To: All frustrated Laser Tank aficionados
The daily Laser Tank digest (from which I haven't gotten around to
unsubscribing myself) has included a lot of "lecturing" lately, aimed at
people who are having trouble with Laser Tank, from people who are either
(1) super puzzle-solving geniuses or (2) have access to all the playback
files and have no mercy on those who don't. My advice is, if you find
yourself frustrated by Laser Tank, do what I did and go back to (or take up)
programming. It's no less difficult and the results -- a working program,
utility, or game -- are far more useful and satisfying than a solved Laser
Tank puzzle. For some "light" programming fun, I recommend the now-freeware
Dink Smallwood game (e.g. http://rpgplanet.com/dink/) that is also a
freeware game-development system. AND, unlike Laser Tank, many Dink
Smallwood aficionados are super-helpful and will be glad to assist you with
your frustrations.
My IQ has been repeatedly measured in the 140-150 range, with a particular
aptitude for spacial conceptualization. So I think I am qualified to say,
Laser Tank is TOO DIFFICULT to be worth the brain power required. Most
levels (except the "deadly" ones) are underrated. Even some of the "easier
than easy" (a.k.a. "beginner") puzzles I could not solve the first time I
tackled them. Before I gave up playing Laser Tank, I found some "medium",
many "hard", and most "deadly" levels impossible. I wasted far more time on
many of them than I should have, coming back to several of them many times,
often after "feeling my oats" from solving other difficult levels, and still
no luck. That frustration, combined with carefully guarded proof to the
contrary, leaves me with a nagging suspicion that many levels are indeed
impossible and that is the real "game" being played by Laser Tank's
insiders.
In short, the Laser Tank user's group is a club for puzzle-solving wizards.
Either you are or you aren't such a person, there is little you can do about
it (well, if you are, you could start smoking drugs so you won't be...).
Trust me, you can't choose to become one after some chiding. My advice to
all the frustrated Laser Tank players out there is to go "cold turkey",
delete Laser Tank off your hard drive, leave the egotists alone, and get on
with your life. The sooner you do, the happier you'll be.
The daily Laser Tank digest (from which I haven't gotten around to
unsubscribing myself) has included a lot of "lecturing" lately, aimed at
people who are having trouble with Laser Tank, from people who are either
(1) super puzzle-solving geniuses or (2) have access to all the playback
files and have no mercy on those who don't. My advice is, if you find
yourself frustrated by Laser Tank, do what I did and go back to (or take up)
programming. It's no less difficult and the results -- a working program,
utility, or game -- are far more useful and satisfying than a solved Laser
Tank puzzle. For some "light" programming fun, I recommend the now-freeware
Dink Smallwood game (e.g. http://rpgplanet.com/dink/) that is also a
freeware game-development system. AND, unlike Laser Tank, many Dink
Smallwood aficionados are super-helpful and will be glad to assist you with
your frustrations.
My IQ has been repeatedly measured in the 140-150 range, with a particular
aptitude for spacial conceptualization. So I think I am qualified to say,
Laser Tank is TOO DIFFICULT to be worth the brain power required. Most
levels (except the "deadly" ones) are underrated. Even some of the "easier
than easy" (a.k.a. "beginner") puzzles I could not solve the first time I
tackled them. Before I gave up playing Laser Tank, I found some "medium",
many "hard", and most "deadly" levels impossible. I wasted far more time on
many of them than I should have, coming back to several of them many times,
often after "feeling my oats" from solving other difficult levels, and still
no luck. That frustration, combined with carefully guarded proof to the
contrary, leaves me with a nagging suspicion that many levels are indeed
impossible and that is the real "game" being played by Laser Tank's
insiders.
In short, the Laser Tank user's group is a club for puzzle-solving wizards.
Either you are or you aren't such a person, there is little you can do about
it (well, if you are, you could start smoking drugs so you won't be...).
Trust me, you can't choose to become one after some chiding. My advice to
all the frustrated Laser Tank players out there is to go "cold turkey",
delete Laser Tank off your hard drive, leave the egotists alone, and get on
with your life. The sooner you do, the happier you'll be.
----- Original Message -----
From: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 5:24 AM
Subject: Digest Number 786
>
> There are 3 messages in this issue.
>
> Topics in this digest:
>
> 1. Re: Please help me with LVL 1389 and 1390 ! Get stuck ! Thanks !
> From: "rohit bhatia" <[email protected]>
> 2. Re: Playback files
> From: "wulfbear" <[email protected]>
> 3. Re: Playback files
> From: Jane Smolina <[email protected]>
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 04 Aug 2003 22:39:07 +0530
> From: "rohit bhatia" <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: Please help me with LVL 1389 and 1390 ! Get stuck ! Thanks !
>
>
>
> [This message is not in displayable format]
>
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2003 02:45:39 -0000
> From: "wulfbear" <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: Playback files
>
> --- In [email protected], "leefaroe" <leefaroe@y...> wrote:
> > --- In [email protected], Donald Drouin <ducky@g...> wrote:
> > > A little reminder :
> > >
> > > The real goal of LaserTank is not to watch playback files,
> > > but to solve the Levels by yourself.
> > >
> > > Using playback files will surely ruin your fun.
> > >
> > > As soon as you solve a level by using a hint or a LPB file,
> > > you lose forever the opportunity to feel the satisfaction
> > > of having solved this level by your own efforts,
> > > thus missing the experience of success.
> > >
> > > Donald
> > I do reliaze this, BUT, since hardly any levels have decent hints,
> a
> > playback file is the only way to get a 'hint'
>
> I feel the need to say a couple of things about this. First, no, I
> haven't used any playback files myself, but I agree that way too
> many levels don't have hints. As an experienced puzzle solver of 30+
> years (all kinds of puzzles, and I mean all kinds), I can testify to
> the fact that one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome, if
> not the most, is 'tunnel thinking' (forgive the pun). What I mean
> is, when the answer, the correct approach or strategy, is right in
> front of your nose, but your mind seems locked into another
> viewpoint. Believe me, this obstacle requires constant training of
> the mind in 'flexible thinking', and it doesn't go away over time,
> one just gets more adept at avoiding and handling it.
>
> My point with all of that is this: sometimes we just need something
> to get our mind out of the rut and into the groove. Hints can help,
> but there is a fine line between giving just enough and too much
> information. Playbacks are a last resort, perhaps, but everyone
> doesn't have the same amounts of time, patience or skill.
>
> My [e^(PI x i) + 3] cents worth...
>
> Wulfbear
>
> PS - I love that formula, what can I say?
>
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 11:57:04 +0400 (MSD)
> From: Jane Smolina <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: Playback files
>
> I agree with wulfbear.
> In fact there are some kids playing this game too even less then 10 years
old. So they
> surely want to have some hints. Thought in 1000...levels there are too
many surprises
> and hard levels.There parents would like to help them, but we cant be at
the computer
> hours or days, so the lpb files will help a lot.
> By the way may be somebody can send us the lpb for 325 level.
> Thanks a lot.
> (Russia online)
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
>
>
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>
>