Rethinking Difficulties ! a first trial.
There must be a way to *calculate / systematize difficulties.
To make things comparabe, lets use the one and only puzzle really EVERYONE knows & (most) love.
Here a clearly NOT mathematical approach, but more a conceptual one :
The rubiks cube :
- Shape : it's 3D - around a corned. You can't visually see whats happening on the other side as you make a move.
How much can you NOT see ?
- Global Overlap : One move changes pieces on other planes lets call them rotators, to be consistent with trinagon .
* How many other rotators of the whole are influenced by the one turn ?
* How many pieces of each other rotator are switched / moved ?
* And maybe : How many pieces of the whole are NOT influenced by a single move ?
- Local Overlap : How many of the neighbouring rotators pieces are moved ?
neighbouring rotators are those that share pieces.
How many pieces are overlapping between shared rotators should maybe also enter the calculation ?
- Restability & Interchangeability : These two seem to be good concepts derived from the 'Overlaps'.
Restability is a global affair : How many pieces can be left alone while the others are manipulated ?
Interchangeability is local but in measured relation : How many pieces can be exchanged between two neighbouring rotators while still resting the others.
- Other considerations :
How many single piece 'states' (orientation) exist dependent or independent ?
In other words : How many orientation can each piece have on a certain spot & are they all available or interdependent ?
- Cube specific : The 3x3 cube is actually two puzzles wrapped into one. The edges & the corners.
The 2x2 cube is a corner-only and much simpler puzzle.
This is only a start. Any clarity shall be published here :)
Not all triangles are the same - Even if they look alike !
It is already hinted at in the first tutorial. The tutorial contains an unsolvabe puzzle which is only there to demonstrate the moves-UI & how to switch quickly between puzzles.
Advanced players will notice & understand why it is unsolvable :
Depending on the starting position, the playground symmetries, and the rotators used some triangles cannot be in a specific location with a specific rotation (alignment)
A group of triangles consists of those triangles that are interchangeable.
This is obvious when triangles only have a color.
When they do have faces and direction markers too, some can indeed look exactly identical, but they can NOT be exchanged !
All puzzle solutions can be send as text files !
Remark : Accidentially this feature is off i the free version.Watch out for the next update.
To send a solution :
- Open the Main Menu -> then 'Utilities' -> Copy Moves.
This copies the current state of your moves to the clipboard as a simple text.
- You can paste this text into any email or message or social media channel simple as you would any other text.
- The receiver can then copy this text and paste it right back into the game.
Pasting back only works on the correct puzzle
PS : In case you are sending in your solution for validation to be entered in the Hall of Fame :
- Send to : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Please do add your Playername to the message !
This will be the name that is displayed in the 'Hall of Fame' in game as well as here (soon).
If no name is given it will be : "Anonymous !"
- Remark : The Copy & Paste Moves - functionality is part of any bought version.
Currently (April 2024) the 'Full Game Voucher' can reduce the full game cost TO 25% (around the 2$ mark)
In case you found a new best solution you likely will already have earned this voucher.
Why by email ? - instead of directly in - game.
While a direct server upload from the game would be quite easy the infrasturcture to then validate the uploaded solution is anything but easy.
For the amount of solutions to be expected, the resources for an automated process would greatly outweigh the necessity. There are only so many solutions possible until they simply are unbeatable !
To ensure that each solution is valid they are loaded into the game and checked. The entry in the hall of fame is then done by hand.
Also, any mistake by the player when uploading a solution, like misspelling their name, could not be corrected.
A simple everyday email and personal communication can do the trick :)
Therefore : Email it is !
The Puzzle Library / Collections
A Showcase for 3D Puzzles...
The puzzles are shown as 2 png pictures showing the start & solved patterns :
- Click / tap on the pic to open the respective 3D models.
- Moving the start model will synchronize with the solved.
- The solved model can be moved independently.
- Tap on the start model to sync them again.
The Puzzle Collection / Library is still under construction ! only since april 2024
It's build by and by, playground by playground & puzzle by puzzle.
Please be patient and Pre-Enjoy
This will include 3D models of ALL the Puzzles !
Above is a demo model
If you do not see it :( - try a different browser ?
So far online :
- The Trispike puzzles & 3D Models.
One of the trickiest Playgrounds. The Overlap between the inner Rotators is doubled. I.e. They overlap on one side as usual, and also on the opposite ! This really makes tinking ahead a challenge ! Yay !