Return of Dr Sloth [Split 7]

[MagicalMystery]

Those codes... o.o;;

I managed to do all of the first-mod codes and all of the second-mod codes completely by guess work clicking backwards and forwards with no real strategy... and got completely stuck on the three-mod codes. ^^;; Go figure. I managed to do my first three-mod code thanks to Kyootest Lenny's Petpage - I wasn't sure if my strategy was working properly until I saw the front page of this topic. -prods- The whole going-for-the-ones-with-the-least-combinations-first thing I saw on the front page really saved me a lot of time on the three-mod-O codes. Yay. ^^ I skipped the rest of the three-mods and went straight into the three-mod-O codes and the message happened to be on the last one. So... that took... well, it took two days worth of computer time... so... 10 hours-ish for the three/three-O codes? (And there went my weekend...) They'd better give out good trophies - my shoulder really hurts. -_- My head too... I attempted the module-algebra strategy after having trouble with guesswork on the three-mod codes and got completely confused. ^^;; And I thought my Maths was okay...

I managed to get through the first few mazes without too much difficulty or having to get rid of any of those evil Garoo-people. The penultimate one was the hardest... first I had a few goes trying to ignore them all and failed... then I tried to take them all out and failed... and then I kept trying a combination of taking them out and ignoring them. I ignored the first two and got past them but I had to take out the rest of them. Last one seemed easier for some reason... took out three me thinks and had to play marco-polo with the last one to the right of the family that kept threatening to come down the passage that had no hiding place. -prods- I'm glad I managed to do it though - it would have been terrible if I got through the codes and then got stuck on something that reminded me of Chia Bomber. o.o;;

Hopefully... no more code breaking. -_-

[AySz88]

I've been getting a few reports of messages with changed values... I have to run to class, but I'll check them out soon!

[rushed edit] If you have changed values with either 2-mod or 3-mod with O, and want to figure out a set of values that will work for that tier of puzzles, do this:
Find the "zero" (really, just equivalent to zero) by looking for a situation where having the same symbol down a column causes no change (like X + _ + _ + _ = X, where all the blanks are the same symbol). (This step will break with 3-mod without O, since +2+2+2, +4+4+4, and +6+6+6 all act like +0.)

Once you have the identity, one of your remaining symbols must be 1. Once you know which one it is, the other symbols' values can be found like this:

0+0+1+1=2
0+0+1+2=3
0+0+1+3=4...

So try __=1 with all six symbols in the __... You'll get 4 or 6 possible sequences, and one of them will be {1,2,3...} - I suggest just seeing which ones fit. (They come in mirror-image pairs, and either one of that pair will work for the current tier; the other one of the pair will be like -1, -2, -3... If you want to try to carry on your values from one tier to the next, you'll have to figure out which one of the pair).

I hope that helps!

... With careful logic, and keeping the steps going, an hour is plenty to get through a Mod 3.

wow! You must have a much faster computer, or faster clicker finger than I do. It took me about an hour to get through one code number. The 3 mod codes all took 3-4 hours, depending on how early the answer appeared.

Hmm, this sounds to me like a challenge! I just had to check this, so here's a crude approximation (the normal way, without my optimization):

3-mod with O: 12 first-symbol-combos * ~(30/7) first mod * ~(29/7) second mod * ~(28/7) third mod * 5 seconds each = 71 minutes worst case, or average about 35 minutes each

I'm a bit surprised by this next result, but 3-mod without-O does look like it's harder (or at least longer):
3-mod without O: 10 first-symbol-combos * ~(30/6) * ~(29/6) * ~(28/6) * 5 seconds = 94 minutes worst case, averaging to 47 minutes

[edit] The "5 seconds" might be a little optimistic though - it's probably more like 10 seconds (which would double the times).

[delete and repost] timestamp reset due to adding so much stuff

[Kuri]

I pretended that the guards were responsible for step two.

That's a good way to look at it. Would definitely add motivation for whacking them.

[Pickles]

Hadn't seen these posted, so, couple pieces of (new?) info:

The person who has all the combinations (see first post helpful other guides) up has updated the pages to remove the redundant combinations (IE, instead of having XCC and CXC and CCX, only one of those three shows). This means you no longer need to double-check that you've done it. (Yeah!!)

It appears that was is true of the 2-mods and 3-mod 6 variables is true for the 1-mod: you only need to do ONE to unlock the next set.
So, potentially, you only *have* to do 4 to unlock the next step:
-One 1-mod (Weather) to unlock 2-mods
-One 2-mod (Civilian) to unlock 3-mods
-One 3-mod 6 var (Maintenance) to unlock 3-mod 7 var
-The correct 3-mod 7 var that ends the step

No telling how potential plot points will be affected for not having completed them all, but yeah. Not that the 1-mods are hard...but if you're in a rush to catch up...

[cybertrini]

I pretended that the guards were responsible for step two.

lol!! Indeed! Now that I *know* that, I wanna go back and take more of them out, lol...

[AySz88]

I pretended that the guards were responsible for step two.

lol!! Indeed! Now that I *know* that, I wanna go back and take more of them out, lol...

I'd never finish the third step; I'll keep getting caught on purpose on the last puzzle, just to take more of them out...

[Rubywinged]

Was going through my SDB last night and came across this



Description: Doesnt Cylara look mean! This was a prize given out by the advent calendar in year 6.

Just thought it was kinda funny for some reason and thought I'd share

[arogance1]

If I posted some pics of my 3 mod puzzles, could someone help?

[Siniri]

If I posted some pics of my 3 mod puzzles, could someone help?

I'll try to help with one by giving you one of the modifiers -- but I'm in grad school and have a lot of schoolwork over the next couple of days, so it might take me a couple of days to get to it. PM me if you'd still like the help.

[arogance1]

If I posted some pics of my 3 mod puzzles, could someone help?

I'll try to help with one by giving you one of the modifiers -- but I'm in grad school and have a lot of schoolwork over the next couple of days, so it might take me a couple of days to get to it. PM me if you'd still like the help.

I'd like any help anyone can give, i'm completely stumped

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Arogance1/1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Arogance1/2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Arogance1/4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Arogance1/5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Arogance1/10.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Arogance1/11.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Arogance1/15.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Arogance1/16.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Arogance1/17.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Arogance1/18.jpg

[Matrinka]

I actually wonder how we're going to earn points for the decoding portion of the plot. I actually had to solve all 20 of my codes (*whimper*) in order to finally get the Garoo message. My little cousin only had to solve 3 of the 3-mod codes until she got the Garoo message. I wonder if we'll both get the same amount of points... or if I will get more. After all, I had to struggle with it more.

[Pickles]

I actually wonder how we're going to earn points for the decoding portion of the plot. I actually had to solve all 20 of my codes (*whimper*) in order to finally get the Garoo message. My little cousin only had to solve 3 of the 3-mod codes until she got the Garoo message. I wonder if we'll both get the same amount of points... or if I will get more. After all, I had to struggle with it more.

I'm wondering about it too. My husband had to do all 20 of his. I only ended up doing 17 - but only because I was kicked out that first night.
I'm kinda hoping there's a time factor bonus for each step (on this step, at least for those of us who finished before the calculator came out, so that they wouldn't differentiate), 'cause until this plot, I've never been one of the first to finish a step - especially one as insane as that one. I mean, the panic factor I had that night when I couldn't get back in to finish my last 3 should be worth something. (okay, so I'm probably pushing it, but still. I kinda miss the way they did time bonuses back in the LDP for completing a step sooner than later). If there's not, oh well.

[Lee]

I actually wonder how we're going to earn points for the decoding portion of the plot. I actually had to solve all 20 of my codes (*whimper*) in order to finally get the Garoo message. My little cousin only had to solve 3 of the 3-mod codes until she got the Garoo message. I wonder if we'll both get the same amount of points... or if I will get more. After all, I had to struggle with it more.

I also had to solve all 20 of my codes. I'm sure they will hand out points for completion, although it wouldn't be too fair considering others had more work laid out for them then others.

[ChaosShadow]

Wouldn't be particularly fair either way, since it's impossible to know which one the correct Garoo puzzle is, and after you finish that one, you're done. Some people did get unlucky, having to do all of the codes, but that's just luck of the draw... admittedly, though, I wouldn't have gone though all of the codes if I knew I had a choice. >.<

[cybertrini]

I actually wonder how we're going to earn points for the decoding portion of the plot. I actually had to solve all 20 of my codes (*whimper*) in order to finally get the Garoo message. My little cousin only had to solve 3 of the 3-mod codes until she got the Garoo message. I wonder if we'll both get the same amount of points... or if I will get more. After all, I had to struggle with it more.

I'm wondering about it too. My husband had to do all 20 of his. I only ended up doing 17 - but only because I was kicked out that first night.
I'm kinda hoping there's a time factor bonus for each step (on this step, at least for those of us who finished before the calculator came out, so that they wouldn't differentiate), 'cause until this plot, I've never been one of the first to finish a step - especially one as insane as that one. I mean, the panic factor I had that night when I couldn't get back in to finish my last 3 should be worth something. (okay, so I'm probably pushing it, but still. I kinda miss the way they did time bonuses back in the LDP for completing a step sooner than later). If there's not, oh well.

Seeing as how I never did manage to map out my temple in the the LDP, I never realised that there was a time bonus involved. If there is a time bonus in this plot, then that means that those who did use the calculator would get caught, because TNT will have their times. But since there have only been reports of frozen accounts of people who admitted on the boards that they used the calculator, then my guess is that they aren't measuring the times here. Thoughts/comments?

Wouldn't be particularly fair either way, since it's impossible to know which one the correct Garoo puzzle is, and after you finish that one, you're done. Some people did get unlucky, having to do all of the codes, but that's just luck of the draw... admittedly, though, I wouldn't have gone though all of the codes if I knew I had a choice. >.<

I have to agree. It's not like anyone who actually got it out after solving only 3 were cheating, just lucky