Focus on axis orientation. One of the things I can see between a complete neophyte and someone semi-competent in cubing is their ability to maintain puzzle orientation during a solve. If you're randomly rotating the puzzle around you're probably not keeping track of pieces or your algorithm.
Welcome to the world of shape shifters. I have a similar mastermorphix, fanxin prism and axis cube. You need to rotate the centerpiece to its proper position and rearrange the side pieces and then the corners. My sequence is starting around the first center and solving layer by layer. And remember, it's still a 3x3.
Also the Mirror Axis Cube is fun - you can run into center orientation problems that are of a different nature. But you can also simulate this by solving the normal Axis Cube simply into shape and completely ignoring the colors.
In general the Mastermorphix line is awesome. Especially the 4x4 and 5x5 versions are a lot of fun and introduce some new challenges.
There are a ton of other 3x3 shapemods, but most of them don't introduce something new. I'd look for puzzles that include
center pieces needing to be oriented in a certain way,
multiple identical pieces and
pieces that look solved no matter the orientation are in.
Those puzzles will present new challenges and I found it to be a lot of fun trying to understand how to solve those and also understanding why it is even happening.
I saw a couple meffferts puzzle in a store recently but hesitated to buy because the older meffferts puzzles I have are unstable. Also because the ghost puzzles are hard
I really enjoy my 3x3, 4x4 and 5x5 mirror cubes. Windmill, Fisher and Axis cubes are also fun. Yesterday I received a 4x4 windmill cube - which is a bit challenging.
The centers do rotate obviously but if you have all the pieces in the right place, the top center should be solved at the end. It’s the same as a picture cube. Maybe it doesn’t happen to me because I do beginners method for ghost cube?
No, I don’t believe that. When I do the last layer, I solve the edges first in relation to the center, then I solve the corners. That way the center is correct every time. I have never once had this happen and I’ve done way too many solves for it to be luck.
I never thought of it as anything other than a 3x3. I have no idea how you can tell if the pieces are oriented or permuted correctly without using the center as a reference.
Maybe it doesn’t happen to me because I do beginners method for ghost cube?
The method itself doesn't matter too much. It's more about if the algs you use are center safe (= do not change the orientation of center pieces) or not. Many algs taught in beginner's methods are center safe, but not all of them.
When I do the last layer, I solve the edges first in relation to the center, then I solve the corners. That way the center is correct every time.
Orienting all the centers without relying on the above mentioned algs / intuitive methods
For example if you use a layer by layer beginner's method you can already intuitively orient 5 of the centers during the cross step. Using standard insertion techniques for the corners of the first layer and the middle layer edges or intuitive F2L will preserve the already oriented centers.
For the last layer it really depends on the algs you use. F sexy F', sune, niklas and RDRD for EO, EP, CP and CO respectively all preserve center orientation and are also relatively easy to execute on shapemods where you might not be able to use muscle memory for your last layer algs. Only during the edge permutation step do you have to pay attention to solve the edges correctly around the correctly oriented center or you might end up with the top layer center rotated by 180°.
Specifically the last sentence highlights the difference between how you solve it and what happened to OP.
I have no idea how you can tell if the pieces are oriented or permuted correctly without using the center as a reference.
You can use the first two layers as reference, although especially on puzzles like the ghost cube it's certainly easier to solve the last layer around the correctly oriented center piece and use it as reference.
Yeah, I spent the last couple hours messing with a normal 3x3 using the logo as an orientation reference. The algs I use to orient and permute the corners are center safe. It makes a lot more sense now. I still think from my perspective, I didn’t say anything wrong. It’s not normal if you solve it the way I do lol. Anyway I was a bit frustrated that people are insinuating that I’m lying about having solved the ghost cube a ton.
Yes, perspective is everything and the way you solve it, this case will simply never come up. A combination of not knowing everything about it (and especially not knowing about the other person how they solve it, from your perspective it's something that will never happen), unlucky wording, context getting lost on the internet... If this had been a conversation in rl, it'd certainly have been different.
I've seen the same happening when people discuss PLL parity on 4x4. Depending on how you solve the last layer you might only ever see two swapped edges or two swapped corners.
When I first started to learn 4x4 I solved the last layer in the following order: EO, EP, CP, CO. Someone solving in this order will only ever experience two swapped corners for PLL parity (ignoring the very unlikely case that after EO you pretty much get a EP, CP and CO skip leaving you with two swapped edges).
When I learned 4LLL I did EO, CO, CP, EP. So now after CP I'd run into PLL parity presenting as two swapped edges.
Now imagine two people who solve in such different ways discussing PLL parity...
Anyway,
This isn’t supposed to happen.
Is correct from your perspective, but overall it's incorrect.
You probably did something wrong.
Is correct from your perspective, if you expect everyone to solve the way you do, but in the end they simply solved it differently and did not do anything wrong.
Which is probably why you're being downvoted.
Anyway I was a bit frustrated that people are insinuating that I’m lying about having solved the ghost cube a ton.
I totally understand that. Try not to take it too seriously. You both didn't know what the other person meant and interpreted everything from your perspective, which led to false assumptions and talking past each other.
I find corner orientation to be an interesting topic in general, especially when it comes to puzzles with multiple identical pieces like the Megamorphix and the Mirror Axis Cube.
(RUR'U)5
note - not RUR'U'.
Double T perm is another solution
Algs were so scary on this let alone 2 of them
Focus on axis orientation. One of the things I can see between a complete neophyte and someone semi-competent in cubing is their ability to maintain puzzle orientation during a solve. If you're randomly rotating the puzzle around you're probably not keeping track of pieces or your algorithm.
https://preview.redd.it/9m303t6sib8g1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=1bc171671ca5ecf2093ff0cb623a05a300a88a8d
Welcome to the world of shape shifters. I have a similar mastermorphix, fanxin prism and axis cube. You need to rotate the centerpiece to its proper position and rearrange the side pieces and then the corners. My sequence is starting around the first center and solving layer by layer. And remember, it's still a 3x3.
Edited a bit to correct typos.
Do R U’ R’ U’ five times
[deleted]
My algorithm is correct. Both
R U R’ U
and
R U’ R’ U’
are valid. As long as the U is the same way both times it works.
Oh, sorry. I guess I messed up.
I second Axis Cube and Mastermorphix.
Also the Mirror Axis Cube is fun - you can run into center orientation problems that are of a different nature. But you can also simulate this by solving the normal Axis Cube simply into shape and completely ignoring the colors.
In general the Mastermorphix line is awesome. Especially the 4x4 and 5x5 versions are a lot of fun and introduce some new challenges.
The Shepherd's Cube is fun as well.
There are a ton of other 3x3 shapemods, but most of them don't introduce something new. I'd look for puzzles that include
Those puzzles will present new challenges and I found it to be a lot of fun trying to understand how to solve those and also understanding why it is even happening.
Which one/mechanism is it?
How is the quality?
I saw a couple meffferts puzzle in a store recently but hesitated to buy because the older meffferts puzzles I have are unstable. Also because the ghost puzzles are hard
I really enjoy my 3x3, 4x4 and 5x5 mirror cubes. Windmill, Fisher and Axis cubes are also fun. Yesterday I received a 4x4 windmill cube - which is a bit challenging.
This isn’t supposed to happen. You probably did something wrong.
This is a normal and expected thing to happen
Is it? I’ve never had it happen to me. I’ve done a ton of ghost cube solves.
If you had ever solved a Ghost Cube you would know about rotating the centers. I didn't expect the very last one to be rotatable though.
The centers do rotate obviously but if you have all the pieces in the right place, the top center should be solved at the end. It’s the same as a picture cube. Maybe it doesn’t happen to me because I do beginners method for ghost cube?
Method doesn't matter. The ghost cube is like a cursed Super Cube 3x3. You got real lucky I guess 🤷
No, I don’t believe that. When I do the last layer, I solve the edges first in relation to the center, then I solve the corners. That way the center is correct every time. I have never once had this happen and I’ve done way too many solves for it to be luck.
Exactly, you solved the last cross in relation to the center. I solved as if it was a 3x3.
I never thought of it as anything other than a 3x3. I have no idea how you can tell if the pieces are oriented or permuted correctly without using the center as a reference.
The method itself doesn't matter too much. It's more about if the algs you use are center safe (= do not change the orientation of center pieces) or not. Many algs taught in beginner's methods are center safe, but not all of them.
I wrote about that on our wiki article on Center Orientation:
Specifically the last sentence highlights the difference between how you solve it and what happened to OP.
You can use the first two layers as reference, although especially on puzzles like the ghost cube it's certainly easier to solve the last layer around the correctly oriented center piece and use it as reference.
Yeah, I spent the last couple hours messing with a normal 3x3 using the logo as an orientation reference. The algs I use to orient and permute the corners are center safe. It makes a lot more sense now. I still think from my perspective, I didn’t say anything wrong. It’s not normal if you solve it the way I do lol. Anyway I was a bit frustrated that people are insinuating that I’m lying about having solved the ghost cube a ton.
Yes, perspective is everything and the way you solve it, this case will simply never come up. A combination of not knowing everything about it (and especially not knowing about the other person how they solve it, from your perspective it's something that will never happen), unlucky wording, context getting lost on the internet... If this had been a conversation in rl, it'd certainly have been different.
I've seen the same happening when people discuss PLL parity on 4x4. Depending on how you solve the last layer you might only ever see two swapped edges or two swapped corners.
When I first started to learn 4x4 I solved the last layer in the following order: EO, EP, CP, CO. Someone solving in this order will only ever experience two swapped corners for PLL parity (ignoring the very unlikely case that after EO you pretty much get a EP, CP and CO skip leaving you with two swapped edges).
When I learned 4LLL I did EO, CO, CP, EP. So now after CP I'd run into PLL parity presenting as two swapped edges.
Now imagine two people who solve in such different ways discussing PLL parity...
Anyway,
Is correct from your perspective, but overall it's incorrect.
Is correct from your perspective, if you expect everyone to solve the way you do, but in the end they simply solved it differently and did not do anything wrong.
Which is probably why you're being downvoted.
I totally understand that. Try not to take it too seriously. You both didn't know what the other person meant and interpreted everything from your perspective, which led to false assumptions and talking past each other.
I find corner orientation to be an interesting topic in general, especially when it comes to puzzles with multiple identical pieces like the Megamorphix and the Mirror Axis Cube.