Message #2445

From: Roice Nelson <roice3@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [MC4D] Re: I’m solving the 600-cell
Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:09:20 -0500

The video game is "Tempest". I recognized your description quickly because
we have a restored full-size version of this at my work :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_(video_game)

I’d like to add my congrats to the chorus. Awesome job Nan! And awesome
job Ed for hitting the 200 mark in MagicTile! You guys are incredible.

Cheers,
Roice

On Tue, Oct 30, 2012 at 3:38 PM, Melinda Green <melinda@superliminal.com>wrote:

>
>
> Hello Nan,
>
> Thanks for the description of the puzzle and your solution approach. I
> like your idea of solving the "nearest" (surface) parts first. The analogy
> to 3D is to reorient the puzzle when you do not need to. Your technique of
> sending pieces straight towards the middle (the far side) is new to me and
> seems like a very clever idea. It reminds me of a classic video game where
> you would move your ship (or whatever that thing was) around the perimeter
> of a polygonal opening of a sort of tube viewed edge on. Maybe some enemy
> ships would be climbing out of the tube and your goal was to drop bombs
> down the side of the tube to hit them. Unfortunately I can’t remember the
> game’s name but maybe someone else will.
>
> I agree that the "simplified" 600-cell sounds like the best definition of
> the proper puzzle. I agree that what you call the "topologically correct"
> form is best. Geometrically defined cuts give a fine way to begin to create
> a puzzle but I do not see a good reason to insist that that always results
> the best puzzle description.
>
> So what will you do next? Shall we ask Andrey to create an omnitruncated
> 600-cell<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnitruncated_120-cell#Omnitruncated_600-cell>puzzle for you? :-)
>
> Best,
> -Melinda
>
>