Editing Low Score Challenge

A normal goal of [[Chip's Challenge]] is to achieve as high a [[score]] as possible; however, the '''Low Score Challenge''' considers the question of the lowest possible score one can attain while still completing every level.  Although no scoreboards track low score attempts, it is still a question of theoretical interest to some in the [[Chipster|community]].

== Score contribution ==
=== Level bonus ===
Most of a player's score comes from level bonuses, whether attempting high scores or low scores.  Each level bonus starts as 500 times the level number.  In [[MSCC]], each restart reduces this by 20% (rounding down) until it is below 500.  The minimum possible total level bonus for 149 levels is 66,344.  As [[Tile World]] and the [[Chip's Challenge 2]] [[Steam ruleset|engine]] do not deduct level bonuses on failed attempts, their corresponding minimum is 5,587,500.  <!--Atari Lynx?-->

=== Time bonus ===
The remaining points come from the time bonus.  This is 10 times the number of seconds left at level completion, as shown by the in-game timer.  Untimed levels are treated as having 0 seconds remaining.  In [[MS ruleset|MS]], the minimum time one can finish a timed level with is 1 second, while in [[Lynx ruleset|Lynx]] and [[Steam ruleset|Steam]], the timer continues briefly after level completion, making it possible to finish timed levels with 0 seconds left.  In either case, this can be achieved in most levels by simply solving the level normally but waiting by the [[exit]] for the timer to tick down.

=== Extra bonus ===
In CC2, levels can have [[bonus flag]]s, which add points to the level score when collected.  These are typically nonexistent, avoidable, or removable with [[thief|thieves]], but there are some levels in the stock CC2 levels and in the CC2 community level packs that have unavoidable points in this category, such as [[Memories]].

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== Chip's Challenge 1 ==
[[Chip's Challenge 1]] has 120 timed levels, and therefore a minimum possible score of 67,544 in MSCC.  The first known reference to this calculation was by [[Alice Voith]] in the late 90s,<ref>[[Alice Voith]]. [https://www.mywingsbooks.com/chips/cc-chips/misc-lows.shtml "Lowest Possible Score"] (Note: Alice appears to have made a typo in the final result.  The last column adds to 67544 but the total is shown as 67554.)</ref> but it wasn't actually shown to be possible until 2020.  Currently, no player has achieved said score.

=== Beware of Bug ===
Collecting the [[computer chip|chips]] in [[Beware of Bug]] normally will result in the [[glider]] coming back along with one of the [[paramecium]], which together will leave the exit as the only place to hide.  Completing the level with 1 second left involves collecting the first chip just as the first paramecium passes it, such that the paramecium spins in a circle instead of continuing toward the [[water]] to drown.  This paramecium can eventually keep the glider trapped in the first row.

=== Slo Mo ===
Due to the randomness of the [[blob]]s, it was not known for certain whether a score of 1 second remaining could be achieved on [[Slo Mo]] until December of 2018, when [[Kacper Leszczyński]], using [[SuperCC]], showed that it could be done.  This score has not been achieved in actual play.

=== Jumping Swarm ===
A score of 1 on [[Jumping Swarm]] was long considered to be impossible, due to the ever increasing number of [[walker]]s in the level as time goes on.  However, in June of 2020, [[David Stolp]], using SuperCC, showed that with enough luck the walkers would get backed up on the [[force floor]]s far enough that one would bounce back toward the [[clone machine]] and break the cloning mechanism, causing only a limited number of walkers to clone.  This score has not been achieved in actual play, and due to the extreme luck required is unlikely to ever be achieved.

== References ==
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