Online Gimmick Rallye Checklist

This checklist was originally the work of Dave, who is still TRC's expert on online rallyes.

There is also a "Gimmick Rallye Timeline and Rallyemaster Handbook for an "In Real Life" rallye.

Before the Rallye

9 months prior

• Decide the type of rallye you will write, theme of rallye & if it will be a rethrow, a partial rethrow or a new rallye from scratch
• Join the TRC-RM mailing list
• Choose a mentor. Dave and Ken are excellent choices.
• Start writing the rallye

6 months prior

• Consult with mentor. Discuss concepts, basic gimmick ideas, flyer, route, etc.

4 months prior

• Prepare flyer including your monYEAR@TheRallyeClub.org E-mail address and send it to webmaster per instructions.
• Also provide artwork for the postcard mailings. The area for the artwork is about 1 inch by 2-2/3 inches. This area can display a single image with an aspect ratio of about 3:8, or a combination of text/fonts and image(s). Email it to the board.

• Decide if you will create your own rallye announcement or have someone else create it for you.
  • If the latter, send a copy of the flyer and a copy or pointer to all its graphics to TRC's board, asking them to create it.
• Likewise, you can post your own event to TRC's Facebook group or have this done for you.
  • We also post our online events to
    • SoCal Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/433646320070274
    • Puzzle Hunt calendar
• Send mail to <webmaster> asking him to put you on the monYEAR@TheRallyeClub.org mailing list. You may have more than one person get this mail, but probably want to agree who will answer, so questioners don't get duplicate or conflicting responses.

• Keep writing rallye: GIs, Route Instructions, and "teleport" links to skip between rallye sections (comparable to a Traverse).

• Either start attending monthly General meetings to give updates or email updates to TRC's Secretary at least 4 days before meeting.

3 months prior

• Identify how the CP will be done: Jira and phone? Zoom?
• Arrange for precheckers.
• Get first prechecks done; make corrections to rallye as needed.

2 months prior

• Arrange checkpoint workers, if needed.
• Arrange Help Desk workers.
• Identify the Protest Committee.
• Identify who will write the scoring program and who will run the scoring program quickly upon rallye finish.
• Identify who will create and present the "rallye school" explaining and giving examples of the A/B route instructions and key concepts like Bonuses.
  • The "rallye school" usually includes a small map rallye.
  • Hammer home that rallyists shouldn't "get lost" even if they make incorrect choices.
  • Instruct rallyists that they may not want to ask their question or make their comment in front of everyone.
  • Mention the Help Desk if they are sufficiently lost or confused.
  • We think it would be wonderful to record it and post it (e.g., to You Tube), so rallyists can watch it when convenient. But no RM has yet done so.
• Identify who will announce the results.

• Finish writing the rallye.
• Derive Preliminary GIs from the GIs (typically, by leaving out hints about where the rallye occurs).
• Create a draft score sheet and a "runsheet" for rallyists to use.

2 weeks prior

• Prepare checkpoint materials and crew instructions.
• Update TRC's Zoho scoresheet as needed and test it
• Update the scoring program as needed and test it.
• Give the rallye a "dress rehearsal" precheck.
• Have precheckers review the final Critique.
  • Assure the finish points added bring the score to 1000.
  • For an A/B rallye, assure the Critique has every answer correct——reasoning and answer.
  • Double check your manual or computer scoring is correct, for "typical" as well as perfect rallye score sheets.
• Have any post precheck updates reviewed by precheckers. It is as easy to break something as it is to fix something.

1 week prior

• Email preliminary GIs to the webmaster so to post on TRC's web site. (If they are not identical to the final GIs, label them Preliminary.)

File naming convention

Mail your preliminary GIs as a PDF attachment named yyyy-mm-dd-PreGI-NAME.pdf where:

• yyyy-mm-dd is the date the Rallye was run
• PreGI is just like that (and case matters)
• NAME is the name of the Rallye

For example, the preliminary instructions for Ghostchasers, a rallye to be run on October 6th of 2012, use the preferred filename 2012-10-06-PreGI-Ghostchasers.pdf

• Prepare award certificates (PDF).

3 days prior

• Check for and answer questions from potential rallyists.
• Email any checkpoint workers their instructions, so they have time to read them and ask questions.
  • If checkpoint instructions are lengthy, also give a brief list to refer to while they are interacting with rallyists.
  • Include a list of all the papers, slips, giveaways, and etc. they should have at the CP.
  • Be sure CP workers know what to do with rallye questions. They may have rallyists use the Help Desk process instead.

• Gather ideas for SIs you might post "at the start":
  • Differences between the PGIs and GIs (unless the PGIs said something like "to be provided").
  • Streets that are in some way unusual or concerning (e.g., not quite a T shape).
  • Mention of rotaries (roundabouts, traffic islands), if they will be encountered.

The Day of the Rallye

Before the start opens

• Assure your phone is on, your ringer is loud, and you allow calls to ring even when not from one of your contacts.
• Send the Start Packet (without the Critique!)

At the start

• Deliver "rallye school"

During the Rallye

• Monitor Help Desk, coordinating schedules so people take breaks at different times
• Staff the checkpoint

Around finish time

• Receive scoresheets, score them, and send the scores back to the car.
• Review scoresheets for any entries the scoring program wasn't expecting.
• Have a plan for marking late score sheets to be penalized.

At finish time

• Send "closed" email with critique link.

After finish closes

• Update "scoreboard" spread sheet with class, car number, participant names, score, and whether protests applied.
• Start reading protests.
• At last call, stop accepting score sheets.

• Re-score score sheets, if necessary.
• Prepare comments (like any gimmicks "thrown out" (granted to all rallyists) for prior to awards.

At the Finish Meeting

• Welcome and thank rallyists.
• State what you learned (e.g., from the Help Desk and score sheets).
• Describe any gimmicks "thrown out" and why.
• Announce awards, typically from lowest class to highest class, and low score to high in each class.
• Thank workers and rallyists.
• Announce upcoming rallyes, both in-person and next online rallye (expected).

• • Remind rallyists to please fill in and return their participant survey.

Soon After Rallye

• Send a participant survey (if it wasn't automatic in the finish email or critique).

Within 2 weeks

• Send results to TRC-Talk and webmaster and BCC your rallyists.

• Send award certificates to participants.

• Seek reimbursement from TRC's Treasurer
  • Provide a list of what you want reimbursed (typically by E-mail, in advance of the next business meeting)
  • Provide receipts to the treasurer (scan and E-mail or bring to business meeting)

Before the next TRC Business Meeting

• Prepare a brief report on what went well and poorly, interesting protests, etc.

  Then E-mail the report to the business mailing list

  or give the report in person at the next business meeting.

• Email both editable (Word-compatible) and printable (PDF) rallye materials to the webmaster:
  • Flyer, Score Sheet, GIs, RIs, Critique, any maps, CP signs or materials, CP instructions
  • Scoring program (and perhaps test score sheets).
  • Report of what went well or poorly and of any protests (which might indicate bugs to fix if this rallye is ever rethrown or a sequel is planned).

• While fresh in your mind, add your lessons learned to our Advice for New Rallyemasters.

• Start planning next rallye.