Update #3 & Negative Scores...

[JTH]

Originally posted by ejthe4th
from what i understand the base score is the number of boxes that are in the scoring zone that are not in the tallest stack...so if there was a box 11shu and a stack 1shu then they would recieve 11*1 = 11 points

"All containers within the alliance's scoring zone will be worth one point EXCEPT the containers in the tallest stack"

That's what I thought until Jacqui corrected me.

The original SC8 stated

All containers in the tallest stack located in the scoring zone (the “multiplier stack”)
are worth zero points. Containers in additional stacks of the same height will be
scored normally;

but, in order to fit with the original hint equation of "y=ax^2+bx+c", Team Update 1 changed it. That statement now reads

The height of the tallest stack located in the scoring zone (the “multiplier stack”),
measured in whole Stack Height Units (as defined in SC9) is subtracted from the total
number of containers to establish the “base score.” Containers in additional stacks of the
same height will be scored normally;

The original rule would have meant that a team could give the opposing team a huge multiplier. With the updated rule, because of the inverted parabolic scoring, we are seeing that teams can give penalties.