Changes to the Weekly Competition website

[OreKehStrah]

ok I didn't know that.
I like the orbit swapping aspect as long as we don't have to worry about the forced turns

Yeah jumbling just refers to scrambling in a way that the center pieces swap orbits. What we want is this, since it makes the solve more interesting and enjoyable. Cube shape is the part where forced turns are an issue. I got my Sub-1:30 jumbling with jumbled cube shape and then stopped lol.

 

[thomas.sch]

Suggestion: For curvy copter scrambles, could you put jumbling moves in parentheses? It makes scrambling so much easier to keep track of and do those moves. I found how nice it was after using the scrambles here: https://extraevents.org/events/curvycopter/training#

Excellent suggestion! At the moment I copy and paste the curvy scrambles to Word with a big letter size and then I identify the Jumbles and make linebreaks by hand!

Another curvy copter note, it has been discussed that the best regulations for scrambling might be to jumble it, but not shape shift it due to bandaging and forcing moves, causing lots of issues and complications.

Here I disagree. The shape shifting part is the exciting and special part of the curvy copter.

Also, this has probably been mentioned, but an image of scrambles at least on some events would be awesome

That would be fine for every event. If the traffic is the problem you can generate the images on the server an make links to pop ups. Then the image is only delivered if a cuber needs it.

But I think a the moment there is no curvy copter scrambler available that generates pictures of the "end state"! All few scramblers that I know show the picture befor shape shifting (like the one you posted with the [verify] tag in the scramble).

At the moment I check my scrambles of the "important" events (important in my opinion) also by coping the scramble to another page (e.g. cuberider).

 

[Mike Hughey]

I would just like to state that I am one person who enjoys trying to get to cubeshape for curvy copter. I think it is a nice puzzle to try to be able to get to cubeshape "cleanly" (without any even partially forcing moves), and while it feels like a goal that is entirely achievable, I'm not really there yet. Sometimes I do solves where I just don't worry about how long it takes so that I can try to go completely without forcing moves, and it takes many minutes to get to cubeshape. I think it is a very interesting part of the puzzle. (It is not surprising that I enjoy this part of the solve; I also really enjoy solving truly scrambled Magic and Master Magic puzzles, and would love a competition event which involved unscrambling scrambled Magics and Master Magics, if only a scrambler could be built for that.)

However, that being said, I recognize clearly that it is not very practical for competitions, and especially not for official competitions, since forcing moves are so easy to do on curvy copter. I can see where the practical thing to do, certainly for any official competition, would be to do jumbling moves but keep it in cubeshape. As for here, I wouldn't make any changes without the usual end-of-year polling process, but I could see considering that change if community opinion were overwhelming in that direction.

As for displaying the jumbling moves, I've had the intention for quite some time of eventually having optional display modes for various scrambles, and one of these would be for curvy copter. The idea would be that the scrambles would be identical positions, but given in different notation. For curvy copter, I would probably add the parentheses as one option, and use some of the shortcut move notation as another option. Also, for 15 puzzle, for instance, there would be an option to just give the final position, for people with magnetic versions of the puzzle. This is something I still hope to do as one of the next improvements, but right now I'm rather busy so it might be a few more months before I can get to it,.

 

[Cashoutmiah]

How do I join the competition?

 

[abunickabhi]

Go to this link, and start competing.

https://www.speedsolving.com/competition/index.php


Happy Cubing!

 

[xyzzy]

A silly little bug: if you leave the competition site open even after it ends, the countdown goes into the negative numbers.

 

[Mike Hughey]

View attachment 16530
A silly little bug: if you leave the competition site open even after it ends, the countdown goes into the negative numbers.

Aww, I thought I specifically tested for that when I put it in, but maybe I didn't. I guess the correct behavior would be to show that it is completed, and maybe provide an option to refresh to show the new week.

 

[Deleted member 36445]

Aww, I thought I specifically tested for that when I put it in, but maybe I didn't. I guess the correct behavior would be to show that it is completed, and maybe provide an option to refresh to show the new week.

or explode the person's computer
just an idea

 

[2018AMSB02]

So I know this didnt happen last year, and its getting kinda late, but will there be the end of the year event polls this year?

 

[Garf]

Sometime in the future, could there be a setting to allow Bluetooth cubes to enter times, like cstimer, cubeast, etc.?

 

[GenTheSnail]

Sometime in the future, could there be a setting to allow Bluetooth cubes to enter times, like cstimer, cubeast, etc.?

There is a manual entry mode. So you can do the solves on your bluetooth cube with cstimer or cubeast and then write them in, or post the times on the weekly thread.

 

[White KB]

I think, if there were a new event, that the best idea would be 8x8x8 with a mean of 3.

Also, there are a few events that have very few competitors, and so may need to be removed. Listed here are the events with under 100 people who have completed a non-DNF single:

6x6x6 Blindfolded - 29 people
7x7x7 Blindfolded - 19 people
Snake (Removed) - 11 people
4x4x4 Fewest Moves Challenge (Removed) - 9 people
Curvy Copter - 37 people
Face-Turning Octahedron - 53 people

I think we should keep all of them despite this, but thought that I should still put it out there, just in case.

Here's my full list of ideas for potential future events:
TOP CONTENDERS
8x8x8 Cube
Mastermorphinx
8x8x8 Blindfolded
POTENTIAL EVENTS
4x4x4 Multiple Blindfolded
3x3x3 Blindfolded, but with One Hand
2x2x2 Fewest Moves Challenge
Fisher Cube
Axis Cube
MISCELLANEOUS
Gear Cube
Pie/Domino Cube (basically 3x3x2)
Team Blind
Factory Solves

I hope that sparks some ideas. I really enjoy the weekly comp, so let me know what you guys think!

 

[cuberswoop]

I think, if there were a new event, that the best idea would be 8x8x8 with a mean of 3.

Also, there are a few events that have very few competitors, and so may need to be removed. Listed here are the events with under 100 people who have completed a non-DNF single:

6x6x6 Blindfolded - 29 people
7x7x7 Blindfolded - 19 people
Snake (Removed) - 11 people
4x4x4 Fewest Moves Challenge (Removed) - 9 people
Curvy Copter - 37 people
Face-Turning Octahedron - 53 people

I think we should keep all of them despite this, but thought that I should still put it out there, just in case.

Here's my full list of ideas for potential future events:
TOP CONTENDERS
8x8x8 Cube
Mastermorphinx
8x8x8 Blindfolded
POTENTIAL EVENTS
4x4x4 Multiple Blindfolded
3x3x3 Blindfolded, but with One Hand
2x2x2 Fewest Moves Challenge
Fisher Cube
Axis Cube
MISCELLANEOUS
Gear Cube
Pie/Domino Cube (basically 3x3x2)
Team Blind
Factory Solves

I hope that sparks some ideas. I really enjoy the weekly comp, so let me know what you guys think!

I like the fisher cube idea, as well as the domino cube. Things like 8x8 and 4x4 MBLD are a bad idea, only like 15 people do 7x7 already.

 

[One Wheel]

I think, if there were a new event, that the best idea would be 8x8x8 with a mean of 3.

Also, there are a few events that have very few competitors, and so may need to be removed. Listed here are the events with under 100 people who have completed a non-DNF single:

6x6x6 Blindfolded - 29 people
7x7x7 Blindfolded - 19 people
Snake (Removed) - 11 people
4x4x4 Fewest Moves Challenge (Removed) - 9 people
Curvy Copter - 37 people
Face-Turning Octahedron - 53 people

I think we should keep all of them despite this, but thought that I should still put it out there, just in case.

Here's my full list of ideas for potential future events:
TOP CONTENDERS
8x8x8 Cube
Mastermorphinx
8x8x8 Blindfolded
POTENTIAL EVENTS
4x4x4 Multiple Blindfolded
3x3x3 Blindfolded, but with One Hand
2x2x2 Fewest Moves Challenge
Fisher Cube
Axis Cube
MISCELLANEOUS
Gear Cube
Pie/Domino Cube (basically 3x3x2)
Team Blind
Factory Solves

I hope that sparks some ideas. I really enjoy the weekly comp, so let me know what you guys think!

I could get behind adding 8x8 or a small cuboid, otherwise I don't see much value in adding any of those events. It seems like speed FMC hasn't lived up to the initial expectations, but that's the only one I could support removing.

Edit to add: 4x4 WF would also be a great, if lightly contested, addition.

 

[thomas.sch]

6x6x6 Blindfolded - 29 people
7x7x7 Blindfolded - 19 people
Snake (Removed) - 11 people
4x4x4 Fewest Moves Challenge (Removed) - 9 people
Curvy Copter - 37 people
Face-Turning Octahedron - 53 people

Is there really a need to remove events? 6 and 7 BF is a good place from people all over the world to competite! Yes there are only a hand full each week but I think this is an important platform!

Also the Curvy Copter and FTO. Both have only 3 to 10 competitors each week but this competitors take place since months. So they like it.

So is there an important reason to strip the number of events?

 

[White KB]

I like the fisher cube idea, as well as the domino cube. Things like 8x8 and 4x4 MBLD are a bad idea, only like 15 people do 7x7 already.

That makes sense.

I could get behind adding 8x8 or a small cuboid, otherwise I don't see much value in adding any of those events. It seems like speed FMC hasn't lived up to the initial expectations, but that's the only one I could support removing.

Edit to add: 4x4 WF would also be a great, if lightly contested, addition.

Same here, except I think for 4x4 WF, OH would have to be added first, but otherwise, probably good.

So is there an important reason to strip the number of events?

The main reason is Kinch-- some people care a lot about it, and some people don't, but it's still a vital part of cubing. Created in 2002 and named after a man who went by 'kinch' at the time (or at least online), it involves taking the world record average divided by your personal record average and multiplying it by 100. This is done for every event and averaged. More events = less impact per event, and vice versa. (That's the gist anyway; for FMC and BLD, single is automatically calculated for if it achieves a better result than for a mean.) Hopefully that answers your question.

 

[Mike Hughey]

Just to let everyone know, since there wasn't a particular outcry for it started by someone else this year, and since I've been pretty overwhelmed with things other than cubing this year, and since we've had quite a few changes in recent years, I decided I would take a break from changes this year, so there will be no poll and no changes to events for 2022. I will probably have polls and opportunities for 2023; I will try to start a poll next year in late November as usual. I hope everyone will understand - I just felt I needed to take a one-year break from the changes.

I mostly prefer not to remove events. Due to the nature of the online competition, it seems like the disadvantages of removing events outweigh the advantages to me. If there is ever a really large groundswell to remove events, I will consider it, but otherwise I will probably try not to remove events as much as possible.

And as I have said numerous times before (and probably several times in this very thread), I will not remove 6BLD or 7BLD, regardless of others' opinions. Their permanent inclusion in the Weekly Competition is my "payment" for running it. I know I haven't competed in them in 2 years, but as soon as I can get back in my company's office and retrieve my 6x6x6 and my 7x7x7 (they've been trapped in my desk there since the start of the pandemic), I will probably start doing them again. (Or at least trying... I wonder if I even remember how? )

As for additions, I'd like to point out that team BLD (or any team event) is probably sufficiently complicated that I will need to have a lot more time on my hands (which I'm not likely to have anytime soon) to be able to support it. The current system is built for individual competitors only, and it would take a great deal of thought and probably a good bit of effort to set something up to support team events. I also suspect this is a significant reason why team events haven't been added to the WCA - a great deal of work and decision-making would be required to make it happen there as well.

 

[One Wheel]

Same here, except I think for 4x4 WF, OH would have to be added first, but otherwise, probably good.

OH anything is silly.

 

[DGCubes]

Created in 2002 and named after a man who went by 'kinch' at the time (or at least online)

Just to clarify, Kinchranks was created in 2015 by Daniel Sheppard, first referenced in this Speedsolving post. His username is kinch2002 so I can see where the confusion about the year could come from

EDIT: The original site linked in that post is down and now seems to redirect to a scammy page - the link in my post is safe to click but don't click the "KINCHRANKS WEBSITE" link on Daniel Sheppard's post.

 

[White KB]

Just to clarify, Kinchranks was created in 2015 by Daniel Sheppard, first referenced in this Speedsolving post. His username is kinch2002 so I can see where the confusion about the year could come from

EDIT: The original site linked in that post is down and now seems to redirect to a scammy page - the link in my post is safe to click but don't click the "KINCHRANKS WEBSITE" link on Daniel Sheppard's post.

Thanks for the info! That was actually really helpful / informative. I guess you learn something new every day!