Ok, I'm going to change that challenge to 3 categories, but increase the required score just a tad. So, it will be much easier to find an eligible game, but a little harder to score credit.

Re: Crystal Ball daily

What are people's thoughts on me making it such that you complete it by either winning OR by making some number of guesses?

Maybe, 15 guesses made, which implies you dropped in for 5 games?

That way, there is a strategic/lucky way to win, and a perseverance way of winning.

Out of curiousity, which category did you add to that challenge type? If it is Average, wouldn't that always be Mixed, and therefore ineligible for the specific topic? Thanks for putting some thought into it, I was just trying to avoid frustration for others, as I felt rather annoyed that I had bad luck that day (not bad design, just bad luck).

As far as the crystal ball idea, I like the idea, but I think 15 sounds a bit low, I would vote for 24 or 25 as the number of guesses, otherwise anyone could get it in a very short time with little effort, and thereby reduce the challenge level. Just my thoughts.

"Out of curiousity, which category did you add to that challenge type"

Category.... as in, "General OR Sports OR Television" rather than "General".

Either that, or we keep Crystal Ball as just a very difficult task, which I don't have a problem with. I'm hearing gripes on day 4 already though, so....

I have no problem with that being a very difficult task. It's been mentioned time and time again, it is not meant to be easy... One should not be able to win every single challenge every single day.


If you do change it, though, 15 is kind of low. If you make your initial guess, plus your additional 5, that's 6 guesses an hour.


To keep it difficult, I'd say at least 30 (that would be playing 5 hours and having to make all six guesses each hour). Of course, it may take more than 5 hours to win this, because sometimes it will be guessed before :45.


But that makes it a bit more lenient, yet keeps it difficult.

How about the alternative to match the first 4 or 5 letters of a CB word with a guess? Might be a tad tougher to check in coding but strikes a good balance between effort and a little luck.

A raw number of guesses could be too easily defeated without much thinking

Crystal Ball isn't for everyone, and as a general rule I hate it. It is also quite difficult to get the word. However... since I got that task during testing I've guessed the word 13 times and am on my way to the next badge. I'd say people should try it out, you never know what benefits the challenges will bring!

That's great, Flopsy!

I agree, people should try it. It's pretty awesome what one can accomplish if you think you're forced to play.


Wes' idea is good, too.

The 4 / 5 letter variant could actually be used to make a medium and a hard of it. Getting 4 is pretty easy if you get to the last minutes of an hour. 5 requires a bit of luck but allows a decent hit chance if you play 4-5 games.

The problem with winning is that it essentially requires to sit out the very specific time at the end of the hour multiple times, waiting for the right moment to strike. Many players can't adhere to this exact attendance requirement and thus have almost no chance at CB.

Not a big fan of the 4/5 letter idea.... just doesn't feel like it changes the challenge much, and adds some complexity to the scoring.

Perhaps this is actually a case where a daily challenge for CB doesn't make sense and it should simply be removed.

Wasn't the idea of difficult to be, well, difficult? I think it is a reasonable challenge. For me, it is more realistic than being at the top of Speed Demon, so it just depends on your skillset. Which seems fair. Not everyone will win every challenge, right?

On the crystal Ball guesses aren't there a total of 6 that can be made in an hour? An initial one in the first 45 minutes then the 5 bonus guesses. So three visits might be 18 guesses, Won't there be trouble (Ah, what you want, difficulty) if the word is guessed in the first 45 minutes all day? To get fifteen guesses you'd have to play all the normal awake hours of the day.

I had this one several times in testing, and only managed to win it once, and that was when I lucked out to be given the win when 12 other people guessed the same word. I had this challenge Day 2 in actually testing, played almost every hour, and still managed zip. I think it can be kept in.

Well I'm not doing anything to it right now. It will remain as it is. There are indeed a number of "difficult" challenges which are extremely tough.

So true...like my one today that requires I earn a badge. I'm trying my hardest at the Achievements. I can so close in Mind Melt! Swapped two of the words in the final section. So close! I don't know how I'm going to do it...I will probably end up scratching it...

I completely agree.

My difficult challenge for the day is to be 1st or 2nd in the Mixed Game.


I am seriously considering using my weekly swap because I will have no chance at winning this one. I don't do well at the game.

So I agree, completely. We all have different skills and you're right, not everyone will win every challenge. So I think it's a good challenge as is.

I think one of the ways to solve the "I really don't like this game" might be to make the GM swap more accessible - allow more uses per week but attach a cost of one credit to the second use, two for the third... (still only once per day of course)

That way, everyone can decide for themselves which are their "absolute hate" games.

If a change was to be made, what about just guessing the word rather than winning the Crystal Ball hourly game? That way, there is a more likely chance of winning the challenge yet it still remains difficult.

As an aside, my difficult challenge is to be 1st or 2nd in the "Who's the Smartest?" game (something I will probably not win), and I originally thought that was the challenge WesleyCrusher was referring to in the FAQ.
"In particular, there is one challenge using the Smartest game that may be very nasty if you receive it late unless you have already played regularly throughout the day."
However, after noticing salami_swami's difficult challenge, I'm thinking otherwise. I'm thinking the challenge in the FAQ is referring to something unique to "Who's the Smartest?" (or at least, more unique than just changing the name of the game and that's it). Then again, it could be it, and what makes this challenge "very nasty if you receive it late" is the fact that this is one of the harder (if not the hardest) hourly games. I'm thinking this challenge is a cumulative total points type challenge. I guess I'll eventually find out.

I think the swap is fine as is. What I think is frustrating people with the challenges the most is that the game is new, and everyone wants to complete all the challenges. No one wants to miss out on the few points that make them lose out on being the first to win an Epic or the first to win one of the badges.

When we first started testing a month ago, I felt a similar way. I wanted to see straight checkmarks on my page at the end of the day every day. As we continued I became less worried about getting all completes and just completed what I could, skipping over the challenges I had no chance on (changing when I could, or just letting them expire). I think when the excitement of the new game winds down, and people settle in, they won't be so concerned about not being able to finish every single challenge. Afterall, the difficult ones were designed to not have a 100% success rate...

Amen! Hallelujah! I think you hit the jackpot here. That is the reason, I am sure of it.

I felt the exact same way as well, but as time went on, I didn't mind missing one every now and again. I think people will cool off. I agree, it's discouraging to see a challenge you cannot win, but such is life. Not every challenge fits every individual.

To tweak all the challenges to please everyone is silly. I think the challenges are fine the way they are. They are all great, and doable (though some might be impossible for players, but hey, can't win'em all).

Honestly, I think kaddarsgirl is completely correct. People just want their own challenges to be easier. I know I felt that way. I, today, am going to have to live with not winning the difficult, or using my one swap (which should remain as one swap) a week.

Exactly right! Everything should be difficult but doable (even if it's once in a blue moon). I play golf a lot, and on my home course there is a par four of 349 yards which I can get very close to most time with a good drive. I've reached the green once in the last ten years, and the satisfaction that gave was indescribable. If it was a bit shorter and reachable quite often, it would cease to be a proper challenge and hence less enjoyable in the long run. So for me, everything as it is seems fine!

I love the analogy, surdoux.

You're right, if we make things too easy and there is no challenge, what's the fun in winning? The winning comes from, not the reward in the end, but the journey one takes to get it. The FunTrivia treasure is this way. I liked the actual hunt far more than the badge.

If everything was always easy for us to win, this game would soon become a not-so-fun-to-play game.




Also, a bit off topic...
1,113 challenges have been won today. That means the interest is there. That's exciting news.

I haven't been successful in every task so far. I personally feel some of them SHOULD be nearly impossible (for me, doesn't mean they're impossible for better players). For instance, yesterday I had the crystal ball task and for some weird reason won it. The fact that I won it would not change my opinion - which is that you have 24 (x5) chances to do so and if you don't? So what? It's NOT A RACE lol. Today my difficult task is to score in the top 3 in a Global Challenge section. I don't think I've ever been on the first page, never mind the top 3 lol. As always, I have the choice of NOT playing, or giving it a go, or swapping it out since I'm a gold member. Shrugs. It's a great game so far and (I can't believe I'm saying this lol) actually agree with Salami on certain points lol.

And Surdoux? You're adorable and very funny : )

As soon as I completed the treasure hunt I wish I hadn't. The accomplishment felt so good after month of hard work and clue collecting. It was a bit depressing though to see the clues flash on the top of the screen and not have to check my list or add a new one or even read it. I wish there had been a second hunt to complete that became available after the first, so I'd have something to work toward. These Daily Challenges are very similar in that respect, and that's really why I love them. Something new every day. Luck in getting an Epic. Collecting all the flags. Bam! New gorgeous badge to add to my profile! Though I serious expect this trek to last much longer than my 2 month treasure hunt did.

Hey, whoa now, why are you surprised to agree with me? lol.

You mentioned an important fact, it's not a race. This game is designed to be a challenge against yourself. If you lose out on a few challenges, or have a vacation and don't do them for a while, so what? You'll pick up where you left off. In Global Challenge, missing a few is detrimental. Here, it's no big deal.

I like that aspect of this challenge. It's your own challenge. If you fail, nobody else has to even know. It's all you, and you're competing against no one. I like these daily challenges a lot.

Much, much longer. You don't even know how long

Well it will take at least a year to get the 200 badge...especially with challenges I can't complete...and then I know there's more after that...I am really looking forward to playing them everyday!

I think even after I've won all the badges, there'll be motivation to complete the challenges (or try to!), and it'll be good for getting me playing games I neglect more. It's a fantastic addition to the site and I'm glad for it.

I will personally always have this motivation...

I want to eventually have more challenges completed and more credits than anyone on the site. :-P

Never miss a challenge, or, at least, never a full day, similar to dabomb and the busride. ;-)