Game On should be an event for Div C, expect you use Unity/Unreal Engine instead of Scratch.

[Unome]

Game On should be an event for Div C, expect you use Unity/Unreal Engine instead of Scratch.

That would never work. Both are far too involved for anything meaningful to be done in an hour.

[JoeyC]

Not really, people can make simple games easy and quick, within an hour. This is especially true if prefab assets are used, but its very possible to create quick games within an hour.

[Rossyspsce]

Not adding any specific opinions about certain events, but I think, with any event, you have to consider both a) the overall intent of the event, and b) how well it rewards competitors for grasping that intent. Some events with great intents end up being much less effective in practice (Sumo Bots comes to mind).

What was the intent of sumo bots

[SHASO2018]

It's worth noting though that Scratch has a substantially different paradigm than any other programming language I know; personally, I'd prefer if the language were something that looked like Python with optional block dragging for stuff if you want it, but that's just me.

In Michigan, there is an event that has been run as a trial for about 3 years now that's called Source Code, which is an event that uses Python. I don't know how many other states use it, but I find it interesting that it has been a trial for so long.

[BrownieInMotion]

It's worth noting though that Scratch has a substantially different paradigm than any other programming language I know; personally, I'd prefer if the language were something that looked like Python with optional block dragging for stuff if you want it, but that's just me.

In Michigan, there is an event that has been run as a trial for about 3 years now that's called Source Code, which is an event that uses Python. I don't know how many other states use it, but I find it interesting that it has been a trial for so long.

We had something similar in VA called Code Analysis in 2018 that VASO ran in place of Game On. MIT also ran What the Function as a trial this year, which used Python and had a focus on functional programming. Computer science is definitely important enough to merit having a real programming event every year, at least in Division C.

I'd also like to bring up Protein Modeling. To be clear, I loved Protein Modeling and think it should stay, but there are aspects of the event that I never really understood why they existed. For one, I really don't see what value actually building a model of a protein has or what the idea behind it is. I'm not trying to be crass--I'm genuinely curious as to why that's part of the event. Does it have to do with MSOE's involvement with the event? Also, all of the MSOE-written tests I took this year were really short, really easy, and asked a lot of biology and not a lot of biochemistry. Why does MSOE write tests for this event if they're not going to be particularly good? Couldn't they just sponsor the event and let tournaments run the event on their own? Protein Modeling was definitely my favorite event to study for this year, but the professionally-written tests were consistently of a poorer quality than the invitational tests I took, in my opinion. Anyways, if anyone can shed some light on either of these details I'd appreciate it haha.

[ericlepanda]

It's worth noting though that Scratch has a substantially different paradigm than any other programming language I know; personally, I'd prefer if the language were something that looked like Python with optional block dragging for stuff if you want it, but that's just me.

In Michigan, there is an event that has been run as a trial for about 3 years now that's called Source Code, which is an event that uses Python. I don't know how many other states use it, but I find it interesting that it has been a trial for so long.

We had something similar in VA called Code Analysis in 2018 that VASO ran in place of Game On. MIT also ran What the Function as a trial this year, which used Python and had a focus on functional programming. Computer science is definitely important enough to merit having a real programming event every year, at least in Division C.

I'd also like to bring up Protein Modeling. To be clear, I loved Protein Modeling and think it should stay, but there are aspects of the event that I never really understood why they existed. For one, I really don't see what value actually building a model of a protein has or what the idea behind it is. I'm not trying to be crass--I'm genuinely curious as to why that's part of the event. Does it have to do with MSOE's involvement with the event? Also, all of the MSOE-written tests I took this year were really short, really easy, and asked a lot of biology and not a lot of biochemistry. Why does MSOE write tests for this event if they're not going to be particularly good? Couldn't they just sponsor the event and let tournaments run the event on their own? Protein Modeling was definitely my favorite event to study for this year, but the professionally-written tests were consistently of a poorer quality than the invitational tests I took, in my opinion. Anyways, if anyone can shed some light on either of these details I'd appreciate it haha.

thicc $$ from those minitoober sales lol

[aakoala]

This post isn't really asking "Why is this an event?" but more of "This event could be changed."
Road Scholar is a wonderful event. It teaches participants how to quickly and accurately read maps and draw conclusions. The map draw portion allows for students to follow written directions, and the hands-on aspect of the event makes it even more entertaining.
My one concern for this event, however, is that paper maps, like the ones used in Road Scholar, are becoming less and less practical in the electronic, modern world. I think it would be a very fantastic idea if NSO or the rules committee shifted the focus of Road Scholar to online/digital maps, such as Google Maps or Google Earth. I don't know how this could be carried out, nor do I know if it would actually work, but addressing the growing need for online/digital maps could make Road Scholar an even greater event.

[Fyren]

i guess this thread is being revived

here's some thoughts about previously discussed events

1. Road Scholar is an objectively bad event. There needs to be a replacement, and it's certainly outdated. The current ruleset restricts tests to very few types of questions and topics, making tests repetitive, easy, and unoriginal. Writing road tests has become incredibly difficult and painful for me because it's impossible to write "good" tests, and when I even go slightly out of the rules, it described as being "too hard".
2. Ping Pong Parachute/Indoor Bottle Rocket is a decent event that needs a much better implementation. It is far too luck-based in its current form. It's definitely fun, though!
3. Game On is a terrible event. It's not a CS event, it's about exploiting a rubric and memorizing code.
4. Fermi Questions is fun and arguably more important than the previous three events I discussed. Estimation is an important skill, like Hello/UTF-8 U+6211 U+662F said.
5. Mystery Architecture is a terrible event. It's incredibly luck based and almost impossible to be consistent at. It's frustrating when the event supervisors clearly don't care about the event. So many bad memories.
6. Code Analysis is also a bad event. There's little to no educational value in Code Analysis, it's literally just a "who's the best human compiler" competition. There's "code" but no "analysis"; analysis implies closely looking at code and drawing conclusions about the code, such as describing what the program does or analyzing its runtime. Compiling obfuscated code doesn't accomplish anything.
7. Codebusters is a good event, but only because it teaches students logic and reasoning skills. In terms of teaching students cryptography, it's absolutely useless. Sure, classical cryptography is fun, but it's been obsolete for literally hundreds of years. Also, putting RSA in codebusters is insulting. If you want to add modern cryptography, make a proper test event about modern cryptography and cryptanalysis.

[knightmoves]

[*] Mystery Architecture is a terrible event. It's incredibly luck based and almost impossible to be consistent at. It's frustrating when the event supervisors clearly don't care about the event. So many bad memories.

The idea (here's some random stuff - build a tower / bridge / whatever) isn't horrible. The implementation is horrible (it's basically impossible not to see what other teams are doing. It also puts a heavy penalty on making a misstep: you have a limited set of raw materials, and if you do something you regret (folding a sheet of paper that you later decide you wanted to roll into a tube, for example) there's no way to recover, 'cause you can't un-crease your paper.