Dallas, TX
Quoted from dnaman:That is a nice score for sure but there is far more to that than just '3 ball vs 5 ball'. This is not to bust your balls, just to share thoughts.
I find the posting of scores pointless as there are way too many variables to consider. This is completely an 'apples to orange' type of thing. There are so many variables and combinations within the settings that scores are irrelevant between pins.That's why I find the QR Code, neat in theory but not useful. I've seen some say; here is my score with 'factory settings' but what does that really mean and how would most people know what settings are set? Even out of the box settings can be different between pins. The 3 local POTC LE pins, mine and our friend's each had different settings.
What settings have been changed beyond that? From ball save time (main ball and each MB), individual difficulty levels for each and every option, to the physical adjustments for the outlines and possibly the pitch of the pf? Although the last two can't be shown in software, the rest can. It is those type of details that would help create relevancy in a posted score and % of completion. (IE: 5-ball, Extra Easy, 15 second ball save(s) and closed outlines, no 'other' changes... '10million and finished the entire game!'.
It would be cool if there was a way to create a balanced comparison of some sort. IE: if installing the 'install 3-Ball' would generate a code/value (like a checksum value) that would be the same on all software and that would be displayed along the the score somehow. Any changes to the settings within would alter the code so it would be easily determined that it was not a straight 3-Ball setting. A variation of this would be the ability to share configuration settings (assuming that changes have been made beyond one of the fixed installs) of just the game related settings. This would still show the checksum type value but create more of an apples to apples comparison. If you think about it, one could change a bunch of settings, score a 3.4 Million, have buddies come over and make everything harder until they leave. Sounds ridiculous but entirely doable and I'm sure that some do it.
I'd like to be able to select a configuration and play it comparing my progress and scoring with others online just not sure how that is even possible at present. An example would be having the ability to watch a stream; JJP's or Kevin's etc... and downloading their game only type settings to challenge myself with on my own pin.
Hats off to Ted Estes back in the day with his TZ scoring and how he prevented buy-in scores to post to the main HS list, very cool idea!
Being able to send your game settings to a QR code that could be scanned into another machine would be really, really cool to help promote competive play remotely.
Vernon, BC
Dubai
