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Author Topic:   Skewed Random Numbers

Urban Ranger posted 05-07-99 06:43 AM ET
It is my experience that the random numbers in SMAC is definitely skewed. One game I played had a mind worm running around on an island with lots of fugus, so the worm ran into a lot of native worms. After a while, it grew from Pre-Boil to Demon Boil. However, it never managed to capture another worm dispite I had a 25% (Gaian) at that point.
I couldn't test it, but even with a +3 Planet you don't actually have a 75% chance of capturing native worms. More like 50%, or even less.
I don't think the code for the random number generator could be that bad. It's probably some kind of "feature" that balances the game, so a human player playing the Gaians -- since nobody else would use a Green SE -- don't get to dominate the game quickly by capturing lots of worms.
Frank Moore posted 05-07-99 06:49 AM ET
There was something added in one of the enhancements that decreased ones chances of capturing mindworms depending how many had been captured up to this point. In other words, the more mindworms that a faction has captured, the harder (less probability) it is to catch more.
DeVore posted 05-07-99 09:06 AM ET
Funny you mention it, I have a Gaian game going where though I've captured a lot of worms I haven't made a single worm-worm capture.(I have a couple of worms patroling the ruins....) My ancient scout units OTOH capture worms �n masse.
weird....
/Dev
Mongoose posted 05-10-99 11:21 AM ET
I seem to recall one of the enhancements reduced the probability of player controlled native units encountering other native units. BR said something about blending in with the environment and drawing less reaction. After theinitial release of Demo 1.0, the "mindworm rush" was considered to be an hugely unbalancing aspect of the game, hence the adjustments.
Urban Ranger posted 05-11-99 07:21 AM ET
Hmmm...
It seems not easy to get that many worms for a big rush, since even the Gaians have a 25% chance of capturing the buggers, and they are really wimpy early in the game at any rate. Not until the Gaians get the Green SE that they could start mustering a huge worm army.
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Author	Topic: Skewed Random Numbers
Urban Ranger	posted 05-07-99 06:43 AM ET It is my experience that the random numbers in SMAC is definitely skewed. One game I played had a mind worm running around on an island with lots of fugus, so the worm ran into a lot of native worms. After a while, it grew from Pre-Boil to Demon Boil. However, it never managed to capture another worm dispite I had a 25% (Gaian) at that point. I couldn't test it, but even with a +3 Planet you don't actually have a 75% chance of capturing native worms. More like 50%, or even less. I don't think the code for the random number generator could be that bad. It's probably some kind of "feature" that balances the game, so a human player playing the Gaians -- since nobody else would use a Green SE -- don't get to dominate the game quickly by capturing lots of worms.
Frank Moore	posted 05-07-99 06:49 AM ET There was something added in one of the enhancements that decreased ones chances of capturing mindworms depending how many had been captured up to this point. In other words, the more mindworms that a faction has captured, the harder (less probability) it is to catch more.
DeVore	posted 05-07-99 09:06 AM ET Funny you mention it, I have a Gaian game going where though I've captured a lot of worms I haven't made a single worm-worm capture.(I have a couple of worms patroling the ruins....) My ancient scout units OTOH capture worms �n masse. weird.... /Dev
Mongoose	posted 05-10-99 11:21 AM ET I seem to recall one of the enhancements reduced the probability of player controlled native units encountering other native units. BR said something about blending in with the environment and drawing less reaction. After theinitial release of Demo 1.0, the "mindworm rush" was considered to be an hugely unbalancing aspect of the game, hence the adjustments.
Urban Ranger	posted 05-11-99 07:21 AM ET Hmmm... It seems not easy to get that many worms for a big rush, since even the Gaians have a 25% chance of capturing the buggers, and they are really wimpy early in the game at any rate. Not until the Gaians get the Green SE that they could start mustering a huge worm army.