I would like to suggest an evolver mode in Foldit puzzles that even players not in groups can do.
It could work as follows:
In the saved structures menu, there could be an option called "random" that would let the Foldit site
pick an initial structure at random based on all the structures all players have explored so far.
The Foldit site could pick these structures from parts of the parameter space that need more exploration.
If the user can improve enough on the given initial structure, the user gets on the evolver score board.
I suppose if the user doesn't like the given initial structure,
the user can click on "random" again until a suitable initial structure is chosen.
Perhaps Foldit could limit the initial structures to ones below a certain score level
so that a lucky user won't get dealt the best-scoring structure so far using the "random" button.
Something like random all-hands? +1 from me :D
Sounds like a neat idea. I'll second that.
Creators of the original models should be able to opt-in to share each solution of each puzzle individually. If not opted in their solutions should not be shared. Basically this would be 'share with world', as in 'share with only myself' or 'group'.
I like the opt-in (share structures) or opt-out (don't share structures) idea.
There could be several modes for it:
(1) Opt-out for the present puzzle (default).
(2) Opt-in the next series of structures for this puzzle until further notice.
(3) Opt-out the next series of structures for this puzzle until further notice.
(4) Opt-in all structures so far for this puzzle.
(5) Opt-out all structure so far for this puzzle.
(1)-(5) above could even be combined with a score cutoff (6) to further restrict what is shared:
(6) Opt-in for scores below and opt-out for scores above a certain user-set number.
If the sharing status of a structure changes, it will only affect what structures
users have access to when they press the "random" button in the future.
It won't suddenly pull the rug out from under someone who has already found a way
to evolve a previously-shared structure.
Another idea is that when the "random" button presents a shared structure, it doesn't say where the structure came from. It could have come from the best Foldit player or the worst Foldit player. This way a player can't just keep hitting the "random" button until a structure shared by one of the best Foldit players or groups appears. It will be more like buying things at a flea market. The player will have to be more discerning in what he/she chooses to evolve.
The "random" button could also sometimes present truly random structures that weren't shared by anyone. The "random" button could also sometimes tweak, mix together, or slightly scramble structures that people shared as a way to get more diversity of structures.
Hopefully the "random" button would filter the shared structures enough so as to offer ones in scoring ranges that would appeal to users but still be a challenge to evolve.
Another idea for the "random" button is that the structures it deals out for a particular puzzle could depend on structure scores a particular user already has access to. Moreover, the higher the score a user has already earned on their own or has access to via shared Group structures, the higher the score the "random" button is allowed to deal out to them.
Their would be a (default) "Public Domain Team" which would be the default temporary team of all players in this situation . I suppose that it would be a little bit discouraging for existing teams, but may be also chalenging, because this Public team would quickly be the first !
Now, what happens if player of a team decides to take a puzzle from this Public team? He/she would be in 2 teams? Yes exceptionally. The player could be ranked 2 times in Evolver for this puzzle. One time with a label of his team, one time with the label "Public team" (or no label), competing against himself (like he does between soloist and evolver). If you do not implement this, there will be a strong incentive to abandon existing teams to go public !
To be fair with existing teams, the following would caracterize this public team:
-all remains on public domain (no "Group" chat, only Puzzle chat and Chat Global)
-the team evolver solutions are not available to go public (only soloïst solutions can be used, only one shot, no evolution on public evolver solution)
For science, it would be better not to use "random" neither to limit to smallest scores, but on the contrary to let the soloists to start from top scores of all other soloists). Then there is a chance for Foldit to find THE solution of a molecule.
It would then be fair to add something somewhere saying "Starting from XXX solution from soloist player XXX".
Finally, it would be fair for soloist top players to let them decide if they agree or not to share their solution to this public domain. Add then the possibility to share a solution to Public (not only group or myself)
I like especially the first part of your ideas Jeff, not quite sure about the rest, but am wondering if the contributors/soloists who makes the initial offerings that ends up getting the highest set of scores would end up being compensated in some small fashion?
If you can think of incentives to get players to share their structures to make this "random" evolver mode possible, please post them. I'd imagine some players will share their structures even without such an incentive.
Perhaps the Foldit site can keep track of the history of each shared structure and then award points to the original sharer based on what other players accomplish with the shared structure. This could all be done anonymously so the sharer doesn't know who evolved the shared structure, and the evolvers don't know who the original sharer was.
