Game: Mind Ninja

Thread: Pattern Idea: OddSpan

milomilo122 — 2008-11-13T14:14:07+00:00

The board must be full, and the number of groups that touch two or more edges, at least one pair of which are *non-adjacent*, must be odd. Make sure to count groups of both colors.

Thread: Pattern Idea: OddCarom

milomilo122 — 2008-11-12T21:21:51+00:00

The board must be full, and the number of groups that touch both the central hex, and at least 2 edges must be odd. When counting groups, be sure to count over groups of *both* colors.

Thread: Pattern Idea: OddGlom

milomilo122 — 2008-11-06T14:32:04+00:00

The board must be completely full of stones, and an odd number of red groups must touch the largest blue group. If there's more than one largest blue group, add up the total number of red groups in contact with at least one of them. Even a single stone counts as a group.

Thread: Pattern Idea: OddEdge II

milomilo122 — 2008-11-06T14:28:53+00:00

The board must be completely full of stones, and an odd number of groups must touch the edges. When counting groups, sum up over groups of both colors. Even a single isolated stone counts as a group.

Thread: Pattern Idea: OddEdge I

milomilo122 — 2008-11-06T14:27:03+00:00

The board must be completely full of stones, and the group of stones
that touches the highest number of board-edges must touch an odd
number of board edges. If there is more than one group that touches
that number of board edges, that number must still be odd. The color
of the group doesn't matter. Even a single stone counts as group.
Stones in corner spaces touch 2 edges.

Thread: Pattern Idea: Triumvarate

milomilo122 — 2008-11-02T18:15:19+00:00

One interesting set of patterns are those that emphasize the arrangement empty spaces, as opposed to the usual custom of focusing on the filled spaces. Here is one that I just invented (disclaimer: I have little sense of how this one will play out):

There must be a group of empty spaces and a group of red stones and a group of blue stones that are all the same size (i.e are composed of the same number of cells). None of these groups may be embedded (see here for definition of embedded: http://www.bluwiki.com/go/Embedded)

Thread: Pattern Idea: Color Twins

milomilo122 — 2008-11-02T14:19:48+00:00

A simple one: the board must be full, and there must be a red and a blue group on the board that have the same size and shape. Neither may be embedded (see http://www.bluwiki.com/go/Embedded for definition).

Thread: Pattern Idea: Symmetry Soup

milomilo122 — 2008-10-28T01:08:14+00:00

This one is simple. The board must be full, and there must be a red group with at least one axis of symmetry that's larger than any blue group with at least one axis of symmetry. Importantly, groups may be embedded, meaning that they may be connected to other stones, of the same color, and you need not consider these part of the group. If you're having trouble understanding this concept, see here:

http://www.bluwiki.com/go/Embedded

Thread: Pattern Idea: Short Connect

milomilo122 — 2008-10-20T22:51:34+00:00

Not sure if I can articulate this one clearly, even though the concept is simple.

The board must be full, and the red stones must have a higher score than the blue stones. Scores are calculated as follows:

Any chain of stones of one color that connects two edge spaces has a score. Consider a red chain that does this. Its score is the number of spaces around the perimeter separating those two edge spaces, minus the shortest chain of red stones that connects those two edge spaces.

The overall score of a color is just the score of the highest scoring chain in that color.

In short, each player is trying to connect edge stones that are as far apart as possible, by the shortest chain possible.

I haven't played this one yet, so I don't know how it'll play. But I've got high hopes.

If anyone has suggestions for better wording, let me know.

Thread: Pattern Idea: Loopholes

milomilo122 — 2008-10-16T03:21:37+00:00

This is one that I've grown to love.

A loop of red stones that surrounds at least X spaces (these spaces can be either empty or filled with stones of any color), but the loop can be "missing" up to Y red stones that would be needed to complete it. Another way to say it is that the loop may have up to Y "missing links". These "missing links" may be either empty or filled with stones of another color. The person who proposes the pattern can specify X and Y.

An alternative pattern that makes the two players' goals more symmetrical is to say that not only must the pattern above be built, but at the same time there must be no such pattern in blue stones. This pattern plays out very differently. For this second pattern, try X=2, and Y=1. Leads to an intensely tactical affair.

Thread: Re: Soliciting advice about a potential book about Mind Ninja

milomilo122 — 2008-10-01T21:05:58+00:00

russ wrote:
If you want to include strategy discussion (which seems very wise to me), I highly recommend reading the book "Trax Strategy for Beginners" (my review here) as an excellent model of how to define and use clear consistent terminology, present strategic concepts in a good progression for readers, and generally organize a book about strategy for a specific game.

Just the kind of advice I'm looking for. Thanks.

Thread: Re: Soliciting advice about a potential book about Mind Ninja

russ — 2008-09-30T05:44:14+00:00

If you want to include strategy discussion (which seems very wise to me), I highly recommend reading the book "Trax Strategy for Beginners" (my review here) as an excellent model of how to define and use clear consistent terminology, present strategic concepts in a good progression for readers, and generally organize a book about strategy for a specific game.

Thread: Soliciting advice about a potential book about Mind Ninja

milomilo122 — 2008-09-29T21:30:30+00:00

Since I now have many hundreds of pattern designs, I was thinking of putting together a book on Mind Ninja. Any suggestions about what should go in and how it should be organized?

Thread: Pattern Idea: Sufficiently Straight

milomilo122 — 2008-09-14T18:29:21+00:00

A chain of at least X red stones, which can have up to, but no more than, Y bends in it. Otherwise it must be a straight line of stones. The pattern chooser specifies X and Y when proposing the pattern.

Thread: Pattern Idea: Dire Straights

milomilo122 — 2008-09-14T18:25:03+00:00

A chain of red stones with a score of at least X (the pattern chooser sets X when proposing the pattern)

The score of any chain is: (the number of stones in the chain)-(the number of bends in the chain).

The chain may be embedded, which means that other red stones may be attached to it, and they don't influence the score.

So, for example, a straight line of 5 in a row would be worth 5 points, but if it had one bend in it, it would be worth 4 points.

I really like this one.

Thread: Winner of 2nd Mind Ninja Pattern Design Contest Announced + Feedback Solicited

milomilo122 — 2008-08-12T04:09:17+00:00

See Here:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/2547324#2547324

Thread: Pattern Idea: Encirclement tactic

Howitzer_120mm — 2008-08-11T05:04:58+00:00

The builder must build a ring of red around more of the blue pieces than are outside of it.

Very simple, very challenging.

Thread: Pattern Idea: The Knot

Howitzer_120mm — 2008-08-11T04:56:44+00:00

The builder must build a line of x length, with at least 4 stones of the same color touching it 1 point.

Thread: Pattern Idea: Strong Bridge

Howitzer_120mm — 2008-08-11T04:51:11+00:00

The builder must build a bridge (see havanah in the rules) that touches 2 corners and also has 2 supports (touches any side at 2 different points- these 2 points can't touch).

Thread: Pattern Idea: Bigger Dots

Howitzer_120mm — 2008-08-11T04:49:00+00:00

The builder must build x number of objects in the grid. To count for the score, you must have a single stone object, a double stone object, a triple, and so on, up to x's value. You can have extra objects that don't count.

Thread: Variant: Pick One

Howitzer_120mm — 2008-08-11T04:46:48+00:00

One player (blocker) picks 3 goals for the builder. Then the builder secretly picks one of them, and tries to build it. The blocker should get 2 plays per the builder's single play.

Thread: Pattern Idea: Coat with Buttons

Howitzer_120mm — 2008-08-11T04:44:43+00:00

The builder must build an object of x size, with y number of a different colored single hexes inside. The buttons cannot be touching each other or the outside.

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: 'Scattershot'

molnar — 2008-08-11T01:09:41+00:00

I like it.

Thread: Pattern Idea: 'Scattershot'

Bezman — 2008-08-10T22:16:35+00:00

This pattern should be played on a hex-based board and uses 3 colours. A 'flower-shape' is 7 hexes arranged with a central hex and 6 surrounding hexes.

The builder tries to make a pattern in which the board is filled and each flower-shape contains all 3 colours.

This seems to slightly favours the blocker, so some starting spots should be played before the game begins.

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

milomilo122 — 2008-08-02T16:34:49+00:00

More thinking: one way to discover good strategies for this pattern might be to look for regular tilings of the board that maximize the difference between scores for the two colors. If you could find such tilings, you could use them to guide your moves in play. I haven't tried to look for such tilings yet, but it's an idea anyway.

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Havannesque

milomilo122 — 2008-08-02T14:42:58+00:00

Yep, the default is "at some time". The requirement of a full board is a constraint on the pattern, just like any other, so it makes sense to me that it must be explicit in the pattern description. Where there's no constraint on how full the board has to be, there's no need to mention anything about "when".

It's true that many of the patterns recently have been of the "board must be full and constraint X must be satisfied" variety-- that's probably due to a) I just happen to be designing patterns along those lines these days (many patterns based on scoring systems require the full board stipulation); and b) it tends to be easier for Arty Sandler to program "board-must-be-full" type patterns for the iggamecenter.

Nick

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Havannesque

molnar — 2008-08-02T04:31:03+00:00

Nick,
maybe I'm being lazy to look it up, but when you quote a pattern like this, is the default "at some time" the pattern exists? Because it seemed to me that for a lot of the patterns, the rule depended on the board being filled. Wouldn't matter for "Hexlike", but it would for "Havannesque".

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

milomilo122 — 2008-08-01T17:30:42+00:00

I've been thinking about this pattern, and I would like to point out a strategical starting point for anyone who wants to try it. The first time you play the pattern, you'll be tempted into thinking in a math-y way, and you'll find yourself counting cells alot, and the whole exercise may drain you without helping you much.

To avoid all that, consider this: there are only four fundamental geometrical shapes that matter for this pattern. Here they are:

]]>

To win at this pattern, you need to ensure there are more instances of these shapes in the color that matters to you than in the other color (note: the shapes can partly overlap, and share certain pieces). No need for counting. Think in terms of these pictures and the pattern will start to open up for you.

[EDIT: note that three more shapes, each consisting of three colored cells a piece are needed in order to think about scoring along the edges of the board. They're real simple, so I'll let you figure them out for yourself.]

Nick

Thread: Pattern Idea: Havannesque

milomilo122 — 2008-08-01T13:28:18+00:00

This is a pattern that I've used in play almost from the moment I invented Mind Ninja. Note that this pattern does not count as an entry in the Mind Ninja pattern design contest, since I'm running the contest.

This pattern leads to a game that is almost identical to the already-existing game Havannah. The pattern is:

There must be a red loop, or a red bridge, or a red fork (as those terms are defined for the game Havannah), and none of those shapes in blue.

I'm adding it to the growing list of patterns around here because it's a good illustration of a couple of principles of pattern design:

1) patterns can be defined as a combination of other patterns, connected by logical operators (or, and, not, xor, etc.)

2) it's not hard to design patterns which basically reproduce existing games, in this case, Havannah.

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

milomilo122 — 2008-07-29T00:23:28+00:00

Thanks to Arty Sandler, this pattern is now playable at the iggamecenter. It has a different name there, however: Equilibrium. Also, the builder is trying for more red cells with equicolored neighbors, as is the convention on iggamecenter.

Here's a link to a completed game that you can review step by step from the beginning to the end:

http://www.iggamecenter.com/gm.php?gid=17&sid=32063

This particular match was a close, draining struggle (33 to 30 was final score). This pattern requires great concentration, and I'm both mystified and delighted by its strange dynamics. Truly, a pattern from another planet.

Here's what the game looked like after the last move (click to see bigger version of image):

]]>

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

milegyenanevem — 2008-07-28T10:07:34+00:00

Yes, that is the game on a hexhex board, but it can be played (theoretically) on any other board too. Cells with an odd number of neighbors cannot have equicolored neighbors, hence they don't count, all the other cells do. On a simple grid the corners count, and the edge cells don't. Or if a strange board contains some cells without neighbors, they will always have equicolored neighbors.

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

milomilo122 — 2008-07-28T03:12:05+00:00

Note: this pattern is the winner of the first Mind Ninja pattern design contest:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/328769

I assumed that the pattern was to be played on a hexhex board. In the pattern as proposed, it doesn't say whether the edge cells can be counted as equicolored (i.e. when surrounded with two red and two blue). For the purpose of the contest, I assumed that edge cells count. I also assumed that corner cells do not count, because they don't have an even number of neighbors.

Thread: Winner of 1st Mind Ninja Pattern Design Contest Announced + A 2nd Contest Begins

milomilo122 — 2008-07-27T06:21:51+00:00

See announcement post here:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/2504581#2504581

Thread: Pattern Idea (for Design Contest): Tessellation

NateStraight — 2008-07-24T13:28:03+00:00

X Tessellation Y:

The Concept

The Builder attempts to tessellate the board with a certain number of matching shapes of alternating colors, while the Blocker attempts to throw imperfections into the pattern.

The Pattern

On a hex board, a connected group of stones consisting of X number of subgroups of size Y. Each subgroup must consist entirely of stones of one color. Each subgroup must be rotationally or reflectively (or both) symmetric to all of the others. Each subgroup within the connected group must touch at least one subgroup of a different color.

(Clarification: Subgroups are independent entities and may not share stones. For example, if the rule was 3 Tessellation 3, a blue rhombus of 4 stones touching a red triangle of 3 stones could not be counted as 2 blue triangles of 3 stones for the win. Each individual subgroup must independently meet all of the criteria above.)

A Variant

For a more difficult game for the Builder, require that subgroups be only rotationally or reflectively symmetric, but not both. For an even more difficult game, require all red subgroups to be reflectively (and optionally rotationally) symmetric to blue subgroups, and vice-versa. For an even more difficult game yet, disallow all symmetry.

Thread: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

milegyenanevem — 2008-07-24T11:03:39+00:00

I don't know if it has been done before. This variant uses two colors and can be played on any board, which should be full at the end. A point has equicolored neighbors if it has the same number of red and blue neighbors. The goal is to have more blue than red points with equicolored neighbors.

The other idea: instead of alternate turns, the builder could place for example two stones, the blocker one, and so on during the whole game. It could be used when the pattern is really difficoult. More precisely, the pattern-chooser could decide the order of the steps, like builder, builder, blocker, blocker, builder, blocker and so on (in general a sequence with length equal to the size of the board is needed, but it could be narrowed down to the following: the builder puts x stones, then the blocker y stones and so on).
Adding this additional rule a difficoult pattern can be played without filling almost the whole board as initial position.

Thread: Pattern Idea: Varying Line

Howitzer_120mm — 2008-07-23T07:33:26+00:00

I haven't gone through all your variants, so sorry if this has already been mentioned.

Builder must build a line of "x" length, where every 2nd dot is the same color (2 colors only). The line may curve once. (Basically, the line must alternate colors)

Thread: Pattern Idea: Unclosed circles

Howitzer_120mm — 2008-07-23T07:28:52+00:00

I haven't gone through all your variants, so sorry if this has already been mentioned.

A variant where the builder must build a circle of "x" radius (or per side) of one color , with "x" number of missing links available.

Thread: Pattern Idea: Nick's Birthday Pattern

milomilo122 — 2008-07-16T17:47:15+00:00

Since today is my 31st birthday, I submit the pattern below (which I haven't tried, btw), as a gift to myself. It's uber-simple. The pattern chooser will probably have to exercise considerable care in placing balancing stones.

For the purpose of this pattern, a connected group is defined either as a connected group of stones of the same color, OR a connected group of empty spaces. A group can be as small as a single stone or a single empty space.

Here's the pattern: There must be at least 31 connected groups on the board.

[EDIT: the number need not be 31 of course, but whatever the pattern chooser wants it to be. I just choose 31 because it's my birthday]

Thread: Mind Ninja Pattern Design Contest

milomilo122 — 2008-07-13T20:53:02+00:00

I've started a new contest for Mind Ninja. For Details, see

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/2469186#2469186

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Varicose Veins

artyomch — 2008-06-30T08:14:59+00:00

30-jun-2008 A new pattern is added to "MindNinja" game: "Octopus" (invented by Nicholas Bentley)

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Varicose Veins

artyomch — 2008-06-24T12:29:00+00:00

I implemented the pattern yesterday but haven't tested it yet. If you have time to test it then drop me a message via gmail's gtalk if you see me online

Thread: Pattern Idea: Clump Wars I, II, III, and IV

milomilo122 — 2008-06-21T18:44:46+00:00

Bored at coffee shop, so invented these patterns:

Clump War I: The board must be full, and the red stones must have a higher score than the blue stones. Scores are calculated as follows. Each stone connected to one other stone of the same color gets one point, each stones connected to two other stones of the same color gets two points, and so on.

Clump War II: The board must be full, and the red stones must have a higher score than the blue stones. Scores are calculated as in Clump War I, except that you only count the score of the highest scoring group in each color.

Clump War III: The red stones must have a score of at least X. Scores are calculated as in Clump War I.

Clump War IV: There must be a red group containing stones which have scores of 1, 2, 3, and 4. Scores are calculated as in Clump War I. (you can make the required sequence longer or shorter to make it harder or easier)

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Varicose Veins

milomilo122 — 2008-06-19T22:46:37+00:00

artyomch wrote:
A thought: aren't Octopus or Sprouts better names?

The idea is interesting and the implementation is easy. We should play a test game

Well, Sprouts is already taken by a game I have great respect for, so maybe Octopus is better. Yeah, let's go with Octopus. I'll try to steal away from work as soon as possible for our test game.

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Varicose Veins

artyomch — 2008-06-18T07:21:14+00:00

A thought: aren't Octopus or Sprouts better names?

The idea is interesting and the implementation is easy. We should play a test game

Thread: Pattern Idea: Varicose Veins

milomilo122 — 2008-06-17T13:56:13+00:00

I just thought of one that appeals to me. I hope it works:

This is played with two colors. Let's call them blue and red.

When board is full, the red stones must have a higher score than the blue stones. The score for the red stones = [the size of the largest red group minus the number of stones in that group which touch at least X other red stones]. The score for the blue stones is calculated in the same way.

X can be as low as 3 or as high as 6.

So you have to make a big group, but it's also got to be spread out and sorty of vein-y.

any thoughts?

Thread: Re: Pattern idea (maybe): Weed versus Gardener

milomilo122 — 2008-06-17T12:01:59+00:00

I tried this very same pattern once, with the starting point at the center of the board. Without any balancing stones, it seemed weed had the easy win on the finite board, since to win all he needed to do was connect the central point to any wall. We needed a lot of well-placed balancing stones to even it out.

The general idea of having special points on the board, and patterns that reference those points, is cool. I'll try to invent a few.

Thread: Pattern idea (maybe): Weed versus Gardener

artyomch — 2008-06-17T10:48:59+00:00

This is not my idea but I think that the idea can be converted into MN pattern:

http://bramcohen.livejournal.com/53358.html

Btw, Bram's question is rather interesting: who, actually, wins on the infinite board: the Weed or the Gardener?

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Symmetry Group

milomilo122 — 2008-05-16T13:32:59+00:00

hmm, you're probably right on both counts.

Thread: Re: Mind Ninja, now in Norwegian - Tankeninja, nå også på norsk

milomilo122 — 2008-05-16T13:32:07+00:00

Yowza!

Thanks very very much!

N

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Symmetry Group

vintermann — 2008-05-15T19:58:37+00:00

Building large symmetric groups would be much harder in general, so I think there should be some kind of advantage to it.

No matter how groups are scored, I think this pattern has to be played with more than two colours.

Image

milomilo122 — 2007-07-31T17:23:23+00:00

Some examples of finished games.

Game: Mind Ninja

Thread: Pattern Idea: OddSpan

Thread: Pattern Idea: OddCarom

Thread: Pattern Idea: OddGlom

Thread: Pattern Idea: OddEdge II

Thread: Pattern Idea: OddEdge I

Thread: Pattern Idea: Triumvarate

Thread: Pattern Idea: Color Twins

Thread: Pattern Idea: Symmetry Soup

Thread: Pattern Idea: Short Connect

Thread: Pattern Idea: Loopholes

Thread: Re: Soliciting advice about a potential book about Mind Ninja

Thread: Re: Soliciting advice about a potential book about Mind Ninja

Thread: Soliciting advice about a potential book about Mind Ninja

Thread: Pattern Idea: Sufficiently Straight

Thread: Pattern Idea: Dire Straights

Thread: Winner of 2nd Mind Ninja Pattern Design Contest Announced + Feedback Solicited

Thread: Pattern Idea: Encirclement tactic

Thread: Pattern Idea: The Knot

Thread: Pattern Idea: Strong Bridge

Thread: Pattern Idea: Bigger Dots

Thread: Variant: Pick One

Thread: Pattern Idea: Coat with Buttons

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: 'Scattershot'

Thread: Pattern Idea: 'Scattershot'

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Havannesque

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Havannesque

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

Thread: Pattern Idea: Havannesque

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

Thread: Winner of 1st Mind Ninja Pattern Design Contest Announced + A *2nd* Contest Begins

Thread: Pattern Idea (for Design Contest): Tessellation

Thread: Pattern Idea (and more): Equicolored Neighbors

Thread: Pattern Idea: Varying Line

Thread: Pattern Idea: Unclosed circles

Thread: Pattern Idea: Nick's Birthday Pattern

Thread: Mind Ninja Pattern Design Contest

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Varicose Veins

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Varicose Veins

Thread: Pattern Idea: Clump Wars I, II, III, and IV

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Varicose Veins

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Varicose Veins

Thread: Pattern Idea: Varicose Veins

Thread: Re: Pattern idea (maybe): Weed versus Gardener

Thread: Pattern idea (maybe): Weed versus Gardener

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Symmetry Group

Thread: Re: Mind Ninja, now in Norwegian - Tankeninja, nå også på norsk

Thread: Re: Pattern Idea: Symmetry Group

Image

Thread: Winner of 1st Mind Ninja Pattern Design Contest Announced + A 2nd Contest Begins