http://brainking.com/game/Pond?g=26

http://brainking.com/game/Pond?g=26

.... it is getting very interesting now!

For those players that have played this pond game before at other places:

In those games, what is usually around the lowest number that usually gets booted in the first round of games?

I'm just very surprised on how low the bids are in these games in the first few rounds.

I was watching my bet of 332 - at about an hour left, I was debating if I wanted to go higher - but decided to stay with my original bet of 332.

.... now what to bet.. 500 will probable not even be safe now with this few players....

Yea, what I like is in one round, a person will win the bonus with a low bid like 55, then next round - about 4 or 5 people will have bids of around and over 500 - to try to get the bonus.

Hopefully Fencer will let us look at past moves of all the pond games soon - I have started to learn how some players play, but would be nice to "research" some players a little more... :-)

Actually 2 people bid 55, and neither got the bonus is Czuch's pond!

Actually it would be just easier for the creator to just remove the person and not say anything - To let them know is just being a little more nicer! :-)

Splash! You fell in the pond.

Ugh! I leave the site for a few hours, and I get pushed into the water.... TWICE! (Yes, I did not fall - I was pushed!)

I think how Bry explained it would be best.

Starting point Value: Choose between 1,000 - 20,000 (Maybe choices like 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 7,500, 10,000, 12,500, 15,000, 17,500, 20,000)

Bonus Points: Choice between 0 = 500 (maybe choices like 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500)

So the most "unbalanced" game would be start with 1,000 points, and can get up to 500 bonus points - which is how many games will be towards the end of the game anyway!

Only 1 player did not bid the min in the 19000 min pond game, and that was Rose - Luckly just the one so they fell into the lake!

One with 19400 got 500 bonus, so it sitting really well now.

http://brainking.com/game/Pond?g=28 - Bry's 19000 min first bid tournament.

Actually I can't wait to see who will mess up this pond game: http://brainking.com/game/Pond?g=28&trnst=0

You know there will be at least 1 troublemaker who will bid less then the min big of 19,000, which will mess up the game quick, unless Fencer would be able to remove anyone who did not play by the rules.

Just wanted to point out this pond game: http://brainking.com/game/Pond?g=12

dexter made his first bid of 333, got the 500 bonus points and how has OVER 20,000 points (20167 to be exact) Way to go dexter!

I never thought so many people who be bidding SO LOW in the smaller games.

Opps - did not finish my post from before...

.... but I think once we start playing a few games completely, we all will have beter ideas on what may or may not work. Like Fencer said, many players have played this way for years - so it would probable be best if we can complete a few games before we can really suggest workable ideas.

I don't like the idea of increasing the bonus - otherwise it may end up giving 1 player a VERY big advantage right away.

How it is set up now, it will come into play as the game starts to wind down towards the end.

But

Mely: There is not a resign right now is there.... or did I miss something?

I also agree that a resign is not a good option as the reason you stated.

I don't think weekends & vacations would work with a multiplayer game like this. Take for example 20 people in the game, 1 person decides to take 10 vacation days. So now all 20 people have to wait the 10 days. Opps, player 2 has Monday & tuesday set as weekends. Playeer 3 has wednesday & thursday as weekends. Player 4 has Friday & saturday set as weekend. Player 5 has Sunday & Monday set as weekend. All of a sudden, no move will every be made!

Once we start getting more pond games, there will be different times and such which will help out.

It's a good idea - but I think once this first pond game is over, you will not see many people who will want to get out of the game

1) I believe (my guess) that a pawn will be able to continue any game (including pond) until it is over - just will not be able to start any new games.

2) Yes, this is getting boaring quickly. I believe after the new years (which Fencer is doing some archiving and other things like that) - he will hopefully look into creating some more pond games with the limit of 25-30 players - which should speed things up and make the game a lot more fun. (Current game will get fun - but it will take awhile before we get rid of enough players before it really starts to get interesting.)

5 it is then!

I've bet 11 in the last 2 rounds - each time thinking there might be a few people still betting in the single digits - Heck, it looks like close to half the people bet in the single digits last round!

You should be able to change your number at any time, not "locked" into anything.

I like the rules how they are - I mean part of the game is to try to get yourself into a position where you can take advantage of the 500 point bonus.

Hum... this game is tricky. Last round I thought I made a pretty low bet (11) since I knew others were "betting" on the fact that some that bet "1" in round 2 would forget to get and fall into the pond.

But now...... Are there STILL going to be people who bet in the single digits, or will some bets start to go higher......

Not that it is a big deal, but the game still shows 6 players in the 1st position, when only 2 players are in 1st. (and others are messed up a little like this throughout the order.) :-)

Now the fun starts.

First round was some-what simple since I knew others were unsure about the rules.

Second round was easy since I only had to bid 1 to make it by.

Now the third round is going to be interesting. Still way too many players to bid too high, but can't bid too low either.....

It seems like such a big run of people is some-what unique, and since many did/do not understand exactly how the game works yet - there is a lot of learning for the players.

I really don't see a purpose of the 0 point bid rule. Even in the later rounds, if a person has to bid 0 and get eleminiated - all it does is allow the remaining player to go after the 500 point bonus. Other then that, it is a wasted round. I would vote (next game) to just eliminated people with 0 points left instead of letting them bid next round.

I like for "unlimited players" games, the idea of eliminated multiply players for bigger sections. (2 lowest bids for games with 20+ players, 3 lowest bids for 30+ players, etc... 10 lowest bids for 100+ players)

Plus have "quick" games with limit of 10 or 20 or 30 players.

So Fencer, you talked about some-how making a rating out of this game. What sort of formula were you thinking about using? Or are there other people out there with ideas? I also like the idea to have some sort of rating/ranking/stats for the game.

But after the first round, is a player does not bet, it will use the same bet from previous round (or as much as possible if current point total is not as much as previous bet) - so even if they do not bet, the computer will this round automaticly bet 0 for them. :-)

Actually the players in the first round did not bet zero, they did not bet anything (which is different then having to bet zero) - if that helps!

So next round, there will be 2 players who HAVE to bet zero and will fall into the pond, so if you bet 1 or more - you should make it into round 3.

Of course they HIGHEST bid will recieve 500 bonus points in case you want to go for that.

Here is what I posted elsewhere that some people found helpful (rules with some examples!):

Here is a quick recap of the rules, and an example game:

Run around the Pond

1) All players start with 20,000 points.

2) During each round, you bet some of your points.

3) The player who uses the LEAST amount of points in the current round “falls into the pond” and is out of the game. If more then 1 player tie with the least amount, then both players will fall into the pond.

4) If a player has no points left, the next bet will be 0 – so making it most likely they will lose in the next round.

5) The player who uses the MOST points in the current round will receive a bonus of 500 points. If more then 1 players tie, no bonus will be given.

6) Since there are NO WEKKENDS, NO VACATIONS, NO HOLIDAYS – if a player does not make a bet before a round deadline, the same amount of points that was bet in the previous round will be used.

7) Every player who does not make the first move in the first round is automatically eliminated from the game.

8) The game is finished with either 1 player stays on the pond side (this player wins), or all players fall into the pond (nobody wins)

Example – 5 players enter a game:

[round 1]

Player A (20,000) – bet 5,000
Player B (20,000) – forgets to make first bet
Player C (20,000) – bet 17,000
Player D (20,000) – bet 20
Player E (20,000) – bet 50

In round 1, Player B is eliminated right away. Player D is also eliminated since he had the lowest bid. Player C received 500 bonus points for having highest bid

[round 2]
Player A (15,000) – (forgets to bet) – so last round bet of 5,000 used
Player C (3,500) – bets 1,000
Player E (19,500) – bets 5,000

In round 2, player C is eliminated since he had the lowest bid. Since both player A and player E had the highest bid, nobody gets the 500 bonus points

[round 3]
Player A (10,000) – bets 10,000
Player E (14,500) – bets 10,001

In round 3, player A is eliminated since he had the lowest bid. Player E is the last standing and is the winner!