<Game> Pokemon Brainstrain v.4 (approved by Lady Vulpix)

[Shadow Wolf]

Not the one, but it certainly draws you closer to the objective:

Kyle: Pi??c*

[Knight of Time]

This must be Pineco, then.

[Shadow Wolf]

Right you are Kyle. This one's a Pineco.

*gives figurine*

I still chuckle at the many times I touched one of them in Pokemon Stadium 2 mini-games...

Well, your move!

[Knight of Time]

Thanks Louis.

The next one will begin with a P as well.

[Shadow Wolf]

Let's see how Porygon goes for this round.

[Knight of Time]

Porygon: P*

Incorrect Guesses Remaining: 12

Louis, I'm thinking I might want to consider lowering the maximum amount of incorrect guesses for a puzzle down from 13 to a lower value, what do you think?

[Lady Vulpix]

Pansage?

[Shadow Wolf]

Kyle: Yeah, I think it would do well, and it will add a bit more challenge (I also thought of making a limit to player guesses too... maybe 10 team guesses and 4 player guesses)

Anyways, how about Pikachu?

[Lady Vulpix]

I don't mind the 10 team guesses, but can we please keep the 5 player guesses? I know I've used up all my guesses a couple of times.

[Shadow Wolf]

Gabi: You got a point, but I noticed that usually, a player run out of guesses when he/she is playing alone. When other players are active, I noticed that the guess is usually made in the 3rd/4th guess (in the case that the player is participating from the beginning of a puzzle); and in case of short-term puzzles (one that begins with a letter that has few guesses), even in the 2nd one.

Also check this out:

You're correct that some starting letters are much more difficult than others. For instance, while only 14 Pokemon begin with the letter N, a whopping 94 start with S, more than any other letter. However, I did some quick calculations and found that there are two S-Pokemon with letters that match 44 other Pokemon. In other words, if either "Sharpedo" or "Swadloon" return an answer of "S*" then you can immediately rule out the guessed Pokemon and 44 others; any other response will be a clue that would rule out even more Pokemon.

In fact, I've played out one possible chain... if the guesses of Sharpedo, Sceptile, Spinarak, and Samurott don't reveal any letters, then there will be only 4 S-Pokemon remaining, so a maximum of four additional (and intelligent) guesses will solve the puzzle. Since we can speculate that, in virtually any scenario, you're likely to rule out more Pokemon by getting a clue than by not uncovering any information, you should be able to solve any S puzzle within eight or fewer guesses. Now, that's not to say that every guess will always be optimized for maximum efficiency in actual gameplay, but considering that there are more S-Pokemon than Pokemon of any other letter, that's still a pretty fast solution chain when the limit is 13 guesses.

Brian brings an important point here: The hardest letter for a puzzle can be figured out in 8 guesses. Keeping this in mind, if a player has 5 guesses, then only two players will have to participate to figure out the puzzle (In the case that the puzzle team guesses is reduced to 10 then two players will figure out the puzzle: combined guesses = 10). However, if we reduce the player's guesses to 4, we'll be putting a bit of challenge and we will encourage players to think their guesses carefully (much like in hangman ). And at least three players will have to choose wisely their guesses to figure out the puzzle.

Well, these are pretty much my two cents. If it gets too hard, then we can edit the guessing limit, right?

[Knight of Time]

Good to hear your input, guys...I can't say I like the idea of reducing the maximum amount of guesses per person per puzzle from 5 to 4 though, but if the idea for reducing the maximum amount of guesses per puzzle from 13 to 10 is one others can agree to as well, we can implement the change later on (not during this particular puzzle, though).

But for now, back to the puzzle at hand.

Pansage: P*
Pikachu: P*

Incorrect Guesses Remaining: 10

[Lady Vulpix]

But requiring 3 players (other than the host) to participate may stall the game and cause it to become idle. While I agree that having just one player guessing is no fun, the cases when we get more than 2 people guessing for a single puzzle are rare. I wouldn't like the game to become less active than it is now.

A possible option would be to allow players an extra guess after a day has passed since their first guess, so that the game doesn't go idle of more than a day if just 2 people are guessing.

Primeape?

[Shadow Wolf]

Well, you have two people guessing now...

Anyways, I think both points are valid. But I'll have to give the right to Gabi and back off on the individual guess issue. You provide a good point and there will be no fun is the game becomes unactive.

Well, how about the team guess issue?

Finally, there's a legend among the remaining, so I'll see if it becomes true: Phione

[Knight of Time]

Hey, I didn't say anything about this game having to have a minimum of 3 players at a time for it to run...to me the most important thing isn't winning figurines, but the amount of activity here...even with only two players, activity like that is usually the fastest.

But anyway, one of you made more progress here.

Primeape: Pr*
Phione: P*

Incorrect Guesses Remaining: 8

[Lady Vulpix]

Is it Probopass?

[Knight of Time]

Yes it is Gabi.

'hands the Probopass figurine to you'

Your go.

[Lady Vulpix]

Thanks!

So I suppose we're now working with 10 total guesses and 5 max guesses per player, right?

[DarkestLight]

After reading Brian's post, I feel that if it IS possible to deduce Pokemon names that simply, then we should reduce the number of guesses as a team. People that play like me, who jump in sparingly and shoot off guesses won't really benefit from the luck of the draw.

The time needed to actively look at the Pokemon names takes a few moments, but if yer really just shooting the breeze, yer not even looking them up. The team guesses would really make it challenging, because someone might show up and shark out a guess that doesn't help, forcing people to make more educated guesses. That adds more fun to it, IMO.

[Lady Vulpix]

Interesting thoughts, but you could have posted a guess while you were at it.

[Shadow Wolf]

DL: Indeed, that's what I try to do: make a good challenge while relying on teamwork.

Gabi: Well, we haven't officially decided yet, so I'll let Kyle have the final word. In the meantime, you can make this one with 13 guesses.

Finally, I'll begin with Nosepass.

[Lady Vulpix]

Nosepass: N*

[Shadow Wolf]

Hmm, how about Nidoqueen?

[Knight of Time]

Gabi: If Louis agrees to let the new rule change set in starting with this puzzle, I'm game...but since he's the one editing the first post of this version, I suppose we may have to wait for him to give the green light here.

Is this one a Nidoqueen?

Edit: Hmm, looks like I'm slow on this one...but seeing that Louis already posted on the reduction of maximum guesses per puzzle, I say go ahead with it Gabi.

[Shadow Wolf]

Gabi: If Louis agrees to let the new rule change set in starting with this puzzle, I'm game...but since he's the one editing the first post of this version, I suppose we may have to wait for him to give the green light here.

Is this one a Nidoqueen?

Well, since I already stated that this puzzle will have 13 guesses, then after this one, may the next puzzles have a limit of 10 team guesses while conserving the individual guesses in 5.

*uses Brainstrain magic wand*

Oh, and it looks like Kyle and I are in Sync, hahahahaha.

[Knight of Time]

Well, since I already stated that this puzzle will have 13 guesses, then after this one, may the next puzzles have a limit of 10 team guesses while conserving the individual guesses in 5.

*uses Brainstrain magic wand*

Oh, and it looks like Kyle and I are in Sync, hahahahaha.

In sync? XD

When I made my last post here originally, I thought you were offline at the time; it wasn't until I had posted that I saw you were on already...kinda caught me off guard there, but oh well, I guess this kind of thing can get you by surprise when you least expect it.

[Lady Vulpix]

You're in sync... and close too! Let's see who gets this one.

Nidoqueen: Nido*

[Knight of Time]

Let's try Nidoking.

[Shadow Wolf]

I'll try NidoranM

EDIT:

In sync? XD

When I made my last post here originally, I thought you were offline at the time; it wasn't until I had posted that I saw you were on already...kinda caught me off guard there, but oh well, I guess this kind of thing can get you by surprise when you least expect it.

Would you believe me if I say that you've done this to me countless times? XD

[Lady Vulpix]

Nidoking: Nido?in*
NidoranM: Nidor?n*

[Knight of Time]

Is it Nidorina?

[DarkestLight]

NidoranF

[Lady Vulpix]

Kyle: yes, it is. Well done!

DL: I get that you're just throwing names, but if you would at least check whether they fit the clues you'd have much better chances.

[DarkestLight]

O.o..I'm gonna assume that was for Kyle :p

[Lady Vulpix]

Yes. I've edited my post.

[Shadow Wolf]

Well done Kyle!

OK guys, I have a quick question: did I wrote the rules right? (...there is a max of 9 incorrect guesses allowed on a puzzle, if a 10th incorrect guess occurs on a particular puzzle...)

[Lady Vulpix]

I suppose that works. your "did I wrote", however, was not right.

[Knight of Time]

Thanks Gabi.

Let's begin this one with an M.

And Louis, no offence, but you remind me of my brother there...he occasionally gets his words mixed up too.

[Lady Vulpix]

So do I, every now and then. I believe most people do.

I'll begin with Magikarp.

[Knight of Time]

Magikarp: Ma*

Incorrect Guesses Remaining: 9

BTW, Louis, can you remember to edit in my Pineco figurine (in between Archeops and Nidorina) next time you're on and playing, please? I noticed you accidentally skipped it.

[Lady Vulpix]

Mantine?