Minesweepers come here!

TCO · May 30, 2002, 14:31

my best times:

12
74
999

FrustratedPoet · May 30, 2002, 15:10

I've done the first level in 9 before - but that doesn't really mean much ... when there as few tiles as that it's all luck anyway. Can't remember what my best time for the second level is ... but I'm sure it's quite a lot higher than 74.

Apocalypse · May 30, 2002, 15:41

8
71
257

I've played a lot. When I start at the highest level, I always randomly click until a hit some clear area where I can start marking mines. I don't start marking yet though. I randomly click in areas away from the first area until a get two more of these clear areas. If I don't start with at least three of these clear areas, I know I'll run into significant trouble later on and will have to try randomly clicking anyway. Getting it out of the way early can really save time and trouble.

Az · May 30, 2002, 17:02

I once did 8 secs on level 1. never play the other levels

TCO · May 30, 2002, 17:14

good insight. I will try it that way.

Apocalypse · May 30, 2002, 17:21

Its not going to be a sure win though. I still run into time where I have to make a guess, but it usually only happens twice now, compared to many, many times when I just started with one or two clear areas.

Tuberski · May 30, 2002, 17:23

8
65
191

Apocalypse · May 30, 2002, 17:32

So, Tuberski, whats your secret?

Spaced Cowboy · May 30, 2002, 18:01

I know this is unbelieveable but

7
27
79 (a marathon 3.5 hour session where my right pinkie started going numb)

R:PM

PS I hardly play the lower levels

gopher · May 30, 2002, 19:13

8
34
999

Tuberski · May 30, 2002, 20:03

Quote:

Originally posted by Apocalypse
So, Tuberski, whats your secret?

Luck.

And playing for hours on end. Plus, I'm sure every body knows but if you have a number, say 1, and you already have a flag marked you can push left and right mouse at the same time on the number and it will clear the rest of the tiles around the one.

Plus, I made it so the ? wouldn't appear, just mark and unmark.

Apocalypse · May 30, 2002, 20:23

I didn't know about the first thing. Maybe I'll try to beat your scores now. RPM's seem to high to shoot for at this point in time.

Triped · May 31, 2002, 00:52

Best times from a year ago or so:
2
18
55

Best times on new comp: (week old)
8
60
171

ravagon · May 31, 2002, 01:44

Don't remember my time for the first level (probably because it wasn't very good

) but I did manage a 70-something for the second and a 350-something (I think) for the last.

I also tended to ignore the first levels once I'd tried the third.

ixnay · May 31, 2002, 02:32

15
62
306

aaglo · May 31, 2002, 04:04

9
61
999 (<- I almost never played)

Spaced Cowboy · May 31, 2002, 09:23

Quote:

Originally posted by Triped
Best times from a year ago or so:
2
18
55

Best times on new comp: (week old)
8
60
171

I'm sorry, I find your year ago times quite unbelievable.

2 seconds meand right clicking 10 times (to mark all of the mines). I do not see how this is possible.

Although I have noticed that I am unable to get the same scores on my P3 as on my old 486. Maybe the PC speed makes the cores irrelavent.

R:PM

Rex Little · May 31, 2002, 13:10

55 and 79 on Expert level? I'm in awe! My best time is something like 128. I never play the lower levels.

Apocalypse · May 31, 2002, 13:13

I'd probably find going at the speed required to get that score unenjoyable.

Spaced Cowboy · May 31, 2002, 14:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Apocalypse
I'd probably find going at the speed required to get that score unenjoyable.

Actually you really have to get in a zone, and get an easy map, that is no 50-50 corners. However, I do suspect that the overall speed of the computer you are using has something to do with it. The best on my P3 is in the low 90s. Also I do not play it as much as I used to because to be effective you have to change the resolution on the screen to something really low. Otherwise you spend too much time clicking on things that you did not mean to do.

R:PM

Skanky Burns · June 1, 2002, 22:41

You don't need to plant flags to win, you can win just by uncovering all the unmined squares. And it makes for a more challenging game too

No-flags.

connorkimbro · June 4, 2002, 20:17

beginner: 6
intermediate: 39
expert: 114

the people who i've heard of getting MUCH faster times like that. .
1) had lucky placement of mines. This is pretty much essential on the beginner level.
2) were skilled at not needing to flag mines
3) used a trackball, as oppsed to a mouse. this way you can move with one hand, click with the other, and it just goes much faster, if you're used to using a trackball.

Spaced Cowboy · June 5, 2002, 08:58

Quote:

Originally posted by connorkimbro
beginner: 6
intermediate: 39
expert: 114

the people who i've heard of getting MUCH faster times like that. .
1) had lucky placement of mines. This is pretty much essential on the beginner level.
2) were skilled at not needing to flag mines
3) used a trackball, as oppsed to a mouse. this way you can move with one hand, click with the other, and it just goes much faster, if you're used to using a trackball.

Hmm... I did not flag mines that I do not have to, but you cannot use the two button click as much if you do not flag mines.

This raises the question, does the trade-off by not flagging and single clicking to open squares beat flagging and using the two button click which clears more squares on average.

???

Sarxis · June 5, 2002, 10:40

Bah! The game is all luck, no skill!

Spaced Cowboy · June 5, 2002, 10:49

Are you suggesting that there are no other comp games that luck does not come into play?

Sarxis · June 5, 2002, 12:10

Quote:

Originally posted by RPMisCOOL
Are you suggesting that there are no other comp games that luck does not come into play?

Umm.. umm..

Look over there!------------>

Yoink!!!

Spaced Cowboy · June 5, 2002, 13:45

Wouldn't you say that the "luck" of a good starting position in any of the Civ type games coupled with a few good events (popping a settler hut) constitues a luck type of game. Don't even get me started on combat!

Zkribbler · June 6, 2002, 02:22

Quote:

Originally posted by RPMisCOOL
I'm sorry, I find your year ago times quite unbelievable.

2 seconds meand right clicking 10 times (to mark all of the mines). I do not see how this is possible.

What you need is a lot of luck. One click and all the mines revealed. It's an extremely rare event, but I've heard from a couple of people that it's happened to them.

Me?
17
116
652

J Bytheway · June 6, 2002, 06:13

I've got:
23
98
544

I think I got a beginner time of about 17 on my old computer... But beginner times are mostly luck and little skill. Thanks for the tip about the both-buttons click - that'll help a lot

. Does anyone know if your times register when you use the cheat? That might assist on the higher levels for the less honourable players (not that I suggest anyone here would do such a thing). Being on Windows 95 I can't check...

Spaced Cowboy · June 6, 2002, 09:04

Quote:

Originally posted by Zkribbler

What you need is a lot of luck. One click and all the mines revealed. It's an extremely rare event, but I've heard from a couple of people that it's happened to them.

Me?
17
116
652

Perhaps this is true. I can see a random distribution being all together and one click revealing all of the mines, or most of them with a little clean-up there after.

I never enjoyed the beginner level. The expert level is much more challenging, hence I play it more. I would, however, fathom that I've played the beginner level and never have seen anything close to a one-click wonder.