Continuing e-mail correspondence with Finger Arts
The
purpose of this e-mail, as all my e-mails have been, is to better understand
Sudoku2. I want to know if I will ever be a high scorer. Either I don't have the
brain power, or dexterity required, or I don't understand the way scoring is
done.
These
comments are based on the fact that the highest score that I have achieved,
without cheating is 82540 in 8.58 minutes.
The
second highest score is 82276 in 10.38 minutes. These two facts alone could be
the basis of the lack of knowledge as to how the scoring of the game is done.
Your explanation of scoring does not explain this kind of
difference.
After a
number of questions about the game, you finally revealed that there are bonus
points added under certain conditions. I
have found no way to apply this knowledge, because I haven't been able to figure
out how and when it happens, so that I can manipulate the score.
I had
figured out how the penalties are done by watching a broken game reset the
multiplier significantly. Apparently a
penalty is in place for the next game,
because of the broken game. I have not
been able to verify this.
Because
you claim to have no knowledge, that you would share about the time it takes for
someone to finish a high (100,000)
scored game, or any game. I have no way to know if my average game that takes
10.59 minutes, and average score of 79113 is pretty good, or is the reason that
I will never score a high game. With
knowing the time it takes to score 100,000, I will never figure out, what I am
doing wrong.
If
everyone that plays the game enters candidates, it requires a certain amount of
time to do that. Dexterity is required. If numbers are found that can be placed,
during this time, points are scored. But at some point you must enter all the
candidates, and you are running the clock during all this. There is a large amount of time flying by
where you are not scoring any points, thus reducing the multiplier and receiving
lower points when you finally can start solving the puzzle. Regardless of how
fast a person can enter candidates, it could never happen in 2 minutes… or 3
minutes…. or 4 minutes. It just isn't possible. Each candidate placement
requires a taping on the screen in two places. There is a minimum time
required.
My
fasted time to place all the candidates is 6.14 minutes, but it resulted in a
low scoring game. Average time placing
candidates is in the high 7 minutes. In one game I had scored 38737 points in
8.09 minutes at the time all the
candidates had been entered, but only resulted in an end score of 81187 in 10.18
minutes. Now the difference in time
between candidates and the final solution of the game is 2.09 minutes. In this 2.09 minutes the majority of the
points were scored. I suppose that whoever is playing the game must go thru the
same steps. Setting candidates, solving the game.
In relationship to my comment on cheating, let
me explain. I did this two times.
I took
a picture of a beginning screen, and in a program I found, I entered the numbers
from the screen, and the program solved the puzzle for me. I then entered the
solved puzzle numbers into the game.
The
first game was solved in 2.41 minutes
for a score of 83747, with the multiplier ending at x151. In entering the numbers, I filled in all the
blank numbers on line 1, followed by 2… 3 so on. I was not concerned which
numbers had the highest value. This score is recorded in open feint. And Is
recorded in my screen as my highest score and time.
I thought that it would score higher if when I
was entering the numbers, I would fill in all the 9's first, followed by all the
8's and so forth. The results were
astounding, I finished in 8.57 minutes
and scored 74588 with the multiplier at x140. The reason it took so long was
that when I took the picture of the starting screen, I didn't stop the game
immediately and it takes longer to enter the higher number on each line
first.
I have
scored above 80000 many times, and because of these games being a representation
of my skill, I will use their scores as an example of the problems of my
understanding scoring.
The
relationship between score and time, as you will see, and my ability to
understand why it differs so widely could only be explained by some unknown
scoring factors, like the bonus you described, or other factors that are not explained.
Because
I maintain a list of scores and times of games played, I can give you some
examples of scores that I can't explain. Of games played that resulted in scores
above 80,000, the times have ranged from 8.58 minutes to 12.26
minutes.
Of
games that have been played in under 10 minutes, they have resulted in scores
82540 to 76858.
It will
probably never happen, but I would like, perhaps another version of Sudoku2, to
play that contained no hidden scoring features. That way when I finished one
game I could compare it with the last game and know why the score was higher or
lower. I could identify my weak points.
And after I had worked to make them less weak, I could finally know, if I was a
dunce, pretty good at playing the game .
Some
questions, please, if you could answer:
1.
Is
there any way to find out some times that other Sudoku2 players are scoring? It
would be logical to assume that you play, or some else in your office. Could
they share? I would suppose that the person that designed the program and who
would know all of the hidden features, scoring, would play the game fairly well.
Meaning, high scores.
2.
My
definition of another version of Sudoku2, Is it probable?
3.
Is my
problem, not in the time of the game, but perhaps, a strategy that is not
related to the rules you use to define scoring?
4.
Perhaps
there is someone else that has as many question I have. If so is there a way
that you could set up, to share e-mail addresses?
Don, I have scored right now 87,955 points (without cheating). My time record is 2:08.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Jaime
At last an answer. Would you care to talk thru e-mail? I must be doing something wrong. I would love to hear your strategy. Sudoku2 is my introduction to Sudoku. My wife plays the paper version, and I find that the two types share only the most basic rules. That you so much for responding, my e-mail address is don.soper@comcast.net.
Deletethanks,
don
I see this post is a bit old, but I'll throw my two cents in anyway because I'm an avid sudoku player and I've always been curious how others play the game.
ReplyDeleteMy best time in this format is 4:06, and that game resulted in a score (my best) of 89,807. Idk how their scoring works exactly either and I've tried the same types of strategies you've mentioned....although I rarely ever enter candidates (takes too long). My games are generally between 6 and 8 minutes. I think the score must partially be derived from the difficulty of the board you're playing...as I usually push the mistakes all the way to 3 with my 50/50 guesses in order to have a lower time and not cost myself a broken run. This doesn't appear to cost me points, but I could be wrong about that. What I mean about the difficulty of the board is that I've had plenty of games finished under 5-6 minutes that only scored 81k-82k, and the other guy posted his score for a 2:06 game as lower than my 4:06 game. This only makes sense if there are lots of other things at play aside from the time. Just for the record, my next highest game was a mere 86,432 and was 4:12, so clearly there was something unique about my best score. I rarely ever score higher than 83k even in a good round. Perhaps they have made changes?
Dear Friends,
ReplyDeleteI'm a great fan of this game and used to play everyday atleast 2-3 hrs. My high score was 83512 in 4min 31 sec. Unfortunately for past one month, i couldn't able to play this game, since I had accidentally deleted this app from my mobile phone. When I tried to update it back, it was saying I need to have ios 4.3 or higher. But mine is 4.0.2 and jail broken phone. So I can't proceed on updating my ios as well. If any of you are having this app (ipa file), compatible with my ios version, if possible can you please mail me. My id is chrismechrisme@yahoo.com
Expecting the app from one of you soon, so that I can start enjoy the game again.
Thanks,
Vidhyasagar
Looking at the "HELP" on the menu I think I figured it out.
ReplyDeleteThere is a multiplier in the top right corner of the game board. This multiplier decreases as time passes, or as penatlies are incurred for too many mistakes.
When you place a tile in a correct spot, there will be a white number that pops out that multipies that number with the multiplier.
When you fill a row, column, or box of 9, then the sum of 1-9 will be multiplied by the multiplier. 45 x multiplier.
If you fill in multiple sets *row, column", "row, box of 9", "column, box of 9" , "row, column, and box of 9" then it will only multiply by the multiplier of 45. Not the sum of all the numbers which would be up to in 2 sets, 81, or in three sets 117. My conclusion on this is that in my final playing, I seem to get a maximum of about 6,000 with a 9 as my final tile. let's say it's 9x110 = 990, which means I would have 45 times 100 = 4950. 990 + 4950 = 5940. Which is about 6,000 points.
My best score is 85,496 best run is 182 and best time is 3:15. My best score is not from my best time. sometimes a time of 3:30 minutes will result in a score in the high 70's to low 80's and a time of 6-7 minutes will result in a score of 82-84k. I can't figure it out. I've been trying to beat my best score for over two months now without success. It almost seems like the expert level needs to be a little more difficult now. I can not figure out the scoring process and I have tried starting with 9's first, random choice, etc. Stumped.
ReplyDeleteMy best score is 86,128 and best time is 4:38. I've played over 3,200 games and am a real addict. My scores until about 6 months ago used to be around 75,000, 10:00min. The only strategy was to sweep the board to place the numbers from high to low to use the highest multiplier possible. This would usually leave me with 1's and 2's to fill all over at the end. I guess a lot to avoid wasting time on the candidates, but if I break a run, I immediately cancel it and start another. I just don't care to have the lower score. My current scores are around 81,000 by changing my strategy from just using the high-to-low fill to completing squares. My times improved a bit, to about 9:00, but the scores are constantly bumping into 84,000, with about 20% below 80k. I think I read somewhere (perhaps here!) that the completion of squares grants you extra points, and it's true, but I'll have to check how exactly because I don't see huge numbers as if it gave me 45xmultiplier.
ReplyDeleteI just got a high score of 83,013 finishing in 5:13, I was so excited I had to post :)
ReplyDeleteI just got a high score of 83,013 finishing in 5:13, I was so excited I had to post :)
ReplyDeleteI just scored my personal bes: 88.999 in 7' 35". My best time is 3' 50", with a lower score
ReplyDeleteYeah, I really don't get the scoring
ReplyDeleteMy highest score is 87K and my fastest time is 02:55 - but they are not from the same game.
The points you get from correctly filling a tile are obvious - the value of the tile multiplied by the value of the counter. You even get a little flash indicator that tells you the amount of points you have just scored.
The calculation of the bonus points you get from completing a square/row/column, however, is not at all obvious.
As an example, I have just now completed a row. The counter is at 151; the time is 3:12; and the last tile was a 7. The flash indicator said I scored +1057, which is correct in accordance with the rules (151 x 7). The total number of points added to my score, however, was 2755 - so a bonus of 1698.
Now neither the total number of points I was awarded nor the bonus are divisible by either 7 or 151, so I have no idea how the bonus is calculated.
In order to gather some test data I have calculated the points awarded for each completion for an entire game, and there doesn't seem to be a consistent rule. While the bonus does generally decline as time goes by, I have actually seen successive bonuses increase - even when holding constant the number of squares/rows/columns completed and the value if the final tile.
So I've got no idea, and any enlightenment would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
MDL
Does anyone know what a RUN is , I find this baffling? Sometimes I have 18 in a game and sometimes a 1? So confused ,
ReplyDeleteThx, tinacat