Setup and Rule Diagrams

[Dave Killoran]

Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation

This is a Basic Linear: Balanced game.

After reviewing the game scenario, you should make the following basic setup for this game:

PT42-Dec2003_LGE-G2_srd1.png

The four rules can be combined to form one long chain. Let us first diagram each rule individually; thereafter, we will combine them.

Rule #1

This rule sets up a basic sequential relationship between G and L. Note that G has a higher-numbered bay than L, meaning that L is to the left of G on the diagram. The traditional representation for such a rule is:

PT42-Dec2003_LGE-G2_srd2.png

While two Not Laws are produced by this rule, we will bypass a discussion of any Not Laws until all of the rules have been diagrammed.

Rule #2

This rule can be diagrammed as:

PT42-Dec2003_LGE-G2_srd3.png

This rule can be easily combined with the first rule to form a T L G chain. More on this after the remaining two rules are diagrammed.

Rule #3

This rule can be diagrammed as:

PT42-Dec2003_LGE-G2_srd4.png

Rule #4

This rule creates a rotating block:

PT42-Dec2003_LGE-G2_srd5.png

The fourth rule allows the chain from the first two rules, and the sequence from third rule to be combined into one super-chain:

PT42-Dec2003_LGE-G2_srd6.png

This chain accounts for all of the variables except M, which is a random. While a large number of Not Laws can be drawn from the chain, the chain itself is so powerful that you should skip drawing Not Laws and simply proceed to the questions.

[rwraulynaitis]

Hello PowerScore,

I practiced this game multiple times and I used different setups, trying to get a feel for what I liked/worked best, which left me with some questions.

The first time, once I had established the super sequence, I drew all of the not-laws, of which I found 18. While I was glad to get them down, I did not really use them much throughout the rest of the game.

The second time, I took a few extra minutes to explore the possibilities, where I ended up completely writing out all 10 possible scenarios. While this helped me go through some of the questions fast, it tripped me up a little on questions #8 and #12, where when asked about how many bays' cargo were completely determined, I erroneously said all of them, because my two possible scenarios that conformed to #8 had all of the bays laid out!

The third time I was very minimal and drew neither not-laws nor any possibilities. After writing out the super sequence, I headed immediately to the questions. I liked this strategy the best, as I was able to fly through the questions with accuracy (and not get tripped up on questions like #8 and #12). While I was confident in my answer, it felt almost too good (maybe because I had already done the game twice at this point ), as if I should have slowed down and been more certain of my answers.

Does this mean that it is sometimes better to diagram less? My first instinct is always to diagram as many not-laws as possible, and to always see if there is a good opportunity for templates. However, in this game, I found that I was able to get through the questions much faster and more accurately when I did none of that. How should I thus adjust my strategy for LG going forward?

[Jeremy Press]

Hi rw,

This is a great question, and shows that you're really paying attention to your strategy. Great job with that--keep doing it, as it will pay dividends in the long run. The answer to your question is a simple yes!

This game is about as close as you can get to a true "Pure Sequencing" game without actually being one. In a true Pure Sequencing game, you'll only have general sequencing rules (and won't have any block or fixed placement style rules). This game has almost all pure sequencing rules, but even the one block rule fits into the longer chain sequence (the super sequence, as you call it).

In Pure Sequencing games (or ones like this that have a block rule but ultimately allow you to chain link all the variables together), you should not waste time on Not-Laws. The cost-benefit isn't worth it, because there will be MANY not-laws, and not many questions directly asking about them. Sure, there might be one or two questions that ask, but you can approach those in the moment, and you won't have wasted the time up front.

Also, in Pure Sequencing games, there is enough general detail about the placement of the variables in your chain (super sequence) diagram that you don't need to write out all possible solutions to the game. This, too, ends up being a waste of time since there simply aren't enough question to justify writing down 10 (or more, in many Pure Sequencing games) solutions to a game.

So just remember two things: in Pure Sequencing (or Pure Sequencing-adjacent!) games, don't bother with Not Laws. And if the templating process is going to result in double-digit numbers of solutions, let it go!

Hope this helps!

Jeremy

[ToluOj]

So for this game, I connected all of the rules into an F P/T,T/P L G chain with M as a random. Once I saw the chain, I knew I wanted to do templates. But then oddly enough, I had to do a little experimenting to find which variables I wanted to base my templates on. I started with G because G could only go 5 or 6, but with G in 6 I had a pretty empty template. So I tried M, but M can go everywhere except 3. Eventually, I landed on F since F can only be 1 or 2. So I had:

Template #1: F1, T/P 2/3
M/L dual option at 4
G/M dual option at 6

Template #2: F1, T/P 3/4
M is 2
L is 5
G is 6

Template #3: F2
M is 1
L is 5
G is 6

Not exactly sure what the lesson here is, but I guess something along the lines of ensuring that I'm looking yes at the most restricted variables, but also at how important each variable's placement is to the placement of all the other variables.

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Great work Tulo.

Personally, I would only draw it a bit differently. Mine would look something like this:

T1: F P/T T/P (M, L-G)

T2: F M P/T T/P L G

T3 M F T/P P/T L G

I like trying to draw them in a stack, so it's easier for me to look across templates. For example, I can see easily now that the only options for slot 1 are F/M, and the only options for slot 3 is either t/p.

But your reasoning was spot on. Way to go!

Rachael