Archive for Fisher Cube

Fisher Cube Parity

Posted in Algorithms, Blog, Cubing with tags on June 24, 2012 by slateman

Fisher Parity

The first time I tried solving the Fisher Cube, I encountered an interesting problem on the last layer. This was something I never came across on the Windmill Cube and in retrospect, I have no clue how I fixed it. I think I messed up the whole lot and didn’t have it the second time through. In searching online for parity fixes, most people find themselves in a very different position. This suggests their solution is very different from mine. The good news is that I don’t get the other parity error using my method. This should be the only parity alg I need to worry about. I’ve tossed it here as I’m going to forget this. Anyways, here it is…I found it on a German YouTube video.

(R U’2 R’ U)*2 (z) L’ U’ L

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New Cubes Get! Super Floppy / Fisher / Windmill

Posted in Blog, Cubing with tags , , , , , on June 23, 2012 by slateman

New Puzzles!

The wait is over! Well, mostly! Today my package arrived from China, missing my LanLan 2×2, but containing a new Super Floppy Cube (3x3x1), a black Fisher Cube and a replacement white Windmill Cube. One of my students was enamored with the Windmill Cube and asked for me to purchase her one. Of course, it took more than three weeks for these puzzles to arrive so I gave her my Windmill Cube. The new one’s green and white stickers are a bit different and I need to tension it a bit to make it flow better but otherwise it is identical to the one I purchased in March. It’s been a few weeks since I solved one and I forgot one algorithm. Tsk Tsk! I love this puzzle, it’s fun and looks crazy. Like the Megaminx, the puzzle looks more impressive than it is.

Next up is the Fisher Cube. I was always intrigued by the design but found it didn’t look nearly as cool as the Windmill Cube (WC). I sat down with this and mixed it up and it was one of the very few puzzles I could solve without any assistance at all. Of course, it functions very similarly to the WC, so a solve was not far away. I got hung up on a few sections, but all my algorithms work for each cube. Kinda nice. The cube itself is a bit sturdier than the Windmill, still much looser than a standard 3×3 or its derivatives, and its sticker quality also superior. It helps that I prefer black cubes over white, and the WC’s white stickers on white. Overall the cube is fun but virtually identical to the WC. They both make a cool addition to the ever-growing collection.

Finally, the Super Floppy Cube from QJ rounds out the new additions. Like the 3x3x2 before it, this is really just novelty. I’m so glad I waited for a Super Floppy as the shape-shifting is really the only cool draw. Had this functioned like a regular Floppy Cube, it would be pretty weak. However, making it change shapes is a pretty cool draw and quite enjoyable to tinker with. After I stopped messing around with my new puzzles, I went back later to the Super Floppy Cube and solving it was a breeze. So, the different nature of it is the coolest part and justifies my purchase. As I write this, my daughter is messing around with it, intrigued at its turning and getting a little stumped.

And that concludes my purchase. As someone stole my original LanLan 2×2, I had to get another to complete the collection. I opted to grab this in black, leaving only my Windmill Cube and my A1 3×3 in white. OK, time to update the To-Buy List!

Oh, I also posted my cube collection to the blog as well. Updated with my new purchases, of course!!!

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Summer Vacation Updates: Gout! Games! Foliage Ocean!?

Posted in Blog, Cubing, Games, Personal, Reviews, Ys with tags , , , , , on June 23, 2012 by slateman

Update #1: The Gout Sucks! I really needn’t say more.

UG&G

OK, I played Ultimate Ghosts & Goblins several years back when it first appeared on the PSP but this week’s $5 sale well…sold me. I’ll be heading out to camp next month and figured I’d stock up on some portable gaming. Of course, this is a poor decision because UG&G is one of the most brutal gaming experiences ever. I knew this having stopped playing all those years ago due to sheer frustration and outright disgust ad the developers. It’s cheap, difficult and evil. However, it’s also classic. It’s a good mix of old and new, but I think it needed to draw from some other sources as well. Its save system is archaic, and while this may appeal to the hardcore gamer, I am disappointed in the layout. Much like Maximo missed out on opportunities, this game could’ve benefited from some tweaks here and there.

The Glory Of Ys

Now, this is what I’ve been waiting for. Back when the Vita launched, we all sensed the drought of killer games. It happens after each hardware launch. However, as I went through the PSN store to see what they had, Ys Seven and Ys: Oath In Felghana were the only two there. No Chronicles??? Supposedly there was a problem and so this game just snuck in there recently. Oh, I’m psyched. Now, I admit that I liked playing the game on the NDS several years back but something happened to my cart, and I never finished it. I’ve run through Book I on the PSP as well IIRC, but something happened once I got to Book II. (Are you seeing a trend here?) This all means I’m friggin’ thrilled to finally get to this. This too will be summer gaming at camp. Headphones, those classic tunes, oh man, this is going to be sweet!

Rochard

I purchased this game several months ago and really never got a chance to dive into it. It seemed a cool concept but only recently have I dug it out to try it. It isn’t perfect and the story is entirely skippable. However, the gravity gun and control over gravity itself are both just awesome ideas. Now, the rest of the game is the generic Metroidvania that we all know and love. And even this generation, this game was done, and done better, with Shadow Complex. Now that game friggin’ rocked. However, while this is just a generally-good game, the inclusion of gravity control and the gun make it different enough to be enjoyed in its own right. I recommend this…I Like would be the review caption.

Celceta

Finally…Ys Celceta is now suffixed Foliage Ocean In Celceta. Of course, it’ll be renamed when localized. And it will be localized, likely by XSeed. I’m looking forward to it, the game drops in September, let’s hope for a translation in early/mid ’13? Now, I haven’t bought any of the PSP games retail (got Oath and Chronicles digitally) but I do hope for a nice packaging. I’d love to shell out some cash for something like that. Music CD, map, some nonsense that fools like me pick up. We’ll see. In any event, the screenshots show a nice world map in the upper-right-hand portion of the screen, a sleek HUD and I’m psyched.

OK, this was a long update but had a lot to cover. My cubes finally hit the U.S. so I hope to have them by the middle of next week. That’ll be cool as I gave my student my Windmill Cube. :) I’m curious how similar the Fisher Cube is to that one. Let’s get this gout totally cleared up (OMFG So Bad!) and life will be pretty good!

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New Cube Order!

Posted in Blog, Cubing with tags , , , on May 31, 2012 by slateman

A student of mine was fascinated with the Windmill Cube I purchased some time back and asked me to get one for her. I shopped around and decided to return to Lightake. As I placed her order, I decided to get a add a tiny order for myself. While it is actually three new puzzles it’s actually a cheap and minor addition to my puzzle collection. Overall it cost almost nothing but I’m still pretty psyched. Let’s see what’s a’comin’.

Super Floppy 3x3x1
I’ve always been interested in getting a Floppy Cube but it’s never been a priority. As this is a real cheap order, I decided it was time. However, I’m glad I looked into it enough to know to get a Super Floppy instead as it can shape shift. This is going to be a novelty cube but it should be fun.

LanLan 2×2 – This time I’m getting it in black. I’m fairly certain someone stole my original LanLan 2×2 and while I don’t really use it much, I can’t not have one in my collection. I’ve never gotten into speed solving a 2×2…but that doesn’t excuse a vacant spot on my puzzle shelf! I’ll be happy to have this again though it’ll likely get less love than the other two.

Fisher’s Cube – So similar to the Windmill Cube, I figured it was time to test this out. I’m not too excited about this though I can’t say precisely why. Hopefully my Windmill Cube algs will help solve this. It doesn’t look as cool as that cube, but I’m building my collection so this should be in there.

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