
Show HN: Four Seconds – try and stop a timer at exactly 4 seconds - andreiantonescu
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/four-seconds/id1280965840?ls=1&mt=8
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andreiantonescu
For those interested, I've put a medium story about how I built Four Seconds:
[https://medium.com/@andreitonescu/four-seconds-the-story-
of-...](https://medium.com/@andreitonescu/four-seconds-the-story-of-how-i-
released-my-first-game-c0570ccf0b5e)

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ddingus
This was among the first digital watch games identified and played in my young
peer group.

Variations:

Shortest start, stop time. 0.07 to 0.12 were the non, "got lucky on a glitch"
times possible on an ordinary SEIKO or CASIO watch back then. Done by double
tapping the button on a desktop.

Hit exactly X seconds.

Using "lap" function, which froze a running display for viewing while timer
continue to run in background, hit exact seconds, X times in a row, Y misses
allowed. Highest number wins. This was one of the more fun ones. Practice made
for higher scores and a zen like state. Anyone could play, unlike short time
which showed us some people were just faster than others period. No fun.
Anyway, on that one, we usually did "three strikes and you are out!" Anyone
hitting the first second, or two, dead on had a clear advantage.

Variation on that was just hit an exact second, wait as long as you want
between attempts. That is a different game. Both fun, and interesting to
middle schoolers with no cell phones or Internet.

Digression:

So, having mastered timer fun, we used the timers to time various things.

One ended up being, of all things, thumb tack spinning. Turns out, the nice,
stainless steel, thumb tacks featuring a smooth, non plated, metallic top were
excellent candidates.

The game was simple, spin the tack, and stop the timer when the tack no longer
moves. At first, this was seconds. Honestly, people got tens of seconds,
approaching a minute, depending. I remember being surprised at that!

Using rough surfaces, people would hone the point of the tack, and look for
tacks formed in such a way as to be very well balanced. The machines do not
always place the shaft well. But, in a group of tacks, there are always a few
near dead center. Those are the candidate tacks.

To spin them, we held them low, near a smooth surface, such as glass, or a
polished table or desktop. The polished tile floors were great places to do
this, of course the morning after cleaning.

A finger snap type motion, along with a gentle lift up would send the tack
spinning rapidly to land on the surface. The lower one could get the release,
and the faster the spin, the longer the time. Better tacks made for much
longer times.

When a tack was well balanced and given a fast spin, it would often just stand
there, as if balanced right on the tip, motionless.

Funny the things people will remember. Your fun little game brought those
back. Thanks!

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rahimnathwani
"When a tack was well balanced and given a fast spin, it would often just
stand there, as if balanced right on the tip, motionless."

I've never tried this, and I'm going to buy some thumb tacks soon just so I
can!

"A finger snap type motion"

You've just reminded me that when I was a kid and playing games that involved
spinning coins, all the other kids would spin a coin by keeping it vertical
between the table and one finger, and then flicking it with another. But my
habit was to hold the coin between two fingers (either with the bottom of the
coin on the table, or with my palm facing up, a foot above the table), and do
a finger snap motion before releasing the coin.

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ddingus
You should!

I have fond memories flooding back. A small group of us, bored as all get out,
just doing what we could think of to do.

Was such a different time.

Anyway, yeah I was best with thumb and index finger, back of wrist right
against the surface. Snap, with just a touch of lift to pull hand out of the
way.

Have fun, don't forget to work the tip. LMAO

I never could do the coin that way. And some people can snap bottle caps,
sending them off like little frizbees.

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andreiantonescu
Got this game idea while I found myself routinely trying to stop a timer at a
'round' value while at the gym. \--
[http://foursecondsgame.com/](http://foursecondsgame.com/)

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theli0nheart
Love it! Super fun, thanks for making this!

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andreiantonescu
Thank you for trying it out!

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newsbinator
This is surprisingly fun (and a simple concept!).

