How Scores are Calculated
In general, points are earned by finding Solutions while points are deducted when you perform Experiments. This is similar to real life where there is a significant cost for scientific experimentation. The value of points deducted for an Experiment is inversely proportional to the total number of different Solutions for each Quest. So, the cost of an Experiment is less when the number of Solutions you have to find is greater. If Running Time is selected as a Scoring Mode, points are also deducted for time passing (after an initial threshold is exceeded.) Scoring with No Time and Fixed Time behave the same way until the Fixed Time limit is reached (at which point the Final Score is automatically locked in.) Scoring with No Time continues until the user decides to lock in the Final Score.
The number of points earned for each new Solution depends on what percentage of the total possible Solutions have been entered so far. Points awarded for Solutions are adapted from the Fibonacci sequence* according to which tenth percentile the newest Solution entered falls in. The final tenth percentile of Solutions entered are worth 34 times more than each of the initial three tenth percentiles (see chart on next page.)
To get the best score, you want to find as many of the Solutions as possible. A perfect score is 89,000 points in every Quest.That would be achieved by entering all the different Solutions with no deductions for experiments or passing time. The actual points awarded for finding all the Solutions in each tenth percentile of the total possible are as follows:
10% - 1,000
20% - 1,000
30% - 1,000
40% - 2,000
50% - 3,000
60% - 5,000
70% - 8,000
80% - 13,000
90% - 21,000
100% - 34,000
Total 89,000
Happy Hunting
The Fibonacci sequence is 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34.. n where the value of the nth term = the sum of (n-1)th term + (n-2)th term. It is a fundamental relationship expressed in the natural laws governing growth in many living systems.