Chacham's Journal: Verbiage: Bubble Shooter low score (2)

Some more notes on the last entry.

There is a bug that when the only ball left is on the left corner, the screen is considered cleared. This effectively allows a theoretical low score of 10/20 points less. That is, instead of 1540/3080, the score could be 1530/3060, or the (slightly) more realistic 1580/3160. Obviously this is a matter of circumstance, but it does come up where the best move is to ignore that corner to save the 10/20 points.

I was thinking of my rule, "No more then 4 balls can be dropped by the second way," which i still find to be a good method. But, i am missing the point. Since all method 2 balls are scored at 100 points, it is not the individual shot that must be considered for method 2, but the over the entire game.

So, since i am trying to beat 7330, had that been on one ball set and assuming no method 3 drops, the score would be due to 1580 because of method 1, and 5750 because of method 2. IOW, 575 method 2 drops. As long as i could focus on keeping the drop under 575, i would beat that score.

But that isn't the case, because there were ball set changes, and each brought with it (at least) 17 balls on screen. That 17 is subtracted from the 575 for each ball set change to arrive at the actual method 2 drops. However, i do not remember how many ball set changes there were.

To get a better number, i ought to start remembering amount of ball set changes per game when the score is about 7 or 8 thousand points. Then average it to get the average amount of method 2 drops per ball set change. Finally, use that number as a guide for how many drops should be "allowed" per ball set (and roll over of unused drops to the next ball set). I should still aim to minimize them, but this would be helpful. As for method 3, they simply cannot be depended upon, as their rarity makes them mostly inconsequential.

I'm thinking about this too much, but if it makes it more fun, why not?