Re: PBM design and formulae - a fresh start

From: russw@cs.utexas.edu (Russ Williams)

Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1993 19:31:11 +0000

In article <1993Jul9.041048.22088@infodev.cam.ac.uk> js138@cus.cam.ac.uk (John Sloan) writes:
>|> ] As I said rules and formulae are not the same thing.
>|>
>|> No they are not. When applying to a game, a formula is a rule of the game
>|> given using a mathematical representation. All relevant formulae are rules, but
>|> not all rules are formulae.
>
>Oh come on.  Everyone else has been using "Formulae" to mean the rules by which
>the game operates and "rules" to mean those rules which are published.  Why do
>you have to be different?

You don't speak for me.  I agree with Bruno and furthermore, I think
he stated the point very well.  Formulas are PART of the rules!

John, if you really use "rules" to mean those rules which are published,
then I hope you never talk about "incomplete rules" or "holes in the rules"
since by definition the published rules are the complete rules...

This whole notion of forumulas not really being rules makes no sense
to me.  All of you anti-forumala people don't seem to mind if a game
reveals some formulas.  Suppose the game explains that victory is
determined by who has the most victory points on turn 20, and that
each turn your victory point total is increased by the amount of
points you've earned that turn.  Is that objectionable to you to know?
Formulas are all through rules.  You seem to only complain if they
come in the form of a mathematical equation.  (E.g. Graham's recently
objecting to explicitly stating that fuel cost is given by an equation
f = a*exp(b*d) or whatever, but being happy with saying "fuel
cost depends exponentially on distance".)

In a boardgame, the formulas MUST be known, or the players could
not resolve their turns.  (Unless another person moderated for them;
in 99% of boardgames, the players resolve all actions themselves.)
Do you folks refuse to play boardgames for this reason?

Russ

References

Re: PBM design and formulae - a fresh start
gym@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Graham Matthews)
Thu, 08 Jul 1993 19:53:01 +0000
Re: PBM design and formulae - a fresh start
bruno@cerberus.csd.uwm.edu (Bruno Wolff III)
Thu, 08 Jul 1993 20:12:30 +0000
Re: PBM design and formulae - a fresh start
js138@cus.cam.ac.uk (John Sloan)
Fri, 09 Jul 1993 04:10:48 +0000

Referenced By

Re: PBM design and formulae - a fresh start
gym@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Graham Matthews)
Thu, 08 Jul 1993 19:53:01 +0000
Re: PBM design and formulae - a fresh start
bruno@cerberus.csd.uwm.edu (Bruno Wolff III)
Thu, 08 Jul 1993 20:12:30 +0000
Re: PBM design and formulae - a fresh start
js138@cus.cam.ac.uk (John Sloan)
Fri, 09 Jul 1993 04:10:48 +0000