The Future of Competitive Speedsolving (a discussion)

[TMOY]

What point are you trying to make exactly ? Yeah, some random guy got a sub-WR single on a lucky solve. Great news. It has only happened about a zillion times so far.

 

[Hovair]

Whats so bad about feliks. He is just a talented speedcuber. He has maybe broke limits but That doesnt mean that we can to. If more people Practise like feliks then maybe speedcubing could maybe last forever

 

[Kirjava]

He has maybe broke limits but That doesnt mean that we cant to.

o_O

 

[qqwref]

I'll give you something to think about. Fazrulz has broken the barrier of 6 seconds. No one else has ever done that before.

Nobody's done it before in competition. Actually, a lot of people have done sub-6 and even sub-5 with some luck, and quite a few other fast people have done sub-6 without luck. As far as 3x3 goes, Feliks is way ahead of others in competition, but he is not the only one who can perform like that in practice.

In fact, I think one of Feliks's big advantages over other fast cubers is that he doesn't do as badly in competition. I know of people who can sub-8 avg12 at home but struggle to even get a sub-10 average officially.

 

[Cheese11]

If more people Practise like feliks then maybe speedcubing could maybe last forever

I don't think it matters how fast someone is, anyone could lose interest in cubing.

 

[Cheese11]

Actually last weekend we had a really easy scramble for bld (6 corners solved). I was memorizing and like "wtf?! just 2 corners?"

So just a JPerm then te corners were done?

 

[Hershey]

He is just a talented speedcuber. He has maybe broke limits but That doesnt mean that we can to.

Are you saying that none of us can match or rival Feliks? GRRRRR!
This is exactly what Nakaji wanted to change in the community (we shouldn't have the negative attitude that no one can match Feliks). If Feliks can get like 7.5 average or less, than so can we. He is a human after all.

 

[Phlippieskezer]

He is a human after all.

In theory.

But, yeah, I agree. He is talented, though.

 

[Hershey]

In theory.

:fp

 

[Phlippieskezer]

:fp

Surely you realise I was being sarcastic? I put the winking smiley there for a reason. >.<

 

[Hershey]

Surely you realise I was being sarcastic? I put the winking smiley there for a reason. >.<

I just hate the "Feliks is not a human" jokes.

 

[Toquinha1977]

Sure, Feliks is more than likely human, and just happens to be extremely exceptional at what he does. One thing I also realize is that cubing involves a lot fewer people than organized sports, as there are probably more people involved in one competitive sport world wide than there are cubers, so yeah, the next Feliks is probably out there. He/she just hasn't picked up a cube yet.

But as it grows, the rules will probably have to get a lot stricter, much like professional sports. I'm not really looking forward to a time when they a list of banned substances for cubers, which could include ADHD medication (Ritalin, Concerta, Adderal, etc., which would suck if the cuber actually did have a legitimate prescription for ADHD medication), supplemental boosters (omega 3 supplements, ginkgo, ginseng), and caffeine. Mind you, while solving in a Starbucks, my times were getting progressively worse and worse the more coffee I drank.

 

[evogler]

21 of the top 25 official averages were recorded this year. 2 people recorded sub7's in the last couple of weeks. This seems to me like a particularly exciting time for speedcubing.

 

[MTGjumper]

Feliks also got a sub-7 in the last few weeks >_>

 

[Joël]

I only read the first post, but I'd like to share my thoughts on this.

I don't think for a moment that the progress is going to come to a halt anytime soon. Obviously, the progress is slowing down, which is only natural when approaching a limit. I think there are many methods/variations unexplored (by unexplored I mean there are not 1000's of people who have been doing it, the same way regular CFOP has been "explored"). I've seen a continuing 'evolution' in the CFOP methods and algs (more and more tricks for special cases) that are used, and I have no reason to expect this to stop.

I also don't think that we have seen the best possible speedcube yet. Technologically speaking, there are good possibilities unexplored (like linking cubes to computers to analyse solves/sessions, and make practice sessions more efficient), and I have no reason to believe that they will stay unexplored. I expect technological improvements to continue to help speedcubers get better.

I don't really get why getting closer to the limit should somehow be a sign that there is going to be a decline in speedcubing. There does seem to be a decline in the popularity in cubing (based on google trends), but I don't see why this should be related in the WR becomming harder to beat.

Anyway, those were my 2 cents. Back to work!

When I started cubing, the WR was 12.11 for a single solve (Macky ). Everybody knew it could be done faster, but most people at that time agreed that sub-10 averages were probably not possible for humans... At the time, I agreed too. That's why I am not going to make any predictions about what's possible.

 

[Arkwell]

Just like tennis and the wood racket one of these days when we use Carbon Fiber cubes with built in timers and Friction ratings rather than Lube we will be talking about the days when Feliks used to use a plastic cube that he had to lube himself to get a 5.66. Cubing will have it's ups and downs but walk down any street in any country with a cube in hand and you'll be asked if you can do it and how fast. Competitions will go up and down but I can't see a time where everyone will lose interest and no one will want to know 'who's the fastest'.

 

[fastcubesolver]

Sure, Feliks is more than likely human, and just happens to be extremely exceptional at what he does. One thing I also realize is that cubing involves a lot fewer people than organized sports, as there are probably more people involved in one competitive sport world wide than there are cubers, so yeah, the next Feliks is probably out there. He/she just hasn't picked up a cube yet.

But as it grows, the rules will probably have to get a lot stricter, much like professional sports. I'm not really looking forward to a time when they a list of banned substances for cubers, which could include ADHD medication (Ritalin, Concerta, Adderal, etc., which would suck if the cuber actually did have a legitimate prescription for ADHD medication), supplemental boosters (omega 3 supplements, ginkgo, ginseng), and caffeine. Mind you, while solving in a Starbucks, my times were getting progressively worse and worse the more coffee I drank.

I don't think tatcaffeine will be bannd anytime soon. If it is, peopl ecan drink caffeine without everyone knowing very easily.

 

[Specs112]

I don't think tatcaffeine will be bannd anytime soon. If it is, peopl ecan drink caffeine without everyone knowing very easily.

You and your Mountain Dew addiction.

I have to be properly caffeinated to cube well.

 

[fastcubesolver]

You and your Mountain Dew addiction.

I have to be properly caffeinated to cube well.

Me and Rowe.