Feel free to chat, make suggestions, or tell your scores!
08/05/02 05:51:13 AM | |
Name: | Dan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | No videos, but I put the screenshot on my site(It is my only 47). The 3BV is 136. I was quite surprised to break mid 50s, let alone get a 47, because I wasn't aware I was going especially fast. My goal now is to get a 10 or 11 on intermediate(easier said than done) to challenge the best combined time for any period so far. I think 61 is the best. |
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08/04/02 07:27:21 PM | |
Name: | Marc Schouten |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Not too bad, Dan. Do you still make videos of your games? I've been slowly regaining a bit of form since I got back from my vacation. I've gotten 4 sub-60s so far (56, 58x3) in quite a few hours this weekend. Played halfway through a would-be low-50s, high-40s games, but nothing close. |
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08/04/02 04:51:48 PM | |
Name: | Dan |
Best expert: | 46 |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Suh-fuckin-weet. Just got a 47, my first sub50 since the first week of January. |
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08/04/02 10:09:06 AM | |
Name: | Sorin |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Yes Owen but it was expert over beg this time ![]() |
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08/04/02 05:11:25 AM | |
Name: | Owen |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Hi guys, I'm back from holiday. Congrats to Stephan and Lukasz. Damn, when I sub 50 It won't be anything special with all ye others doing it before me!
Yet again Sorin, you nibbed me at the line in the Active Rankings. you beat me on your lower exp score again.... And Dan also![]() |
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08/04/02 02:42:26 AM | |
Name: | Roelof Smit |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Great job Lukasz!
Got my 6th sub-20 yesterday, of course another 19. It feels good: I used to get 20's and 21's all the time, now I haven't seen those numbers in ages. When I finish an intermediate game it's a 19 ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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08/03/02 04:36:25 PM | |
Name: | Dan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Fabulous, Lukasz. I have a feeling there will be another ten guys who get a sub50 before I can do it again. I keep getting great chances, but I can't close the deal. Hell, one game the other day the board was over half cleared in 17 seconds. I calculated my pace to be upper 30s. One of these days, maybe. |
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08/03/02 08:01:55 AM | |
Name: | Sorin |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Congrats Lukasz! You should start playing and the program start counting. It should count clicks from all over the screen. "Recorder" counts the clicks and 3BV(upper left corner) and outputs two files in the same directory. "Counter" is the same except it does not write any files. |
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08/03/02 07:33:04 AM | |
Name: | Marc Schouten |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Well done, Lukasz!
I was hoping to break 50 when it was still somewhat special. Now, with you and Sorin getting 49s, I'll have to break it really soon, if I want to even get noticed ![]() |
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08/03/02 04:08:43 AM | |
Name: | lukasz malinowski |
Best expert: | 49 |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | nice to read the guestbook again ![]() |
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08/03/02 04:05:35 AM | |
Name: | lloigor |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | ive dled it but simply cant figure out how to use it... when i start any of the two *.exe i get a little window (minesweeper is started) which says 1 left, 1 time, right 0 and all values dont change at all.... i hope someone can tell me what to do |
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08/03/02 02:21:38 AM | |
Name: | Sorin |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Ok, I've uploaded it. It doesn't count double clicks yet,but I could do a version that does. I'm a flagger and don't use that but if you really want it tell me before tuesday. |
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08/03/02 02:04:33 AM | |
Name: | Roelof Smit |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Congrats Stephan!
I did get my 5th sub-20 (19 again) yesterday evening. It seems I'm finally learning a bit about how to play intermediate ![]() |
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08/02/02 10:06:28 PM | |
Name: | Damien |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | only played for 5-6 min before coming on the net this evening...third beg game was a 3, first and only int a 16 and first and only ex a 55. the 16 was a 35-click board whereas my 11 wason a 39, so my playing this evening wasn't really that great. congrats on the 13. can someone send me the no-file version of sorin's counter? thanks |
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08/02/02 06:52:13 PM | |
Name: | Dan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | The active ranking page has been updated. Let me know if there are any errors. |
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08/02/02 06:19:52 PM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | I live is a crazy fucking country (Canada). The first 2 weeks of August are usually the dryest in my region, with less than a 10% chance of any percipitation from Aug 1-15. There is 6cm of snow on the ground right now, and it is still falling.![]() ![]() ![]() |
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08/02/02 06:13:31 PM | |
Name: | Matt |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Good job Stephan. I knew you were about to have a breakthrough.
I have been paying absolutely no time at all to minesweeper in the past two weeks. I've been out and about doing things that were burning a hole on my "Life Checklist". I want to do everything once (not EVERYthing...you know) and it's only so often opporunities arise that allow you to seize the day and make your life a little more worthwhile. I'll be taking the penalty this period along with several others it seems.
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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08/02/02 02:47:05 PM | |
Name: | Stephan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Sorin, you should really let the world participate at the advantages of your recorder. I'm using the nofile-version, and I couldn't detect any inacceptable bugs. It's great! Ben, I'll expect a new record post of you any time I watch this guestbook! |
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08/02/02 01:21:55 PM | |
Name: | Ben |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Damn Stephan
great job
I'm leaving for Denmark for a week tomorrow. Then I'm a week at home and then two weeks in Marburg, Germany, for a 'Summer School'. When do you expect me to catch up on you??? ![]() ![]() |
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08/02/02 01:21:42 PM | |
Name: | Axolotl |
Best expert: | 98 |
Best intermediate: | 29 |
Best beginner: | 4 |
Comments: | I'd just like to say...I'm never playing this dumb game again ![]() ![]() |
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08/02/02 12:46:15 PM | |
Name: | Sorin |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Sorry Stephan I din't saw the first line.
Hmmm...one other thing
My counting program turned into a recorder... I think i'll upload it into the addicts site sometime next week before I leave. It won't be bug free but with your help I will have something to work on when I get back ![]() |
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08/02/02 12:36:37 PM | |
Name: | Sorin |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Hey good jop Stephan! You're doing big steps lately! What was the 3BV of that board? I'll be going on a two week trip in a few days but I don't want the AR stopped. I have 4 days to get my scores and I hope it will be enough. |
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08/02/02 12:02:12 PM | |
Name: | Stephan |
Best expert: | 55 |
Best intermediate: | 13 (!!!!) |
Best beginner: | 2 |
Comments: | Finally got a 13 on a 30 3BV board. Sorin's program counted 42 clicks (left, nf). After >80 sub-20s in July, the new record was quite due.
Ben, I think this should give some additional ambition ![]() |
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08/02/02 10:14:04 AM | |
Name: | Elmar |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Roelof:
i'm with you on the idea of making the next period a holiday break. i'm going on a two week vacation today, so i wouldn't be able to submit any scores. ![]() |
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08/02/02 06:10:10 AM | |
Name: | Anonymous Surfer |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | I think I have a 25 (might be 26) 3BV board that I scored a 16 on. It might have been mentioned here already because I'm sure when I posted it to Damien he said it was the same board he had got a 13 on. I've never bothered downloading the 3BV program so have counted it myself... I'm not sure how it rates as a dreamboard; I can't visualise playing it just looking at the finished board, but for example, at the extreme bottom-left there is a 'blank' square, surrounded on its 3 sides by numbered squares. This takes 3 off the 3BV score, but is only of any use if you happen to click the empty square; so maybe it is not as easy as The Dreamboard, which doesn't look to have any similar enclosed blanks. There are a few other areas as well - at the middle-bottom there are 2 empty squares on their own, surrounded by numbered squares, and clicking either would take out the 7 surrounding squares. I don't know if this is one of the reasons why some boards with low 3BVs get slightly higher times, i.e. empty squares are going to lower the 3BV, but the smaller the number of empty squares in a group, the lower the probability is of clicking them. I might be speaking the obvious here... Like I said, I find it hard to visualise playing it; it might be easier (relatively speaking) to clear than I think (I can't remember playing it by the way. I tend towards clicking as opposed to double-clicking as well). |
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08/02/02 12:38:53 AM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | I now have a web-site. This is my first try at this, and I really do not know anything about computers![]() ![]() |
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08/01/02 06:25:25 PM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | 86 |
Best intermediate: | 22 |
Best beginner: | 3 |
Comments: | P.C.S.:
Only 5 months ago I was at the same level you are at now. I did just what Marc recomemded and learnt the paterns. If you are anything like me, you probably have only a vague understanding of what that means. Just click the "Links" button on the left and look at Frank Westers site. There you will find out all you need to know about patterns.
Another useful tool is videos. I suggest that you watch all the vids you can; but sometimes the really fast ones (sub-60, sub-16) are not so useful because they are just too fast. I recomend looking at Yoni's videos (link to his site is on the home page) that are around the 70 sec range as they display excellent style at a more comprehendable speed.
Good luck. Remember: if you actually want to get faster, you will. Just keep playing.![]() ![]() ![]() |
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08/01/02 03:31:45 PM | |
Name: | Sorin |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | 15*4 - damn |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | I got a 101 3BV intermediate and lost at 29 seconds with one or 2 squares left to click. I got tired of clicking and clicked randomly i guess. I was really nervous because I was getting lots of 20's. I got 3 20's in less than 2 minutes. two of them were right one after another. I also got my 100th sub 20 today.I did 10% of my total 100 today in a little more than 2 hours: 15 16 2x17 2x18 3x19 (and 10x20). Sorin |
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08/01/02 11:51:51 AM | |
Name: | Dan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Any idea what the worst 3BV intermediate board is? I just got 26 seconds on a 62 3BV. I bet there are some worse. |
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08/01/02 08:37:42 AM | |
Name: | Matt |
Best expert: | 51 |
Best intermediate: | 10 |
Best beginner: | 1 |
Comments: | Hey AJ, can you send me the screenshot of the your 26 board? The screenshot of my 11 on the AR site takes 26 clicks also. |
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08/01/02 06:44:03 AM | |
Name: | Roelof Smit |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Hey, I'm going on holiday Friday 9th and I'll stay away for 2 weeks. Which means that I can't do my work for the AR the 16th. Could someone take over my task for 1 period? (collecting e-mails, making the list and send it to Dan?) Please let me know. Thanks Roelof PS: We could also make this a holiday break of course, please let me know what you think. |
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08/01/02 06:26:36 AM | |
Name: | Active Ranking |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | **** Deadline tomorrow @ 20:00 GMT/4pm EDT **** |
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08/01/02 02:55:59 AM | |
Name: | Marc Schouten |
Best expert: | 51 |
Best intermediate: | 12 |
Best beginner: | 2 |
Comments: | Hey P.C.S., (what does that stand for?) You're at a point where you probably aren't quite familiar yet with all the different patterns. I'm guessing that your mouse handling isn't optimal yet either. There is really only one remedy for that: keep at it. I could go and explain all the different patterns, but that really wouldn't be much help. You need to find out for yourself in order to remember them. When your scores drop to, let's say, 70 on expert, you want to find more advanced techniques of reducing time, but by then, you'll have mastered the game to such an extent that you'll probably have a pretty clear picture of what to do. So: just keep playing. You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll drop below 100 if you put some effort into it. |
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08/01/02 02:43:10 AM | |
Name: | P.C.S. |
Best expert: | 140 |
Best intermediate: | 37 |
Best beginner: | 7 |
Comments: | hey u ppl, i wanted to post a message here bcos i felt that this is a great site for all the minesweeper freaks and bcos i need a bit of help too. i donno how to better my times and am stuck with these horrible times.please pls help me.feel free to mail me at iam_pc@yahoo.com . thanx to all and wiatin for ur mails |
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07/31/02 01:16:11 PM | |
Name: | AJ |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Hey I am bak from holiday and just catching up on all this 3BV stuff. Finally downloaded the program at the 20th attempt and I ran it on some of my int boards. The lowest 3BV I found was 26, which I believe is lower than the dreamboard, and I knew that when I was playing that board it was frighteningly fast - but that was ages ago when I couldn't play intermediate, so I won't run away from it if I got it again ! ![]() |
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07/31/02 07:32:02 AM | |
Name: | Active Ranking |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | **** 2 Day Warning **** |
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07/31/02 05:02:50 AM | |
Name: | Dave McBryan |
Best expert: | 61 |
Best intermediate: | 17 |
Best beginner: | 2 |
Comments: | I posted here yesterday, but the message seems to have disappeared. In short: New Expert Record - 61 (was 63). |
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07/29/02 11:37:20 PM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | I am trying to get my girlfriend to stop nagging me about minesweeper (i know some others have the smae problem![]() ![]() |
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07/29/02 09:08:20 AM | |
Name: | Sorin |
Best expert: | 49 |
Best intermediate: | 15 |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | I got a 240 3BV board.I didn't had the chance to play it since I hit a mine in the first seconds. Also got a 55. My 4th best. |
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07/28/02 11:56:13 PM | |
Name: | Ben |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | About LASIK surgery: my mother is an ophtalmologist (but eye doctor works fine too) and she does surgery at the universitary hospital of Leuven. I can ask her what she thinks about it. |
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07/28/02 10:54:16 PM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Hmmmmmmmmm........I am using a Microsot Optical Wheel mouse and sometimes (probably 1\5) when i press down on the left button it acts lile i pressed down and released. This sucks for obvious reasons. Is this a problem I can cure, or is it just a characteristic of this model of mouse? (I think Matt uses the same one.) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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07/28/02 10:01:15 PM | |
Name: | AZUMI KAWASHIMA (Female - Pretty - Japanese girl) |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | LET ALL OF YOU VISIT MY BEST EVER WEBSITE !!! YOU ARE WELCOMED AT => HTTP://WWW.CANDYROOMS.COM <= COME AND SEE MY 'PICTURES/PHOTOS' AND 'MOVIE' ENJOY!!! HAVE FUN !!!!!! |
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07/28/02 12:16:25 PM | |
Name: | David Barry |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Robbie McEwen has won the maillot vert in le Tour de France! First ever Aussie to win any jersey in the Tour, so cycling fans here are all very happy. Even if watching it meant losing last night's sleep because of the time difference... I believe some American won in the overall time standing category. |
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07/28/02 08:56:01 AM | |
Name: | Azumi Kamishawa & Bunko Kanazawa |
Best expert: | 289 |
Best intermediate: | 60 |
Best beginner: | 7 |
Comments: | VISIT my BEST EVER site !!!!!! YOU ARE ALL WELCOMED !! |
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07/28/02 12:30:03 AM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Have just finnished a bottle of wine. Am about to perform an experiment. (To see how well I play). Hope it turns out well.![]() |
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07/27/02 06:33:20 PM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | My friend's girlfriend, who is in Uni to become an optometrist, said that some optometrists believe that LAZIK surgery can cause you to lose night vision later in life; while others, presumedly those who do the surgery, endorse it. She said that she did not know enough about it to have an educated opinion, but added that the procedure is new enough that prolonged efects have not been thouroughly researched. But I say: get the surgery. Those doctors don't know fuck all anyway. Did you know that they once belived that cigretes caused cancer! James |
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07/27/02 04:30:58 PM | |
Name: | David Barry |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Dan, I've heard of the surgery. I've not heard a complaint about it (except the cost...), and I know of a few people who've had their eyes LAZIKed, including one who had just about everything wrong with his eyes that there could possibly be short of being blind.
The one thing I have heard is that you should find someone who's done thousands of laser surgeries before, they say that the more experienced surgeons can handle any complications.... but that's just what I heard, I don't know if the last bit's true.
I personally like my glasses. ![]() |
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07/27/02 03:39:13 PM | |
Name: | Dan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Ratz! I just guessed wrong on a 50/50 with the clock at 29 seconds and only a 14x7 area left(That is a 42 pace). I manually counted the 3BV and it was 108. |
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07/27/02 01:15:34 PM | |
Name: | Dan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Have any of you had LASIK eye surgery? I'm very tired of wearing glasses and contact lenses and I'm seriously considering getting LASIK done. |
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07/27/02 12:58:41 PM | |
Name: | Damien |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | i believe matt posted this month earlier that he had passed 1000 sub-20's...i just spent time scrounging through my bedroom looking for all my loose papers with scores on...i can't find aug7-dec31 and i only found 5 days may-june, but i've found most of all my other scores....i had 661 sub-20's last august 7th, and without the 6 and 1/2 missing months i still have 1324 sub-20's, so i must have passed it quite awhile ago. going to look around again. |
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07/27/02 02:36:43 AM | |
Name: | Stephan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Lance: Benny made a new version of his board reader. You can download it at the yahoo group. It checks all board sizes and all standard file types. |
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07/26/02 04:29:43 PM | |
Name: | Lance Votroubek |
Best expert: | 62 |
Best intermediate: | 16 |
Best beginner: | 1 |
Comments: | Benny, you said we have a 3BV counter now - are you referring to that program that records the intermediate game clicks, or is there one that does expert now, too? that would be the one I'm more interested in. Thanks a lot! Lance |
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07/26/02 04:14:36 PM | |
Name: | Benny Benjamin |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | A lil bit to add about 3BV:
When Stephan told me about the "minimum click", I said the terminolgy is too limiting.
It is only "minimum" for non flaggers. For flaggers and especially mix style, the minimum clicks can be lower.
That is why I proposed the name 3BV. It is a benchmark value, but it's not absolute. By the way, that is the only way known so far on how to benchmark a board.
An opening is the same for both methods, it only takes 1 click.
The difference is with some board layout, the flaggers can clear the rest of the board in less clicks than a non-flagger.
However, the number of squares that needs to be cleared is 3BV - Opening clusters
which applies to any style.
Since we already have a 3BV counter, we can do a study on how well it applies.
Let's say everyone plays 10 boards a day, in the middle of their estimated playing session (which I assume when a player is at his/her prime speed), log the time and the 3BV.
Accumulate 'till we get 100 boards, and submit it to someone who can do stats and he/she can work it out how well it reflects the board's friendliness for the different styles.
And if screenshots are provided, the person can analyse the boards to probably design other board benchmarking methods.
But that won't be me since I know jack about stats, unless you want to wait till I pass STAT170 (Introduction to Statistics) hopefully 6 months from now, ![]() |
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07/26/02 03:38:57 PM | |
Name: | Benny Benjamin |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Hi everyone,
Congrats to all the players who had broken their records ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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07/26/02 01:32:05 PM | |
Name: | Owen |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | what is Wrong With my bloody mail? My scores for this period are 2-15-53 Bye again |
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07/26/02 01:27:22 PM | |
Name: | Owen |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Thanks Sorin and nice to hear from you again Ben. I liked the rivalry between us before so all you have to do now is keep playing and catch up with me!
And Dave, don't worry. It took me 97 sub 70s before I sub 60. I was getting worried that time when you were only 1 second away from my Irish record! Nice to have a decent gap in beteween us again hehe. But I want you to do well and represent Ireland with honour and pride![]() ![]() |
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07/26/02 04:38:59 AM | |
Name: | Marc Schouten |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Just a quick hello from Helsinki. I'll be back in Holland on sunday or monday. I can't say I've missed Minesweeper one bit, although you can be sure that I'll be playing some when I get back ![]() |
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07/26/02 04:20:14 AM | |
Name: | Dave McBryan |
Best expert: | 63 |
Best intermediate: | 17 |
Best beginner: | 2 |
Comments: | OK, This is beginning to get annoying: When I got my record (63) it was only my 3rd sub-70 (The first 2 were both 69s). Today I got my 50th sub-70 and I still haven't matched, let alone beaten, that 63. I now have: 63, 64x4, 65, 66x5, 67x8, 68x12, 69x19. The sub70s are coming more consistently now, and yesterday I lost a game at 53 with only 12 mines left to isolate, so it's surely just a matter of time... |
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07/26/02 03:23:51 AM | |
Name: | Roelof Smit |
Best expert: | 62 |
Best intermediate: | 17 |
Best beginner: | 1 |
Comments: | Congrats Ben! Great job!
By the way: I don't have a girlfriend...![]() ![]() |
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07/26/02 03:18:27 AM | |
Name: | Lasse Nyholm |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Just played for half an hour and my goal for this period is reached - to get below the total I would get with another 5 penalty-points. So my scores for this period will probably be 4-18-49, though it screws up my statistics a bit. I finished only one expert game after 10 minutes of playing, so it seems I haven't lost all my speed though being away for 25 days. Now I can go home to my girlfriend with peace in my minesweepermind. Keep smiling people - Lanyjé |
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07/26/02 02:42:07 AM | |
Name: | Lasse Nyholm |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Hey folks - I'm back after a nice and relaxing week in Durham, which involved a lot of music and just a bit sweeping - my scores for this period so far is x-25-88. As you can see Paul's setup didn't quite suit me well, but I now have one day to sweep before I go back home to my parents and my girlfriend. Congrats to all recordbreakers, hope you've all enjoyed the summer so far - Lanyjé |
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07/25/02 10:50:22 PM | |
Name: | Mike |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | The guy who owns this page says that it is better to not start at a corner... I see where he is coming from, but let's not forget that the corner is often a "trouble-spot", a.k.a. a spot where we often find ourselves faced with 50/50 decisions. So, what I do sometimes is click the top-left corner square first (to make certain that at least one of those corners won't be a mine and will hopefully be less of a "trouble-spot"), and then cut back really quickly to the center and just start clicking randomly. It doesnt waste any time if you go fast, just a thought I had, maybe I'm wrong. Who really cares? |
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07/25/02 06:40:53 PM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Elmar: I agree that 3BV is not perfect for flaggers; however, in general, I think that the lower the 3BV the faster the board for any playing style*.
*This statement is 90% acurate, 19 times out of 20.![]() ![]() |
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07/25/02 01:18:30 PM | |
Name: | Matt |
Best expert: | 51... |
Best intermediate: | 10... |
Best beginner: | 1 |
Comments: |
I got a 12 nf last week. The video will be on my site when I get home in a few days. I think it took something like 39 3BV, which is exactly how many clicks I took.
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07/25/02 12:19:12 PM | |
Name: | damien |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | i meant, for no-flags my best scores are 1-15-73. |
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07/25/02 12:01:48 PM | |
Name: | Sorin |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Only wireless mice use batteries Yoni. If you want an optical wireless mouse it will be on battery power. I haven't play4ed much lateley. My best game after the day I got the 49 is a 58. Anyway, my program looks good so far. I'll try to finih it before the deadline so I can get some play time. A 53 after five day break Owen? You're getting close... |
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07/25/02 11:30:59 AM | |
Name: | Yoni Roll |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Question for optical mouse users: Does optical mouse uses batteries? (my wireless mouse does) |
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07/25/02 11:06:50 AM | |
Name: | Yoni Roll |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Damien, you wrote: my best no-flag int game is a 1 (73 for expert though). You probably missed a digit in the int game.. You can get the program in the addicts files section. |
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07/25/02 10:57:56 AM | |
Name: | Owen |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Havent played in 6 days except today. Ye yo, got a 53 on video![]() |
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07/25/02 08:07:12 AM | |
Name: | damien |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | i haven't been able to pay much attention lately but have been loosely following along...where can i get the program? i did some counting without it and randomly chose five of my sub-50 boards...my count gave 133, 139, 133, 134 and 136 for two 49's two 48's and my 47. got my seventh 8 last night. my best no-flag int game is a 1 (73 for expert though). thinking of crazy games, i finished a board in 60-some that had only about 15-20 mines of tehe right half of the board...the left have was all 3's, 4's and higher. |
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07/25/02 07:04:09 AM | |
Name: | Stephan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Ben, congratulations. You're only 1 sec back... Nice that I am the reason for your comeback ![]() |
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07/25/02 06:47:17 AM | |
Name: | Yoni Roll |
Best expert: | 65 |
Best intermediate: | 17 |
Best beginner: | 2 |
Comments: | Congrats Ben and Vincent! Elmar, I found a 233 and 230 3BV boards in my gamse pictures archive. Does someone knows the intermediate non-flagging record? |
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07/25/02 03:32:12 AM | |
Name: | Elmar |
Best expert: | 66 |
Best intermediate: | 19 |
Best beginner: | 2 |
Comments: | hi guys.
i think i had the nightmare board yesterday.
224 3BV.... it took me 86 sec to clear it. (my average is 79) that's actually pretty fast considering i could definetly go sub40 with that speeed on a 96 3BV board! ![]() |
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07/25/02 01:52:49 AM | |
Name: | Georgi Kermekchiev |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Hi guys, Vincent send to me his best 3BV expert board - it was not 51, but 52sec-board and not 98 3BV, but .... 96 3BV !!! http://www.public.iastate.edu/~vyeh/mines/52.jpg As far as I know it is the only sub-100 3BV expert board for now... |
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07/25/02 01:33:12 AM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | 86 |
Best intermediate: | 22 |
Best beginner: | 3 |
Comments: | I am very close to getting a sub-20. I got a 23 today with a 48 3BV. (Maybe I should start working on my Int. Hall of Fame profile now ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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07/25/02 12:48:30 AM | |
Name: | Ben |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Hi Sorin,
now I can personally congratulate you with sub50 performance. Awesome!
I have to admit that I quit quitting some weeks ago, it was Stephan's 55 that pulled me through ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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07/24/02 04:11:44 PM | |
Name: | Scott Storm |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Roughly sixteen hrs, this is pretty standard and thus far no interesting changes of perspective! |
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07/24/02 03:31:41 PM | |
Name: | Sorin |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Good job Ben! Are you still retired? There are currently 5 players with a total of 72 in the top 20. Interesting... My spped seems to come back but i'm busy programming. See u soon |
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07/24/02 01:17:18 PM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Congrats Ben. At this rate there may be a dozen sub-50 players by this time next year. |
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07/24/02 10:34:31 AM | |
Name: | Ben |
Best expert: | 56!!!!!!!!!! |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | yessssssssss ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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07/23/02 12:46:43 PM | |
Name: | Matt |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Wish I could participate Scott, but I am with family now and cant stay up. I have gone for 4 days in the past and I felt terrible afterwards, but it was a bang while I was up...everything felt so weird... |
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07/23/02 12:39:54 AM | |
Name: | Scott Storm |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | The mind numbing boredom of my locality is slowly killing me but I have devised a plan, an experiment of sorts! I propose that I and any members of this boatd who feel likewise enter into a sleep deprivation marathon! This marathon will commence in precisely 24hrs and 20minutes from the posting of this message! I wish any of you brave enough to take my challenge the best of luck, and Godspeed be with you all! |
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07/22/02 11:59:10 PM | |
Name: | Ben |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Six months after my last sub60, I got a 58 this morning |
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07/22/02 05:00:33 PM | |
Name: | damien |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | fantastic, vincent.
got a 49 and my 70th 2 last night. owen, matt and vincent will all be sub-50 by summer's end, although i hope you guys hold off jsut a bit longer so i get to tag lasse. got to suck not breaking your expert rec for over a year...he's close and definetly deserves to but i think his girlfriend is stealing his attention..somebody took the penalty last week.![]() |
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07/22/02 02:42:02 PM | |
Name: | Vincent Yeh |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Well, not really quite a while to see you guys again, cause I just got 1 sec closer to my goal during a short break from my research. http://www.public.iastate.edu/~vyeh/mines/50-1.png By the way, I found this PNG format pretty economic for storing minesweeper screenshopts (not good for photo images, though). Just compare the size of the file in the link above to your JPG format screenshot and you will see. |
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07/22/02 10:31:29 AM | |
Name: | Vincent Yeh |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Thanks to Mike for his comment and to Stephan for his list and the explanation of 3BV things. Mike, currently the best video I have is 54, which can be found at http://www.public.iastate.edu/~vyeh/mines/54-1.avi I stopped making videos after my last hard drive crash a few months ago. Camtasia was not the reason of the crash but I just do not want to use demo version and cracked version programs any more. James, thanks for the comment. I do believe the same as you. Theoretically one can get as fast as one can when having a fast board. However, the chances of having a fast board are not quite big. Plus the chances of getting it right done every time one gets a fast board are also small. These factors will set a practical limit for no-markers, I believe. Going back to my research. See you in a while (and I mean a while). |
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07/21/02 11:01:31 PM | |
Name: | James |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Stephen: thanks for the 3BV site, I think I am on the fringe of understanding now.![]() ![]() |
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07/21/02 01:23:37 AM | |
Name: | Stephan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Mike, I think the non-flagging world ranking is as follows: 1. Vincent Yeh 51 2. Mike Lowder 53 3. Stephan Bechtel 55 4. Eduardo Cros 56, Lasse Nyholm 56 But I don't know if there are other fast nf players! |
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07/20/02 08:20:11 PM | |
Name: | mike lowder |
Best expert: | 53 |
Best intermediate: | 17 |
Best beginner: | 2 |
Comments: | Hi Vincent and everyone, No Vincent, I don't believe that there is a limit to "no-marking" times. I do believe that some boards lend themselves to the no-marking style better than other boards. I think the arragement of the bombs is key as to which style would work best on any given board. And since we don't know that up front you just have to use the style your use to. I think Damien has said it well when he talked about a mix of the "marking" and "no-marking" styles is probably the fastest way to play. After reading this on his web site it kind of made sense to me. So is the fastest "no-marking" time yours at 51 or is there a faster one? I've tried for another week to get a sub 60 video but have failed to do so. Hopefully someone out there will contribute a no-marking video on expert in 50 sec or faster range. If some one has one please send it to me I would like to see others using the no-marking style I did send Damien a 60 second expert video I made. After viewing it though, I really don't like it. It doesn't truly represent how fast the no-marking style can get. You will easily see I guessed quite a few times on this board and got lucky. Well I think this is it for me. I came back and played for a couple of weeks and reconfirmed to myself why I retired from playing in the first place. I guess I have just gotten tired of playing. Maybe that means I'm not truly addicted to the game. (Although I think I was truly addicted when I play for 8 hours straight one time.) I wish you all luck with your minesweeper times. As fast as everyone is getting I'm sure none of my times will be in the top 50 in the next few years. I've had a blast playing but it is time to move on. I've joined a table tennis club about three years back and I find myself wanting to play table tennis more than playing minesweeper. May the minesweeper gods smile on all of you. May all of you get sub 40 expert times, sub 10 int times, and a 1 sec beginner tim |
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07/20/02 09:08:56 AM | |
Name: | Ben |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | The last two days, I missed a 58 and a 60 on the last click. I hope my speed is back where it was in January |
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07/20/02 03:53:07 AM | |
Name: | Stephan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | As there is actually an enormous 3BV discussion, I created a website to help everyone who might not know what 3BV is and what you can use it for. Follow the "website" link. |
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07/19/02 11:13:24 PM | |
Name: | Sorin |
Best expert: | 49 |
Best intermediate: | 15 |
Best beginner: | 2 |
Comments: | I got a new version of my program. Now the timer and counters stop when the game is lost or won and the yellow face can be clicked to reset the scores. I haven't tested it on the XP version -because I don't have it. Does anyone know if it works on Win98? If it does please send it to me. Or someone could try the program and send me some data I need to make it work good on XP too.
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07/19/02 07:34:54 PM | |
Name: | Matt |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Hey Vincent, take a look at the screenshot on my page to see how close I was to breaking the no-marking barrier. |
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07/19/02 05:49:15 PM | |
Name: | Joe Nuss |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | PARTY ON STORM ![]() |
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07/19/02 05:23:19 PM | |
Name: | Dan |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | I just rechecked the expert board on my web site and if that game had been finished it would be a 100 using the 3BV method. |
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07/19/02 05:10:30 PM | |
Name: | Scott Storm |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | REASONS WHY THE WEEKEND IS LOOKING GOOD! 1. I beset my duvet with flames as I successfully ignited a fart! (it rocked) 2. Tomorrow a friend is loaning me a bitch for the night! 3. I have got some Primo Hash! (1 ounce of) 4. Weekend party venue sorted out! |
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07/19/02 03:33:53 PM | |
Name: | Active Ranking |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | The list has been updated for period 14. |
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07/19/02 12:24:11 PM | |
Name: | Roelof Smit |
Best expert: | |
Best intermediate: | |
Best beginner: | |
Comments: | Matt, could you update my profile? (that 62 and my 4th sub 20 - another 19) thanks |
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07/19/02 11:58:20 AM | |
Name: | Roelof Smit |
Best expert: | 62 |
Best intermediate: | 17 |
Best beginner: | 1 |
Comments: | 3 minutes before the deadline I got a new expert record: a 62. Shouldn't take long to break the 1 minute barrier now ![]() |
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07/19/02 09:57:14 AM | |
Name: | Vincent Yeh |
Best expert: | 51 |
Best intermediate: | 14 |
Best beginner: | 2 |
Comments: | Hello Mike, it's so good to hear from you (hope you are still here with us ![]() |
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