Re: (TFT) okay so who knows multitouch?

[PvK <pvk@oz.net>]

So, it sounds to me like you are asking for an answering metaphoric and perhaps semi-lyrical rant from someone with some experience with multitouch screen software development, preferably one that starts off like it might be coherent and/or comprehensible, and then becomes trailing intangible stream of consciousness?

I agree it can be disappointing to find that a game which one had begun to immerse one's imagination in, offers an implementation whose mechanics and unignorably unsatisfactory. And a frequent way this arrives is rigged odds in favor of an unsatisfactory programmed opponent, whether through the dice, the game mechanics, or the scenario. You also evoke memories of various computer game adapted from board games which have presented animated dice, which likewise can become unsatisfactory, perhaps insulting and in most cases pointless or at least cosmetic, and may again be complicit in a feeble attempt to provide challenge by simply rigging the virtual dice. Perhaps a multi-touch game could feature a way to allow the player to actually throw the virtual dice, with the physics actually modeled. In fact, I should be surprised to find that no one had yet done this, at least as a stand-alone demonstration, though I _would_ be surprised to find that any computer game has been developed that my own rarefied tastes would find interesting, which generated random numbers for its event resolutions in this way. It would be interesting, but I think the type of game for which this would best be done might tend to be one with few random rolls needed. When you wrote of the "boatload of poor use of the given strengths of the separate mediums", as regards random numbers, I tend to think that one strength of a computer is its ability to do calculations transparently and instantly, and that the flaws of random number generation and computer cheating can be avoided without need to actually physically simulate a throw of dice.

Assuming my intuition is correct that you even meant such a thing, I nevertheless sympathize and can imagine that a player could be well-satisfied by the experience of a game's random numbers actually being generated by a physical simulation seeded by the player's actual hand gesture. It is in fact a good way to generate actual chaos for random number generation, if what you want above all else is a guarantee or real randomness and you don't care that much about efficiency of time, programming effort, or user time and effort per generated number. And of course, it would also be possible to do a bad job, for examples by having a low-fidelity sampler, a limited physical model, or inadequate requirements for a valid throw.

PvK

--- maou.tsaou@gmail.com wrote:

Fair enough although it is TFT I specifically have in mind here. It has to
do with something I've noticed about ports of real-world tabletop games
over to the digital medium... there seem to be a boatload of poor use of
the given strengths of the separate mediums, electronic dice are a
particular favorite griping point of mine of late as fairy dice work
digitally much better than the often poor excuses or our right lies that
apparently have decided that cheating is some kind of AI thing (Blood Bowl
Legendary Edition I'm looking in YOUR direction) but it applies to any
phantom of a tactile experience painted sounds and shakes
signifying d'nada. I wanna roll dice and move Figures that are figures, not
touch screen, still not holograms even so the Wookie CAN't be allowed to
win and Star Wars dance dance whatever goes cannon... we're through the
looking glass here people... I wanna put more on my touchscreen tabletop
than my bloody coffee... I noticed all the little holes on my Kindle Fire
screen... ergo if I packed the Albert Hall with 7" Fire's... uhhhhh I'm
gonna fine my way upstairs... step outside... I know it's not late in the
evening yet, but I'll wait...
=====
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