Winter / Summer Bash 2022

James Risner

02:20

Down to the wire.

InanimateBeing

05:38

@CodyGray thank you for informing.

I want an advice (from anybody), that I wrote this meta post but is it alright to let question 2 sit there or should I rather delete it as it digresses from the problem so better make it a separate question?

InanimateBeing

08:50

Kindly ignore the above message, it has been solved/resolved.

SPArcheon

09:15

Final hours

InanimateBeing

Yup, stay strong. (lol)

SPArcheon

10:05

BTW, no one found out the trigger for Emperor right?

So, they now only need to not reveal the missing triggers at the end (like they did last year) and... no one will ever discover it a) was bugged and never worked right or b) was actually random with a 0.005% chance of being awarded every time the check runned.

..... mumble....

Dec 20, 2022 at 15:41, by Catija

We really like frustrating the completionists. :P

@Catija just take option b) from my joke above and call it "Gacha SSRU Hat - randomly awarded with a 0.005% chance every time the script runs"...

James Risner

11:03

@SPArcheon we don’t know the trigger but we know the behavior to get it. Take X (where X is some number under 30) questions and remove some number Y (where Y is more than 1) of your comments from the question. Also flag for NLN some number Z (where Z is more than 1) and they be marked helpful. We don’t know the required “more than 1”, it may not be 2. When I did it I think the lowest was 4.

@Catija the trigger for Emperor is compatible with my deceived scenario in the previous chat to SPArcheon above?

U13-Forward

13:07

8 hours away from the end of Winter Bash 2022 :(

Ankit Sharma

13:29

I am fine being 17th place but wanted to get Running Up That Hill

SPArcheon

@U13-Forward quick! someone post a flame on twitter stating that SE is unwelcoming to hat lovers that want to wear hats all year long!

Based on the precedents, it may work....

U13-Forward

A blink of an eye = Winter Bash's Farewell

SPArcheon

@U13-Forward some years ago I actually tried to make my own version. Sadly at the time I didn't really had any valid option for an online free server to store the users hat data so...

and worst part... I lost the source code for what I had done back then.

Ankit Sharma

13:47

So lot of peopel got unicron hat and past chat aboput it is confusing lol

Ginger

._.

Catija

14:02

@JamesRisner You're very close but there's a rule that's causing you to make some incorrect assumptions.

@SPArcheon That's cute. Makes me think of The Book from Hitchhiker's Guide.

Panda

14:24

@SPArcheon wow that's quite cool! I'd wanted to make a feature (on that WB archive site that some may know) for users to apply hats on their profile all year round but that proved to be too much work

@Catija Perhaps there's no need to flag any comments & simply to clear the entire comment thread under x number of my own posts?

SPArcheon

@Panda Disclaimer: I didn't made the CSS pokedex, that was just reusing an UI I got from... Codepen I think. And then Angularjs on top of that.

For a while I actually planned to "remove" the requirement for a server by storing the hat position data as EXIF in the user avatar, before realizing that imgUr would stripe that.

Anyway, after a while I just dropped the idea and then I lost the code too after a format.

Panda

@SPArcheon I see, definitely fits the theme ;)

@SPArcheon I guess the downside of such a tool's that the hat won’t be able to overflow out of the profile pic without the use of any user scripts etc.

SPArcheon

@Panda Wait, you got it wrong.

The idea was that everyone that wanted to see hats would have used the script. The script would then extract the EXIF info from the other users avatars and display the hat accordly

Panda

@SPArcheon Oh I see, that's complicated to implement but it would be fun!

SPArcheon

@Panda has two issues:

first, the script would have to save a new version of your avatar to change the hat. Possible since it would run locally on your browser under your account but... SE only allow changing your picture a limited number of times/day if I am correct.

second and more important, even if you uploaded a picture with some EXIF data... it would be then removed by imgur.

It is still doable if you switch to stenography instead... but... do you really want to implement that in a greasemonkey userscript?

Panda

14:39

Right, using an own server wouldn't help either right?

Since the profile pic can’t be linked to an external server.

SPArcheon

@Panda Well, you could simply use an external server to store the hat placements for each users but back then I didn't had any valid free option

Panda

Tbh having a tool to apply any old WB hats all year around but kept within the dimensions of the profile pic would be a good compromise though it's less fun

SPArcheon

Furthermore, since bastards do exist, that would have needed some sort of authentication, otherwise some idiot would have tried to mess up other users hats placements.

Panda

Indeed sounds way too complicated

SPArcheon

@Panda look... if you really want a little more "fun"... try to identify the names of the script that are currently loaded for WB

if you use greasemonkey to include them on a page... you should be able to still see the hats for at least a few months since they always forget to turn off the api...

the hat wearing popup won't work anymore but the hat display functionality should.

At least.. it did a few years ago when I tried

Panda

14:45

Oh right, sounds plausible /api/current-hats

SPArcheon

Yes, you still need some manual work but if you manage to identify the entry point you should be able to restore the hat display part of WB for a while.

Catija

@Panda no

@SPArcheon Ah, yeah, a pokedex seems like an understandable starting place.

Panda

Well, seems like Emperor and Running will be joining the 6 unresolved secret hats (4 from 2021 and 2 from 2020).

SPArcheon

.... weird, I didn't remember I had posted that in the tavern...

anyway...

^ @Panda these should be your friends if you really want to try.

Panda

@SPArcheon Oh nice

SPArcheon

14:54

probably decaf-soy.hatte is the entry point.

Catija

@Panda Running is one of the unsolved hats from 2021

Panda

@Catija Ooo I assume it’s Cleanup?

Catija

Yeah

Panda

Time to go through the 2021 chat for hints & first-hand experiences posted then ;)

@SPArcheon Nice name lol

in Winter Bash 2021, Jan 5, 2022 at 11:20, by Yaakov Ellis

@AnkitSharma it does involve deleting a comment as one of the actions (honestly, Cleanup and Helping heart are pretty tough to figure out and earn)

@Catija Does Cleanup involve flagging a superfluous comment such as "Thanks", etc. that gets automatically deleted?

Catija

15:10

No

Panda

Well, it sounds like an oddly specific trigger since I understand it only involves comments on just 1 post.

Catija

No

Panda

in Winter Bash 2021, Jan 5, 2022 at 11:02, by Yaakov Ellis

Cleanup relates to activity on a single post. Second hint: only can be achieved on a post you made before WB started. Third hint: does relate to comments

BrianWithAY

Sorry, but this question is driving me bonkers if somebody could please hint me in on where to find its whereabouts: "Term used to mindlessly complete reviews without regards to the actual post's quality?"

Panda

@BrianWithAY Hinted at a few times in this chatroom

@Catija Just curious, were the Spotting Scope and Satellite View hats from last year reused this year?

Catija

15:20

@Panda Yeah - Flagging and Unflagging.

Panda

@Catija Appreciate the confirmation!

Catija

@Panda Ugh, you're going to make me find last year's spreadsheet, aren't you....

Panda

@Catija HAHAHA

Catija

Ah, sorry, Cleanup = Emperor.

Panda

I assume Helping Heart wasn't reused, right? Since none of the Helping series seems to have appeared this year.

Catija

15:23

No. It was just too complex for anyone to ever really figure out.

Panda

I see!

Well, I have no concrete ideas about Emperor (2022) / Cleanup (2021). If anyone else wants to have a stab at the trigger, the most helpful tip to date is:

in Winter Bash 2021, Jan 5, 2022 at 11:02, by Yaakov Ellis

Cleanup relates to activity on a single post. Second hint: only can be achieved on a post you made before WB started. Third hint: does relate to comments

Actually, that's in line with what I did this for Emperor.

Dec 25, 2022 at 2:45, by Panda

^ This appeared to get me the Emperor hat. TOTAL 12 comments: 7 deleted, 5 flagged

Catija

It's much easier for a mod to get :P Which is why I got it first.

Panda

There's a day where 3 mods got Emperor in quick succession lol

SPArcheon

15:40

Still sad that we didn't had a Lum hat/horns.

double-beep

@Catija running = delete (own) comments under 10 own posts? That was the trigger for "This is fine" some years ago

or that guess has already been rejected?

Catija

Lum?

SPArcheon

Lum

Catija

@double-beep No. I poked through the triggers and I don't think we've had a hat with the same trigger as running...

James Risner

16:33

Running is:
For i = 1 to 30 - Ask Catija to confirm "Running is removing all your comments on (i) unique posts of yours"

Catija

No. It doesn't care how many posts are involved.

James Risner

interesting

So it's basically (i) comments on any number of posts from 1 year ago?

s/1 year/the duration before WB/

Catija

(i) comments from >time ago.

James Risner

16:54

pretty sure time ago is 365 days, right?

Catija

17:15

nope

James Risner

can you hint us with i=?

Catija

It's more than 30

Machavity

Winter Bash ends today right?

James Risner

Is time frame in <365 days >90 days?

SPArcheon

@Machavity Be quiet! maybe they will forget.

Catija

17:22

It's probably scheduled, so I'm not sure we'd forget :P

@JamesRisner yes

James Risner

Is I in the range of 31 and 99?

Catija

I'll say we think of things in the sense of months, not specific day count.

SPArcheon

@Catija Your UPS used to plug back to itself (aka "Moebius Ring" topology). pretty sure that if you are still using that company something can still be wrong :P

James Risner

thanks, but I was asking for the count of comments. Bonus hint, yay!

Catija

Oh, yes.

@Machavity 4 pm eastern.

James Risner

17:32

I think I'm going to end with 1 short of Cubed, so close yet so far! ;-)

@Catija to Recap:
Running is delete over 30 and less than 100 comments from posts over 1 month old and less than 12 months old from 12/14/22?

Nike Dattani

@JamesRisner Why can't you write that remaining post?

James Risner

@NikeDattani written, actually three additional questions. All with answers, all sitting at score 0

(got 3 at >0 score, so just need one of the 3 to get +1'd before 4pm) ;-(

@Catija the real thing I need, is whether or not a comment between 8/28/22 and 9/13/22 would count?

Nike Dattani

17:51

@JamesRisner I see! I could look through your recent posts on every site in the network to help you out. Another thing that might help to get those posts attention, would be a bounty (hopefully the questions were asked more than 2 days ago)!

InanimateBeing

Guys, so for everyone due to their different time zones, the Winter Bash would end at different time, that is, after a different duration from now isn't it (Like 1hr,2hr, 3hr, etc.)?

Nike Dattani

@InanimateBeing I believe it ends at 9pm UTC

InanimateBeing

@NikeDattani Should be more than 2 days ago (not just the most recent)?

Nike Dattani

U meaning Universal

InanimateBeing

@NikeDattani Oh! why? why not 11:59:59pm UTC? I just like this better "to complete" -that is ;)

Nike Dattani

17:59

I'm not sure why you are asking me, because I was not the one that made the decision, but I'm assuming that if SE employees working on Winter Bash live in a time zone in which 4pm is a reasonable time to end work, then this could have played a role in the decision on the end time.

InanimateBeing

@NikeDattani Oops sorry for asking you but nice hypothesis.

@Glorfindel is that (supposed to be) a tie?
(Just came back from the leaderboard, where I noticed it)

James Risner

@Catija actually it looks like I should have Cubed Away, does it have a delay timer to check if you should get it? 4 Q and 4 A on 4 separate sites (16 Q and 16 A total)?

Nike Dattani

@JamesRisner That's the correct number of posts. It's not actually a cube:

yesterday, by Nike Dattani

@Catija the problem is that it's (4 questions + 4 answers) x 4 sites, which equals 8 posts x 4 sites which is 32 posts, not 4x4x4 = 64 which would be a cube. 32 is not a cube.

James Risner

I have 4 non-deleted non-zero questions and 4 non-deleted non-zero answers on some other person's question on each of 4 sites. Yet no cubed... yet

Nike Dattani

@JamesRisner I also had at least 9/10 of my flags marked helpful on the same site, all within Winter Bash, but didn't get the hat for it. The flags were accepted yesterday, whereas I obtained a different hat today within minutes of meeting the criteria for it, so it would seem to be a bug.

James Risner

18:10

flagging and unflagging are tricky, since it counts all your flags like NAA, closure, etc. So it a mod handles one of your flags decline in between OR you retract one, all those count for against the 9 of 10

Nike Dattani

@JamesRisner I didn't retract any, and none were declined. Could there be anything else?

James Risner

If you want to guarantee, flag 25 comment "thank you" in back to back (get from a sede query) and wait 10 mins.

I think pending may also count against it.

Nike Dattani

@JamesRisner There's none pending!

James Risner

I was able to get the 23/25 number by demonstrating the thankyou comments reliably get it but I couldn't ever get the precise caveat trigger qualified.

Glorfindel

it's a tie now, yes.

James Risner

18:15

that on meta?

Nike Dattani

only on meta

Glorfindel

yeah, not really trying too hard this year

Nike Dattani

@Glorfindel why not?

Glorfindel

too many other things to do

Nike Dattani

@Glorfindel which was the year in which you tried the hardest?

Glorfindel

18:18

can't remember - I think I ended third or fourth once.

James Risner

So on the Cubed/Squared away, was there a long delay like did they get processed hourly or something instead of every 10 mins?

InanimateBeing

@Glorfindel lol, nice!

Glorfindel

but your guess was right too.

just a different kind of tie

InanimateBeing

18:36

Well, this was my 1st Winter Bash and had a GREAT time!
Got all the hats I really wished to have (honestly, I swear! - got the "Over 9000!" my remaining bucket list kind of hat just today itself :)) ).
I learnt and played and had fun playing the Unicorn game.
Got to show off some of my hats BUT WAIT! There's more :
- #1 MathMeta (smiley with cool spectacles emoji)
- (On) #1 Page on the leaderboard of "SENetwork" (though rank is #17, lol)
Participated in the winterbash hat chat to make some really noob attempts at decoding some hats.

Said it before, but again - Happy new year everyone!
Hope I'm not late because some people said me the same thing on 31st Dec (believe me or not! ;) )
[Really wanted to say this as this joke just popped up, haha]

James Risner

Anyone who has Cubed Away, able say how long it took to notify you that you have it? Looks like I qualify (So, rpg, boardgame, meta) but not gotten and it's been an hour.

Vickel

@JamesRisner its about that, and you have got it :) congrats

James Risner

must have been the last minute or so!!!!!!!!

woot

I've been working on cubed since Dec 14th!

@Vickel thanks!

Vickel

@JamesRisner it is the 2nd most difficult IMO, worst (for me) is the microphone with the diamond in it

which i have no chance to get....

James Risner

@Vickel i'm like 90 away from K Pop!

Vickel

18:50

hahaha

James Risner

And I'm too young of an account for Running, apparently.

pinckerman

19:15

@JamesRisner well done!

James Risner

19:33

@pinckerman Thanks! I'm super excited

CDJB

19:56

@JamesRisner congrats :) in the nick of time! It took mine a while to show up on SO but was within 15 mins or so on the other three sites.

James Risner

@CDJB all my sites took at least and hour and meta took longer than stackover flow. Strange.

Vickel

20:30

30 minutes to go...

James Risner

20:49

I’m gonna so miss my first bash

Catija

:D

Vickel

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ... see you at WB23

Catija

I'm glad you all seemed to enjoy it! Congrats on all the achievements! Only four people managed to get Cubed Away, our four top hat recipients. :)

Machavity

I posted a solution for the Sparkles quest, if you gave up

Vickel

@Catija thanks a lot for being a big part in organizing WB22... now I need to recover 3 weeks of lack of sleep :)

James Risner

21:04

@Vickel you and me both. I averaged 3 hrs/day of non-hat hunting for the first 5 days.

Jesbus

Yay, I'm 6 year in a row hat champion of Ethereum. It ain't much but it's honest work 🧑‍🌾

James Risner

I tried to best you @Jesbus but I was no match ;-)

CDJB

@Catija thanks for putting together a great WB once again. See you all next year for more hat hunting 🎩

Machavity

@CDJB Congrats on winning

3

Catija

:D

We're working on the wrap up blog and the stats page, but it should be out either later today or tomorrow. :)

CDJB

21:15

@Machavity Mostly from standing on the shoulders of the theory-crafters in this room, but thanks 😁

James Risner

@CDJB the theory crafting was definitely more fun than the creating of 32 posts. ;-)

5

DavidPostill

21:53

I didn't make the top 10 overall but I smashed it on Super User being #1 with a margin of 6 hats clear of #2.

Catija

Congrats! :D

U13-Forward

22:42

@Catija Thanks very much for this awesome event!

It's always so addictive, that's why we love Winter Bash.

@Glorfindel Little help for me was getting Cubed, Squared and Gregorio Y. Zara on MSE

pinckerman

23:27

I'm top 30 on SE and #1 on Gaming SE, so nothing to complain :D

Transcript for

Winter / Summer Bash 2022