Odyssey of the Mind Problem No. 1:

Catch Us If You Can Problem No. 1: Divisions I, II, III & IV Introduction It s hard to imagine all of the possible reasons for secret meetings. Throughout history secret meetings have taken place and for many different objectives. Secret meetings are held to avoid detection. Sometimes to do good deeds out of the public eye and other times to hide deeds that are not so honorable. We ll never know the many secret meetings that take place after all, they are a secret! But the world is impacted by them. Some have evolved into movements that changed society. If you were telling a story about a secret meeting what would it be? Who would be meeting? Why? Odyssey teams are sure to come up with many entertaining reasons for a secret meeting! A. The Problem There is a secret meeting to get to and someone wants to stop it from taking place. To get to the meeting, your team must design, build, and run multiple vehicles that will travel from a multi-level Parking Garage to the secret meeting place. Each vehicle must travel a different route and will do something to make sure it is not followed. The team will create and present a performance that explains a reason for a secret meeting, running the vehicles, and a character that wants to prevent the meeting from taking place. During the performance the team will also present a simulation of a scene taking place inside of a vehicle as it travels and a soundtrack. The creative emphases of the problem are on the performance, the vehicles and how they avoid being followed, the meeting and its reason for being held, and the simulation. The Spirit of the Problem is for the team to perform an original solution that includes team-made vehicles that are run from one place to another, each taking a different route and doing something to avoid being followed to the secret meeting place. To emphasize traveling, the team will use a soundtrack and will present a scene showing what is taking place inside a vehicle. B. Limitations (Italicized words/terms are defined on Page 5 in the Problem Glossary or in the 2016-2017 Odyssey of the Mind Program Guide.) 1. General Rules: Read the 2016-2017 Odyssey of the Mind Program Guide. This manual is updated each year and includes basic limitations for solving Odyssey of the Mind problems and the forms required for competition. This problem cannot be solved without referring to the Program Rules section of the guide. 2. Problem Clarifications: The Odyssey of the Mind Program Guide explains the types of questions about the rules that will be clarified and the ways to submit those questions. General problem clarifications can be accessed at www.odysseyofthemind.com/clarifications/. Problem clarifications submitted after February 15, 2017, will not be answered. CCI may find it necessary to issue clarifications after that date, so continue to check for them after February 15 and before each competition. 3. The time limit for this problem is 8 minutes. This starts when the Timekeeper says, Team begin, and includes setup, Style, and the presentation of the problem solution. 4. The cost limit for this problem is $145 (U.S.). The combined value of the materials used during the demonstration of the team s solution, including Style, cannot exceed this amount. The Odyssey of the Mind Program Guide explains the cost limit and lists items that are exempt from cost. 5. The team will create an original performance that includes: a. three vehicles that travel on required trips. b. a multi-level Parking Garage and a Secret Meeting Place. c. a reason for the secret meeting. d. a character that wants to prevent the meeting from taking place. e. a simulation of a scene taking place inside a vehicle as it travels. f. a soundtrack. Page 1 of 5

6. The three required vehicles: a. must each be an original creation of the team. To be considered original, the way a vehicle travels and/or the way it is propelled must be a result of the team s ideas and work. Vehicles may include commercially produced parts. b. must travel independently from each other. c. will be scored for the differences in the way they travel and/or their propulsion systems (type, application, origination, etc.). d. are not allowed to use alternating current while traveling. See B7d(2) for vehicle size restrictions and B8f for vehicle travel. 7. The Parking Garage: a. must be completely within the boundaries of the 2 x 2 Parking Lot (see Figure A) when time begins and when vehicles are released for required travel. b. must be made by the team. It may include commercially produced parts. c. must have at least three levels so each vehicle is resting at a different height from the others. The difference in height between levels must be visibly apparent to the judges. d. must hold all of the parked required vehicles when time begins. Vehicles that are parked in the Parking Garage: (1) are only allowed to touch the Parking Garage. (2) must be entirely within the boundary of the Parking Lot. They are allowed to extend beyond the Parking Garage as long as they are entirely within the boundaries of the Parking Lot. (3) must be in the part of the Parking Garage and in the same orientation they will be when they start their required travel. They may be moved or removed and placed back into position at any time. 8. Running the vehicles from the Parking Garage to the Secret Meeting Place (SMP): a. Vehicles must be in their parked position in the Parking Garage. b. Vehicles are allowed to be touched, adjusted, etc. before they begin travel. c. Each vehicle will take different routes to the SMP. The vehicles must travel out of the Parking Garage and exit the Parking Lot. When they exit the Parking Lot each vehicle must cross one different colored line of the taped lot. d. The vehicles must travel one at a time. If more than one vehicle is traveling at the same time, only the first one released will count if it completes a successful trip. e. During their trip, each vehicle will travel through a Getaway Zone (described in B9d) where it will do something that prevents it from being followed. These actions must be: (1) visible to the judges. (2) different from each other. (3) physical actions initiated by the vehicles. How they prevent the vehicle from being followed may be explained in the performance. (4) completed in the Getaway Zone. They may be initiated by the vehicle before they reach the Getaway Zone. f. Team members are not allowed to help a vehicle travel after it breaks the plane of the Parking Lot. This includes direct and indirect touching, moving objects in or out of the way, producing or directing energy for propulsion, producing the physical action, etc. If a team member does anything to help a vehicle complete a required trip (including the use of a remote control) to the SMP, that trip is considered over. The team is allowed to return the vehicle to the Parking Garage for another attempt. g. Vehicles may be stopped and repaired at any time by the team. However, they must be returned to the Parking Garage to be eligible to start required travel to the SMP. Vehicles may make as many attempts as time allows to complete required travel from the Parking Garage to the SMP. h. a vehicle is considered inside the SMP if it breaks its plane. 9. The Course (See Figure A): a. is 16 from the back of the Parking Lot to the back of the SMP. b. starts with a taped 2 x 2 Parking Lot. The tape will be four different colors, one for each side of the lot. c. ends with a taped 2 x 3 Secret Meeting Place. The nearest edge of the SMP is centered on the Parking Lot and 12 from and parallel to the nearest edge of the Parking Lot. The SMP: (1) is allowed to have items placed in and around it, but the boundary is not allowed to be hidden from view. (2) is allowed to have team members in it at any time. A team member may be inside or outside of the area when stopping or touching a vehicle that has entered the SMP. Page 2 of 5

d. has a 4 Getaway Zone in the middle. The Getaway Zone: (1) will be formed by two 6 taped lines that are parallel to the Parking Lot, the SMP, and each other. The lines are 4 and 8 from the nearest edge of the Parking Lot. (2) extends in an imaginary straight line beyond the edges of the tape. The vehicles do not have to break the plane of the tape. That is, they don t have to cross over the taped portion of the lines, but must do something to prevent it from being followed within the plane of the zone. 10. The reason for the secret meeting: a. may be anything the team wishes. b. will be presented in any way the team wishes as part of the performance. 11. The character in the performance that wants to keep the meeting from taking place may be portrayed any way the team wishes. Only one character is eligible for score in D8. 12. The simulation will portray the action taking place inside of a traveling team-created vehicle. The simulation: a. is allowed to include additional components such as surrounding action as it is seen from inside the vehicle. b. will depict all or part of a trip. It does not have to be a required trip to the SMP. c. must be presented in combination with a vehicle that is actually traveling. The action must appear to correspond with the actual travel of the vehicle. 13. The soundtrack: a. can be anything the team wishes. It does not have to be a recording. b. must be audible to the judges and audience. c. does not have to be the same each time it is presented. d. must be started each time a vehicle leaves the Parking Lot during a required trip. It does not have to continue throughout the entire trip. 14. The team should present the Staging Area Judge with four copies of the Team s Required List Form found in the forms section of the Members Area at www.odysseyofthemind.com/members/ or four copies of a list on one side of one or two sheets of 8½ x 11 or A4 paper. This list must be hand-printed, typed, or computer generated. It is for reference only. The list must include: a. the team s membership name and number, the problem and division. b. a brief description of the Parking Garage and the three required vehicles including how they are propelled, the line they will cross coming out of the Parking Lot, and the order they are expected to be run. c. the action each vehicle is taking to prevent it from being followed or caught. d. the reason for the meeting. e. a brief description of the character that wants to prevent the meeting. f. when in the performance the simulation will occur. g. a brief description of the soundtrack. h. the signal the team will use to indicate it has finished presenting its solution. Figure A: The Course 24 Page 3 of 5

C. Site, Setup and Competition 1. The competition area will be a minimum of 24 x 20 (7.3m x 6.1m) with a taped 2 x 2 Parking Lot, a taped 2 x 3 Secret Meeting Place, and taped lines forming a Getaway Zone. The judge will direct the team to place its multi-level Parking Garage and the vehicles into the Parking Lot. They must fit entirely within the 2 x 2 taped area. If they do not, the judge will give the team an opportunity to bring it to specification, but only if time allows. 2. The vehicles will leave the Parking Lot one at a time, each crossing a different colored line, as the soundtrack is played. They will travel their own route toward the SMP. A required trip is successful if a vehicle travels from the Parking Garage and out of the Parking Lot, completes its action in the Getaway Zone, and enters the SMP within the limitations. There is no limit on the number of attempts a vehicle is allowed to make to reach the SMP. Judges will award score for the most successful trip for each vehicle as long as it exits the Parking Lot and crosses a different colored taped line from other vehicles. 3. A three-prong electrical outlet will be available. Teams should bring their own extension cords and adapters, if needed. 4. Team members must report to the competition site with all of their props and paperwork at least 15 minutes before they are scheduled to compete. 5. At the end of the 8-minute competition period, the Timekeeper will call time and all activity must stop. The team may end before the 8 minutes but it must signal the judges when it is finished. 6. Teams should bring cleaning utensils to clean up any mess. Should a team take an unreasonable amount of time to clean the site, or leave a mess, the judges will assess an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty. Others not on the team s roster can help the team clear the site and remove the team s props. The competition area must be left undamaged, and clean and dry for the next team. D. Scoring 1. Overall creativity of the performance... 1 to 15 points 2. Overall quality of the presentation... 1 to 15 points 3. The Parking Garage meets limitations (See B7)... 0 or 10 points 4. The vehicles... 5 to 25 points a. Creativity of the way they function...3 to 10 points b. Overall difference in travel and/or propulsion (See B6)...2 to 15 points 5. Travel to the SMP (one scored trip for each vehicle)... 0, 5, 10, etc., up to 30 points a. Vehicle takes an action to avoid being followed in the Getaway Zone (5 pts per vehicle)... 0, 5, 10, or 15 points b. Arrive at the SMP (5 pts per vehicle)... 0, 5, 10, or 15 points 6. The actions to avoid being followed or stopped in the getaway zone... 6 to 30 points a. Overall effectiveness in the performance...3 to 10 points b. Overall Creativity (design, setup, mechanics, etc.)...2 to 15 points c. Difference of the actions from each other...1 to 5 points 7. The reason for the meeting... 0 or 7 to 15 points a. Is presented... 0 or 5 points b. Creativity of the reason (originality, unexpectedness, etc.)...2 to 10 points 8. The character that wants to prevent the meeting... 2 to 20 points a. Creativity of portrayal...1 to 10 points b. Effectiveness in the performance...1 to 10 points 9. The Simulation... 0 or 4 to 25 points a. Takes place (within limitations - see B12)... 0 or 5 points b. Effectiveness in the performance...1 to 10 points c. Creativity (technique, unexpectedness, originality, etc.)...3 to 10 points 10. The Soundtrack... 1 to 15 points a. Plays while each vehicle begins a required trip... 0 or 5 points b. Effectiveness in the performance...1 to 10 points Maximum possible: 200 points Page 4 of 5

E. Penalties (Deducted from percentaged scores.) 1. Spirit of the Problem violation (each offense)...-1 to -100 points 2. Unsportsmanlike conduct (each offense)...-1 to -100 points 3. Incorrect or missing membership sign...-1 to -15 points 4. Outside assistance (each offense)...-1 to -100 points 5. Over cost limit...-1 to -100 points 6. Parking Garage and vehicles do not fit inside the Parking Lot...zero score for D3* * If the garage is oversized, the vehicles and the area of the Parking Garage they are traveling from must be within the Parking Lot when run to be eligible for score for D5. Omission of scored problem requirements carries no penalty except loss of score. F. Style (Elaboration of the problem solution; use four copies of the Style Form from the Odyssey of the Mind Program Guide.) 1. Creativity of the appearance of one required vehicle... 1 to 10 points 2. Creativity of how the membership sign is integrated into the performance... 1 to 10 points 3. (Free choice of team)... 1 to 10 points 4. (Free choice of team)... 1 to 10 points 5. Overall effect of the four Style elements in the performance... 1 to 10 points Maximum possible: 50 points G. Tournament Director Will Provide 1. A 24 x 20 (7.3m x 6.1m) course (larger, if possible) with a taped 2 x 2 Garage Area, 2 taped 6 Getaway Zone lines, and a taped 2 x 3 Secret Meeting Place. 2. A three-prong electrical outlet. 3. A judging team and materials necessary to judge this problem. NOTE: Contact your Tournament Director for site specifications, such as actual dimensions, floor surface, etc. Do not submit a clarification request for this information. H. The Team Must Provide 1. Four copies of its Style Form, one Cost Form, one Outside Assistance Form, and all team-specific clarifications. 2. Four copies of the list described in B14. This list is to assist the judges. If the team fails to provide the list, there will be no penalty; however, it benefits the team to have the lists because without them the judges might miss a scored aspect of the performance. 3. Any necessary extension cords or outlet adapters. 4. Cleanup materials as needed. I. Problem Glossary (Italicized terms that are not in this Glossary can be found in the 2016-2017 Odyssey of the Mind Program Guide.) Appear to Correspond The simulation must be presented to look into the vehicle while it is actually traveling. Exaggerations are allowed. The action might not directly match the travel but it is intended to appear as though it shows what is taking place at that time in the vehicle. Visibly apparent noticeable without special positioning, illustration, highlights, or recording of measurements. When looking at it the requirement (levels at different heights) is obvious. Problem by Dr. C. Samuel Micklus and Samuel W. Micklus Copyright 2016 Creative Competitions, Inc. Creative Competitions, Inc., its licensees, and the problem authors assume no responsibility for damage or injury incurred as a result of attempting to solve this problem. Odyssey of the Mind, OotM, and the Odyssey of the Mind logo are federally registered trademarks of Creative Competitions, Inc. Page 5 of 5