Thread: "MPUlt v0.21 is ready"

From: "Andrey" <andreyastrelin@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 10 May 2011 20:11:01 -0000
Subject: MPUlt v0.21 is ready



Hi, Matt

>
> Right after sending that last message, I thought I should also look at th=
e
> cryptically-named 24-cell_diag puzzle. That one IS a deepcut cell-turning
> 24Cell. -_- Not sure I agree with naming the other puzzle the deepcut one=
,
> but I suppose as the inventor of the program that is your call Andrey.

I think that deep-cut puzzle is any puzzle that has pieces not presented in=
"shallowcut" puzzle. I didn't examine "deep" 24-cell from this point, but =
I hope that such pieces exist there.

For other notes check new version http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/4D_Cu=
bing/files/Andrey/MPUlt.zip - some bugs are fixed there

> But still, open a file and move the "Face Shrink" bar a little ;)

Yes, this bug is fixed. Camera jumps to the original position when you open=
log file, but now you can see loaded puzzle immediately.

> >
> > -There are multiple pieces in the 24 Cell that are not unique. This is =
GOOD
> > (and arguably more correct than not) and I am happy to have this versio=
n,
> > but my concern is that the program may not recognize a state as solved =
if
> > two identical pieces are flipped. Have you accounted for this? (I don't=
want
> > to finish a solve only to have the program say I'm not done ;) )
> >

Yes, I check only color of stickers in the program. There is no such object=
as "piece" in the program, everything is done in term of stickers.

> > -Would it be possible to add a piece/location finding feature? I see yo=
u
> > have the shift-right click "highlighting" feature and that is certainly=
a
> > good way to identify pieces but it's a little awkward to use. A suggest=
ion
> > to improve it a little is to allow shift-right click on a color that is
> > already white to undo the white coloring. (This way, you could hover ov=
er a
> > single spot and quickly flash back and forth as you look over the rest =
of
> > the puzzle, allowing you to very easily see which pieces belong in that=
face
> > by spotting the flashing)

No, there will be no piecefinding options other than "highlighting". I've i=
mplemented the feature you asked about, but also I made non-highlighted sti=
ckers a little transparent, so now you'll see white stickers better.

> >
> > -Is there a way to zoom in and out? I notice that the "View Angle" slid=
er
> > bar seems to achieve this, but it is a little awkward to constantly go =
to
> > the slider bar. Could this be assigned to either a Ctrl-click+drag or
> > perhaps the mouse wheel?
> >
There is Ctrl-Left drag feature that works as 4D zoom (when you move mouse =
up and down). I've added 2D zoom when you move left and right (with ctrl-le=
ft button pressed)

> > -Could you add a feature that allows for an automatic view orientation =
to
> > put a selected cell in the center (like Magic120Cell). I wouldn't even =
mind
> > if there was no animation for this, but I find it very awkward to manip=
ulate
> > the puzzle with right-click+drag.

Ok, done. But use right-button+drag and shift-left button+drag is better fo=
r improving 4D navigation.

> > -you have a puzzle under CubeBased called 4D_RT: This puzzle is actuall=
y
> > quite neat, and I can't believe I didn't think of it before. Congratula=
tions
> > on not letting this puzzle slip by unnoticed as I did. Two questions: 1=
.What
> > does the 'R' in 4D_RT mean? (assuming the 'T' means turning)=20

Roice is right here: R is for "Ridge" (2D-face)

> > 2.Could you
> > make the 24 and 16 cell equivalents? :D I can draw a picture of a cell =
if
> > you need it, but you seem to be quite good at figuring them out yoursel=
f so
> > I won't insult your intelligence with that :) (they would have a pretty
> > crowded view wouldn't they? Perhaps it is too much... :( )

Actually, I don't draw the picture - all information about the puzzle is in=
MPUlt_puzzles.txt file. Edge- and ridge-turn 16-cell is easy to write (twi=
st groups for them are the same as in 8-cell), but with 24-cell I'll have t=
o imagine and describe group of twists for rigde and for edge. I'll do it i=
n its time.


> >
> > - (idea/suggestion) It is actually possible to make a subgroup puzzle o=
f
> > the cell-turning 24cell puzzle BY ONLY ALLOWING 120 DEGREE FACE TURNS A=
ND
> > 180 DEGREE CORNER TURNS. No 90 degree corner turns and no edge turns of=
any
> > kind. Among other things, this will divide the 96 2C central face piece=
s
> > into 3 orbits of 32 each. This puzzle would be completely different fro=
m and
> > most likely significantly harder than the standard cell-turning 24Cell.=
It
> > occurred to me that it would probably pretty easy to implement if you
> > already have a working cell-turning 24Cell so you can add one more puzz=
le to
> > the list :) I think you can also do a similar thing with cell turning 8=
cells
> > (rotations around corners and 180 degree rotations around faces ONLY) a=
nd
> > cell turning 16-cells (edge turns ONLY). In fact, you could probably ev=
en
> > make one of these "subgroup" puzzles from that interesting 4D_RT puzzle
> > (which thinking about it really should be called face-turning while all=
the
> > other puzzle should be called cell-turning). If you picture the moving =
parts
> > of the puzzle as flattened rectangular prisms, only 180 degree rotation=
s
> > about any axis perpendicular to a face are allowed (as is 2 axes are al=
ready
> > restricted to 180 degrees, but to make this subgroup puzzle you would h=
ave
> > to restrict the third as well)

Some "alternated" puzzles are included in the list (they are marked as (alt=
)). I'm not sure that only twists from subgroups are possible there, so if =
you find the error, tell me.
"Alternated" 3^4 has no edge-centered twists of its cells, so when you cl=
ick in the edge, program will find vertex or center of face closest to the =
click point, and use it as rotational axis.

Good luck!
Andrey





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