Counting - discussion thread

[The Orange One]

So, anyone got a cool fact lined up for 534?

No, but I've got 521, 549 and 607 in the wings.

[GuyBarry]

I've gone right through to 536 so far. Any idea when the game's going to restart?

[The Orange One]

I've gone right through to 536 so far. Any idea when the game's going to restart?

Thread locked while I have dinner. Then I will come and knock your heads together.

I believe this should answer your question.

[nozzacook]

I good to1237 with U boats

[GuyBarry]

I've gone right through to 536 so far. Any idea when the game's going to restart?

Thread locked while I have dinner. Then I will come and knock your heads together.

I believe this should answer your question.

I don't know how long Tubeguru takes over his dinner

[tubeguru]

Busy with something else at the moment. Go and find something else to do for a bit ...

[GuyBarry]

Oh, that's OK. Up to 542 now...

[GuyBarry]

Tubeguru's dinner has apparently run into a second day

To try to resolve the deadlock I've drafted an amended set of rules. This is an attempt to tidy up the existing rules by talking specifically about "game posts", plus a new section on challenges. What does everyone think?

1 - Each game post must contain a number one higher than the subject of the previous game post (i.e. numbers must be consecutive integers).
2 - Each game post must contain a non-trivial, verifiable piece of information about that number, the more original the better.
3 - No player may make two consecutive game posts.
4 - If a number is duplicated by more than one person, then the duplicate post(s) will not be treated as a game post. The person posting the duplicate post will be able to make the next game post.
5 - Posts containing no reference to the next number in sequence are not game posts and should be ignored by other players. They may be deleted at the discretion of the administrator.
6 - If a player believes the information in a previous game post to be incorrect, he or she may challenge by quoting the disputed post in full and saying what he or she thinks the error is. This will not be treated as a game post. Challenges must take place within five game posts of the post being challenged, e.g. if the challenge relates to game post number 732 then it must take place before game post number 737.
7 - All further discussion of the challenge must take place on the discussion thread. During this time neither the challenger nor the person challenged may make further game posts, though other players may continue as normal.
8 - If the player being challenged is judged to have made an incorrect claim, then he or she is barred from the game for 24 hours from the time of the disputed post. Otherwise, the player making the challenge is barred for 24 hours from the time of the challenge. The final decision on challenges lies with the administrator.[*]
9 - Where possible, a successfully challenged post should be amended so that it contains correct information, otherwise it should be amended to say "No valid information for [number]" (or something similar).

[*]This assumes that the administrator isn't one of the players involved. Should the administrator be barred from playing? If not, we need some other resolution mechanism.

[tubeguru]

OK, you have far too much time on your hands. I got as far as number five, and then it all went a bit silly.

I'm not sure challenges and banning are really within the spirit of what is, essentially, a silly counting game. I'm happy to amend the existing rules with regard to the first five that you posted above, as they have been worded slightly better that my hastily-compiled originals. But I feel that challenges will spoil the flow, and I don't have time to be administering 24-hour bans to people simply for challenging a fact about a number.

[Sam]

Yeah, I am with Neil. It all seems to be getting a bit too serious. Can't be banning people for getting things wrong, that's crazy!! (Except scrxisi, ban him)

[GuyBarry]

OK, you have far too much time on your hands. I got as far as number five, and then it all went a bit silly.

I'm not sure challenges and banning are really within the spirit of what is, essentially, a silly counting game. I'm happy to amend the existing rules with regard to the first five that you posted above, as they have been worded slightly better that my hastily-compiled originals. But I feel that challenges will spoil the flow, and I don't have time to be administering 24-hour bans to people simply for challenging a fact about a number.

Fair enough, but how are we going to ensure verifiability? I really don't want the thread to degenerate into a sequence of posts along the lines of "there are 519 elephants in my bedroom".

[tubeguru]

OK, you have far too much time on your hands. I got as far as number five, and then it all went a bit silly.

I'm not sure challenges and banning are really within the spirit of what is, essentially, a silly counting game. I'm happy to amend the existing rules with regard to the first five that you posted above, as they have been worded slightly better that my hastily-compiled originals. But I feel that challenges will spoil the flow, and I don't have time to be administering 24-hour bans to people simply for challenging a fact about a number.

Fair enough, but how are we going to ensure verifiability? I really don't want the thread to degenerate into a sequence of posts along the lines of "there are 519 elephants in my bedroom".

Would you be able to prove there weren't 519 elephants in someone's bedroom?

[GuyBarry]

Would you be able to prove there weren't 519 elephants in someone's bedroom?

Possibly not

If that's the sort of game you want, then go ahead. But I'm sure I'd lose interest pretty quickly.

If you've got a better way of resolving the impasse, please say so. At the moment there's no game at all

[greatkingrat]

I suspect your rules would have exactly the opposite effect that you intended, and would just encourage people to make up untrue, but plausible facts.

[GuyBarry]

Well, there'd be no advantage to making an untrue claim, whereas you'd risk being barred for 24 hours if you were found out.

Anyway, Tubeguru has said he doesn't want to police it, so that idea's a non-starter. In the meantime the game appears to be suspended indefinitely because no one can agree on how to deal with this issue. I don't think it's a major problem, but we need to have some resolution.