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Soko-Grand

An Exercise in Logistics
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After recently realizing the ingeniousness of the classic puzzle game, "Soko-Ban," and after seeing America's largest cornfield maze on television, this idea hit me.

For those of you not familiar with the game, I have provided a link to a Java version. The premise is simple. You are the Soko Ban (Japanese for "Warehouse Man"), and you must push boxes throughout corridors to their alloted spaces. Incorrect planning can result in unsolvable situations.

Now picture this: Tarmac is placed over an empty plot of land. On the tarmac, a 20mx20m area is marked, with a grid of white lines partitioning the area into four hundred 1mx1m squares. At one of the edges of the square lies a huge tower, with a crow's nest at the top. Gigantic hollow plastic cubes are used as boxes, modular fencing is used for the walls. 1mx1m mats are used to represent the "goal squares."

Now the players are divided into teams of three: A Soko-Ban, a surveyor, and a director. Naturally, the Soko-Ban is on the ground, doing the physical labour. In the crow's nest, the surveyor plans the Soko-Ban's every move. The intermediate between the Soko-Ban and the surveyor is the director, who interprets the surveyor's directions. Only the director is permitted to yell out instructions.

A team has three attempts and a max time limit of twenty minutes. The crow's nest is equipped with pen, paper, megaphone, and a computer with a virtual version of the actual level.

The game runs in king-of-the hill fashion, where Team A will actually create a level beforehand, enter the arena, and set it up while Team B waits in isolation. (Team A must create a digital version and show the solution to the referee prior to commencement.) If Team B is successful at solving, they remain the "kings," go back into isolation, and Team C comes in to set up the arena. Now say Team C stumps Team B. Team C becomes the new royalty and waits in isolation as Team D sets up the arena. The cycle goes on and on...

Why is this a good game? Just like an actual sport, such as rugby, the game demands athleticism, communication, and strategy. The only difference between this that each of the three aforementioned aspects are divided up among three teammates.

As for the feasibility of construction of an actual arena? Well...

Cuit_au_Four, Nov 17 2004

Sokoban++ http://members.lyco...sokoban/en/java.htm
The game of Soko-Ban online [Cuit_au_Four, Nov 17 2004]

[link]






       Doesn't sound as much fun as "Guess the true identity of the 'newbie' ". I love the smell of reborn halfbakers in the mornings!!
ConsulFlaminicus, Nov 17 2004
  

       [ConsulFlaminicus] something igniting your furnace? heh.Good though.
skinflaps, Nov 17 2004
  
      
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