Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
zero.karaniwan.org
Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
1–10 of 19 posts
Re: Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
#2I don't get this game. The explanation is so short and I have no idea what happens next when I click on another number.
Re: Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
#3Summing up digits manually takes too long. A decent strategy seems to be: start chaining a long path together. At some point it will pop by itself, or you will notice what's needed to complete it.
Suggestions: There should be a button to clear the chain in progress because you can box yourself into a dead end. A pause button would also be nice (maybe blank the screen when paused).
Re: Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
#4I don't get this game. The explanation is so short and I have no idea what happens next when I click on another number.
You just have to click numbers, each next to the previous one. The total modulo 10 is shown. Once it reaches zero, your score is updated. You want that to happen before your time runs out, but you get a higher score if it doesn't happen too soon. When the length of the chain is a prime number, blockers are cleared.
Re: Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
#5I don't get this game. The explanation is so short and I have no idea what happens next when I click on another number.
wbhart got the gist of it.
Here's an even longer version of the rules:
Click/tap numbers to connect them to a chain. You can only connect numbers that are at the left, right, top, bottom of the last selected number. As a faster alternative, you can also drag/swipe through the numbers.
When the sum of the chain ends in zero (ie. sum % 10 = 0) you get rewards and side effects depending on whether the chain's length is composite or prime.
- if it's composite (e.g. chain length is 4, 6, or 8 digits long), you gain 2 seconds on your time for each digit connected. However, each digit also gives you a 1 in 4 chance of replacing a digit in the grid with a "blocker", a cell that cannot be selected. - if it's prime (e.g. 2, 3, 5), you only gain 0.5 seconds for each digit, but instead of spawning blockers, each digit now has a 1 in 5 chance of removing a blocker in the grid.
Either way, the point value of the chain is ((sum / 10) ^ 3) * 5.
So connecting 1-2-3-4 gives you 5 points and 8 extra seconds but has 4 chances of spawning blockers. On the other hand, connecting 9-3-8 gives you 40 points, 1.5 extra seconds, and 3 chances to clear blockers.
Game ends when the time runs out. The goal is 1 million points, but the game will not stop you from playing when you reach that point.
Re: Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
#6Summing up digits manually takes too long. A decent strategy seems to be: start chaining a long path together. At some point it will pop by itself, or you will notice what's needed to complete it. Suggestions: There should be a button to clear the chain in progress because you can box yourself into a dead end. A pause button would also be nice (maybe blank the screen when paused).
Randomly chaining numbers seems to be the most practical strategy up until you start running into the empty blocks.
Game should probably be made a little easier so the intended strategy of chaining primes becomes more viable.
Re: Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
#7I love games that teach math concepts. Dragon Box was mind blowing.
However, this seems less accessible.
Re: Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
#8You should really be allowed to click on a completely separate circle to start a new chain.
I was initially unsure about how the blockers worked, that should be made more clear. For others, if you create a chain out of a prime count of numbers, you may clear blockers. If you create a chain out of a composite count of numbers, you may create blockers.
Interesting game, but it doesn't have that same "I know I can do better" feel that 2048 grabbed everyone with :)
Re: Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
#9In a few minutes of playing around, you realize you can just click long paths and get a nearly infinitely high score.
Re: Show HN: Zero – an HTML5 game about modular arithmetic and prime numbers
#10You should really be allowed to click on a completely separate circle to start a new chain. I was initially unsure about how the blockers worked, that should be made more clear. For others, if you create a chain out of a prime count of numbers, you may clear blockers. If you create a chain out of a composite count of numbers, you may create blockers. Interesting game, but it doesn't have that same "I know I can do be…
ah, I missed that part of the rules. Without effort, I found myself with a score of 67k. Knowing that, I may be able to do better. A leader board would be nice so I know how that rates.