I just did a bridge on #2 for � (hard, no breaks), somebody said "thinking out of the box" on an earlier post, this one didn't even start inside the box to get out of it. ;-)
I just beat #3 as well, � (the � design, move the center point down one more).
jcbuff
(Edited by jcbuff at 12:53 pm on Oct. 18, 2001)
LOL, well I just figured out what jcbuff did #2, he did the same thing I did, just a little bit different and for a little bit cheaper.

#2 - 13,664 (I'll be damned if this one can be beat either)
New Record for #4 - 23764
It might be possible to go even cheaper than that but I haven't tried messing with it.
Try this one on for size, #4 - 17XXX with only 4 broken links after all 4 passes.
####..girlfriend had moved it to easy mode, I thought I had created a whole bunch of magic new winners. Anyhow, here's what I did get:
#14 - 51396 clean of course
(Edited by dewpac at 12:25 am on Oct. 20, 2001)
Is complex editing allowed for simple levels? IMO it should be. Because on L1 is only possible in complex mode, I assume you made all those bridges in complex. My takes:
4: 23240
5: 25528
6: 32408
7: 35712
8: 44256
9: 63308
10: 49848
11: 52708
12: 78996 (this one is pretty bad, done in simple mode)
Trust me, Hard, 0 BL, TT
s14 - 46784 This is the first level I actually thought out, rather than building random stuff (anyone remember demo level1's record? =D)
s13 - 62852
(Edited by falkon2 at 5:27 am on Oct. 20, 2001)
Got a few scores for you all.
4: 22952
6: 30196
7: 34764
8: 45238
10: 52332
I don't think I've broken any rules, but what does TT'able mean?
Falkon2 i think you meant Map Pack 3 for a wet train. I know my score on that level isn't the lowest but i've beat it without getting the train wet even though the bridge is perfectly level (no deck going angled).
If you really did mean MP 2 then its easy to get that done without getting wet, just arch the deck.
(Edited by efflixi at 12:21 pm on Oct. 20, 2001)
Falkon2 <<
Since we may not reply to the thread you should post this link instead.
(Edited by Dreadnough at 2:34 pm on Oct. 31, 2001)
TT'able means it holds up if you run the train right away, without giving it time to settle first (as in from the edit screen, you hit T twice).
Actually, I think this still has a very slight settle time. The way to be sure is to go into the test screen, hit pause, reset, run train, then pause again to get things moving. That's the way I've been doing it anyway.
If you can confirm those scores I'll stick em in the list :-)
Sooner or later we're gonna have to start verifying these - Gray, how did you organise that for BB?
I'm suspending my list updates until the competition is over, probably the official list will be up by then anyway.
Good luck all!
?? it ends up on the same page
14. 53540
s4: 20652
s8: 43262
s11: 52064 (####, why didn't I optimize 8 and 11 earlier? Now falkon2 got them first!

(Edited by Gray at 3:32 am on Oct. 21, 2001)
Falkon2 <<
Actually when I click on your link I end up in a reply form with the text in the form. Like if I am editing it.
...but in the meantime:
s05: 24696
s08: 40930
s11: 49038
(Edited by Chillum at 3:31 pm on Feb. 14, 2002)
For BB, people just send me the bridge files. I test and classify them myself.
Update:
4: 22140
6: 29548
7: 33272
13: 57314
14: 52512
Verified my bridges, all work with 0 delay (pause, reset, start train, unpause)
I suggest the following abbreviations:
NBL, AD (works with any delay), Clean = hard, NBL, AD
(Edited by Gray at 3:37 pm on Oct. 19, 2001)
I wish I'd have worked on the Contest a bit more. After reading all these posts, I might have been able to shave off quite a bit of cost by simply trying a wet train. hehe...
I can't figure out how some of you are working your magic.
(Edited by Tyree at 6:14 pm on Oct. 26, 2001)
Noted. Thanks
Hmm... didnt find the 'clean bridge' thread.. What about wet trains? I'm rather sure it is considered cheating if the slowdown is needed to keep the bridge alive.
Where do we start to consider a train being wet?
1. When the first bit of water creeps up above any part of the deck (dark water color on the deck surface)?
2. When the train gets a noticeable slowdown?
3. When the first bit of water is visible in front of the train using the in-train view?
4. When the slowdown effect is *needed* to save the bridge?
If it is 3. or 4., I claim a 56996 for normal level 12 :)
I've got 29548 for 6 as well... I'm fairly certain it's unbeatable.
Tyree, there's a 12 at 67468
Also made some slight mods on 10
10. 45108
Dreadnough, did you mean S16
I don't think any conclusions was reached about what was clean and what wasn't, so until CL come up with official rules I guess your record stands :-)
Nice to see you back!
s14: 46040 (minor mod of Chillum's bridge)
Scores up to date as of now.
I've been wondering about the 'works with any delay' thing...there's actually no practical way to test that. I've had to discard bridges as they've popped the odd link on a certain delay, even though I've been unable to replicate that. I think the only practical, empirical way to compare bridges is to use the zero delay method.
I'm not suggesting we adopt this for our little competition, after all it's only a game. Just something I've been thinking about and thought I'd share with y'all!
I've submitted my contest bridge, so I've updated the scores again...don't think I missed any but if I did let me know :-)
Yes. Thanks Grey. I wondered why it wasn't noticed.
Changed it.
Thx Chillum for the quick update.. here is another one :)
Inspired by our new Secundus, I got a clean and dry 86790 for normal level 16 (further optimizations pending - Gray did cover a wider gap with less money. I guess, sub 80k should be possible here ;)
Hmm... do the contest2 bridges (without using the supports in the middle) automatically count as new L15 records?
(same span, and similar water level :)
BTW: What about wet train solutions for contests? This was not adressed in the rules, right?
(Edited by Calis at 3:40 am on Feb. 23, 2002)
s16: 87278 (Had to re-take it from Genieser

)
s9 - 61536
s12 - 67364
s11 - 97328
Triangle spamming rox0r
(Edited by falkon2 at 9:14 pm on Oct. 25, 2001)
That doesn't matter anymore

S16 - 91957 wOOt
I dunno... Gray, are you claiming that as a record?
s03: 15928 (mod of Chillum's bridge)
s12: 51348
(Edited by Gray at 8:09 pm on Sep. 11, 2002)
How do you make level 4+5 so cheap?
I've just made level 6 with 26784$
s10 - 44928
There HAS to be a way to beat s6's current score =(
I think I should re-build it 'in' the real level 15, but until then, I reserve all rights on that bridge

Update: It doesn't work on S15 because of the terrain being more restrictive. It seems Oggy's bridge could work though, since it has a different structure.
(Edited by Gray at 3:59 pm on Feb. 25, 2002)
s12 - 59056 and I'm back on the list again...don't expect it to be updated for a while ;->
(Edited by Chillum at 3:13 am on Nov. 3, 2001)
s07: 31899
s13 - 56814
s15 - 93322
(Edited by Gray at 4:25 am on Nov. 4, 2001)
s15 - 86725 (based on Oggy's Contest2 bridge)
s10: 42990
s13: 53289
I've reproduced the level 1-3 scores. All work with 0 delay. I think clean bridges also have to be as realistic as possinle (as stated on my BB records page
here). This means the � L3 solution gets disqualified, because it lets the train touch the water.
BTW, the L1 solution was first announced by Falkon2 in my forum, so I think you should credit him for it.
Do we validate 'em somewhere ?
(Edited by VRBones at 8:50 am on Oct. 19, 2001)
I'm assuming when CR make official tables, they'll deal with validation - is that the case CR? Until then, unless someone volunteers to check em, we'll just have to go on trust.
On the subject of the train touching water, personally I think this should be allowed, but how does everyone else feel?
Gray, I knew I'd seen that score before but I didn't know whose it was, thanks for that.
Oh, and:
Level 6: 29476
s11 - 51148
s12 - 62728
On the subject of the train touching water, personally I think this should be allowed, but how does everyone else feel?
Letting the train touch the water drastically changes what you can get away with as you can use it to 'brake' the train, thus eliminating undesired wobble etc. If you're counting no breaks, I'd count no water touches either. That said there should be a no-holds-barred section too ;)
s15 - 93968
s16 - 115416
(Edited by Gray at 12:47 pm on Oct. 27, 2001)
This is disgustingly unfair, because I only received my legalised account today, and I HAVE THE EXACT SAME SCORES FOR LEVELS 2 AND 3 AS STATED ON THE BOARD =), And now, I'm left with the measly level 1 score which anyone can build.
But anyway, I'll be nice and not make a lot of fuss about the scores, since I'm such a nice insane gentleman (who coincidentally is both insane and nice, without being to overly repetitive about repetition and all that digressing crap) and all, but anyway, back to the scores.
I think wet bridges should be allowed, more than a few of the records are wet bridges, and the map pack second level cannot be solved without the water touching the train anyway (No matter how slightly the bridge deforms, the train goes for a swim)
s4 clean - 21424
Edit: Exact score as Gray for level 5 as well (why am I not surprised? =P)
And:
s6 clean - 27348
s8 clean - 43262
s11 clean - 52064
s16 clean - 118204 (Not going to last though, so I thought I'd just give Gray something to beat =) )
(Edited by falkon2 at 1:12 pm on Oct. 19, 2001)
s4 - 20478
s5 - 25188
s7 - 32568
s15 - 93868
Must commend Dreadnough on 6... Simple idea yet effective =) (I got an identical score, so if you hadn't gotten that record, I would have)
Oh yeah, Gray is amazing inspiration =) =) =)
(Edited by falkon2 at 9:35 am on Oct. 28, 2001)
s01 - 6522
Mainly for the reason I can't be bothered to change the list to rule them out, I'm gonna leave the "wet train" scores in there ;-)
falkon2 (and jcbuff), I'm giving you shared credit for levels 2 and 3. This is just a temporary unofficial list, when the real one gets going whoever runs it can make a decision about that.
I'm beginning to regret ever starting this #### post!
Don't wanna doubt your skills, Falkon, just for correctnesses sake: I think you should note which of your bridges are based on mine... I'll do the same as necessary. I even think that generally using something like "Gray & Falkon2" in such cases would be best...
(Edited by Gray at 8:56 pm on Oct. 28, 2001)
Chillum, is 6522 using bugs? Using bugs, I can get s01 under 6000 clean...
4: 21362
You're lucky I'm going to bed now
s4 is directly based on yours =P
It depends.. it uses slanted deck, do you count that as a bug? I think of it as a feature...
It doesn't involve deleting/replacing any deck steel, I got it under 6 thou that way too. Let's discuss this in the 'clean bridge' thread?
[edit] I've changed the score table while this is being discussed [/edit]
(Edited by Chillum at 12:38 am on Nov. 5, 2001)
s15
86066
10. 46788
12. 67468
(Edited by VRBones at 9:04 pm on Oct. 19, 2001)
s16 - 114428
OK, let's discuss it there...
Considering the record itself, I claimed it earlier (on ICQ), on Oct. 23, just after we found the bug (mendel (and maybe also Falkon2) can prove it)... really easy

(Edited by Gray at 3:53 pm on Nov. 5, 2001)
s5: 24478
s4- 20978
This is like the game of Snatch from Tom and Jerry!
s16 - 111996
Your word is good enough for me

I'll change the list again again!
s12: 53396 (clean by anyone's standards)
Quote: from falkon2 on 1:48 pm on Oct. 19, 2001
I think wet bridges should be allowed, more than a few of the records are wet bridges, and the map pack second level cannot be solved without the water touching the train anyway (No matter how slightly the bridge deforms, the train goes for a swim)
Not if you arch the bridge up. But on some levels isn't it automatically a dirty bridge? (ex. any one that uses a plug to fit across the river.)
Sorry to butt in...
s16 - 110416
Yay! I'm back on my list! :-D
From my icq logs: Gray 22 Oct, 20.40 CEST: level1 : 5284 clean auf hard

))
Gray 23 Oct, 18.12 CEST: eigentlich nur 6522, mit dem snap-bug, aber es geht auch 5284 wenn man das steel austauscht, hab ich gestern nicht realisiert
(just for the record)
Not translated because only the numbers matter, and it's a mixture of German and English anyway, "snap-bug" refers to making a crooked deck by getting the deck to snap to a joint that is slightly off, and "steel austauscht" means exchanging deck steel for light steel (which it has been decided would be cheating). CEST= GMT+2.(Edited by mendel at 10:05 am on Nov. 18, 2001)
I have a question, how are you guys getting level 15 so cheap? I have played with a couple of designs and they are all way over the 80 grand price that is upr right now.
Master Scores List (Just so you folks know it exists. Bookmark it =)
(Edited by falkon2 at 6:56 am on Oct. 31, 2001)
s15 - 91982
Try looking at Oggy's Contest 2 bridge...
S16 = 108528 (Just to kick you of the list again. ;)
(Edited by Dreadnough at 6:08 pm on Oct. 31, 2001)
Gh3y Bridges alert!!!
s08 - 43072
s10 - 43672
I'm more than a little late for joining this discussion, but:
s3 16741.
This is a 'wet' bridge.
I've replicated the records for levels 1, 2 and 6, but I'm generally having troubles getting even close on the rest.
mendel, can you put that in English please?
Great to see a new face in here! :biggrin:
I can't figure out how you got 16741... but I did figure out how to get:
s3 - 16678 (also a wet bridge)
Keep trying though!
(by the way, you can look at a lot of the record bridges here).
s12: 58250
I want some new levels :-(
Another wet one:
s14: 46250
Been struggling with this level for ages.. finally... :biggrin:
My L3 bridge is very similar to yours - but instead of the vertical struts going nowhere, I had one cable on each side (i.e. asymmetric) from the anchor to the central support.
Record tables and bridges can be found at
http://pontifex.phantomtech.info/(Edited by Chillum at 1:36 am on Sep. 9, 2002)
Two more:
s09: 60958
s11: 48156 (with a tip of the Hatlo hat to Genieser!)
Are these on hard with 0 links broken? That seems to be the standard "acceptance test" for this board.
I'm sure all the ones up to level 10 are. Some of the others may be dirty, but I expect those to be beaten pretty rapidly (I just wanted to get this thread started).
All prices are done on hard, 0 broken link, and all 4 passes.
1. 6596 (I don't think this number can be improved on)
2. 14308 (This required thinking "out of the box")
That's a coincidence... I had a level 2 bridge for 14308 exactly and I thought it was clean at first, but when I tested it a few more times it fell to bits :-O
Did you give it time to settle before you ran the train over, or run it over straight away?
(to do that I hit pause, reset, run train then hit pause again to get things moving)
Quote: from Chillum on 3:20 pm on Oct. 17, 2001
That's a coincidence... I had a level 2 bridge for 14308 exactly and I thought it was clean at first, but when I tested it a few more times it fell to bits :-O
Did you give it time to settle before you ran the train over, or run it over straight away?
(to do that I hit pause, reset, run train then hit pause again to get things moving)
Crap, this is wierd, I just ran the exact same design on my pc at home (P3-750) and on the 4th and final run a single link broke... but at my PC at work (P2-400) it cleared all 4 passes without a single break! I wonder if the CPU speed affects the velocity of the train which in turn affects the stresses on the bridge.
I wonder if there's some kind of random element involved, so that each time you run the test it's slightly different?
I've noticed some odd stuff happening, like completely symmetrical bridges snapping links on just one side when they "settle".
Well as you notice the bridges are dynamic, therefore depending on when you click "run train" the effect will be different.
p.s. You beat me in every level exept for:
9. 99760
12. 91496
14. 67188
Here are my scores that beat the ones already posted...
4. 26788
6. 36734
9. 72868
(why am I so far ahead with this one? it's not special)
12. 86144
14. 57864
15. 102912
ouch...! you guys killed me on 16. My best on it so far is 177824. I'd like to see your bridges for that one!
of course these bridges all have 0 busted links on hard.
--edit--
Okay, I see why I did so badly on 16... that's where I decided to try my hand at arch building. Let's see what I can do from scratch.
(Edited by King at 9:57 am on Oct. 18, 2001)