What's in a Streak?

Scott Hardie | July 1, 2005
Since I have gotten several emails asking how streaks work and why only Amy has such a big one going, I thought I'd offer a more public response. (I should probably put this somewhere on the GOO section of the site, shouldn't I?)

A streak is the number of goos that you have guessed correctly in a row, not to be confused with the number of correct guesses you've made in a row. In other words, if you miss a goo by not guessing at all, that breaks your streak. Amy's current streak extends so far because hers was the only one not wiped out by the Miyû Sawai goo (as if getting a Golden Imelda wasn't reward enough). So, for the record, a streak is extended by each correct guess, and a streak is wiped out by both an incorrect guess and the expiration of a goo that you did not guess.

The only strategy I can offer for building a longer streak is that, when you're going to guess several goos at once, first guess the ones about which you're not certain, then guess the ones you know for sure. That way, if your streak is ruined by the iffy ones, at least you can start building with those few certain ones. I'm sure other authors can provide streak-building strategies, but I'm not sure how many of them would be willing to share any. :-)

On the subject, I made a clerical error with the streaks of Mike Eberhart and Steve West when I restored the streak system a couple of weeks ago. Both numbers are fixed now. (Thanks again to the player who pointed it out.)

Mike Eberhart | July 12, 2005
So, if your statement is correct, "If you miss a goo by not guessing at all, that breaks your streak", Shouldn't Amy's current streak of 36 be wiped out back to 1 along with everyone else that didn't make a guess at that Black Sabbath goo? Just trying to understand, because if not guessing maintains your streaks, then on the really hard ones, I won't make a guess just to make one. Thanks for whatever clarification you can provide.

Scott Hardie | July 13, 2005
I apologize for the confusion. My statement was correct, but my code was faulty, failing to wipe out anyone's streak at midnight like it was supposed to do. I think I have it fixed now – at least, I hope so, because it was a pain in the ass to manually adjust everyone's current streak and I sure don't want to do it again. If you have any doubt that your number is right, please let me know.

Amy Austin | August 18, 2005
Hey, Scott... not to be a pest, but when are you going to program the streak feature to keep correct tabulations on its own? I mean, it's got to be less of a chore than manually correcting all of them when necessary, right?

As I said before -- when a week-long absence drew my attention to a noticeable change -- I didn't ordinarily used to pay that much attention to these things... but now that I'm noticing everyone *else's* unbroken streaks, I can't help but find myself wondering if a) you've gotten any more concerned e-mails from all those streak-conscious players who had noticed on my behalf earlier in the round, and also b) if Aaron's last Imelda wiped everyone's streak as it should have then, too... oh, wait -- that was the same time, wasn't it. So yeah... is anyone else noticing it now?

(edit): I just re-read Scott's last and realized that the situation was already thought to have been remedied -- guess it isn't fixed after all... sorry.

Scott Hardie | August 18, 2005
Fixed (again).

Mike Eberhart | August 19, 2005
I noticed it wasn't fixed, but I was the one that brought it up the last time. I didn't want to be the same person that brought it up again.

Amy Austin | August 19, 2005
S'cool. "S'gooood!"

Scott Horowitz | August 19, 2005
Damn, I thought this thread was about running naked down the road....

Scott Hardie | August 25, 2005
The game has gotten so competitive that I could probably require players to do that in order to win and several would attempt it. :-)

Amy Austin | August 25, 2005
I'll concede first.

Scott Hardie | August 25, 2005
Wow... You mean there are circumstances under which you'd actually concede victory? Then maybe Scott has a miniscule reason for hope after all. :-)

Amy Austin | August 25, 2005
Hey, I'm not even winning right now -- Russ & Jerry are kicking my ass! It's not like I've got the market on victory cornered here, you know...

Mike Eberhart | August 25, 2005
Yeah, but you always seem to pull it out at the end. When the next few Very Hard goos come out, you'll get them and pull back into the lead. You're incredible at that.

You wouldn't run down the street naked... I'd pay to see that... :)

Amy Austin | August 25, 2005
Wow, Mike -- I'd ask "how much?" ...but I think I'm too busy blushing right now! ;-)

Besides that... how the hell would such a thing be verified -- is Scott going to fly to the winner's location (or vice versa) to ensure that the deed is done? Or would the further humiliation of documentation for posterity be required??? Yeah, I'll definitely pass on that.

Mike Eberhart | August 25, 2005
Oh, I'd give you at least $10..... :)

Scott Horowitz | August 25, 2005
Amy, Amy, Amy, why would he need to fly in this day of technology? He could host a live webcast of it :)

Amy Austin | August 25, 2005
That's fucked up... on both counts. ;-)

Mike Eberhart | August 26, 2005
What??? Is $10 too much? :)

Amy Austin | August 26, 2005
Okay, now you're just being plain old mean... :-( :-p ;-)

Scott Horowitz | August 26, 2005
Mike, be a real sales man... $9.99

Scott Hardie | September 1, 2005
This same damn section of code has failed for the fifth time: Several players had their streaks erased overnight who had guessed Patton and FSM correctly. I fucking give up; I don't have any time for this right now. I have temporarily deactivated the streak info and will restore it in the next few weeks when I can fix the math again.

I've been meaning someday to allow players to look up the total record of their streaks from start to finish, and in the process of generating all that text for display, the script would also correct the numbers in the database. Maybe I should fast-track that project.