I'm not sure if I'm going to keep that video, though... the quality isn't that great, I keep looking off camera, and the cuts are not quite as smooth as they could be. Oh well. My motivation for getting it posted quickly rather than waiting to be able to make a better video was because I really just wanted to get my immediate thoughts and responses on the puzzle. There really isn't all that much on the Master Skewb on YouTube, and most of it is really just unboxing videos and videos displaying the puzzle; not many people have actual reviews on it (and even less have tutorials, but more on that later! :D). So, I decided I wanted to get my immediate, accurate thoughts on it. So, I recorded that video literally seconds after solving it for the third time.
It's actually a really fun puzzle. I'm not as into the Skewb family as I am into face-turning cubes (not that I dislike the Skewb, I just don't really have that many), but I had a lot of fun solving it. It's basically analogous to a normal Skewb as such: the 2x2 is to the 3x3 as the Skewb is to the Master Skewb. That, however, refers to operation only. The solving is not quite like that. The method that I used (which is the only method I was able to find at all, and isn't a video) is basically three steps. The first is to solve the centers and the corners as a normal Skewb. Step 2 uses two algs to cycle three edges either clockwise or counterclockwise. Step 3 uses two other algs to cycle three inner corners either clockwise or counterclockwise. And that's it! Although, it's a good deal more challenging than that makes it sound, simply because you often have to do other turns to make it work, and manipulate the various pieces in various ways. You can view these instructions here.
Anyways, I really do enjoy it. I think with time I'll get more used to the puzzle and it wont seem as challenging or take as long to solve it, and I'm pretty sure I'll figure out faster and more efficient ways to employ Jake's algs. I do plan on making a tutorial video for solving the Master Skewb soon, only because it's so underrepresented on YouTube. Don't worry; I'll be giving full credit for the method to Jake Rueth.
In other cubing related news, I have a new shipment of cubes on the way! It will most likely ship tomorrow. because I ordered it this morning, and for the last few hours it has said that it was "Shipping Soon," so it'll probably ship out tomorrow morning. I got the Free Shipping option, which says it should get here between next Monday and next Thursday, but it's only shipping from Oregon, and I often get orders sooner than it estimates. Anyway, though, I'm sure no one cares about that crap, you just want to know what I'm getting!
1. I'm getting Lanlan 3x3 cube in white. I like Lanlan puzzles a lot, my 4x4 is pretty good, my 2x2 seems pretty good as well, and I've really been impressed with the quality of the 3x3x2 Pie and the Master Skewb, all of which are Lanlan. I also tend to like white puzzles more, and the Lanlan white puzzles seem to be of really good quality. The plastic just has a really nice, shiny finish, it seems like it's pretty tough (rather than being soft and easily scratched), and it turns really smoothly and firmly. The stickers are pretty vibrant too. The only problem is the damn adhesive! But, I don't feel like getting into it now. I talk about it enough in my video.
3. The third thing I'm getting is a Cube4You 3x3x4. I have the C4Y 3x3x7, and while I dislike that it's not proportional (which I'll go further into at some other time), the quality of the cube is really, really good. I was very impressed with it; it turns smoothly and with low friction, it feels solid and well built, and it just is a great puzzle all around (as far as quality goes; while I think the type of puzzle is also great, I'm specifically referring to puzzle quality). It is a little loud, but oh well. And, as I do have the 3x3x1, the 3x3x2, a few 3x3x3's, and then the 3x3x7 (out of order, I know), I figured the 3x3x4 should be the next one. It is also the last one I'll be able to buy that is fully proportional (the C4Y 3x3x5 is cubic, like my 3x3x7, and even the WitEden 3x3x6 I don't believe is fully proportional).
4. Finally, I'm also getting a black Lanlan 4x4, for my brother. I have a Lanlan 4x4, as mentioned, and I really like it. He only has a Rubik's 4x4, and while my Rubik's Revenge is honestly not that bad, his is atrocious. And, the black Lanlan puzzle was a mere $5 and some change. So, I figured that for that price it was a gesture that I couldn't really pass up.So, that about wraps it up (and this is a really, really long post. Wowzers.). The last thing I want to briefly talk about is that I've started converting my friends! One of my Starbucks friends was messing with my cubes one day (putting them into the checkerboard patterns), she gradually hinted that she'd be interested in solving them, so, a few hours later, I had taught her. The next day, she went out and bought herself one. :D. Also, this awesome guy, who's one of my best friends, has been bitten with the bug. He's always seemed interested in my puzzles and such, and so, as a going away present, I bought him his own Cube, and last night I taught him how to solve it. He seems really into it, and I really think he'll take off with it and become a pretty decent cuber. :D.
So, that's it for now. Really. No more. Honest. I'm going to put in the pictures that you've seen above (because they're not there yet), put in the link to my Master Skewb review video (because right now I've just realized that I've forgotten to actually link it), and then do a final proofread.
But, thanks for reading, and have a great one!
Also, here's a fun link to another one of Oskar van Deventer's ridiculously awesome puzzles. Fo rizzle.
No comments:
Post a Comment