Return of Dr Sloth [Split 5]

[Pickles]

Wait a second: it really CAN be reduced to Base 7 numbers? How does that work if there are 8 symbols?

There are only 7:
V=1, 8=2, Z=3, X=4, C=5, T=6, O=7.
It's worked for every set that I gave my husband last night for the first of the 5 nasties...(I'll post those when I find my notes when I get home)

(Got the values from the link on this post: http://www.pinkpt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=775070#p775070)

[munduses]

I tried to solve one of these 7-symbol puzzles by using RudolfRocker's petpage as a guide. I got a value of 3 from the Key and the first two modifiers (first symbol only of course). But if the first symbol in the target has also the value of 3, does it mean that that combination won't work? Because then there wouldn't be any value left for the third modifier

Normally I'd take the normal approach here - intelligent brute force - but my key starts with C and it seems it isn't charted yet

[Pickles]

I tried to solve one of these 7-symbol puzzles by using RudolfRocker's petpage as a guide. I got a value of 3 from the Key and the first two modifiers (first symbol only of course). But if the first symbol in the target has also the value of 3, does it mean that that combination won't work? Because then there wouldn't be any value left for the third modifier

For Base 7, think of it this way: if your sum is 7 or less, that's your result. If it's 8 or higher, it doesn't exist in base 7, so subtract 7 from it go get your result.
Best if I use an example:
Key 0, target value V
So your key is 7, and your target is 1. Already, your key is higher than your target.
This means your "equation" is 7+?+?+?=1
We'll take a solution that we know works: VVT
This gives you 7+1+1+6
Now, we all know that 7+1+1+6=15. But 15 is greater than 7, so subtract 7 from it. This gives you 8, which is STILL greater than 7. Subtract another 7 and you get your result: 1

Second example:
Key T, target value C
So your key is 6, and your target is 5
We'll take a solution that we know works:V8Z
6+1+2+3
6+1+2+3=12. 12>7, so we subtract 7 to get 5.

Hope that helps explain base 7 a little.

How does this apply?
Instead of messing with the symbols, you can find variations of numbers that add correctly. IE, in the first example, find combos of numbers that add to 8 or 15. In the second example, find combos of numbers that add to 5, 12, or 19. Once you have the combos of numbers down, all you hafta do is look back at the chart that tells you which symbol goes with which number and convert it back.

Okay, end of math lesson for the day. :

Edit: I'm not sure if the numbers carry if they're over 7, or if the extras just vanish. That's why I recommend using the last symbol to do matching - it doesn't make a difference what the others do.

[Raza]

A quick note regarding the Modifier Calculator:

Yes, in the past, people have been permitted to use starmappers to find their constellations - and walkthroughs to complete the plot. However, there is no ground to legitimately claim it should be alright to use a calculator this time around. Neopets rules specifically state time and time again that using any external program to further your achievements on Neopets is disallowed. Its one of the most blatant rules on the site.

TNT may not be being consistent in their choice to disallow Modifier Calculators, but they have every right to freeze anybody who uses one (though, 99.999% chance they won't retroactively freeze those who have used it) regardless of whether or not they have a giant red message on the page.

The subject is moot now anyway, as Neopets have made it blatantly clear not to use a Calculator. As a result, nobody is to post a link to any online solvers anywhere in the forum. Doing so will result in punishment from the PPT staff and possibly punishment from Neopets as they have been known to read through these threads.

It's still an arbitrary rule that by its very nature cannot be consistently applied. We're using external programs right now to browse help sites for info on the plot. Writing down your symbol combos in notepad? External program.

The calculator simply took the same information we're provided from the site, analysed it as we're figuring out to do right in these threads, compared it to shards like the ones on petpages they specifically ok'ed. The only difference is that this thing made it another big step simpler; just like these forums and those petpage shards make it a step simpler from doing it yourself. It's completely arbitrary; and rules like that don't have a correct or reasonable way to apply them. They're flawed by nature, and any attempt to enforce them is necessarily unfair.



Frankly, I think it's pretty lame how quick everyone is to turn around here. The same OP post that advertised these calculators before now gets all bold-red-font moralising about daring to advertise such means here, and some people already seem to believe the guy got frozen for asking money for it while in fact he had his neopets name posted 'if you want to say thanks or say hi' and peoples donations seemed genuinely spontaneous. He wasn't frozen for breaking the rules, he was frozen for not breaking the rules, and instead of running around like headless chickens worrying about your own accounts while looking for far-fetched ways to justify TNTs behaviour while they're not even bothering to do it themselves, I think people ought to be a bit more willing to speak out against that. Maybe if TNT knew we don't appreciate these random threats to our accounts - even when they're something that only happens to other people - they'd think twice about doing it.

Last edited by Raza on Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[cybertrini]

New comic is out. I hope they don't hurry and close off this puzzle stage, it was BEYOND hard for the 2nd step in a plot

[Pickles]

Edit: nevermind previous comment. Misread post.

The third door is open!

Last edited by Pickles on Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[cybertrini]

I thought charts were OK?

(Discussions with friends and the use of reference charts is perfectly okay.)

The third door is open!

So far, incredibly easy...why do I feel there's another shoe waiting to drop?

(edit) OW!!! *rubs spot where shoe hit head* I knew it!

Last edited by cybertrini on Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[wildkitten]

There's a new step to do!

http://www.neopets.com/space/ros/bay.phtml

[munduses]

Thanks for the help Pickles! It helped and I understood somehow (but I still have this generally confused feeling, though I can't put my finger on what ).
But yeah, if this calculator thing a.k.a. "external program" is as serious as claimed, I guess I'll just have to do the puzzles ol' school.

[Pickles]

So far, incredibly easy...why do I feel there's another shoe waiting to drop?

(edit) OW!!! *rubs spot where shoe hit head* I knew it!

Heh, the further you get, the more of them there are!

Goal: get to the open door without being "seen" by the guard(s). If they are not facing you, they will not catch you, but if they are facing you on the same row or column, you're caught.
You can take them out if you "sneak up" on them.

munduses, no problem. Glad it made sense!

[Deevil]

There's a new step to do!

http://www.neopets.com/space/ros/bay.phtml

Looks like you can't skip step two though.. I have only got my first three modifier solved and I get a 404 when I clcik on that link.

[cybertrini]

So far, incredibly easy...why do I feel there's another shoe waiting to drop?

(edit) OW!!! *rubs spot where shoe hit head* I knew it!

Heh, the further you get, the more of them there are!

Goal: get to the open door without being "seen" by the guard(s). If they are not facing you, they will not catch you, but if they are facing you on the same row or column, you're caught.
You can take them out if you "sneak up" on them.

munduses, no problem. Glad it made sense!

Okay, how brain-tired am I! I didn't understand the whole 'take them out' until you just posted that, lol...*rubs sore brain and mutters, "There, there"*

[Pickles]

Dag nab! There's too many of them! (I've got 6 guards right now)
Edit: and it doesn't work so well with that many over remote desktop. That's more irritating, I think.

[cybertrini]

Dag nab! There's too many of them! (I've got 6 guards right now)

That's where I am too...

[Tachi]

This puzzle is actually kinda fun, in my opinion. O: