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Games as Information Systems with Uncertainty
“rules” schemas on content and discernability
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Information theory – analysis of coding and capacity
coding systems have a capacity e.g., one byte has 256 configurations so can
represent a ‘vocabulary’ of 256 distinct messages
messages contain more or less information depending on how much uncertainty they remove Are you at home?yes (1 out of 2) What day of the week is it? Thursday (1 out 7)
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COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Information theory
matching capacity to need: Are you at home? yes (1 out of 2)
1 bit – 2 messages What day of the week is it? Thursday (1 out 7)
3 bits – 8 messagesWeaver “information is a measure of one’s
freedom of choice when one selects a message”
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Information theory redundancy: measure of excess capacity
Are you at home? “YES” (three character string) in ASCII: 24 bits, 1 bit info, 23 bits redundant
redundancy allows for error checking and correction (eg checksum bits) noise...
written language is redundant text messaging:
jargon reduces redundancy, IMHO
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Information theory in games
output is redundant but not a problem of information
input problems capacity coding redundancy
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Information input
example - Brackeen’s game choices , , space, esc code of meaning (InputManager) capacity based on sequences of choices
a language for the player to use:
“,,,,space,,,,,,,esc”
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Information-based games
Mastermind Twenty Questions (binary search)
reducing uncertainty by narrowing choices
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Signal transmission and noise
information transmission model
information
source
transmitter destinationreceiver
sign
alre
ceiv
ed s
igna
l
noise
source
mes
sage
mes
sage
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Noise and redundancy
Noise alters a message If a message has redundancy, the
altered message can be identified, perhaps corrected
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Noise-based games
Telephone circle Charades
noisy communication channels
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Redundancy-based game
crossword puzzlesmost letters in the puzzle are over-specified
by both a vertical and horizontal clue, though clues are (intentionally) noisy
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Inputs and information transmission
(raw) mouse actions (left, right, down, up, click, double click)
(raw) keyboard input component selection sets (menu,
radio button, slider) textfieldcoding, capacity, noise, redundancy e.g., adding the ‘deke’
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Information theory – knowledge
information as game content - data and structure meaningthe “stuff” that can be encoded, transmitted, corrupted, receivedAND hidden, forgotten, learned, reorganized,
acquired, memorized,...e.g. playing cards can reveal or conceal
information
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COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Knowledge categories of games
Perfect information – all players know complete state of the game e.g., chess, backgammon, monopoly
Imperfect information – players do not know complete state of game most card games, battleship,
minesweeper, adventure games
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Categories of information in games (Pearce, 1997)
1. Known to all players board position
2. Known to only one (some) player(s) hand of cards
3. Known to no players draw pile
4. Randomly generated throw of dice
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Games based on information changing categories
card games – information is revealed to players
learning information known to no players is a focus of many digital games– Myst (data), Sims (principles)
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
digital games and information
powerful manipulation of information hidden processes, not just data reorganization of information information tools for the player (views,
pause, snapshots, organizers)
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Combining information 1 and 2 Enchanted Forest (handout)
information as knowledge information as function of uncertainty
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Uncertainty in games
All games have uncertainty Bernard deKoven, 1978:
“Imagine how you would feel if, before the game, you were already declared the winner. Imagine how purposeless the game would feel.”
Why are sports televised live?
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COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Uncertainty in games
All games have uncertainty without uncertainty, a player’s action
cannot have meaning uncertainty about game outcome is
related to at uncertainty (?)in moves:
action result game outcome
change of state
? die
chess
?
discernible? pit
integration
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Uncertainty in games
Epstein, 1977:For a move or a game, the player can feel:1. certainty – result known2. risk – probabilities of results known in
advance3. uncertainty – no idea of outcomee.g. roulette – move: risk, night at casino:
uncertaintychess - move: ceertainty, game uncertainty
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Uncertainty and randomness
uncertainty does not require randomness chinese checkers middle game (result of
complexity) tic-tac-toe NOT
uncertainty produces fun/motivation, opportunity for emergence chinese checkers multi-step jump
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Randomness: using probability
constituative factor: probability distributions
operational factor: how is random result generated?
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Pure chance games
Chutes and Ladders – where is the fun? operational rules – the actual activity moves have risk but outcome is
uncertain: chutes and ladders produce sudden
reversals end game delays front runner (compare
with chinese checkers)
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Pure chance games
Lotteries operational rules include constituatively
meaningless choices (pick numbers, scratch) that acquire cultural meaning by operationalizing
COSC 4126 information and uncertainty
Fallacies about probability
Typical game players will misunderstand expected value
overvalue longshots misunderstand independent events and
exclusive events believe in the “law of averages,” so runs of
failure make success more likely believe rare bad events won’t recur but rare
positive ones will overemphasize good outcomes believe in luck