Comments on: Podcast #6: Casual Randomness http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/archives/172 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:44:59 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Dre http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/archives/172#comment-162 Dre Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:01:07 +0000 http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/?p=172#comment-162 Fair enough. :) Fair enough. :)

]]> By: Tyler http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/archives/172#comment-159 Tyler Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:38:49 +0000 http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/?p=172#comment-159 Plus all the stuff is at my house, so HA ! :) Plus all the stuff is at my house, so HA ! :)

]]> By: Robin Russell http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/archives/172#comment-158 Robin Russell Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:44:45 +0000 http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/?p=172#comment-158 The "straight man" - in this case the person that asks the questions that the audience would likely ask is an absolutely essential component of this type of production. I think this team pulls of the production remarkably well. Three cheers for Tyler! The “straight man” – in this case the person that asks the questions that the audience would likely ask is an absolutely essential component of this type of production. I think this team pulls of the production remarkably well.

Three cheers for Tyler!

]]> By: Dre http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/archives/172#comment-155 Dre Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:42:10 +0000 http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/?p=172#comment-155 Ok his name is Tyler, I don't like him on the podcast. Sorry Tyler. :P Ok his name is Tyler, I don’t like him on the podcast. Sorry Tyler. :P

]]> By: Dre http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/archives/172#comment-154 Dre Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:11:34 +0000 http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/?p=172#comment-154 Nice episode. I don't know the name of the one guy, but I don't like him much on the cast. Richard is awesome as is the 2nd person... sounds like he's a game designer. It's just that 3rd person I think the podcast would be better without. Just my humble opinion. ;) Nice episode. I don’t know the name of the one guy, but I don’t like him much on the cast. Richard is awesome as is the 2nd person… sounds like he’s a game designer. It’s just that 3rd person I think the podcast would be better without.

Just my humble opinion. ;)

]]> By: Brady http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/archives/172#comment-149 Brady Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:58:12 +0000 http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/?p=172#comment-149 Maybe it's just semantics, I don't know. But I don't see how there's randomness in chess any more than there's randomness in arithmetic. Sure, chess's *players* might introduce an element of "randomness" to the game, in the same way a poor mathematician could introduce "randomness" to arithmetic. But misplays, intentionally arbitrary behavior, etc. aren't characteristics of chess itself. <strong> Most characteristics of games are not just about the game in a mathematical sense but also about the players. For example, is chess a fast or slow game (without a timer)? It depends who is playing. Similarly, there will be more or less randomness depending on who is playing. This isn't about being a bad player and making mistakes - any player can be beaten (as far as we know) and so any player has "errors" in their play. If you go back to the example in the podcast of the game where you guess a digit of pi - for most people there is a 10% chance they get that correct, even though there is no randomness in pi. There is randomness in the >players<. This has nothing to do with being a bad mathematician, it is about being human - when asked the 45,602,763rd digit of pi, if you have 10 seconds to answer, the outcome will generally be a die toss! Similarly there is no randomness in chess. There is randomness in the >players<. But the result is when you watch a chess game chance plays a part in the outcome. Chance heavily weighted by skill, to be sure, but chance nonetheless. Richard Maybe it’s just semantics, I don’t know. But I don’t see how there’s randomness in chess any more than there’s randomness in arithmetic. Sure, chess’s *players* might introduce an element of “randomness” to the game, in the same way a poor mathematician could introduce “randomness” to arithmetic. But misplays, intentionally arbitrary behavior, etc. aren’t characteristics of chess itself.

Most characteristics of games are not just about the game in a mathematical sense but also about the players. For example, is chess a fast or slow game (without a timer)? It depends who is playing. Similarly, there will be more or less randomness depending on who is playing. This isn’t about being a bad player and making mistakes – any player can be beaten (as far as we know) and so any player has “errors” in their play.

If you go back to the example in the podcast of the game where you guess a digit of pi – for most people there is a 10% chance they get that correct, even though there is no randomness in pi. There is randomness in the >players< . This has nothing to do with being a bad mathematician, it is about being human - when asked the 45,602,763rd digit of pi, if you have 10 seconds to answer, the outcome will generally be a die toss! Similarly there is no randomness in chess. There is randomness in the >players<. But the result is when you watch a chess game chance plays a part in the outcome. Chance heavily weighted by skill, to be sure, but chance nonetheless.

Richard

]]> By: Brady http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/archives/172#comment-147 Brady Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:05:45 +0000 http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/?p=172#comment-147 Let's say I tell you that 1 + 1 = 1.7. Have I now demonstrated that there's randomness in simple arithmetic? <strong>You may have to elaborate on your point - I am not sure I get it. If there is a game where players are asked to add numbers and sometimes make mistakes there is randomness in that game, for that audience - but not in addition, and not even necessarily in that game for every audience. Richard Let’s say I tell you that 1 + 1 = 1.7. Have I now demonstrated that there’s randomness in simple arithmetic?

You may have to elaborate on your point – I am not sure I get it. If there is a game where players are asked to add numbers and sometimes make mistakes there is randomness in that game, for that audience – but not in addition, and not even necessarily in that game for every audience.
Richard

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