The monthly average-points-per-word competition used to raise a lot of eyebrows.
And some protests.
Remember when some players would find that one really long word, then establish that as their average by submitting a bunch of games with zero words played?
Admin finally put an end to that by making those games not count so you had to play at least one word.
Since I haven 't really played high average points per word until recently, I hadn't paid much attention to the mechanics and methods players used to reach high averages. It seems that all you have to do is scan through games until you discover one with a very high scoring word. then play that single word on that game. Then repeat.
Since in 4x4 most of the 33 point plus words are really easy to find if you already know it exists on the pregame stats , it's not much of a challenge to find those words and get a high average. Just the tedium of scanning games. But then...it often takes less than ten seconds to get that word once the game is opened if that's all you're looking for and you already know it's there.
But, these aren't really words the person found, they've just piggy-backed off someone else's efforts. They didn't have to start from scratch and solve the puzzle. They're just using a loophole rather than skill.
I'm not sure of the merits of a competition where players can simply use the efforts of other players as a springboard for their own "success."
An argument can be made that for one to qualify for highest average points per word, the player must also have established a certain number of their own best word records during that month. Say 50 since the contest requires that 50 games be played. Doesn't mean you can't play a thousand games that month, only that you have to have played at least 50 games where you set the best word record for that game. You could also play those opportunistic boards, but your average would have more validity rather than simply reflecting a successful exploitation of a loophole.
Maybe, I'm just being picky from dealing with students who want to slide by using other people's work. I'm just growing weary of seeing a picture of someone and finding out it isn't even a real person. Discolored teeth have started to seem more attractive because they're real, not fake. Mediocre accomplishments that are real have started to have more and more value.
It's just harder and harder to admire loopholes. I want my heroes to deserve the admiration.
And some protests.
Remember when some players would find that one really long word, then establish that as their average by submitting a bunch of games with zero words played?
Admin finally put an end to that by making those games not count so you had to play at least one word.
Since I haven 't really played high average points per word until recently, I hadn't paid much attention to the mechanics and methods players used to reach high averages. It seems that all you have to do is scan through games until you discover one with a very high scoring word. then play that single word on that game. Then repeat.
Since in 4x4 most of the 33 point plus words are really easy to find if you already know it exists on the pregame stats , it's not much of a challenge to find those words and get a high average. Just the tedium of scanning games. But then...it often takes less than ten seconds to get that word once the game is opened if that's all you're looking for and you already know it's there.
But, these aren't really words the person found, they've just piggy-backed off someone else's efforts. They didn't have to start from scratch and solve the puzzle. They're just using a loophole rather than skill.
I'm not sure of the merits of a competition where players can simply use the efforts of other players as a springboard for their own "success."
An argument can be made that for one to qualify for highest average points per word, the player must also have established a certain number of their own best word records during that month. Say 50 since the contest requires that 50 games be played. Doesn't mean you can't play a thousand games that month, only that you have to have played at least 50 games where you set the best word record for that game. You could also play those opportunistic boards, but your average would have more validity rather than simply reflecting a successful exploitation of a loophole.
Maybe, I'm just being picky from dealing with students who want to slide by using other people's work. I'm just growing weary of seeing a picture of someone and finding out it isn't even a real person. Discolored teeth have started to seem more attractive because they're real, not fake. Mediocre accomplishments that are real have started to have more and more value.
It's just harder and harder to admire loopholes. I want my heroes to deserve the admiration.
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