TheHistorian wrote:For me, it's the d7 and d14. Everything else we can simulate on two dice ( e.g. d16 = d8 with d6 control die: 1-3 +0, 4-6 +8 ), but there is no clean way to roll a d7 (because it's a prime number), and no, rolling a d8 and rerolling 12.5% of the time doesn't work for me.
Traveller wrote:Years ago, as an exercise, I created a die chart. Ever had a problem where you would create a table for an RPG, and just couldn't fill the last few slots, or only wanted a certain number of possible results? The following table will show you what dice to roll to get a result of 1 -- X, where X is the number in the die type on the left. When there are several possible ways, just use the one you wish to use, as all the possible combinations require the least amount of dice as possible for the result number. (NOTE: these methods do not yield results in a linear curve such as rolling a single die with the appropriate number of sides, unless only one die is rolled.)d3 and d5 couldn't be simulated using the program I used to generate the chart. I have provided a solution below. It works, but I can understand why the program I used couldn't generate such a solution.d3 = 1d6/2. round upd5 = 1d20/4, round upd7 = 2d4-1d14 = (1d8+2d4)-2 or (2d6+1d4)-2d16 = 3d6-2d24 = (1d10+2d8)-2 or (2d10+1d6)-2d30 = (1d20+2d6)-2, (1d12+2d10)-2, or (2d12+1d8)-2Harley, you might want to think about modifying the advice given in the Funky Dice section to incorporate this stuff.
Sardan wrote:Surely a d3 and d5 are both easy. d3 is a d6 but if the result is 4-6 subtract three. d5 is a d10 but if the result is 6-10 subtract 5.An easy alternative is:d31,2 = 13,4 = 25,6 = 3d51,2 = 13,4 = 25,6 = 37,8 = 49,0 = 5
Harley Stroh wrote:Thank you, Traveller. I think you're right, dice work arounds would make a good appendix. //H
Traveller wrote:Other than the fact my die roll calculations function on a bell curve rather than a linear progression, the averages are identical. Thus the results should be satisfactory for anyone not having funky dice, like me (d30 excepted).
TheHistorian wrote:[math nerd alert]You can't generate an even distribution for 1-N, without a die of xN sides, where N is prime (or a multiple) and x is a positive whole number.[/math nerd alert]
Sardan wrote:I don't think d6/2 or d20/4 ar actually the same as my methods. There is no rounding in my methods.
TheHistorian wrote:Yes, I follow your math. Yes, the averages are the same. But that isn't the same as an even distribution. If the expected results want the average number to also be the most frequent, that may be okay, but if it's just an unweighted list of 14 choices, then that doesn't work.
smarmy1 wrote:You made my morning.
Traveller wrote:The control die method doesn't work with d7 and d14, by your own admission. So what do you do?Goodman games wants people to buy the dice, and giving people an optimal solution doesn't allow for that.
TheHistorian wrote:There is no point to this game mechanic other than to make them more money, because you need something additional (most easily sourced from them) to play.
Traveller wrote:Actually, there is a point to the mechanic: when the standard dice were introduced to the Dungeons & Dragons game for the first time inevitably there were comments about their "weird" shapes compared to a d6. The usage of the funky dice simply continues that meme.
As an aside, not every game in role playing history required dice, therefore you cannot list dice as something required to play every role playing game. Both Amber and Marvel Universe RPGs eschewed dice. In the case of Amber it was cooperative play. Marvel Universe was about resource management.
Maybe I don't understand where you're coming from after all, because I don't see a problem with what Goodman is doing, and I haven't even read the PDF yet.