Be Excellent To Each Other
https://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/forum/

The Fantastic Contraption
https://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1426		 Page 1 of 4
Author:  Dimrill [ Fri Jul 25, 2008 16:50 ]
Post subject:  The Fantastic Contraption
Just got this from the b3ta newsletter. Cripes it's addictive.
http://fantasticcontraption.com/
Author:  AceAceBaby [ Fri Jul 25, 2008 17:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Some friends in SL were playing this last night. It's a bit much for my noggin.
Author:  Zardoz [ Fri Jul 25, 2008 17:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Excellent find!
Author:  vegetables [ Fri Jul 25, 2008 17:07 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I'm really terrible at this; I usually get through the levels by building something that's ridiculously bodged that scrapes through as all the wheels run together. I was chuffed in the Mission to Mars level where I actually built something slightly clever.
Author:  LaceSensor [ Fri Jul 25, 2008 17:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Not as good as Armadillo Run, but still cool :)
Author:  MrD [ Fri Jul 25, 2008 20:46 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I can't do Big Ball (12)
Author:  Dr Lave [ Fri Jul 25, 2008 20:59 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
This is great! Cheers Dimrill.
Author:  MrD [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 4:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I did Big Ball eventually.

My solution to Back and Forth is GEEENYOUS.
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Image
The main machine swings around the brown triangle over and over again. By the third time it gives the ball a good welly. The other thing is a platformotron that waddles off and plugs the gap on the right.
Author:  Grim... [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:13 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Aw bugger, this was going to be next Thursday's game :(
Author:  Dudley [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
MrD wrote:
I can't do Big Ball (12)


That's where I'm stuck too. I love how the first one can be solved with precisely 0 parts and the 2nd with just 1, when (for the 2nd) I built this hugely elaborate thing to crab over the gap. In awe of the mechanical bridges some people have constructed for it too :)
Author:  Bobbyaro [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 12:46 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
This too, is where I am stuck. I have tried everything, from polevaults to tanks! Great game!
Author:  Curiosity [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 13:08 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
This is the kind of game I really suck at.

Well, this and driving games.

:)
Author:  Mr Dave [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 13:10 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I'm finding just looking at other peoples methods to be enormous amounts of fun. Some of them are ridiculously good.
Author:  Joans [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 13:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Big Ball - The brute force method

Basically the top level carries the pink bit over the top of the ball and then pushes it away from the wall.

Edit - Thinking about this, some people might not want to see it. Can I spoiler an attachment, or am I going to have to upload it somewhere?
Author:  Dudley [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 13:29 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Joans wrote:
Big Ball - The brute force method

Basically the top level carries the pink bit over the top of the ball and then pushes it away from the wall.

Edit - Thinking about this, some people might not want to see it. Can I spoiler an attachment, or am I going to have to upload it somewhere?


You're going to need to upload. I think I get the vague gist but I couldn't really work out how to do it.
Author:  Joans [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 13:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Ok, let's try this then.

Big Ball:

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Image
Author:  Dudley [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 13:39 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Oh that's excellent. Having built a quick copy I can see how that's supposed to work.

That said, there's no way I'm doing most of the levels afterwards :)
Author:  kalmar [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 13:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Here's how I did Big Ball:
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=96966

The reversing wheels on the front lift the blocking ball out of the way and then it crawls in underneath.
Author:  Dudley [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 14:45 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Just tried that one, that's excellent :)
Author:  Bobbyaro [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 16:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
kalmar wrote:
Here's how I did Big Ball:
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=96966

The reversing wheels on the front lift the blocking ball out of the way and then it crawls in underneath.


That is brilliant!
Author:  Curiosity [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 17:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Oh, I've finally gotten the hang of this. Doing 'Full-Up' was lots of fun.
Author:  tossrStu [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 17:40 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I'm not sure which level this is for, but... wow.

http://fantasticcontraption.com/?designId=31720
Author:  KevR [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 17:41 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
tossrStu wrote:
I'm not sure which level this is for, but... wow.

http://fantasticcontraption.com/?designId=31720


Impressive!
Author:  kalmar [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 18:03 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
tossrStu wrote:
I'm not sure which level this is for, but... wow.

http://fantasticcontraption.com/?designId=31720


Hahah that's hilarious.
Some of the solutions are a bit.. 8) But people have figured out how to make really clever stuff - ropes and pulleys, conveyors and all sorts.
It kind of sorts out the engineers from the scientists as well - most of my solutions are brute force "get the job done" approach, usually some type of crawler. But one or two of them you have no other alternative but to come up with a neat physics type solution, I've been saving quite a few :D
Author:  Joans [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 18:06 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
If I can't put together some sort of tank that slowly trundles along the screen then I'm usually stumped. Some of them I don't even know where to begin.
Author:  MrD [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 19:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I did BB like Kalmar did, except nowhere near as neat. I had lots more driving circles and lots more 'pushing the ball out the way' anti circles.
Author:  Mr Russell [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 20:28 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I really enjoyed Awash, where all the balls trundle down the hill towards you. Solved that by having a grif od water rod triangles like a girder. It crawled it's way up the hill, and then there was a load of anticlockwise wheels on top to skim all the balls over the top and back off the cliff.

I cannot do the one called handling(?) where you have to flip the block under a small gap, and then stand it back up straight again.
Author:  MrD [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 21:12 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
My 'awash'
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
flipped the ball over the entire mess with a powerful flipper.


My 'handling'
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
was a cool drag racer type thing (starting off balanced on its nose) which topples over when the machine starts, moves to the right, then uses a large block on its back to hook onto the wall and turn itself anticlockwise.
Author:  Mr Russell [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 21:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I like your handling idea. I'd been trying something similar, but not with the starting position.
Author:  Derek The Halls [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 22:58 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I can't get past the first level.
Author:  Pundabaya [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 23:02 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Handling: http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=102507
Author:  Malabelm [ Sun Jul 27, 2008 23:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
This game is ace, but I'm rubbish.

I'm quite proud of my hangman-mobile though. What's better than a hanging corpse to personally deliver your parcel?

http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=102727
Author:  Bobbyaro [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
nynfortoo wrote:
This game is ace, but I'm rubbish.

I'm quite proud of my hangman-mobile though. What's better than a hanging corpse to personally deliver your parcel?

http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=102727

:DD Mine really suck!
Author:  Dudley [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:36 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
nynfortoo wrote:
This game is ace, but I'm rubbish.

I'm quite proud of my hangman-mobile though. What's better than a hanging corpse to personally deliver your parcel?

http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=102727



Glorious.

The Handling solution of Pundy's is very neat too. I'm loving how there's a complete mix of the neat and the batshit insane to solve the same problem.
Author:  Curiosity [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:15 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
How the f**k do you do 'The Tube'?
Author:  Cras [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:15 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Curiosity wrote:
How the f**k do you do 'The Tube'?


I would like to know this.
Author:  MrD [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
The tube
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
is done usually by making an extending contraption that locks itself to the side walls of the tube and then rolls up the inside. By linking together opposing wheels directly they can be made to spring outwards and jam. Make a caret shaped object and watch it rise.

If that doesn't work, notice there's a slight sticking out area on the right hand lower side of the tube. If you make a strut extending fully horizontal from that, you can build from this to make a solid base.
Author:  Grim... [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:25 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Craster wrote:
Curiosity wrote:
How the f**k do you do 'The Tube'?

I would like to know this.

Oyster Card.
Author:  MrD [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Sonic Screwdriver, surely?
Author:  MrD [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Tube

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Image

Notice that brown rods connected to circles don't collide against the circles, allowing you to have brown rods crossing over them slightly. This allows the brown rods to extend beyond the reach of the circles slightly, turning them into cams. Add and jam extra motors for extra power. Stop the thing from rocking from side to side with a frame, and the cams should push and make the machine rise up the stack.

http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=107785
Author:  kalmar [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:50 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
MrD wrote:
The tube
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
is done usually by making an extending contraption that locks itself to the side walls of the tube and then rolls up the inside. By linking together opposing wheels directly they can be made to spring outwards and jam. Make a caret shaped object and watch it rise.

If that doesn't work, notice there's a slight sticking out area on the right hand lower side of the tube. If you make a strut extending fully horizontal from that, you can build from this to make a solid base.


ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
That sounds like exactly how I did it too. Just two wheels with a wood joiner between them, and an angled "jammer" at the bottom to give it a good start. One of the simpler and more elegant ones really :)
Author:  Malc [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I tried various things like that (including putting stuff on the wheels) but no luck yet.

Malc
Author:  MrD [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
If you're mega jammy, you can get away with this: http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=106099.
Author:  The Rev Owen [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I seem to be solving all the ones so far like this -

http://fantasticcontraption.com/?designId=107947
Author:  Dudley [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:37 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
I'm watching my co worker spending the last 2 hours trying to solve that exact level by knocking the ball off.

Not going well.
Author:  Mr Russell [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:50 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Dudley wrote:
I'm watching my co worker spending the last 2 hours trying to solve that exact level by knocking the ball off.

Not going well.


I did it by knocking the ball off... :(
Author:  Curiosity [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
kalmar wrote:
MrD wrote:
The tube
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
is done usually by making an extending contraption that locks itself to the side walls of the tube and then rolls up the inside. By linking together opposing wheels directly they can be made to spring outwards and jam. Make a caret shaped object and watch it rise.

If that doesn't work, notice there's a slight sticking out area on the right hand lower side of the tube. If you make a strut extending fully horizontal from that, you can build from this to make a solid base.


ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
That sounds like exactly how I did it too. Just two wheels with a wood joiner between them, and an angled "jammer" at the bottom to give it a good start. One of the simpler and more elegant ones really :)


I tried that for about half an hour, but could get precisely zero traction on the wall, even if I filled the entire area with nothing but balls and brown rods, no traction at all.

I'm spazzing up somewhere, clearly. Will try again tonight, perhaps (or rid my mind of this stupid yet excellent game).
Author:  kalmar [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Curiosity wrote:
kalmar wrote:
MrD wrote:
The tube
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
is done usually by making an extending contraption that locks itself to the side walls of the tube and then rolls up the inside. By linking together opposing wheels directly they can be made to spring outwards and jam. Make a caret shaped object and watch it rise.

If that doesn't work, notice there's a slight sticking out area on the right hand lower side of the tube. If you make a strut extending fully horizontal from that, you can build from this to make a solid base.


ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
That sounds like exactly how I did it too. Just two wheels with a wood joiner between them, and an angled "jammer" at the bottom to give it a good start. One of the simpler and more elegant ones really :)


I tried that for about half an hour, but could get precisely zero traction on the wall, even if I filled the entire area with nothing but balls and brown rods, no traction at all.

I'm spazzing up somewhere, clearly. Will try again tonight, perhaps (or rid my mind of this stupid yet excellent game).


I'll post my solution later then in case it helps. I'm determined not to open that site *at all* at work, for obvious reasons.
Author:  MrD [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:56 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Dudley wrote:
I'm watching my co worker spending the last 2 hours trying to solve that exact level by knocking the ball off.

Not going well.


You mean they spent two hours trying to do this? http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=108195
Author:  The Rev Owen [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 13:15 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Fantastic Contraption
Took me ages, but I finally did Big Ball.

http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=108850
Page 1 of 4 All times are UTC [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/