WIZARD on FACEBOOK UPDATE
Mid-February has come and gone,
We must await yet another dawn.
The developers say we are near.
But the truth is different I fear.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015
Wizard Card Game on "Facebook" games.
1. Recording Scores and Master Points.
Nothing is definite. We may adhere to the current system, may try a "points only" scheme, perhaps a hybrid system or even something quite radical. The time required to compute and compile the figures is a factor in the decision. Consequently much will depend on what the programmers are able to build into the system. If they can automate much of the calculations that will impact the decision so it is still a 'wait-and-see' sort of question.
2. System Used
The system being used to build the new program is a cross-platform game creation system named "Unity". The game system is written in C++ and C#.
3. Timing
Although mid-February has been given as the latest update I do not expect the BETA program to be up and running at that time. When it does finally appear I plan to keep both the current site and the Facebook site open for business. When the Facebook game does appear it will not contain all of the required features. Some features such as the ability to host tournaments may have to be added once the basic game is stabilized. Transitioning will be problematic as the current "usernames" will not necessarily be available on the Facebook page. This is yet another problem with which we are struggling to resolve. (And of course finances are always a limiting factor.)
1. Recording Scores and Master Points.
Nothing is definite. We may adhere to the current system, may try a "points only" scheme, perhaps a hybrid system or even something quite radical. The time required to compute and compile the figures is a factor in the decision. Consequently much will depend on what the programmers are able to build into the system. If they can automate much of the calculations that will impact the decision so it is still a 'wait-and-see' sort of question.
2. System Used
The system being used to build the new program is a cross-platform game creation system named "Unity". The game system is written in C++ and C#.
3. Timing
Although mid-February has been given as the latest update I do not expect the BETA program to be up and running at that time. When it does finally appear I plan to keep both the current site and the Facebook site open for business. When the Facebook game does appear it will not contain all of the required features. Some features such as the ability to host tournaments may have to be added once the basic game is stabilized. Transitioning will be problematic as the current "usernames" will not necessarily be available on the Facebook page. This is yet another problem with which we are struggling to resolve. (And of course finances are always a limiting factor.)
Friday, January 23, 2015
Facebook Program Update
Like the Toronto Maple Leaf fans I must ask you to be patient.
I received the following missive today:
"Rewrite a small part of the code that is causing a difficulty with the AI. It will take two weeks and put the delivery around mid Feb. The rewrite should eliminate the trouble we are having with the AI "
So the new target date for a BETA game is mid-February but experience tells me that further extensions can be expected. Even if the target of mid-Feb is met the program will still lack the ability to host Tournaments. That feature will be added afterwards.
I received the following missive today:
"I had a regroup with the developer. After taking a more prolonged look at the code, he has noted that there were some issues that are causing problems to recur as well as other bugs. He put forth this suggestion:"
"Rewrite a small part of the code that is causing a difficulty with the AI. It will take two weeks and put the delivery around mid Feb. The rewrite should eliminate the trouble we are having with the AI "
So the new target date for a BETA game is mid-February but experience tells me that further extensions can be expected. Even if the target of mid-Feb is met the program will still lack the ability to host Tournaments. That feature will be added afterwards.
Place your bets on which will happen first:
(a) Toronto Maple Leafs will play for the Stanley Cup.
(b) Toronto's Scarborough subway will be completed. (Making a subway stop a short walk from my house.)
(c) The Facebook Wizard program will be completed.
(a) Toronto Maple Leafs will play for the Stanley Cup.
(b) Toronto's Scarborough subway will be completed. (Making a subway stop a short walk from my house.)
(c) The Facebook Wizard program will be completed.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
TOP 10: Record Keeping
RE: Ranking the monthly Top 10.
This post continues the earlier discussion concerning the minimum number of games to be played in order to qualify for the monthly Top 10.
Currently we require a minimum of 40 games then use the formula :
Rank in Points + Rank in S.R to determine placement.
Upon further discussion, reflection and analysis I plan to simplify the entire process.
First allow me to explain my thought process.
1. The reason we introduced the formula using S.R. was based on the logic that the more games one plays, the more points one gains. For example if two people average 1 point per game then the person playing 80 games will score twice as many points as a player who only plays 40. This is contentious as there is little correlation between points won and games played. You may not see it in the results but many of the players who fail to make the cut have played more games than players in the Top 10.
2. I have culled all the months that I could find for the year 2014 Top 10 and shown them below:
This post continues the earlier discussion concerning the minimum number of games to be played in order to qualify for the monthly Top 10.
Currently we require a minimum of 40 games then use the formula :
Rank in Points + Rank in S.R to determine placement.
Upon further discussion, reflection and analysis I plan to simplify the entire process.
First allow me to explain my thought process.
1. The reason we introduced the formula using S.R. was based on the logic that the more games one plays, the more points one gains. For example if two people average 1 point per game then the person playing 80 games will score twice as many points as a player who only plays 40. This is contentious as there is little correlation between points won and games played. You may not see it in the results but many of the players who fail to make the cut have played more games than players in the Top 10.
2. I have culled all the months that I could find for the year 2014 Top 10 and shown them below:
DEC.2014
01. SilentSam ……PTS: 72 (01) The final ranking from 1-10 is shown on the left.
2-3. mphenix .…..PTS: 63 (02) The Points are shown to the right and the rank based solely
2-3. wizard ……...PTS: 46 (03) on points is shown in brackets.
04. ncenigma ……PTS: 30 (5.5) Although if solely points were used some positions
05. weiz …………….PTS: 31 (04) would go either up or down but for the most part
06. blcross_99 ….PTS: 30 ( 5.5) there are not giant shifts in position. Study the figures closely.
07. kek_in_TN ….PTS: 27 ( 07) The conclusion is that using solely points for monthly ranking
08. Crystal9 ………PTS: 20 (08) is a much simpler and faster system that produces much
09. XAriesGirlX ..PTS: 16 (10) the same result.
10. kbmcdev …...PTS: 17 (09) There is another major benefit in addition to simplicity.
There is no need to require a set number of minimum
Nov. 2014 games to be played. Regardless if whether you play 25
01. mphenix PTS: 58 (1) games or 125 games you are included in the competition.
02. SilentSam PTS: 55 (2) Consequently I am currently planning on moving to a
03. jake44 PTS: 48 (3) "Points Only" system with no minimum game requirement.
04. bneet PTS: 31 (6) There is no perfect system but on balance I believe the
05. blcross_99 PTS: 44 (4) change will be a positive one.
06. ncenigma PTS: 20 (9) * If you believe playing more games gives you an edge, that's
07. wiggins PTS: 23 (8) great! Play more games.
08. wizard PTS: 18 (10) * Another big plus! New players on the Facebook site
09. kbmcdev PTS: 25 (7) will be stymied by the complex formula and use of the
10. The_Wiz PTS: 35 (5) term "Skill Ratio". The simpler system will be just that;
clear and simple.
OCT.2014
1. blcross_99 ……………PTS: 71 (1)
2. Rock Man …………….PTS: 42 (4
3/4. wiggins …………….PTS: 35 (5)
3/4. magicgirl ……..….PTS: 54 (2)
5. The_Wiz ………………PTS: 43 (3)
6. kalea ……………………PTS: 31 (6.5)
7. frostie ………………….PTS: 31 (6.5)
8. ncenigma …………….PTS: 10 (8)
9. kek_in_TN …………..PTS: 5 (9)
10. bneet …………………PTS: 4 (10)
May 2014
1. verona .................PTS: 52 (1)
2. ncenigma ............PTS: 44 (3)
3. The_Wiz .............PTS: 50 (2)
4. frostie .................PTS: 37 (4)
5. kbmcdev ............PTS: 22 (6.5) .
6. Mr. Farms .........PTS: 27 (5)
7. magicgirl ...........PTS: 22 (6.5)
8. Rock Man .........PTS: 17 (9)
9. tuokool ..............PTS: 21 (8)
10. bneet ...............PTS: 10 (10)
APR.2014
1. Rock Man………. PTS: 93 (1)
2. ap sirius ………….PTS: 43 (3)
3. cargobeep ………PTS: 50 (2)
4. XAriesGirlX ……..PTS: 33 (4)
5. SilentSam ……….PTS: 22 (5)
6. Mr. Farms ……….PTS: 19 (7)
7. The_Wiz ………….PTS: 20 (6)
8. bneet ………………PTS: 11 (9)
9. tuokool …………..PTS: 16 (8)
10. merlin …………..PTS: 6 (10)
SEPT 2014
01. Mactonight……PTS: 47 (1/2)
02. mphenix ………PTS: 47 (1/2)
03. Rock Man ……PTS: 44 ...(3)
4/5. tuokool ………PTS: 26 ..(5)
4/5. ncenigma ……PTS: 16 (..6)
06. weiz …………….PTS: 28 (..4)
07. merlin …………PTS: 13 ...(7
08. wry ………………PTS: 6 ...(8)
09. blcross_99 ……PTS: -8 ..(9)
10. The_Wiz ……….PTS: -18 (11)
01. SilentSam ……PTS: 72 (01) The final ranking from 1-10 is shown on the left.
2-3. mphenix .…..PTS: 63 (02) The Points are shown to the right and the rank based solely
2-3. wizard ……...PTS: 46 (03) on points is shown in brackets.
04. ncenigma ……PTS: 30 (5.5) Although if solely points were used some positions
05. weiz …………….PTS: 31 (04) would go either up or down but for the most part
06. blcross_99 ….PTS: 30 ( 5.5) there are not giant shifts in position. Study the figures closely.
07. kek_in_TN ….PTS: 27 ( 07) The conclusion is that using solely points for monthly ranking
08. Crystal9 ………PTS: 20 (08) is a much simpler and faster system that produces much
09. XAriesGirlX ..PTS: 16 (10) the same result.
10. kbmcdev …...PTS: 17 (09) There is another major benefit in addition to simplicity.
There is no need to require a set number of minimum
Nov. 2014 games to be played. Regardless if whether you play 25
01. mphenix PTS: 58 (1) games or 125 games you are included in the competition.
02. SilentSam PTS: 55 (2) Consequently I am currently planning on moving to a
03. jake44 PTS: 48 (3) "Points Only" system with no minimum game requirement.
04. bneet PTS: 31 (6) There is no perfect system but on balance I believe the
05. blcross_99 PTS: 44 (4) change will be a positive one.
06. ncenigma PTS: 20 (9) * If you believe playing more games gives you an edge, that's
07. wiggins PTS: 23 (8) great! Play more games.
08. wizard PTS: 18 (10) * Another big plus! New players on the Facebook site
09. kbmcdev PTS: 25 (7) will be stymied by the complex formula and use of the
10. The_Wiz PTS: 35 (5) term "Skill Ratio". The simpler system will be just that;
clear and simple.
OCT.2014
1. blcross_99 ……………PTS: 71 (1)
2. Rock Man …………….PTS: 42 (4
3/4. wiggins …………….PTS: 35 (5)
3/4. magicgirl ……..….PTS: 54 (2)
5. The_Wiz ………………PTS: 43 (3)
6. kalea ……………………PTS: 31 (6.5)
7. frostie ………………….PTS: 31 (6.5)
8. ncenigma …………….PTS: 10 (8)
9. kek_in_TN …………..PTS: 5 (9)
10. bneet …………………PTS: 4 (10)
May 2014
1. verona .................PTS: 52 (1)
2. ncenigma ............PTS: 44 (3)
3. The_Wiz .............PTS: 50 (2)
4. frostie .................PTS: 37 (4)
5. kbmcdev ............PTS: 22 (6.5) .
6. Mr. Farms .........PTS: 27 (5)
7. magicgirl ...........PTS: 22 (6.5)
8. Rock Man .........PTS: 17 (9)
9. tuokool ..............PTS: 21 (8)
10. bneet ...............PTS: 10 (10)
APR.2014
1. Rock Man………. PTS: 93 (1)
2. ap sirius ………….PTS: 43 (3)
3. cargobeep ………PTS: 50 (2)
4. XAriesGirlX ……..PTS: 33 (4)
5. SilentSam ……….PTS: 22 (5)
6. Mr. Farms ……….PTS: 19 (7)
7. The_Wiz ………….PTS: 20 (6)
8. bneet ………………PTS: 11 (9)
9. tuokool …………..PTS: 16 (8)
10. merlin …………..PTS: 6 (10)
SEPT 2014
01. Mactonight……PTS: 47 (1/2)
02. mphenix ………PTS: 47 (1/2)
03. Rock Man ……PTS: 44 ...(3)
4/5. tuokool ………PTS: 26 ..(5)
4/5. ncenigma ……PTS: 16 (..6)
06. weiz …………….PTS: 28 (..4)
07. merlin …………PTS: 13 ...(7
08. wry ………………PTS: 6 ...(8)
09. blcross_99 ……PTS: -8 ..(9)
10. The_Wiz ……….PTS: -18 (11)
WIZARD on FACEBOOK # 1
WIZARD on FACEBOOK Games
There are over 850 million daily users of FACEBOOK so I do not think Wizard members need to be coached on how to get a membership.
Just go to Facebook.com and start an account.
All you need to provide is a username and a password
Once enrolled you can simply click on “Games” and do a search for any game you want to play. This can all be done well in advance of the actual Wizard launch.
i.e. 1. Join Facebook
2. Click on “Games” in the sidebar.
3. Do a search for a game of interest e.g. Hearts, Spades, Bridge, Euchre, etc.
4. Practise playing the game a few times. (Some are better than others)
If you have done this in advance of the Wizard launch, you’ll be all set to play WIZARD when it appears on Facebook.
There are over 850 million daily users of FACEBOOK so I do not think Wizard members need to be coached on how to get a membership.
Just go to Facebook.com and start an account.
All you need to provide is a username and a password
Once enrolled you can simply click on “Games” and do a search for any game you want to play. This can all be done well in advance of the actual Wizard launch.
i.e. 1. Join Facebook
2. Click on “Games” in the sidebar.
3. Do a search for a game of interest e.g. Hearts, Spades, Bridge, Euchre, etc.
4. Practise playing the game a few times. (Some are better than others)
If you have done this in advance of the Wizard launch, you’ll be all set to play WIZARD when it appears on Facebook.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Jan. 2015 Update
Facebook Games Program
Progress is ongoing but ponderous. I hope to provide a more definitive update later this month. In any case the initial BETA launch will lack Tournament hosting ability.
This will be added, but for a while there may be a hybrid system with regular play on the BETA Facebook (not to count for points) and Tournaments on the current site. (points to count).
All players are encouraged to play the BETA Facebook program and provide feedback so that we can start regular play asap.
RE: Poll regarding minimum games to be played per month.I am sympathetic to the players who wish to reduce the required number of games from 40 to 30.
Many players lead full lives and simply cannot, in good conscience, devote that much family time to playing "Wizard" regardless of how much they would to like to play.
The conundrum is as follows:
A player's final monthly score is based on a combination of his TOTAL POINTS RANK + his SKILL RATIO RANK.
The former will normally accumulate with additional play giving the frequent player an edge.
e.g. Two players both averaging an increase of 1 point per game will gain differential points based on the number of games played. Playing 50 games yields 50 points while playing 30 games yields 30 points. To reduce this edge the SKILL RATIO RANK was introduced.
Skill Ration (S.R.) = Points divided by Number of games played. e.g. A player with 30 points in 20 games has an SR of 1.5
This system works pretty well considering Wizard can be played by 3-4-5 or 6 people.
The difficulty with reducing the required number of games from 40 to 30 is the concern that some players may take advantage of a strong early streak of luck and quit playing at 30 games with an S.R. of 1.5 or more assuring a No.1 S.R. ranking.
Suggestions for a solution are welcome. Caveat: A lot of extra calculations at month's end are to be avoided as it can be time consuming. Also I'd prefer to keep the M.P. winners limited to the current "TOP 10" + the 3 high W.P. (winning percentage scores at different levels of play)
Comments welcome at wizardjester@gmail.com
Progress is ongoing but ponderous. I hope to provide a more definitive update later this month. In any case the initial BETA launch will lack Tournament hosting ability.
This will be added, but for a while there may be a hybrid system with regular play on the BETA Facebook (not to count for points) and Tournaments on the current site. (points to count).
All players are encouraged to play the BETA Facebook program and provide feedback so that we can start regular play asap.
RE: Poll regarding minimum games to be played per month.I am sympathetic to the players who wish to reduce the required number of games from 40 to 30.
Many players lead full lives and simply cannot, in good conscience, devote that much family time to playing "Wizard" regardless of how much they would to like to play.
The conundrum is as follows:
A player's final monthly score is based on a combination of his TOTAL POINTS RANK + his SKILL RATIO RANK.
The former will normally accumulate with additional play giving the frequent player an edge.
e.g. Two players both averaging an increase of 1 point per game will gain differential points based on the number of games played. Playing 50 games yields 50 points while playing 30 games yields 30 points. To reduce this edge the SKILL RATIO RANK was introduced.
Skill Ration (S.R.) = Points divided by Number of games played. e.g. A player with 30 points in 20 games has an SR of 1.5
This system works pretty well considering Wizard can be played by 3-4-5 or 6 people.
The difficulty with reducing the required number of games from 40 to 30 is the concern that some players may take advantage of a strong early streak of luck and quit playing at 30 games with an S.R. of 1.5 or more assuring a No.1 S.R. ranking.
Suggestions for a solution are welcome. Caveat: A lot of extra calculations at month's end are to be avoided as it can be time consuming. Also I'd prefer to keep the M.P. winners limited to the current "TOP 10" + the 3 high W.P. (winning percentage scores at different levels of play)
Comments welcome at wizardjester@gmail.com
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
WOW Review by "TOYS BULLETIN"
WOW: World of Words
ToysBulletin.com reviews a word game from U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Here is a word game that gives you a bit of an assist while playing. WOW (World of Words) actually provides the first and last letter of the winning words. The game contents include 17 blue cards, each with the first letter of the word, and 16 red cards containing the last letter of the word. Each of the cards, blue or red, reveals a different letter. There is also a one minute timer, a score pad and a short set of rules.
One blue card and one red card are drawn each turn, and then players write as many words (5 letters or more) that begin and end with those letters. Points are awarded based on the number of words that can be secretly written before the one minute timer expires. Words with 5-8 letters earn 1 point each, and words with 9 or more letters earn 2 points each. If the same word is 
written down by different players, only one of them is counted, as players read their words one at a time in a clockwise order. The first player to read a word gets the points. Points are recorded for each player on one of the score sheets and accumulated after each turn.
written down by different players, only one of them is counted, as players read their words one at a time in a clockwise order. The first player to read a word gets the points. Points are recorded for each player on one of the score sheets and accumulated after each turn.
Play continues until all of the red cards are used. At that point, the player with the most points wins the game. To liven things up just a bit, the red cards do contain several surprises. There is a 3 and a 4 card in the red “last letter” deck. When one of these cards is drawn, the players must select words that are only 3 or 4 words long on that turn. There is also a pair of cards in the red “last letter” deck that contain more than one “last letter.” When either of those cards is chosen, players can choose their words from more of an assortment of “last letter” options.
WOW moves fast and keeps players on their toes. A typical game can generally be finished in around 30 minutes or so, and can be enjoyed by 2-6 players ages 10 years old and up. If the one minute time for each turn seems too short, it is perfectly fine to lengthen the time to two or even three minutes, although total game time will increase as well. There are even advanced rules restricting the use of the last letters “s” and “d,” such that plural words ending in “s” are unacceptable and past tense words ending in “ed” will be disallowed. Players can certainly come up with many more game options of their own, and, always remember that a dictionary has the final say regarding acceptable word choices.
WOW is a non-intimidating word game that is not too easy and not too hard. It is a nice challenge, allowing everyone to feel they have a good chance of winning. Best of all, WOW retails for just $8.00 and can be purchased directly from the U.S. Games Systems, Inc. website.
–RJ Cullen
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