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Rankk.org Topic - Challenge 45 and other news

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Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-06-07 20:44:26
It's been a while since I last posted about upcoming challenges.
Basically I've done the groundwork for challenge 45 a week or two back. I hope to get it out before 15 June.
So where do we go from Challenge 45? i_need_help suggested a second face of challenges on this thread. I've chewed on that idea for a while and today Bio and I thrashed out the idea to try to find a solution.
With a hierachical structure in the shape of a pyramid, there's some rigidity in adding new challenges. For instance, if I've a new challenge idea that's suitable for Level/Layer 5, I can't insert it into that level after it's already filled with the required number of challenges. Introducing a new face doesn't solve this problem. Additionally, though it's now a scatter model on the particular level/layer (in the sense you can choose any one of the available challenges), as a solver, you've to solve all of the challenges for that level before you can move up, which is another rigidity.
So instead of seeing the pyramid as an area, we'll think of it as a volume (am I using the terms correctly?). There will still be nine levels and the number of cells will probably still be the same. On each level, the minimum number of challenges you've to solve to move up is determined by the number of cells for that level (i.e. 9 for level 1, 8 for level 2, etc). But there can be any number of challenges beyond that minimum number. So instead of 9 challenges for level 1 now, it could be 15 or 20 challenges (grouped by difficulty). You can solve any nine of the challenges to move to level 2. The additional ones that you solve for that level will earn you points. And that brings me to the next point.
The ranking now is by the number of challenges done. When the new structure is in place, the ranking will be based on challenge points. An idea we have is to set the points as multiples of 3. So a level 1 challenge is worth 3 points, a level 2 challenge is worth 6 points and so on.
That gives us a lot of flexibility to add new challenges to any level...
There's quite a bit of work to do to get there but that's the direction we're headed for.
Any thoughts/comments to share?
Last edited on 2007-06-07 21:23:48 by Pha. Sphinx
7 +votes | 1 −votes
Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Geb. valsa 701 from on 2007-06-07 21:43:47 Reply
Curious to see level 45 :-))))))
About the other info I've to sleep on it ...

Anyway you guys are smart and the site rocks !
Greetz
Valsa
8 +votes | 1 −votes
- Re^2: Challenge 45 and other news
  Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-06-07 23:05:48 Reply
  Get ready ;)
  3 +votes | 2 −votes
  Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Geb. valsa 701 from on 2007-06-08 04:40:44 Reply
I will :P
At least I hope so ;)
4 +votes | 1 −votes
Neat
Posted by Scr. i_need_help 319 from on 2007-06-22 08:56:07 Reply
I can hardly wait, these changes sound exciting !!
5 +votes | 1 −votes
Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots, So far, the Universe is winning --Rich Cook
www.xanga.com/duane909/
- Re^2: Neat
  Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-06-27 22:46:27 Reply
  I've a long weekend to work on this. If things go well, the changes should be in place by next Tuesday.
  Additional challenges for each level - except level 9 - will then be added as time goes by.
  3 +votes | 2 −votes
  Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-07-01 01:33:38 Reply
On target!
Changes expected to be implemented on or before 3 Jul 2007.
The site may be down for a couple of hours during the upgrading...
3 +votes | 2 −votes
Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Scr. Kambiz 49 from on 2007-07-02 04:54:11 Reply
Sounds wonderful!
6 +votes | 1 −votes
Kambiz
www.delphiarea.com
- Re^2: Challenge 45 and other news
  Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-07-02 20:18:12 Reply
  We can't wait to roll out the changes...but gonna to miss the deadline by a day or two.
  3 +votes | 2 −votes
  Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-07-03 23:16:27 Reply
Finally, it's done!
Had estimated to get all the changes completed within an hour. In the end, it stretched to almost 3 hours!
Fortunately, apart from a few minor hiccups, everything is looking as expected. There're a few more areas to touch up...these will be accomplished in the next few days.
Enjoy the new look on the first page!

Edited: Looks ok on Firefox and Opera. The lists are a little off in IE...
Edited2: Fixed. Haha...it turns out IE's rendering is the correct one ;)
Last edited on 2007-07-03 23:35:58 by Pha. Sphinx
3 +votes | 2 −votes
Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Scr. Kambiz 49 from on 2007-07-04 07:12:29 Reply
It seems there is problem in rendering home page (after login) in firefox.
Here are the screenshots:
FF: http://storage.delphiarea.com/rankk-ff.png
IE: http://storage.delphiarea.com/rankk-ie.png
6 +votes | 1 −votes
Kambiz
www.delphiarea.com
- Re^2: Challenge 45 and other news
  Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-07-04 08:27:34 Reply
  Thanks, Kambiz!
  I suspect your Firefox is using the cached style stylesheet. Did you try Ctrl + F5?
  4 +votes | 2 −votes
  Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Scr. Kambiz 49 from on 2007-07-04 09:14:31 Reply
You were right. It was because of that.
Thanks to you.
6 +votes | 1 −votes
Kambiz
www.delphiarea.com
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Viz. dwelty 1334 from on 2007-07-04 10:17:18 Reply
Well I can't say I like the new look of the pyramid up top (eww)... but good work on the changes :D
I haven't found any problems so far, and I'm really looking forward to seeing some new challenges. :)
Thanks for all your hard work on this site, it's lots of fun!

EDIT: In the "My privileges" section, just under the pyramid, it now shows "None"... I used to have stuff there, like the ability to post articles, and I think one more thing. Did you remove that stuff, or not re-implement it yet, or is that a bug?
Last edited on 2007-07-04 10:57:42 by Viz. dwelty
5 +votes | 1 −votes
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-07-04 19:15:27 Reply
Thanks for your feedback, dwelty ;)
Yes, the additional challenges will be added soon to each of the levels, except level 9. Level 9 is excluded because there will only be one way to the top - sort of.
There're still few areas to polish up and the Privileges section was one of them - but it's ok now. The ranking page has also been upgraded to show the points as well as to compute the ranking by points rather than number of challenges done.
3 +votes | 2 −votes
Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-07-13 23:01:30 Reply
Implemented the final phase of the upgrading!
Previously, the right panel news log captures the challenge solved as: Solved: smalgin Chall 13
Now, it will show the information as: Solved: smalgin Level 2/4
And now I can just concentrate on creating new challenges ;)
Last edited on 2007-07-13 23:03:23 by Pha. Sphinx
1 +votes | 2 −votes
Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Mer. mightywhite 259 from on 2007-07-16 19:10:51 Reply
you'r looking for Idea's.

Well the main part is a pyramid as this has been always the case. But with the old site you had the Geb challenges.

how about keeping along with the style of this and have Pillars with 3-5 challenges per section. you can keep to the egyptian Idea as Pillars where used in most buildings other than the main pyramids.

this leaves you the flexability to add as many more challenges as you like
3 +votes | 1 −votes
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-07-16 19:53:18 Reply
Welcome back, mightwhite! It's been quite a while...where have you been?
While your suggestion allows the adding of new challenges, it doesn't solve the problem of players being stuck and not being able to move up to the next level - because he or she must solve exact the number of challenges for that level.
With the current system, the player can solve any 9 for level One or any 8 for level 2, and so forth. In time, every level - except level Nine - will have more than the minimum number of challenges required for that level. This increases the chance of progressing to the next level...
1 +votes | 2 −votes
Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Mer. mightywhite 259 from on 2007-07-16 22:18:14 Reply
Ah ok, miss read the details. Yes I see the problem you have then.

Maybe something else you had back in the day then, additional user made MOTM and independant challenges you can use the points reward or some other reward to progress if you are stuck on a challenge.

Ah well I've moved my life to a new town and while ding that can you believe this I forgot the URL. wasn't till I used another site for coding help Sk helped me with the URL again. So here I am lol

Also been busy with work and no net at home so only get 1-30mins aday surfing time. Most of that's taken up with php coding for my site.
3 +votes | 1 −votes
- Re^2: Challenge 45 and other news
  Posted by Pha. Sphinx 6553 from on 2007-07-16 22:37:59 Reply
  Using other (non-challenge) points can be rather tricky and may introduce new problems...The current one is both flexible and extensible, so it's probably here to stay.
  >Ah well I've moved my life to a new town and while ding that can you believe this I forgot the URL. wasn't till I used another site for coding help Sk helped me with the URL again. So here I am lol
  That happens to me sometimes...particularly forum sites I don't frequent often.
  >Also been busy with work and no net at home so only get 1-30mins aday surfing time. Most of that's taken up with php coding for my site.
  Back in 2003, I remember yuo guys had all the time you needed to solve challenges...Sapr0, silvernight, etc. Times have changed indeed ;)
  1 +votes | 2 −votes
  Huuuuuuu
Challenge 45 and other news
Posted by Mer. mightywhite 259 from on 2007-07-17 00:35:04 Reply
Back in 2003, I remember yuo guys had all the time you needed to solve challenges...Sapr0, silvernight, etc. Times have changed indeed ;)

My god has it been that long? christ, seems like only yesterday I was sitting up till 3am doing the geb stuff and on IRC with predator [away]Sap0r and the rest of the guys.

They sure have changed, I run a gamming clan full time now, since feb not had much play time tho, but I still get on when I can. If I was still at home I'd have been on all the time as the home Pc has everything I ever need :D
:D have a good nite peeps
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