Chronic Logic

What I would like to see - explanation or not - is a thorough documentation of the Pontifex physics as implemented - what is how strong and why. It means that novices can get up to speed better, and pros can reason about their bridges instead of trial & error to see what works. (Important for me as I have a slow PC).

The spirit of measuring these things by conducting experiments that started this thread would lead us there eventually - although Alex could probably help a lot along the way if he could find the time to write it all up :-)

A cable over 90 HD units in length will still not break.
This is almost as high as the construction grid (with land lowered!).
It carries 4 heavy sticks (as any long cable) before ripping the linkbox.
If using 2 more cables to attach weight, I can put about 8 heavy sticks on.
Even a 2 HD unit cable (this is as short as it gets) supports the 90 HD unit monster. However, a 2 HD light steel box bursts; gotta have a 3HD box to hang that cable from. This means it weighs less than a light stick. Believe me, these cables are not heavy :-)

Btw, using two cables in a V shape (instead of 1 vertical one of same length) to hold a linkbox increases its strength by more than 50%.

(Edited by mendel at 2:46 pm on Oct. 23, 2001)

OpenGL properties of a specific driver can be checked at the http://www.delphi3d.net/hardware/index.php" target="_blank">GLinfo website .

I just now had a report of an Intel 810/810E not running Bridge Builder (see http://www.forum.bridgebuilder-game.com/topic.cgi?forum=3&topic=61" target="_blank">here), and it has a severely limited OpenGL line width range (1-3 at 0.5 granularity). Could this be a problem?

Which OpenGL extensions are required to run Pontifex or Bridge Builder?

It might help if you downloaded http://www.delphi3d.net/hardware/index.php" target="_blank">GLInfo, saved a report, put it on the web and posted the URL to that here (or sent the report to baggio or me - or even ChronicLogic, too). You might also check the database at the GLInfo site to find out which features your OpenGL driver does NOT support that are supported on common cards such as a TNT2, or the Matrox cards.

Let's try to get this bug swatted!

since this thread is up front now anyway, let me add that using the "Check New Posts" menu item lets me access all forums with no extra logins - you just have to juggle the two windows using alt-tab.

From my icq logs: Gray 22 Oct, 20.40 CEST: level1 : 5284 clean auf hard http://www.pontifex2.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>))
Gray 23 Oct, 18.12 CEST: eigentlich nur 6522, mit dem snap-bug, aber es geht auch 5284 wenn man das steel austauscht, hab ich gestern nicht realisiert
(just for the record)
Not translated because only the numbers matter, and it's a mixture of German and English anyway, "snap-bug" refers to making a crooked deck by getting the deck to snap to a joint that is slightly off, and "steel austauscht" means exchanging deck steel for light steel (which it has been decided would be cheating). CEST= GMT+2.

(Edited by mendel at 10:05 am on Nov. 18, 2001)

There are no rules, but to find out what they are nonetheless, a good place to look is http://www.chroniclogic.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=3&topic=46&start=0" target="_blank">When is a clean bridge not a clean bridge?.

[nitpick]
falkon2, there are easily more than 100 ways to get 7776 on c1.
[/nitpick]
Though I don't doubt that these are just more than 100 ways of getting breaking bridges - hey, most of them break before the train has even started ;)

He's got a dirty mind, Chillum does. Not that we didn't inspire each other... ;-)

I'm too lazy to tweak it - my slow machine plays a part in this as well. I am currently debating myself whether I'll submit something in the 105k range or turn in my 110k solution and hope for a special mention for artistic merit... ;-)

If you want email notification of the next contest (anybody!), send an email to mailto:news-list@pontifex.mendelsohn.de">news-list@pontifex.mendelsohn.de and I will try to keep you updated on the latest developments. Your email adress will remain confidential with me and only be used for important pontifex-related info.

My third approach ran to around 贘k (that was the first that actually had no links broken); and two concepts later I am at 贎k. I will try to get it to go below 贄k before I submit anything.

The quake button can be found only by people who solved all "Normal" levels. If you can't do this, move to Los Angeles instead.

The "5 seconds" measure doesn't work well, because pontifex speed seems to scale (among other things) with CPU speed, and thus would translate into a different number of "frames" on different machines.

Try this: Build an object 8 squares off the ground.
When testing, press reset, then immediately "Quake"
until object hits ground.
Adjust height as needed.
I don't know if the shape and size of the object would make a difference.

gauging tension: set colors as falkon describes, take a screenshot, measure the RGB levels using a paint program for exact values.