Getting from 100 pegs to 1 000 pegs

General Memory Chat
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Can someone assist me in finding the system to expand a 100 two digit #00 - #99 into a 1 000 three digit system. I don’t remember where I saw it but I can remember that it uses the traditional Major system encoding and just adds the “hundredths” place by “adjectivizing” the images you already have by converting the 100 images using the Major code, something like this:

0 = to add a zero in the hundredths column, in other words to change 55 LiLy into 055 an iCed LiLy, just picture your image for #55 in ICE = 0 for the hundredths place.

So a LiLy stuck in an ice cube becomes #055. I remember that the hundredths position for number 5 was oiL. So, a LILY covered in oiL would be the image for #555.

What are the other key words or adjectives used to define all the various hundredths digits? 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9? Also, whose system is this? and is anyone using it? What are its pitfalls and benefits of this system?

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@fred2, one of my favorite authors, Nelson Dellis (@climbformemory) approached this problem in 2012 like this:

You could use an adjective based on a category to force the current peg value into a different elaboration. The best type of peg to transition is a subject because then you can adjust the surroundings and associated objects (the elaborations) to fit an author, a scientist, an artist, a military person, etc.

The associative way to extend the peg list is to create an image of the base image and add an object that has some action with it like you mentioned. 55 with a 0 hundreds place would work as a LiLy in an ice cube. But even better is to create action so that the lily blooms grow up through an ice storage building and break it in two letting the ice melt. That would be 2nd and 3rd digits being active but you could make the 1st digit active like having a large ice block smash a field of lillies as it slid over them.

The main benefit is that you have fewer associations to make for the images for remembering the pegs. The main pitfall is that there are two conversions to make and that doesn’t work well for competition systems.

Doug

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And doing this you have actually a worse compression ratio than just sticking to a 2-digit system.

Adding single-digit modifiers will require you to encode and decode 2 intentional elements in order to covert 3 digits. This 3 for 2 compression is worse than just sticking with the 4 for 2 ratio you get via a simple 2-digit PO and also requires being able to generate 900 additional distinct images. Plus it adds a higher risk of confusion when you share subject elements between 10 different entries.

It is MUCH worse than a true 3-digit system which provides a 3 for 1 compression. If you plan on figuring out 1000 semi-unique compound images, why not just spend that time crafting 1000 truly unique single elements?

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Do you know anyone who’s managed 1000 actions yet? Skimming and reading through old posts, closest I’ve seen is Mayarra at over 800 (and said it wasn’t really worth it) in one of the posts.
Coming up with 1,000 characters is doable, and 1,000 objects wouldn’t be hard, but even just 100 actions is intimidating.
I’m inclined to shy away from actions that are different but seem similar, like driving and riding a horse, but trying for 1,000 actions seems like it would demand it. You’d have to use several style of throwing for example, such as dart, shotput, baseball pitch, frisbee, defenestration, axe…
Just curious though, I don’t have a desire to compete, so the time it takes to learn anything past a 00-99 is pretty unappealing.

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I’ve been experimenting with “modifiers” for my 99 PAO (which is actually rather a POL) for a good while now.
With use, my system evolved to the following “themes” to add one digit :

9 (frozen, cold but dry): locus full of snow/ice, objects are frozen, people are bundled up for the cold with furs, heavy winter coats, thick mittens making it hard for them to handle certain objects, etc
8 (Vinéa/sci-fi): locus futuristic, objects are only holograms or any futuristic version of them (think hoverboard instead of skateboard), people wearing cosmonaut/vinean suit (or any costume from a civilisation from the future/highly technologic, or cyberpunk/solarpunk)
7 (volcano/fire): locus on fire / with fires or lava, smelling with sulphur, objects red hot or at least too hot to be handled, or fossilized and crumbling, people: firefighter or hazmat suit
6 (mountains/Alps): locus mountain like (cragged peaks in the background, névé/pockets of remaining snow, ups and downs, cows or goats pasturing, etc.), objects carved out of wood, with tons of embellishments, people like armaillis (big beard, loud voice, offering cheese, swiss costume, playing alphorn, yoldeling…)
5 (desert, hot and dry): locus hot and dusty, objects are hot and dirty (uncomfortable but not so hot that you can’t handle them), people wear Bedouin-like clothes
4 (jungle, hot and humid): lots of plants/vine/creepers/flowers everywhere, objects covered with moss or insects, people: explorer’s white hat and machete
3 (sea): locus becomes beach like or is underwater, you hear the waves, objects are slimy covered in seaweeds or encrusted with salt, people have some sort of bathing costume or diving equipment suit, mask…
2 (Ireland, green and rainy, cold and wet): locus is cold, rainy and muddy, objects are wet/muddy, people with umbrella, raincoat, rubber boots
1 (Altiplano): locus is super windy, objects are used or broken up, people wearing poncho, chullo
0 (dark): locus is dark (nighttime, or cavelike/troglodyte, mines), people are wearing spelunking headlamp or other equipment, objects are sparkling with St Elmo’s fire and providing light to the locus

Benefits: since you only need 10 themes, it’s quick to choose them. Since they’re themes, there can be variations and it helps counteract a bit the “sameness” problem. The same object with the same modifier can be different depending where it is placed, who uses it, what is the number that you remember (page number to find a song, or atomic number…), etc.

Inconvenient: it feels “bulky”, a bit awkward sometimes and a bit slow. Speed is not the main criteria for me because I don’t do memory sports (I’m more in the “memorisation for a life time” perspective), but that doesn’t mean speed isn’t important (especially in decoding).

Because of this and because I use my P(A)O a lot (and often need 3 digits numbers), I’m in the process of building (and training) a 3 digits one. It takes a while but I figure it’s worth it.

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After much scratching around downstairs in my storeroom I have found the book and system that I was looking for which is very similar in many respects to what you are doing by introducing 10 unique loci to get from 100 to 1 000 pegs.

The reference to the system can be found in Tony Buzan’s book “Use you Memory” revised edition published in 2003. ISBN 0 563 48703 8. It is in Chapter 13 of his book page 112 - 113 (a very short chapter indeed!). I believe the chapter’s title is a little bit of a misnomer though as it’s styled: “How to increase by 1000 percent Everything you have learned so far”

Buzan calls the method his multiplier method and he adjusts his original 100 Major System pegs as follows:
00 - 99 - Use original images
100 - 199 - In a block of ice
200 - 299 - Covered in thick oil
300 - 399 - In flames
400 - 499 - Coloured a brilliant pulsating purple
500 - 599 - Made of beautiful velvet
600 - 699 - Completely transparent
700 - 799 - Smelling of you favourite fragrance
800 - 899 - Placed in the middle of a busy road
900 - 1000 Floating on a single cloud in a beautiful sunny, clear sky

I would have chosen however in choosing qualifiers for the hundredths position in a 3 digit number to make use of traditional Major System letter sounds. So as previously stated 055 would be LiLy in iCe (S sound = 0, as in Zero). 555 would be LiLy smeared in oiL (L = 5). Flames would therefore cover all peg words from 800 - 899 as F = 8 in Major. SH = 6 could be the original 100 images covered in MANURE = SH@# if you catch my drift?

In the same chapter, Buzan thereafter makes reference to another one of his books: “Master your Memory” where he refers to his "Self-Enhancing Master Memory Matrix (SEM cubed) system where he claims to outline a complete system of 10 000 memory hooks (pegs).

Not sure if anyone has tried his suggested SEM cubed system and how successful that is?

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Following Upon your idea and if somebody is using the Dominic System to generate their 100 People cast of characters, you could come up with a Locus (plural Loci) for country places as follows:

0 = Oman (Locus = a Mosque)
1 = Australia (Locus = Sydney Opera House)
2 = Brazil (Locus = Christ the Redeemer Statue)
3 = China (Locus = Great Wall of China)
4 = Demark (Locus = Bronze Mermaid Statue in Copenhagen)
5 = England (Locus = Underground Subway Train)
6 = Spain (Locus = Bull Ring)
7 = Germany (Locus = Bier Fest)
8 = Hungry (Locus = ?)
9 = Netherlands (Locus = Windmill)

Another way to get from 100 to 1000 in breakneck speed time? Although @TheHumanTim has some reservation concerning compression of images that I’m not sure I fully understand??

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I did something similar with “textures” or “coatings” way back when I was working on a 2-digit system. I came up with textures where the first or primary consonant sound matched Major. They also were all different colors, so it allowed for even more distinction between them. I ultimately shelved it in favor of a true 3-digit approach, but you might find it useful!

3-DIGIT MODIFIER
000+ clear (water)
100+ whiTe (snow)
200+ Noir (ink)
300+ Maroon (pudding)
400+ Red (blood)
500+ yeLLow (pee)
600+ oranGe (spray tan)
700+ Green (slime)
800+ Violet (flowers)
900+ Pink (pepto bismol)
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Admittedly not one of your strongest systems Tim but as you also say, you have at least experimented somewhat with it and found it to be not of too much value and jettisoned it in favour of your 3 digit Major System.