h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: How to make a flying saucer game - A54787819
Author: Vestboy - U45662

Rainy days are almost looked forward to when you get to play this game. Children can compete with one another if they wish or a child can play this on their own.
Don't even think of making the target holes small at the beginning. You may even suggest the open doorway as the target so that they succeed early on. Only then slowly limit the space otherwise the children lose heart when they miss too often.

<>

*bites back disappointment*



Greatthanks Vestboy

GB

Great! A good entry and a great idea. What I particularly like about it is that children can 'still' have fun with games requiring no outlay.

It's almost a shame to finish with the 'safety' rules but I suppose they have to be there nowadays. As you've got them, perhaps you should add no snapping of the elastic band on siblings or you dad's bum!

How about the novel idea of using a compass to make circles?

And in point 1, you have an extremely rare case of using "lie" when you mean "lay", usually, they're confused the other way round

Would they still work if you covered them in tinfoil for that spacy look?

Oh, and I presume that stretching the band in the direction you want it to go won't work if you point it completely away from the circle.

So many points - so little brain!
Thanks for the comments.
I'll change the lie to lay
I wondered about the health and safety thing. I'd be happy to take it out. To be honest once these things start flying around somebody is bound to be hit by one. maybe we should include safety goggles as part of the equipment
Compasses: I was looking for what would be to hand rather than what would be the best tool. I remember as a child that we hardly ever had the stuff that Blue Peter or comic annuals said was necessary and I wanted to be as inclusive as possible. My mum and dad never drank wine and the number of things that required corks particularly disappointed me. I also didn't want to get into measurements either. Some of the kids I have worked with (and their parents to be frank) would not "have a go" if numbers were involved.

I think the silver foil would be great but I'm not sure how many flights it would last for. These things get to be bashed about a lot!

Could you make them out of thin plastic to last longer? Like, say, the top of that pringles tube?

You could!
Cardboard is generally more available and some of the games are better played with lots of saucers - otherwise you spend all of your time walking to fetch it after you've shot it.

Anything happening here?

I'm not sure if I should have done anything...

>>If using recycled card (e.g. from cereal box) lie it plain side up.<<

I notice that's still there. One of those rare instances where "lay" is correct and "lie" is not

Have you made any changes at all? Doesn't look like it to me...

Hi Vestie

Thi is good, but I believe it would really benefit from an opening paragraph to set the scene. I won't suggest exactly what it should say or how it should say it - I'm sure you would do a far better job than I could in any case - but I think the entry needs something like that to be suitable for the Edited Guide.

Icy

Sounds like enormous fun, I think I shall have a go this weekend.

Hi - I tried your directions and confirmed that they work fine

Here's the only thing I'd suggest

>>Let go of the flying saucer<<
You might add (parenthetically)
->Let go of the flying saucer (but keep hold of the elastic band)<-


In post 1, you wrote:
"Don't even think of making the target holes small at the beginning. You may even suggest the open doorway as the target so that they succeed early on. Only then slowly limit the space otherwise the children lose heart when they miss too often."

and I think that this information ought to find its way into the entry too. Verbatim, in fact.

Excellent fun

Sounds like fun! You need a period (or full stop, whatever) at the end of step 4 and at the end of the footnote. Otherwise looks great to me. Yay for do-it-yourself entertainment.

I've been off-line for a bit, but thanks for the constructive comments. I'll adjust accordingly

Do you need a nudge on this Vestboy? Well here's one anyway

I think I've made all of the changes that need to be made, now. Have I missed anything obvious?

Hi Vestboy/Scouts. This looks like it's close to being finished - nice, pithy, punchy Entry! If everyone is happy that it is finished we will submit it. What do you say?

Cheers
h2g2Eds

The use of lie/lay mentioned by Mala (post 11) is still outstanding.

It's a great entry IMO, even better than before.