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Show HN: 18 Words

18words.com

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Re: Show HN: 18 Words

#111

Post by DamnInteresting »

pompomsheep wrote: post #15
functionmouse wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

tbh this should accept all dictionary matches

Did you find a word that wasn't accepted you thought should be? I do have another version where it accepts ANY word but I found it quite unsatisfying when I survived by randomly spamming combinations and finding a really obscure word. So am currently running it against a 20,000 word wordlist instead of my larger 300,000 wordlist

I've built a some word games over the years (e.g., wordwhile.com, omiword.com), and one thing I've discovered is that players find it very unsatisfying when they enter a real, valid word and the game rejects it. I imagine that the timer would amplify that sense of unfairness.

Granted, there are also people who get annoyed when the game seems too accepting of unusual words, but if you can point them to a valid dictionary definition for that oddball word, they usually accept it without argument.

Re: Show HN: 18 Words

#112

Post by auto »

pompomsheep wrote: post #100

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Two questions 1. For a version without the timer what would you like to happen if you are just completely stuck on a word? Hints to reveal letters or skip the word? 2. For those who like the timed version would you prefer to continue when you miss a word and then get a final score out of 18?

Complete gut reaction to your first question, my preference would be two fold: 1. An option to start the game in timeless mode 2. When I fail a word, prior to showing me the word, give me the option to enter timeless mode for the rest of the run, such that it doesn't ruin the current round, and that run is now excluded

As for the second, that's more suggestive and I don't care as much either way. Personally me for me I've just been going down the archive trying each day. I enjoy competitive games, so once I miss a word I don't have much interest in continuing on.

Re: Show HN: 18 Words

#113

Post by curiousObject »

pompomsheep wrote: post #100

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Two questions 1. For a version without the timer what would you like to happen if you are just completely stuck on a word? Hints to reveal letters or skip the word? 2. For those who like the timed version would you prefer to continue when you miss a word and then get a final score out of 18?

Those are all good options.

Also a version in which your unused time is accumulated for future rounds would be interesting

Re: Show HN: 18 Words

#114

Post by busyant »

pompomsheep wrote: post #100

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Two questions 1. For a version without the timer what would you like to happen if you are just completely stuck on a word? Hints to reveal letters or skip the word? 2. For those who like the timed version would you prefer to continue when you miss a word and then get a final score out of 18?

1. I'd prefer to reveal letters ... each press of the hint button reveals the position of one random letter.

2. I don't have a preference.

Very cool and well done.

Re: Show HN: 18 Words

#115

Post by giancarlostoro »

dirkc wrote: post #59

I like the idea, but I didn't like losing after a few words. Now it might just be me not being good at losing, but who is? Maybe the game can always progress to the next word with your total score being reduced. So if you get all within 30 seconds you score 18/18. That way everyone can play the whole game and share with their friends how far they got: |X|o|X|X|X|o|o|o|X|X|X|X|X|X|X|X|o|X| 13/18

Yeah, but also, is it really "18 words" if you don't get there?

Re: Show HN: 18 Words

#117

Post by sensecall »

Yajirobe wrote: post #45
sensecall wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, instead of feeling like a fun puzzle the timer just adds unnecessary pressure and gets me really annoyed.

My guy that’s the whole point of the game. Otherwise it’s too easy

I just want to chill... I have plenty of stress in my life already.

Re: Show HN: 18 Words

#118

Post by smugma »

pompomsheep wrote: post #100

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Two questions 1. For a version without the timer what would you like to happen if you are just completely stuck on a word? Hints to reveal letters or skip the word? 2. For those who like the timed version would you prefer to continue when you miss a word and then get a final score out of 18?

I’d prefer a timer, but when it runs out of time, you just don’t get credit for the word.

You click next and it goes to the next word.

I don’t want hints but I can see how others might want that. But you still don’t get credit for hints. Or it shows “x hints used”

Final score can show that you got the first N words in * Total number of consecutive words (even if over time)

* Total number of words

* total words * Plus whatever hint based metrics you want

Re: Show HN: 18 Words

#119

Post by sensecall »

pompomsheep wrote: post #100

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Two questions 1. For a version without the timer what would you like to happen if you are just completely stuck on a word? Hints to reveal letters or skip the word? 2. For those who like the timed version would you prefer to continue when you miss a word and then get a final score out of 18?

Someone replied with "survival mode" which is a great way to phrase it.

Maybe a few different modes? How many can you get out of 18, how long can you last (unlimited), and just a chilled relaxed mode.

Re: Show HN: 18 Words

#120

Post by santiagobasulto »

I loved it, i hated it. I'm so bad at this.

I think summarizing everybody's feedback the simplest solution is: "Game difficulty".

- Standard: what you have today

- Relaxed: 1 minute per word?

- Practice Mode: no timer whatsoever

And "Practice Mode" is a completely different mode that lets you skip questions, and instead of "you win / you lose" which is today's behavior, you end up with a score (14/18).

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