Results are in! Method Development Competition August 2021 - Create the best 4x4 method! - $10 gift card prize! - Sponsored by SpeedCubeShop.com

[Athefre]

View Results Here!

The votes are in and the winner has been decided. Click the link above to view the results.

View each method below:

TSSH
Triforce
Bar4E
SCR
234

Spoiler: Competition Details

Welcome everyone to the second method development competition of 2021! The theme this time will be to create the best 4x4 speedsolving method. At the end of the competition, the community will vote on which method they think is the best. Previous competitions were a team-based event. Starting this time, individuals can compete. So you don’t have to join or create a team if you don’t want to. The winner will receive a $10 gift card from the competition sponsor, SpeedCubeShop.com. If the winner is a team, each individual within the team will receive a $10 gift card.

To sign up, click the link below and input your username. If you have trouble signing up, post here to let me know and I'll add you. Also join the Method Debate and Development Discord server. The Discord server is where most of the competition discussion will occur.

Sign Up Sheet

Join the Method Debate and Development Discord Server!

Check out the Method Debate and Development community on Discord - hang out with 102 other members and enjoy free voice and text chat.

discord.gg

Competition Start: Monday, August 9 at 10 P.M. GMT

Competition End: Monday, August 30 at 10 P.M. GMT

Rules:

1. The method must be intended for speedsolving. The goal should be to create a method that is equal to or faster than the most popular methods right now.
2. Try to be original. There aren’t many 4x4 methods, so this should be easy. Many 4x4 methods do edge pairing at the start or very soon after the start of the solve. Is this the right way to go for a 4x4 method? You get to decide this when creating your method. Avoid making something that many would view as a variant of another method. That could be disrespectful to the work of the original creator and your method would be less likely to be unique. Don't use a method that you've posted in the "New Method" thread or anywhere else. If you aren’t sure if what you are creating already exists, ask me. You don’t want to put work into developing a method, submit it, then find out that it has already been created before.
3. Send everything in a document to me at the end of the competition. In the past, competitors have typically used Google Docs and that has worked well. You can send the document to me in a private message on Discord, Reddit, or here on SS. About this document:
   • Provide a summary of the steps to help with making it clear what the steps are.
   • It must contain accurate numbers. If your method has a step that requires an algorithm, you must provide the exact number of cases for that step. Generating the algorithms for these steps would also go a long way toward showing the move count and ergonomics. It would also be appreciated by the community that is voting for one of the methods.
   • You must provide at least two example solves. These example solves must be clearly separated with the scramble and each step defined. You can provide this through text or by using alg.cubing.net or Twizzle.
   • Provide a list of positives and negatives.
   • Create a name for the method.
   • Don’t put your name in the document that is sent. However, send your speedsolving.com username to me separately in a private message.
   • Try to make your document easy to understand. If readers don’t know what is happening in the method, they aren’t likely to vote for it.
4. You will not be allowed to see what the other competitors are developing. For questions and discussion about the competition, we use the main competition channel in the Discord server.

At the end of the competition, submit all documents or messages directly to me. Please don't post your finished products to this thread. Also avoid including real names or usernames in any products. In the voting poll, the competitors that created the method will be anonymous. The link to the poll will be shared both here and on Discord. A list of useful resources is provided below Good luck!

Useful Resources:

SpeedSolving Wiki (to research what already exists)
Method and States Map (same purpose as above)
Google Docs
Google Sheets
VisualCube
CubeExplorer
Algorithm Translator
alg.cubing.net
Twizzle
AlgDb
SpeedCubeDB
https://speedcubedb.com/

 

[Cubing Forever]

I signed up as an individual and I have a few ideas already!!

 

[Cubing Forever]

@Athefre do we need to provide accurate movecounts?

 

[abunickabhi]

Wow 4x4 Methods competition. Really good idea Athefre.

 

[Athefre]

@Athefre do we need to provide accurate movecounts?

It's not necessary for this 4x4 competition. Though if competitors want to analyze existing 4x4 methods to find their average move-count then make a comparison to their own competition method, they can.

 

[ruffleduck]

Cool, I'll participate! I do have an idea for a 4x4 method

 

[LBr]

I started a random team. If anyone is gonna join just pm me to discuss. I'm too dumb to come up with and solidify a good method on my own so I need a team to help.

 

[V Achyuthan]

I am going to sign up with a team member soon. What is the average movecount of the current 4x4 methods?

 

[Filipe Teixeira]

Great initiative!
I'll be following this thread

 

[BlobinatiCentral]

Can’t wait for this to begin ) Good luck everyone…

 

[Athefre]

The competition starts in a few days. Be sure to sign up!

 

[LBr]

I have an idea and switched to an individual.

Are we allowed to do recorded example solves?

 

[Athefre]

I have an idea and switched to an individual.

Are we allowed to do recorded example solves?

Sure. As long as the viewer can easily see what is happening in each step, then a video is good too.

 

[Athefre]

The competition starts a little over 24 hours from now. So sign up now if you want to compete!

 

[Athefre]

The competition has officially started! Everyone now has three weeks to develop their methods. I'm excited to see the various methods. 4x4 speedsolving is an under-developed event, so it will be nice to have some new good ideas.

 

[Athefre]

There is around a week left. How is everyone doing? Do you have all of your steps determined? What about your final document?

 

[V Achyuthan]

There is around a week left. How is everyone doing? Do you have all of your steps determined? What about your final document?

Almost done.

 

[StrategySam]

Time to start developing a method

 

[TipsterTrickster]

The development part of the competition has finished! Four methods have been submitted. Click the link below to view the poll where you can learn about the methods and vote on the one you think is best. There are three categories - Best Overall Method for Speedsolving, Most Original, and Most Ergonomic. Carefully study the steps of each method to understand how they work.

Vote Here!

Did you not get the pm I sent you earlier today through the forum? I do not see my method listed.

 

[Athefre]

Did you not get the pm I sent you earlier today through the forum? I do not see my method listed.

Wow, I didn't even get a notification for that. I deleted the poll post and will add that in now. Sorry about that.