buggnubg - Bugs: bug #50565, dice

 
 

bug #50565: dice

Submitter:  Junk Goof <junkgoof>
Submitted:  Fri 17 Mar 2017 12:13:22 AM UTC
   
 
Originator Name:  junkgoof Item Group:  * Crash error
Category:  * Other Release:  * 1.00 - 1.05Pre
Privacy:  Public Operating System:  * Windows Vista
Severity:  3 - Normal Open/Closed:  Closed
Assigned to:  None Priority:  5 - Normal
Status:  Works For Me
* Mandatory Fields

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Fri 17 Mar 2017 10:06:16 PM UTC, comment #1: 

You can verify that the dice do not depend on the play level (nor on your moves) by setting the random number generator seed in the Settings|Options|Dice menu.

Set it to some value and start a new session or match with gnubg at some skill level. Then reset it to the same value and start a new session against a different skill level or play your own moves differently.

You will notice that the dice sequence is the same in both cases.

Philippe Michel <plm>
Group administrator
Fri 17 Mar 2017 12:13:22 AM UTC, original submission:  

Hello,

I only started playing at all seriously fairly recently but I find there are a few odd things about the higher levels of gnubg.  If I use the gnubg dice then once the cube comes into play gnubg makes best possible rolls and I get worst possible.  Not consistently but at a few key moments.  I learned to play fairly recently and there is some comparison to playing with someone at a higher lever, but then...

I started using downloaded dice.  I didn't get the above behaviour, but gnubg would make some odd moves, hit often, and close the board instantly when necessary.  Hmm, way more like playing against a superior player.  And I admit gnubg is better than I am, or, at least, able to point out better moves that I missed if I leave the tutor on.

Then I went and got a set of dice and, reluctantly, rolled for myself and gnubg.  I haven't lost since I started rolling the dice.  And I haven't cheated.  And the games sort of feel like normal games. 

I was getting to the point that I wouldn't play normal moves because at doubling time gnubg would hit any blots I had, regardless of the probabilities and close the board pretty much instantly.  With manual dice I could play normally and get hit sometimes but not every time. 

I suppose I can see some point to this at expert level, making the point that there may be freak doubles or other oddities because such items are constant if gnubg controls the dice, but in my case it has degraded my game.  I stopped making correct decisions because I was accustomed to gnubg making consistent ridiculous rolls. 

I hope that gnubg will go on a winning streak with manual dice as it will restore my faith.  I know that streaks happen, as I had a winning streak against my teacher that was purely and obviously due to the dice. 

I suppose more than a bug report I have a question: on the higher levels is part of the difficulty imposed by the dice?  Subjectively I would say "yes, obviously" but I haven't analyzed the code yet, and I know the normal response is "you just play badly."  I would agree completely except for the very, very notable differences between gnu dice, downloaded dice, and manual dice.  It feels like a completely different game with different dice sources. 

Thank you,

Junkgoof

Junk Goof <junkgoof>

 

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    Follow 3 latest changes.

    Date Changed by Updated Field Previous Value => Replaced by
    2017-04-20 plm Open/ClosedOpen Closed
    2017-03-17 plm Item GroupOther bug Crash error
        StatusNone Works For Me

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