Friday, July 15, 2011

2011 Ginter Code Live Blog . . . I Wish

Who would have known what great lengths The Codemaster would have gone to this year to preserve his precious secret message(s).

But, by gosh, he certainly has. Let's start with the fact there is an entire 350 card code parallel set to go along with some other key cards and who knows what else. This thing is a monster. I can say that after just 5 days of what I'll call "information gathering" I'm tired. I'm tired mentally more than I'm tired physically.

In the past, it's behooved people to work together, or work in teams, or whatever, but this year, even that luxury has been mostly mitigated. Having one person trying to assemble all 350 cards to play around with is one thing, having two or three or four trying to do it? That's just insanity. Just try keeping track of 350 images of cards yourself, let alone making sure someone else has copies of everything.

And even once you get your arms wrapped around that portion of the code, there's still the fact you need to figure out what to DO with the darn cards.

So, between the code, a 15 month old, and just keeping up with my streaking Brewers I could no more live blog my attempt on the code this year than I could figure out how to solve the deficit crisis. Just fitting in a good 7 hours of sleep each night is challenging and I'm sure there are people that are hitting this thing harder than me (YOU GUYS ARE CRAZY PEOPLE!)

That being said, I've had several other bloggers and code aficionados contact me and I've been happy to talk Ginter Code with everyone and I've even done some trading. So please, feel free. I think everyone could use a little banter during what is likely to be the biggest blowout of a Ginter Code we've seen to date.

7 comments:

  1. So, I made a spreadsheet to help with fitting together what I am assuming is a puzzle. I've filled in all the cards that I own, plus the scans that I've been sent. Obviously, I'm a loooong way from completing the whole thing, but I'm hoping that it'll be easier to piece together a two letter code (representing card sides) than it will shuffling 350 little images.

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  2. There might be something with the Jim Nantz card. Look at the end of the description on the back.

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  3. I managed to compile a database with over 200 cards, including the scans. I only need to find the edges of the puzzle, I would be happy to share my info if that could lead us to break the code. Let me know, and good luck to all!

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  4. Do you think there will be two messages, one black and one gold? Cuz at this point, I'm keeping them separate.

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  5. I still have some scan/card trading to do with ya'll on this. Unfortunately I'm out of town until Sunday night now. I know I know, obsessions can't be put on hold, but I have to.

    calfancam - I still owe you some scans from our trade last night, I passed out before I could correct my scanning snafu.

    On the notes about completing the puzzle, yeah that seems to be the popular theory. Once you hit a critical mass on the 350 you can start playing with it.

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  6. I have a theory that it is a visual perception puzzle of sorts. I am in my BA program and we were discussing the use of visual perception. It just so happens that I am a card collector. When I saw the Ginter code cards the edges reminded me of visual perception puzzles we were discussing in class. Take a look at http://www.scientificpsychic.com/graphics/ and check out the blue-red 3D and the Disappearing Dots examples. With the new 3D craze did anyone try and look at their cards with 3D Glasses? I also noticed the blotchy clouds around the players and wondered if the disappearing dots might fit. I do know that many pictures can be put together to create a larger image. Has anyone thought about these possibilities yet?

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  7. I should just post a picture of what the cards look like when they go together. It would probably make more sense to you in terms of what's going on with it.

    As it is, I'm severely bored anyway.

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