Triplex

Quadplex

Emolover-

I think most people solve Triplex by arranging the top circle's middle stones then rotating them out of the way, then arranging the bottom two circle's stones. But, if I add a fourth circle (two rows of two intersecting circles) I am not sure that technique is possible.

The way I wrote Triplex, I can actually throw together N circles pretty easy. The only problem is adding a 'fast' enough user interface. Among this community, I sense people use the keyboard. So, I might have to finally add something behind that 'Options' button to let each player pick his key set, and that will take me saving cookies. I've never programmed cookies before. Man, I hope it's not as bad as the client/server stuff.

This is what I am going for with Quadplex . . .
QuadPlex.png
 
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Oh, nice, leaderboards.

Just now the network was down and the program was doing some weird stuff. I'd finish a solve, and get the lightning, but no certificate would display; then halfway through the next solve it would suddenly display with the timer still running.
 
Sorta off topic from what you just said, but how do you solve qqwred? Like arrow keys, click/shift-click, etc. I feel like using arrow keys for everything is really hard, and I mess up a ton with it. Anyway, great improvement so far, so when can we expect quadplex (assuming you're planning it)?
 
collinbxyz-

I'm working on Quadplex. But, I've got some bugs with the leader board. Now, I'm torn. Fix or build. The code and methodology behind the leader board is new to me, so it will take me some time to find the bug.

I'm leaning toward build. I may have to get some help with the bug.

- george
 
qqwref-

You ARE AWESOME!! Can I ask how you're doing it??? Are you loading the database?? Please tell me about the 8 second solve..... real or hacked? Either way, I bow to your AWESOME-ness!

BTW. You've hit one bug that I didn't anticipate. If the certificate doesn't come in time, you can start another solution before it is delivered to you. So, in the middle of your next game you get a certificate for the last game! I NEVER anticipated someone beating the network and stacking up solves!!

- george
 
collinbxyz said:
Sorta off topic from what you just said, but how do you solve qqwred? Like arrow keys, click/shift-click, etc. I feel like using arrow keys for everything is really hard, and I mess up a ton with it.
Click to expand...
I used mousehover + left/right, but now that Triplex has hi-games controls, I've been using those.

uhallgeo said:
You ARE AWESOME!! Can I ask how you're doing it??? Are you loading the database?? Please tell me about the 8 second solve..... real or hacked? Either way, I bow to your AWESOME-ness!
Click to expand...
Haha. Legit - your scrambler just gives slightly easier scrambles than mine (which does 300 moves). I just got a 7.80, too o_0

uhallgeo said:
BTW. You've hit one bug that I didn't anticipate. If the certificate doesn't come in time, you can start another solution before it is delivered to you. So, in the middle of your next game you get a certificate for the last game! I NEVER anticipated someone beating the network and stacking up solves!!
Click to expand...
To be fair, after doing a lot of solves in a row the network seems to get a bit slower, and sometimes takes 5-10+ seconds to load. At least I haven't "lapped" it and finished two solves before it gave me the first certificate :p
 
A suggestion:

What really works better in my opinion for a leaderboard is to show the top ten (or however many) people, and for each person, their best single time. I'm sure qqwref loves being able to fill up the board, but it makes it pretty meaningless for the rest of us - we'd have to practice ages to get to be as good as he is, with all his experience on computer puzzles already. As is, I don't see any reason to get an account and login, since I know the only way I can be on the daily board is if qq hasn't played yet. I know that probably isn't as interesting a change for you (and probably not nearly as interesting as doing Quadplex), but I do think it would be helpful.

I'm so bad at computer puzzles. My best single so far: 23 seconds. I probably average around 40.
 
Mike Hughey said:
What really works better in my opinion for a leaderboard is to show the top ten (or however many) people, and for each person, their best single time.
Click to expand...
Definitely. It's kind of silly for the best person to be able to (almost?) fill up the leaderboard just by playing a lot.

And here's what I had in mind for Quadplex...
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll119/qqwref/quadplex2.png
(Warning: This will be significantly harder to solve than any pattern of Triplex-type circles.)
 
Just another bug: When using keyboard controls, it doesn't show the move count at all...

Also, I really wish you could make your own keyboard controls. I know it's mostly that I've never really used hi-games controls (Other than attempting and failing for a little bit on the 3x3 and 2x2), I have an idea for my own keyboard controls, but I doubt many other people would use it. It would be:
F = Left Cw; D = Left CCw; J = Right CCw; K = Right CW; E = Up CCw; I = Up Cw.
If you look at these keys on your keyboard, the j and k are to the right (hence moving the right side) And the j is to the left of the k, in the direction of the right side moving to the left or ccw. k would be the same idea, since it's to the right, visually clock-wise seems to go the right. The i and e seem to be right near j/k and f/d, so it's above them (U layer) and the i is moving to the right/cw and e is going left/ccw.

Hopefully that made sense. Just my little idea of keyboard controls. As for which to do first, Uhallgeo, I say quadplex, as it will add more challenge and more fun for all of us. If the bug is what QQ said about the certificate not coming up, than I am pretty sure that only applies to qq, as he's the only one who can be fast enough to actually get that bug. But that's just me.

EDIT: I have another idea, btw. I think that the "Top Ten" leaderboards should be the people with the tops 10 times. Like WCA, for example, they don't put 5 feliks solves in their "leaderboards" they put the person with the best time, with his best time for first place. Then the second place person in second place, with his best time, even if it's slower than a few of the #1's top times.

Also, I was thinking about starting some threads for the forums. Here are my ideas. The one I think you should start, since you're admin:

1) "Accomplishment Thread" Like the one here on Speedsolving for accomplishments on the triplex, quadplex, or other puzzles you make.
2) "Bug Fixes Thread" I don't have a good name for it, but I think you should create this for sure, since you're admin. They post bugs they find.
3) "General Puzzle Discussion" A thread for puzzle ideas in general, or other suggestions.

There are probably a lot more, these are just the big ones that popped in my head. I'd be happy to make some of these, btw.
Also, with the creation of the forums, you will probably need moderators. qqwref and Stefan would be pretty good, assuming they'd want to do it, of course. And I would love to help with that as well, if you need it.

Anything I didn't cover?
 
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Some new times on my version:
7.957 single = 41 @ 5.15
12.424 (14.161) 12.388 10.258 (8.925) => 11.69 avg5
13.827 11.128 (9.232) 11.768 12.588 14.671 14.089 12.142 11.684 11.624 (15.06) 10.063 => 12.358 avg12

collinbxyz said:
Just another bug: When using keyboard controls, it doesn't show the move count at all...
Click to expand...
Aha, good point. I noticed my movecount wasn't recording properly, but I didn't realize it was because of the keyboard controls.

collinbxyz said:
If the bug is what QQ said about the certificate not coming up, than I am pretty sure that only applies to qq, as he's the only one who can be fast enough to actually get that bug. But that's just me.
Click to expand...
All you have to do is start a new solve before the certificate pops up... and if it takes 5-10+ seconds it doesn't require any special ability to do.

collinbxyz said:
Also, I was thinking about starting some threads for the forums. Here are my ideas. The one I think you should start, since you're admin:
1) "Accomplishment Thread" Like the one here on Speedsolving for accomplishments on the triplex, quadplex, or other puzzles you make.
2) "Bug Fixes Thread" I don't have a good name for it, but I think you should create this for sure, since you're admin. They post bugs they find.
3) "General Puzzle Discussion" A thread for puzzle ideas in general, or other suggestions.
Click to expand...
These look generally good, although "Bug Fixes" should be an entire subforum, so that individual bugs can be listed in individual topics and then locked when they are solved.

collinbxyz said:
Also, with the creation of the forums, you will probably need moderators. qqwref and Stefan would be pretty good, assuming they'd want to do it, of course. And I would love to help with that as well, if you need it.
Click to expand...
No thanks - I'm mostly interested in this because of the novelty of a new puzzle/thing to improve at, and I don't think I'd want to have a commitment to it in the long term.
 
Mike Hughey said:
A suggestion:

What really works better in my opinion for a leaderboard is to show the top ten (or however many) people, and for each person, their best single time. 40.
Click to expand...

Mike-

I've made the change you suggested. Now a player will only appear once on a leader board. His best time will be shown. Is that OK?

- george
 
qqwref-

I looked at your Quadplex last night. It's different enough that I'll have to change some underneath code. So, I hope you don't mind... I'm going to finish my version first. I think I can get my version up before the weekend. (We'll see.)

Second thing, in your version, there are only four positions for each wheel (as opposed to 6 in my version). I'm wondering if more permutations means a tougher puzzle? I guess I'll have to build both to find out!

- george
 
All-

I put in a fix into the leaderboard. I had a bug that would sometimes cause the red "NETWORK ERROR" sign to come up. (I was violating my 'sandbox'.... whatever that means.)

Anyway, if anyone sees the red "NETWORK ERROR" sign, could you please post and let me know??

Thanks!!

- george
 
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