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+--- Thread: February 2015 Time Trial (/thread-1565.html)
February 2015 Time Trial - M11k4 - 05-Feb-2015
I like these Time Trials in general. I like the levels and the atmosphere of competitive fun. However, it's not always easy to run the perfect Time Trial because there are so many details that have to go right. One of the things I've tried to do, is to have more than one level in each competition, and yet have a simple level in the mix. This month, we're using two of these 'simple' levels. You can download them here: http://cczone.invisionzone.com/index.php?/files/file/438-ccz-tt-1502ccl/
You'll notice that both levels utilize blocks and we just had an intense block pushing level last month. I actually made the first level for last month's competition and saved it for this month precisely because of that reason. I had also planned for the second level to be used in March, but didn't want three consecutive months to use block oriented levels, so I thought to use it here instead. Though there are blocks in both levels, I feel that the first as a strong element of monster manipulation mixed in, and the second remains more of a chip collecting exercise than a Sokoban. If this all still disheartens you, then you'll be delighted to know that next month the focus is totally off the blocks.
Enjoy!
Just a few technicalities if you're interested:
1) The person with the highest combined remaining time on the two levels wins!
2) You may enter in either MS or Lynx, with the former being the primary rules. This means that any Lynx solution times that exceed the best MS solution time will be considered equal to that MS time, but otherwise all the times will be compared together in one category. There may be a tie in the overall score, but since that happened last month I might issue a new tie-breaking round at the start of March (if that happens, the tie-breaker is possibly the same levels but in Lynx and with an extra week of time).
3) Please send your solutions (either the tws file or avis) to CCZoneNextLevel at gmail dot com, or to my own email valeosote at hotmail dot com. Do not post your solutions or solution times or share them with others before the competition results are announced. All times will be published at the same time, and the quickest solutions will eventually be released. I will strive to respond to your message by a confirmation that your score has been recorded.
4) The levels aren't hard to solve. Don't be afraid to send in your solutions even if you sense they aren't perfect, and simple casual solutions are also appreciated. You may enter if you solve at least one of the levels, but solving more will obviously place higher. Both levels have a time limit of two minutes.
5) This is part of the 2015 season of the Chip Cup. Winner will be awarded 15 points, second place 12, third 10 points, and so on. If you win a competition here for the first time, you receive the "You're Winner!" award. All participants who haven't participated in a time trial earlier receive the "Run, Chip, Run" award. If you want a special prize for effort, you can try requesting something from me.
6) Submission deadline is March 1st where you live. I will judge the submissions without warning the following week but will accept submissions until I do. If you need a more specific time, you can always ask. To avoid losing on time (it is a time trial after all), get your solutions in early rather than later! You can send in improvements while the competition is running, so there is no downside to sending in something you know might not be your best effort if you had forever to work on it.
7) The designer of the levels (myself), may enter the competition, as I have not optimized them, nor will I have significantly more time to work on them compared to the rest of you. However, if someone protests against this, I may exclude my own submission.
-Miika
February 2015 Time Trial - Ihavenoname248 - 06-Feb-2015
"There may be a tie in the overall score, but since that happened last month I might issue a new tie-breaking round at the start of March (if that happens, the tie-breaker is possibly the same levels but in Lynx and with an extra week of time)."
I don't really see a problem with a tie-last time was a bit of an exception due to Flower Garden being obviously faster in Lynx. Personally, I think both of these are faster in MS but I'll work on Lynx later in the month.
I'll send over my TWS with my Create levels for the month once I finish those.
February 2015 Time Trial - M11k4 - 27-Feb-2015
I wrote that tie-breaker clause as I was announcing the competition just in case, but now that I have had more time to think about it, I feel IHNN was right and a tie isn't too bad. At the very least I don't think the tie-break this time should be these levels in Lynx. Additionally, if I am in the competition myself (even if not tied) I'm trying not to change the rules on the fly, so we'll allow ties ties this time too.
I've probably said it before, but the reason for the 'MS being primary while allowing Lynx' is to include as many people as possible in the same category while preserving MS focus. For the most part I think this has worked pretty well. However, last time this lead to an easy tie because we had a level that was clearly quicker in Lynx than in MS. (This of course was more my fault for not recognizing this early enough, and perhaps adding some sort of equalizer to the calculations.) This time any tie would be simply because the levels were easier to optimize. There is no fair way to always prevent this, so if it happens let's just try again next month. And, if it never happened, I think the competition would not be as as tight or the levels as fun to work on.
Stay tuned for results (and vids) early next week! (and you still have time to convince your pals to play the levels and submit times!)
-Miika
February 2015 Time Trial - Syzygy - 01-Mar-2015
Quote:I wrote that tie-breaker clause as I was announcing the competition just in case, but now that I have had more time to think about it, I feel IHNN was right and a tie isn't too bad. At the very least I don't think the tie-break this time should be these levels in Lynx.That's a good thing because my Lynx scores aren't that good.
-Miika
February 2015 Time Trial - M11k4 - 03-Mar-2015
Results!
No tie for first place this time, as I was so much better than any of the rest of you. As a person, I'm just so much more awesome than anyone else. (Yes, that's what these time trials actually measure...) So I win. Totally. On the levels I made myself, for the purpose of using in a competition I would participate in as well. And I judged the competition too. Overall, I think this must thus be the most successful competition we have ever had.
Here are how the rest of you fell into place:
1. M11k4__________
91+75=166 (also 85 and 71 in Lynx)
2. Ihavenoname248_
90+75=165
3. Hornlitz_______
90+74=164
-- J.B. Lewis_____
89+75=164
5. Syzygy_________
87+73=160 (also claimed 80 and 63 in Lynx)
6. Eric119________
83+74=157
7. random 8_______
87+67=154 (also 79 and 55 in Lynx)
8. chipster1059___
80+70=150 (also 77 and 58 in Lynx)
9. RB3ProKeys_____
49+59=108
10.Minus3K2_______
20+0=20 (12 chips left in best attempt)
Seriously though, thanks for everyone for participating. I really appreciate you taking the time to look at something I made and play it, and then finding the courage to sharing your work with me. If is wasn't for you, I would not even think about doing any of this. And without you, my total domination would really have been even less meaningless.
Finally, I must remind you that I have new levels in the works and will try to get this month's competition running within the week!
-Miika, a.k.a Mr. Awesome
P.S. Here are some vids: