How do you play Hit-a-bump version 4?
1. Introduction and needed items
Version 4 is similiar to all other versions, except that it requires a ramp of some sort, similar to one used with Marble-pool. You need a ramp at least 6 inches to up to 1 foot [15.24-30.48 cm]. You need to raise your ramp so that it is one-fourth of the length of the ramp. For example, if you use a ten inch board [25.4 cm], you need a height of 2.5 inches [6.35 cm]. You can give or take a quarter of an inch [.635 cm]. Also, you'll need at least 50 marbles.
2. Game setup
Prepare your ramp as indicated above. Then test it to find the furthest distance the marbles will get. This game requires either carpeted area or a smooth area outside. The surface must be flat. To test optimal distance, roll the marble down the ramp and see how far it goes. This is best played toward a wall. Take that distance and subtract about 1 inch [2.54 cm]. If the marble hits the wall, move your ramp back enough so that it doesn't and shield off the far sides as follows:
This image illustrates how the objects should be arranged around the play area. The top part is the wall, the green square in perspective is the field, and the yellow ramp is the bottom part with orange books under it. The blue area represents the carpet outside the field. Once the ramp is set up, gather 50 marbles of as close to the same size as possible. Color doesn't make a difference.
3. How to play
Once you got the play area setup, put marbles in the field in the shape of numbers but 1 inch [2.54 cm] apart from each other. The marbles must be placed in numbers as follows or any design you wish. When competing, you must go for the same design.
The object of this game is to clear the field as fast as you can or get through as many levels as you can by clearing the field in a given time. If two or more marbles hit each other, like all other versions, remove them, including the one you just used. For 2 marbles, it's 1 point. For 3 marbles, it's 3 points, for 4, it's 10, 5 for 25, 6 for 100 and quaduple it from then on. Usually you wouldn't get much beyond 5 as 5 is very rare.
If you have a marble in a really tough spot, you may, when launching down the ramp, slide it left or right, but not toward the field launching it while going left or right. This helps a bit, but can decrease your accuracy if you don't do it right.
Learn about another version with the following links:
Hit-a-bump home
Hit-a-bump version 1
Hit-a-bump version 2
Hit-a-bump version 3
Hit-a-bump version 4
Hit-a-bump version 6
Hit-a-bump version 6 board construction
Footnotes:
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