Challenge Released!

[Manic Velocity]

I was thinking of adding a muffled "DEGREE" into the scary voice as well, but I thought that might be TOO obvious...

Don't want to hold their hand entirely.  :)

I just think we could do a better job of helping them make the right connections with the information given.

[Revalis]

Maybe add a compass or sonar-like graphic to the ship console, in addition to the digital clock.  Something circular with numbers at each 45 degree interval around the perimeter.  This will give the user a little more information to make the connection between those numbers and how they translate into "time".

HA. Awesome. I was thinking of a sonar/radar-sweep idea too... now I feel unoriginal. :P

[Ash]

Alright so I guess I'll weigh in on this (again).  

Here are your options:

1.  Change the recording to say 15 and 45 instead of 90 and 270.  

(This along with the "tick-tock" will make them think of the clock, which will make them think of time, which they will then be able to solve correctly)  

2.  Change the coding so that if a player haphazardly clicks the mouse a thousand times at random that it actually disables the mouse for 29 minutes (<-- just an example)

(so what does this do?  It keeps those who click at random from ever accidentally clicking on the star and not knowing why it worked and then thinking it's a bug.  Second makes the riddle that much harder to solve.  

Now if it were up to me I'd implement both.

[Lithium]

I actually like that idea Yotogi, but here is how I would refine it:

1. Remove the 'clickable cursor' on the 15 and 45. Always keep it the standard non-obvious cursor. (Or display the click cursor when you hover the right spot... but it should remain that way all the time.)

2. If you click more than twice (in a minute) start a lockout time or add an additional '1 minute' to an active lockout timer. Add some RP text to the
monitor that flashes red and says 'wrap overload: x minutes to recover' or something...

3. Change audio to 15 and 45. Or any other 2 random times.

[Ash]

2. If you click more than twice (in a minute) start a lockout time or add an additional '1 minute' to an active lockout timer. Add some RP text to the
monitor that flashes red and says 'wrap overload: x minutes to recover' or something...

Yeah we'd have to iron out the specifics but that overall effect is what is needed.  

As for No.1, I'm fine with having the cursor never change to indicate you can click on it.

And yes, if we add the times that the star is clickable to the recording then we can move away from using 15 and 45 to something more random.

[Tbone]

Only you would be looking for ways to make it HARDER...geez, man...

[Da6onet]

Only you would be looking for ways to make it HARDER...geez, man...

Well to be honest the challenge isn't that hard to figure out, especially with all the  information out there on the web and it having inear progression. I like these new change ideas.

[Tbone]

Only you would be looking for ways to make it HARDER...geez, man...

Well to be honest the challenge isn't that hard to figure out, especially with all the  information out there on the web and it having inear progression. I like these new change ideas.

The rest of the challenge is probably where it should be. The map is what I'm talking about being too difficult - especially for being so early on in the challenge. We need to make it a bit more intuitive rather than muddy it up further. If we can make the answer more discoverable, we won't have the problem of people spam-clicking and will not need a lockout (especially considering that you know the first thing people always do is click on it a few times).

[Ketamininja]

FWIW, each time I got to the "click on the star" stage, the time was eitehr 16 minutes past or 46 minutes past (or thereabouts). Aside from changing my system clock I had to wait ~30 minutes before the star was clickable.

The whoe idea of "follow the signal" meant that I kept my mouse hovering over the star.. following the signal literally... until it became clickable.


As I said, I did that twice as I had to come back to the challenge later, so I had to go through the process again (and was unlucky enough to have to wait about ~25 mins again). A login and "stage manager" which will load you to the correct part would be great. We did this with a previous challenge.

This would also save frustration on browser crashes etc, or if you hit refresh (would allow you to re-hear the intro for that stage, if there is not already a button to do so).

You would always be presented with the current stage of the challenge for your username.
A little login at the beginning of the challenge in the cockpit would do it - presented as a "pilot synchronisation" or something...

EDIT: I also liked the idea in MxO challenge where there were different challenge questions presented from a bank of questions. For example, the first question is always the same answer, so someone can find the "code" online without thinking about the cipher. Just make different codes from the cipher so they really HAVE to at least figure out how to decipher it. This has to be linked to the username of course, to be consistent, but will also make it more personal.

[Amarantus]

I didn't think the map was hard. I thought the tic-toc and the 90 and 270 was pretty obvious.
 Though maybe there should be a little note on the loading screen that says, "If you are short on brain cells for having not updated your flash player since version 9.0 something, please do so before continuing!"

That would have saved me a-lot of time =P

[Revalis]

I didn't think the map was hard. I thought the tic-toc and the 90 and 270 was pretty obvious.
 Though maybe there should be a little note on the loading screen that says, "If you are short on brain cells for having not updated your flash player since version 9.0 something, please do so before continuing!"

That would have saved me a-lot of time =P

Unfortunately, updating your flash player had no baring on your ability to pass the challenge. ;)  It was a timing issue, not a technical issue.


EDIT:
Also, if this is going to turn into a bug review / update conversation, I'd prefer it go here so it can be consolidated with the Challenge v2 informations: http://thefuriousangels.com/index.php?topic=6727  :)  Thanks!

[Amarantus]

The problem I had was the mouse pointer would become clickable for me but clicking did nothing. I thought I was doing something wrong so I followed it around some more. Finally messaged Tbone asking if I was missing something and as I was typing my message to him I realized that I might need to update my flash player.
 As soon as I updated my flash player the problem was resolved and I was able to continue.

[likwidtek]

The problem I had was the mouse pointer would become clickable for me but clicking did nothing. I thought I was doing something wrong so I followed it around some more. Finally messaged Tbone asking if I was missing something and as I was typing my message to him I realized that I might need to update my flash player.
 As soon as I updated my flash player the problem was resolved and I was able to continue.

LOL see.  It's just not intuitive.  I had NO IDEA how I got passed it either.  I assumed it was a bug also.

I think changing 90 and 270 to 15 and 45 is the best bet.  I wouldn't disable anything with the mouse.  However after every X failed clicks I would put up some RP text from the navigation computer.  Something like"

"Unable to initiate hyperspace jump.  Please check the hyperdrive motivator internal Chronometer for jump window"

The feedback will assure the player that it is not a bug.

References:  

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Hyperdrive_motivator
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Paralight_system
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Hyperdrive

[Phienyx]

For some reason, I am not able to access the link posted in the first post here.  I get a message that I do not have permission....odd.

[likwidtek]

The problem I had was the mouse pointer would become clickable for me but clicking did nothing. I thought I was doing something wrong so I followed it around some more. Finally messaged Tbone asking if I was missing something and as I was typing my message to him I realized that I might need to update my flash player.
 As soon as I updated my flash player the problem was resolved and I was able to continue.

LOL see.  It's just not intuitive.  I had NO IDEA how I got passed it either.  I assumed it was a bug also.

I think changing 90 and 270 to 15 and 45 is the best bet.  I wouldn't disable anything with the mouse.  However after every X failed clicks I would put up some RP text from the navigation computer.  Something like"

"Unable to initiate hyperspace jump.  Please check the hyperdrive motivator internal Chronometer for jump window"

The feedback will assure the player that it is not a bug.

References:  

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Hyperdrive_motivator
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Paralight_system
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Hyperdrive

I know this is totally egotistical but I really think my idea above here will totally fix that puzzle.