Trouble Deciding Game Base

lsat5ever

I may be over thinking this, but on certain games I am having a lot of trouble deciding what should be the base. For example, on game 4 from Prep Test 43, the game seemed significantly easier when I used the food trucks as the base and assigned X,Y,Z to each truck. On May 2020 Game 3, however, the game is much easier if you assign HMOTV to either the fall or spring group (rather than assigning F and S for a total of 6 times to HMOTV slots). How do you decide up front which variable set to make the base?

tahurrrrr

My base is always either a) whichever elements are the most fixed and/or guaranteed or b) the smaller set of elements. So like in the HMOTV in fall or spring example you mentioned, fall and spring should definitely be the base. Those are the elements that do not move. People/things move, times and places don't.

If you ever come across a game that has both a year and a place, whichever element you're guaranteed to use all of is the base. I don't remember exactly which game it is, but there's one where there are 4 offices each with a printer and a computer that could be manufactured in 1987, 88, or 89. Since it was guaranteed that there were 4 offices, but no guarantee that each printer and computer was manufactured across all three years (i.e it was possible none of the computers/printers were manufactured in 1987), I used the offices as the base.

If you're dealing with two sets of people/things (i.e. different recruiters interview potential job candidates), the set with fewer variable should be the base.

Hope that's helpful!

Kris4444

I would also recommend, if you're not doing this already, to read the whole game before you even pick up your pencil. I used to struggle with setting up the board incorrectly because I was trying to save time and read and write simultaneously. When I forced myself to read the whole thing through without even touching my pencil, it forced me to envision the board as I'm reading and make adjustments in my head. Then when I do draw the board I've already got an idea of where the pieces need to be.

Hope that helps!

OlorintheGrey

I second @"christina.parchem"'s suggest.

I also sometimes peek at the acceptable list questions and how they are laid out before I construct the board.

lsat5ever

Thank you so much guys! @OlorintheGrey @christina.parchem @tahurrrrr