Re: PBM design: give away the formulas? (*FORMULAE !)

From: sjc@cs.purdue.edu (Steve Chapin)

Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1993 11:36:35 +0000

}} In article <206nkmINNkek@coli-gate.coli.uni-sb.de> ulim@coli.uni-sb.de (Ulrich Mayring) writes:
}}
}} However: Formulas involving more complicated mathematical concepts than is
}} taught in High School must be simplified as to render the game playable.
}} Even mathematicians won't want to type formula after formula into their
}} Reverse-Polish calculator, when playing a game. A good example for a powerful,
}} but simple formula is this one, which determines how much you get for selling
}} something on a market site in Gladius et Pilum:
}}
}} 		 1500 * Value * Demand
}} 		 ------------------------------------
}} 		 sqrt(Availability+10) + sqrt(Supply)
}}
}} This is the price you get for each unit of a good that you sell.
}} Value is the set value of the good, e.g. gold has V=35 and wood has V=3.
}} Demand is 1-6 and can change by +-2 each round (or remain the same or
}} change by +-1 only). It represents the daily demand situation.
}} sqrt is Square Root. Availability is how many units of that good are already
}} available on the market (=Supply situation) and Supply is how many units you
}} want to sell now (=adds to the Supply situation).
}}
}} What this boils down to (and I think after some observation anyone has to
}} see it, else he won't go anywhere in this game):
}}
}} -You get lots, if the Value is high and Demand is high
}} -You get less, if you sell lots at a time.
}} -You get less, if lots was already sold by someone else before you came.
}} -The two most important factors that should determine, whether it is
}} profitable to sell something or not are Demand and Availability, because
}} all other numbers are (not mathematically, but for practical purposes)
}} constant.

This is still not a convincing argument for giving away formulae.

Consider this scenario where the exact formula is not known: everyone
knows (roughly) the above relationship for demand and supply.  It's
common sense, and it's stated in the rules, but you don't know the
exact formula.  The current price for an item is listed in your last
turn report, so you have a rough idea how much you'll get for what you
sell.  You can estimate how much you'll make by selling your goods.

The exact formula won't help you any if you don't know the current
availability.  In a large-world simulation with imperfect knowledge,
players won't know the exact availability (especially if other players
are selling at the same time, thus changing the availability on the
fly).  If everyone hordes their Melf Pelts or Psychotic Sculpture and
watches demand skyrocket, they'll be disappointed when everyone sells
at once, and their resulting profits are low.

In neither case will the player always know exactly how much money he
will get.  In both cases he can approximate.

sjc@cs.purdue.edu                 Steve Chapin                 ...!purdue!sjc
            Hear, hear! Who's here who knows whose booze this is?

Reg. Penna. Dept. Agr.

References

PBM design: give away the formulas?
skrenta@rt.com (Rich Skrenta)
Sat, 19 Jun 1993 18:12:59 +0000
Re: PBM design: give away the formulas? (*FORMULAE !)
rob@ccc.govt.nz (Rob McNeur)
Mon, 21 Jun 1993 12:00:33 +0000
Re: PBM design: give away the formulas? (*FORMULAE !)
ulim@coli.uni-sb.de (Ulrich Mayring)
Tue, 22 Jun 1993 10:41:26 +0000

Referenced By

PBM design: give away the formulas?
skrenta@rt.com (Rich Skrenta)
Sat, 19 Jun 1993 18:12:59 +0000
Re: PBM design: give away the formulas? (*FORMULAE !)
rob@ccc.govt.nz (Rob McNeur)
Mon, 21 Jun 1993 12:00:33 +0000
Re: PBM design: give away the formulas? (*FORMULAE !)
ulim@coli.uni-sb.de (Ulrich Mayring)
Tue, 22 Jun 1993 10:41:26 +0000