h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My dreams are bigger than my means.
I realised this during today's lecture.
Two or three years ago I was vaguely thinking about self-optimising code, and how it could be created. Particularly, whether I could write a piece of software which could take /another/ piece of software as input, and spit out the most useful code which does the same thing.

Today I learnt one of the first steps towards what could, potentially, with a large amount of effort, maybe, be an attempt towards that. Perhaps.

It's interesting that I noticed the connection between the use of this algorithm as it was presented, and my previous idea of a few years ago. Admittedly this was the second time I'd been presented with the concept of Hamming codes as a means of reducing the correlation between error responses, but this is the first time it was presented in relation to applying Ockham's razer to null-hypothesis testing in an attempt to find the best solution to a problem, rather than just correcting errors in real-time.
Unfortunately, the application of it would still be far beyond the realm of current computing power, unless some interesting dynamic programming technique was used. Now quantum computers would be a whole nother dimension of interesting. The mind wobbles.
Currently, the number of null hypotheses for each 'classification' (ie possible line of code, currently 2^64 I believe, although the number could well be a lot less than that...) increases at a rate of (2^(k-1))-1... which is heaps more than reasonable, considering the largest value of k the MLG upstairs managed to get was 11, and the creators of this algorithm recommended a likely value of k as no more than about 6... certainly not 2^64!

Also today I had presented to me the term 'black magic algorithms', of which I'd experienced the concept but had never been given a title for it. I think it's quite well-put, myself.
The concept is that this particular set of algorithms can be proven emperically to work, and sometimes can even be proven emperically to be efficient, but it's either impossible or very difficult to prove /theoretically/ that they do what they're seen to actually do.
Which is kinda funky.

This kind of stuff is why I get a little annoyed when people say to me: "Oh, you do stuff with computers! Can you fix my internet for me?"
That's not what I do. THIS is what I do.
I guess it's like the difference between installing car stereos and designing mass-transit systems.
And that's why I don't want to switch degrees, even though this one is so difficult. In a way it's /because/ it's so difficult, that's also what makes it interesting. I just wish it was difficult in managable bits!

Anyway, going back to the original topic, I have no desire to decrease the size, width, or scope of my dreams. I just want to be able to plan the median goals and baby steps as well as I can plan the big picture. I would be SO sorted if I could train myself to do that. Still working on the skill.


On a completely unrelated topic, and just because I'm thinking about it, I've spent a little time playing a game called fable on a mate's X-box. It's yet another role-playing-type game thingee which has left me thinking that it had a couple of really neat features, but nothing really to make it stand out. I'm yet again certain that a game which has all of the best features of all of the best RPGs, would be an absolute winner. I really should write a list of all of these mint features, before I start to forget them.
I could probably make this hypothetical game, but it would take a lot of time. And strangely, the part I would least like to create is the graphics engine. Maybe the doppelganger would be interested in doing that for me. Probably not though.

I don't suppose anyone out there in internet-land feels like writing a customised 3D RPG engine? Just to warn you, it'd be a scalable, fish-eye, parallax system. Contact me for more details. And I promise to give you a hefty cut of the royalties, if and when they arrive. You can trust me, we have witnesses, and they know where I live.

Baldur's Gate.

jerms! i'll do it! if only i knew how.......
but instead i'll just sit here and smile and try to pretend that i understood /everything/ you said in that journal.

hey! you play xbox!? ...you wouldnt happen to have access to xbox live would you? ...then we could play i'll just nab it from my brother....

Baldur's gate -> I already hope to nick their plot-scripting algorithm, if I ever manage to figure out how they did it.
Is there anything else you particularly like about the game?

I don't play x-box regularly; I was only playing it for a couple of hours because I was waiting for my lift to turn up.

~*~Is there anything else you particularly like about the game? ~*~

Not much.......Just absolutely everything..............Recently I haven't been able to get it to work though.

Ah stink.

Let me put that another way... Is there anything about the game that you particularly like, that isn't a generic thing in every RPG anyway?

NPC interaction for one. They all have their own lives and histories that you really only get a glimpse at, and it's very fun to have them because they seem (forgive the cliche) almost alive.

Not sure that's what you were asking though.

I also thought the High Level Abilities were really /really/ cool. And made sense really.

Plus the story related to the history of the PC. I find that usually the PC just exists and their past and lineage never come into it.

Hmm.........Something else unique to it that I like...........

I liked how the enchanted items had interesting descriptions that said more than just what the item could do.

And I liked how most of the game didn't actually have anything to do with the story line, but just existed for the sake of it. I think that made it more immersive.

Anyway that's all I can think of right now that might fit what I think you're asking. Could be I've completely misunderstood you anyway. Got any specific questions?

Blargh Computers *Head explodes*

I thought you had gone.

So did I.

I could explain but I wont. I only just understand and havent a clue on the first post.

i am so lost......
thought who had gone?

Jerms probably.

no not them it was you that was thought to be gone .!

Well I was talking about Jerms.

As was I.

quote from U747661 {{ I thought you had gone }} post 8
quote from U237809 (( thought who had gone? }} post 11

so obvious two different persons have gone , suppose if we knew where all would become a lot clearer.

Nope I think it was two people talking about Jerms.

Thanks, X. That was exactly what I was asking.

I agree that BG has the best plot of any RPG I've seen; the storylines give a great depth to the game, and that's exactly what I want to copy.
As you say, the history of the PCs, NPCs, items and places exists for no reason other than to make the game seem more real, and therefore more immersive.

The original point of the question was to find out which bits of other RPGs would be worth emulating. This is one of them.


I've started working on the design for a model-movement algorithm. I intend to create stick-figure models, and make them teach themselves how to move. I figure if I set them up to fight each other, and keep learning from their fighting styles, then I'll end up with a database of good, smooth moves they can use. If I then pull out a collection of useful moves and add that to the game then at least the combat will be realistic. I can also add weapons of various types and do the same thing, later. The models can have 'skins' added to them in the game, depending on what the character looks like, and there's no reason they have to be the same shape, either.

Well that's the plan anyway. It's just a seed of an idea at this point. It'd be interesting, at least.


And Job, can you stop pretending I'm not here please? Thank you.

ooh.... can i be some kind of creative consultant?

Probably. What do they do?