HN Explorer

60 comments

[ 2.3 ms ] story [ 117 ms ] thread
an1sotropy
This is mysteriously compelling.
iambateman
Heh, thanks.
an1sotropy
But why 5.5? I think 2*pi would be a better target.
IshKebab
Are you recording the results? Would be super cool to see a distribution of people's first attempts.
cityzen
5.496 checking in
e1ghtSpace
Hey 5.496 this is 5.504, hows it goin' down there?
sticilface
5⃣.5⃣9⃣3⃣

I got 5.593 seconds on my first try in 55thegame.com

freediver
5.517 on third try. That is when you call it good enough.
Jowsey
Haha, 5.525 here, I'll take that and leave before I get too hooked
dev_throw
I like that it makes you estimate half a second rather than a while integer.

One way I manage to consistently get a close score was to count numbers as quickly as I could and see how many I would need to count to get to 5.5s and got mighty close a few times.

forgotusername6
I had more success with counting to 11 (in half seconds) 5.502 was my best there
Macuyiko
First try:

> You got 5.523 seconds. Aaand just like that, you went over.

I think that is good enough.

addajones
5.499 that’ll do it for me :))
jensenbox
I suspect in about 5.5 hours from now someone will post a one-liner js that automates this.
poiuyytrewq
document.querySelector('div.button').click(); setTimeout(() => { document.querySelector('div.button').click(); }, 5500);

=> tweak the 5500 to your fitting

jensenbox
Is there a way to bypass even trying and write a high score to their API?
ddingus
5.20x first try. This could get addictive!
agilob
>You got 5.518 seconds. Aaand just like that, you went over.

on an another second try:

>You got 5.482 seconds. NICE!!!

silisili
Does everyone else picture a watch or clock hand ticking in their head, counting 1 by 1? I got 5.45ish pretty consistently. Reading other scores here, it's pretty amazing we're as good at this as humans.
sudhirj
I use a vocal click like a metronome, three clicks to a second. Can do it with my mouth closed, of course. Got 5.3 seconds.
kurthr
The bulb flickers at about 1/3 of a second in my browser.
bemmu
That’s clever, never thought to use anything faster than a second for mental counting.
Stamp01
I pulled up a metronome web app in another tab and set it around 23 bpm. And it still took me about an hour to hit 5.5.
marak830
I count 1-one thousand 2-one thousand
carrychains
As a child I was taught to count out 1 one thousand, 2 one thousand, 3 one thousand... I used a clock to set my cadence the same day that I received this instruction, and I've recalibrated a couple of times since. 5.25 first try. 5.44 second try.
[deleted]
(comment deleted)
ITI03
You got 5.503 seconds. Aaand just like that, you went over. oh well
marak830
5.198, meanwhile my first was 2.5 hahaha
frenchwhisker
I resent that 5.501 is a possibility.
caterama
5⃣.5⃣

I got 5.5 seconds on my sixth try in 55thegame.com

---------

Came here expecting to see more wins... I'm surprised! Oddly, I'm not seeing three digits of precision in my browser though, so maybe something isn't quite right over here.

croon
I wonder if it's universal to feel time moves faster because your perception of a unit gets slower, and when it runs slower than observable time you wonder where time went.

In school we did this at relaxation in gym class, lay down and count to 60 and sit up, and I did it at 59.

Now when trying to play this game I noticed that 5 seconds in my head is consistently 5.8s (+/- 20ms). I just need to flip the switch at what I think is 4.74s.

Izikiel43
Almost

5⃣.5⃣1⃣2⃣

I got 5.512 seconds on my twelfth try in 55thegame.com

fractalb
Got. 5.501. And it went over like that.
ollifi
That slow flip on animation drives me nuts! It should be skeuomorphic all the way and flip on instantly.
arthurcolle
I thought this was deliberate as a heartbeat control
alexdbird
5⃣.4⃣4⃣7⃣

I got 5.447 seconds on my first try in 55thegame.com

And I’m going to quit while I’m ahead!

xlii
That's some great game design. Of course in hindsight it's "doh, anyone could do this", but no one did. Simple rules, easily understandable goal, minimal interaction. Now, fast, mobile 0.99$ release and rake in those dollars.
neurostimulant
> Now, fast, mobile 0.99$ release and rake in those dollars.

Obviously, a free, ad-laden mobile games with cooldown lock in-between the button press is the way to go. Skip the cooldown by buying some credits / coins / gems. Also, sell some button skins for more profits.

xlii
Evil, but unfortunately true.
mrb
For those wondering:

  setDisplayMessage() {
  switch(true) {
  case(this.difference <=1000):
    return 'Looks like you basically have no idea how long 5.5 seconds is.';
  case(this.difference <=2000):
    return 'I mean, you can do better. :D';
  case(this.difference <=3000):
   return 'You are getting the hang of it. Sort of.';
  case(this.difference <=4000):
   return 'As they say, it could have been worse.';
  case(this.difference <=5000):
   return 'Super close!';
  case(this.difference <=5250):
   return 'DOH! You almost had it.';
  case(this.difference <=5375):
   return 'Great score!!!';
  case(this.difference <=5499):
   return 'NICE!!!';
  case(this.difference <=5500):
   return 'YOU DID IT YOU DID IT YOU DID IT YOU DID IT I CAN\'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!';
  default:
   return 'Aaand just like that, you went over.';
  }
colejohnson66
That’s an… interesting usage of a switch block…
smegsicle
elif is for suckers, but a COND by any other name...
Minor49er 

    setDisplayMessage() {
        if (this.difference <= 1000) return 'Looks like you basically have no idea how long 5.5 seconds is.';
        if (this.difference <= 2000) return 'I mean, you can do better. :D';
        if (this.difference <= 3000) return 'You are getting the hang of it. Sort of.';
        if (this.difference <= 4000) return 'As they say, it could have been worse.';
        if (this.difference <= 5000) return 'Super close!';
        if (this.difference <= 5250) return 'DOH! You almost had it.';
        if (this.difference <= 5375) return 'Great score!!!';
        if (this.difference <= 5499) return 'NICE!!!';
        if (this.difference <= 5500) return 'YOU DID IT YOU DID IT YOU DID IT YOU DID IT I CAN\'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!';
        return 'Aaand just like that, you went over.';
    }
elif is for suckers indeed
polyamid23
Got 5.555 on my second try. This is objectively a better score. I won the game.
iambateman
OP here. True story…It was almost called 5555thegame but that felt too confusing.

I feel like you won, anyway. ;)