1/20/2018 第七屆嗇色園定向盃 搞手心聲

還記得五年之前，我亦在黃大仙玩過嗇色園定向盃。當時是B佬設計一個30分鐘的奪分式賽程，比賽結束後B佬更高談自己的傑作。詳情在此︰

http://www.hkoc.org/forum/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3145&extra=page%3D1

今年，我在OC收到第一重任，本來只是做第七屆嗇色園定向盃的賽事主任。後來當問不到別人做賽程設計，索性自己做埋。見到舊的城市定向地圖，忍不住亦把它更新一下。結果，我在此比賽做了三個位置︰賽程設計、地圖更新和賽事主任。以下會逐點講，可能會比B佬更多口水。

第一部︰賽程設計

我第一天便收到訊息，要設計一個與普通奪分式不同的賽事，就是奪「夠」分式。即是，鬥快打夠目標分數並回到終點。知道上年女雙組全軍覆沒，所以我對賽事長度非常著緊。

吸取了Pro-Active上次在蒲崗村道公園搞短途奪夠分式的經驗，我想了這些東西︰

1)分數不會是5的倍數，而是零星的數字。最淺的組別(FAM)的全部分值仍會是5的倍數，但組別越深，5的倍數的數量越少。雖然分數亂，但控制點的號碼是跟分數大小排序的。不願太隨機，因為後果是賽員會放棄去想，隨機打控制點。有排序，起碼能知道哪些點分數最多。

2)由於每個控制點的分值不能因組別而改變(電子打卡系統的限制)，全部最近起終點的控制點全是FAM的。最深的組別(OSM/OSW)，只有一兩個控制點是和FAM重叠的。所以，OSM/OSW的控制點分值差不多全部都不是5的倍數。正因如此，我先設計最淺的(FAM)，再設計最深的(OSM/OSW)。中間的兩個賽程(OGM/OGW和SSM/SSW)，只按難度按比例用FAM和OSM/OSW的控制點。由於OSM/OSW差不多全部都是外圍控制點，如果返終點前算錯數，賽員就要走很遠才能補分了。

3)有考慮過某些賽程搭車可能有著數。OGM/OGW的賽程，我故意抺去在新蒲崗的控制點，使在樂富和在彩虹的控制點較密集。不知這樣有沒有吸引人搭地鐵呢？OSM/OSW只在慈雲山西北面放三個，因為我想那是小巴總站。搭小巴是否真的有著數？所有接近公交的控制點，分值都較低。

4)FAM的賽程花了我最多心血。設計後，真的想過多條路線，然後調較各點分值(只有5,10和一個15分)。最佳路線應該是只拿西面的控制點，直線距離為4.0km。我希望大多數FAM組的賽員能在限時完成的。

5)OSM/OSW的，我不再細心設計路線，只計算每個區域的總分。計過彩虹區的分數要和樂富區的分數差不多，前者分數密集，但要上山，後者分數較散，但較多平地。從來沒有想過有條路線剛好達到目標分數的。分數為5至29分不等。

6)M和F組用同一張圖，但少找50分，約等於3個點。

7)但為什麼最後最高分的點有80多分呢？我見到某一年的黃大仙定向(第四屆?)，有些點值91分，所以我心想，既然從前分數已經那麼亂，不如我亦照辦。我把所有分數乘3，那些非FAM的點再把一些點隨機加1減1，便能把分數搞亂，但仍保持本人分值分佈的理念。

8)由於是鬥快取夠目標分數，所有組別的限時都是同一時間(5:10pm)，以供黃大仙康體會頒獎。本來想著先給OSM/OSW出發，給予多點時間去玩，預計最快都要90分鐘才回來的。而FAM最後出發，最快應該60分鐘回來。不過，由於多項原因，FAM最早出發，SSM/SSW第二早，OSW第三，OGM/OGW第四﹐OSM最遲出發。開始擔心OS和OG會否有全軍覆沒的危險。

9)B佬看過我的賽程後，建議我減少OSM/OSW的目標分數，我聽他說了。多些人成績有效，豈不是更好？

結果在賽後︰

FAM最快的真的大概60分鐘能完成，而且大多數組能完成。

OSM最快75分鐘能完成，但過半人數因不夠分而成績無效。OSW更只得4人完成，幸好仍能頒獎。似乎，我要設計得短些。

聽到有人說我學了B佬的賤設計，我更當這是褒獎。B佬只叫我降低目標分數。其他大致上沒有改動。

最可惜見到有人只差3分才夠目標分數，與有人在今年M21只差3分才能入精英組有異曲同工之妙。

第二部︰地圖更新

這個和賽程設計一起做。我仍相信圖中大部分畫的東西，可是覺得舊圖的石屎路的用色好像不一致，所以花了不少時間增加圖例的一致性。車路和行人路用不同深度的啡色，鴨屎綠(永久禁區)和紫色斜間(暫時禁區)有區別。大小徑亦有分別。

在賽區最花時間改的，是斧山上的小徑。本來只是想研究可否在這裏放點，結果我不斷試探這山周圍的通行性，結果發現舊圖的大小徑需要修改。亦更改了自己放點的位置，把兩個高分點放在最高位置，但沒有路通，要先下去再上才能到這兩個點。另外，亦保證兩點不是大上大落的dog leg，有辦法從另一條路走的。

另外，翠竹花園、慈雲山法藏寺和東啟德遊樂場附近亦有作地圖的修改。有些本來以為放到點的，到實地卻發覺不能進入的，便畫了鴨屎綠，又要另找位置放點。

為了拍攝所有43個點的位置給賽區主任(根爺)，我去了賽區三天。另加一天只畫斧山，另一天畫新蒲崗。

第三部︰賽事主任

我確保賽程設計和地圖更新完成，並印齊地圖，才專心做賽事的行政事項。要從技術性工種轉行做行政工種，心態非常不同。我要從有沒有畫漏東西，變做有沒有執漏或做漏東西。很多時都是想叫各起終點、賽事中心、成績處理和賽區主任自己想。我只想聽他們做過甚麼，有沒有上OC執物資。自己又要執賽員須知，結果不記得要解釋各控制點分數在地圖哪處去看。

比賽當天，預期不少突發事件會發生。今次見到的，是報到處和行李寄存的指示不清晰。多個指示牌原來應該要打印出來，不是用手寫。頒獎時間亦窒了我一窒，之前說明5:45pm頒獎，為什麼要到7:00pm？7:00pm，所有人都走了。幸好，所有賽員都能平平安安地回家。

下一個搞手比賽

原來，做三個位真的很花時間，前後用了我一個月的時間去準備。不過，現在又計劃另一場比賽了。由於有些東西尚未確定，本人暫時會賣關子，日後才說會幫手搞什麼。

Dec 10 2017 - Introduction to Temp-O

A sub-class of trail orienteering

Trail orienteering (Trail-O) tests participants' map reading skills without the need of running fast. Currently, there are two major competition styles -- Pre-O (Precision-O) and Temp-O. The flow and strategies of a Pre-O have been discussed here and here. In this article, Temp-O will be discussed.

In Pre-O, there are usually a few timed controls (TCs) that are used to break ties in ranking. Participants need to correctly answer TCs as fast as possible. A wrong answer gives a large time penalty.

In Temp-O, all controls are timed. Participants go to several stations. Each station has 4-5 control questions. Similar to TC, participants need to identify which flag correctly show the location in a map as fast as possible. Each wrong answer adds 30 seconds time penalty.

There are some differences between Pre-O TC and Temp-O. Pre-O TC usually has 5 flags to look at, while Temp-O usually has 6. Moreover, in Pre-O TC, one of the flags must be correct (i.e. no zero answers). In Temp-O, the "none-of-the-above" zero answer is allowed.

Now, we will look at a full Temp-O event, which was happened in 10 Dec 2017 in Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre, Hong Kong.

Example questions in a Temp-O event

In each station, a panoramic photo shows the 6 flags, with A to the far left and F to the far right. Below the photo, a slideshow of control questions are shown. There are 5 questions in each station. You may time yourself how long it takes to complete the questions in these stations. The solutions are shown after the 4 stations.

Note that all maps are set to the north. Thus, the photo view direction is close to the top of the map.

Station 1

Station 2

Station 3

Station 4

Solution

Station 1

Question 1: control description says building SE outside corner. There seem to be only 3 buildings in front, which are also shown on the map, so being tricked by parallel error is unlikely. The middle building does have a flag at the SE corner, so the answer is E.

Question 2: control description says building SW outside corner. Flag B is close, but is not put at the corner at all. No flags are at this corner, so the answer is Z (none of the above).

Question 3: control description says pipe west end. I see the pipe, but the west end of the pipe is hidden from the view, so the answer is Z.

Question 4: NE end of the hedge. Flag C looks like it is at  the NE end. However, the end means the flag should be placed at the mid-point of the width. However, Flag C is put at the corner of the hedge, so the answer is Z.

Question 5: W end of the closer pipe. Flag D shows at the right place, so it is the answer.

Station 2

Question 1: The fence has 2 semi-circles. Flag B is placed at the closer semi-circle, but the map points to the farther one, so the answer is Z.

Question 2: Ball field corner. Flag B looks right!

Question 3: At the closest light pole. Flag C fits. The side where the flag is placed is also correct. Thus, C is correct.

Question 4: The hedge near the building has a Flag E. The side the flag is placed is also correct.

Question 5: Flag F is placed at the closer hedge. It is good.

Station 3

Question 1: The thicket is in front of a building, so it is very close to where I sit. Flag A may not look exactly north of the thicket, but as long as the description is not at the opposite side, the answer is considered to be correct (in Temp-O, a +/- 90 deg of error in a control description is allowed). Thus, the answer is A.

Question 2: This is tricky. Flag F seems to be the second building from the front, but it looks too far. If reading the map more carefully, the second building has a shorter width, so the corner of the second building cannot be seen. Flag F is actually at the third building from the front. The answer is Z.

Question 3: The two canals meet closer to me than the building. C looks correct.

Question 4: If the participant cannot figure out Question 2, they have another chance to answer this. The answer is F.

Question 5: The circle is quite far away from me. E is the furthest and the location looks close. I cannot clearly see the re-entrant, but I should still say E quickly.

Station 4

Question 1: It takes me a while to find out where I am. Which paved oval am I at? Once I find where I am (the oval at the bottom), the circled location cannot be seen, so the answer is Z.

Question 2: The tree at Flag A is too close, since it should be near a path bend, not at the junction of the path and the paved oval. B is the right tree.

Question 3: It is hard to say whether a flag is at the part of an open land from afar, but based on the distance and direction, Flag D is close. Since time is precious, it is okay to guess D without further examination.

Question 4: I have to judge whether Flag C is on the right terrace. C is correct, but somehow I think there is a terrace before C, so I get this wrong.

Question 5: The map suddenly brings to another area: near Flag E and F. By counting the ovals on the building, Flag E is not at the right oval. Flag F is not next to the building. The answer is Z.

My performance

This was my second Temp-O experience. I got 4 questions wrong, and I did not expect any prize in this competition. I still think I could make less mistakes using the similar time. For each station, I used around 40 seconds. Elites can finish a station in around 20 seconds.

It was unexpected that I got a third-place. Since there was a trail-O clinic instructed by Owe, who is an experienced trail-O official from Sweden, he was invited to give the prize. I was grateful to receive the prize from him.

I probably still enjoy pre-O more than temp-O because I can take more time to interpret the flag choices. To do well in temp-O, I have to be trained to make decision fast without making mistakes.