One in a billion?

[Al-Khwarizmi]

i played a game in which crits are pseudo-random and hence it is a legit strategy to hit neutrals till for a while you dont crit them and then go to battle!

All RNG's based on pure software (i.e. not taking external data from atmospheric noise or things like that) are pseudo-random, because the computer is a deterministic machine and doesn't have a source of true randomness. But the thing you say about crits shouldn't happen with any half-decent RNG implementation. While it's true that in a pseudo-random generator each number depends on the previous one(s), this dependence is implemented with a chaotic function which is highly unpredictable. It can generate streaks of "good/bad rolls" like true random numbers.

Maybe in that game you mention the programmers purposefully coded some logic on top of the generator to guarantee that you get X% crits over a period of time, or something like that. This is what is done in slot machines. They have a minimum and a maximum of money that they will give for every X coins that go in, and there are people who exploit that. But this is additional logic coded on top of the generator. I've always wanted to see the core code for a slot machine.

By the way, I have been playing ADOM for years, have a bunch of wins under my belt, and I don't think I have seen more than like 6-7 surges of power in my whole ADOM career. Incredible how some people get so many of them!

[Mobius]

All RNG's based on pure software (i.e. not taking external data from atmospheric noise or things like that) are pseudo-random, because the computer is a deterministic machine and doesn't have a source of true randomness. ...!

Many modern RNG's do accumulate entropy from the environment, like timing on mouse movements, network calls, and even CPUs with a built in circuit that has noise. It's actually important in security settings. But you probably knew all that already.

[AlterAsc]

Maybe in that game you mention the programmers purposefully coded some logic on top of the generator to guarantee that you get X% crits over a period of time, or something like that.

That's probably what he meant. In Dota2 for example several abilities that depend on a chance start with low chance to proc, and until it does not proc chance rises until it procs and then chance drops again. This is done in order to reduce dependancy on streaks of luck/bad luck and generally make player's skill more meaningful.

[divij]

i was actually referring to dota2!

[melphen]

I thought the silver key was only granted throw crowning and only for theif class. Clearly that isn't correct anymore. Pretty sweet find. I have had characters I would have used a wish to get that key for in the past.

[_Ln_]

I thought the silver key was only granted throw crowning and only for theif class. Clearly that isn't correct anymore. Pretty sweet find. I have had characters I would have used a wish to get that key for in the past.

Crowning-only artifacts were fixed in one of the first prereleases.

Fun fact:
1) Silver key is DL 1, LS is DL of 2.
2) PC:5 is DL 4.
3) Bracers of War and Preserver are both DL 5.
4) All artifacts except Wyrmlance have the same rarity.

So yeah, congrats!

[Moeba]

It depends on whether the event is random or pseudo-random...in most games, rolls are pseudo-random, so in a way, the RNG DOES have a memory!

True, and even things which are supposed to be completely random are based on something in your computer (a tiny crystal, I believe) which oscillates so fast that the outcome is (seemingly) random.
The question applies to everything that seems random. Is it really random or does it depend on such tiny things that randomness is the best model? Quantum theory and so on, bla bla - theoretically, it's obviously possible to roll fair dice in such a way that 6 comes up every time.

[mimhoff]

Crowning-only artifacts were fixed in one of the first prereleases.

Fun fact:
1) Silver key is DL 1, LS is DL of 2.
2) PC:5 is DL 4.
3) Bracers of War and Preserver are both DL 5.
4) All artifacts except Wyrmlance have the same rarity.

So yeah, congrats!

Thanks! I was wondering what the possible pool of early game artifacts was. I know Whirlwind is very low DL too, and the Black Tome.

[_Ln_]

Thanks! I was wondering what the possible pool of early game artifacts was. I know Whirlwind is very low DL too, and the Black Tome.

Add the scorched spear, Skullcrusher, Shirt of the Saints, Ironfist.
Pre-DT also include Shez, Hammerhead, Serpent's Byte, Nature's Friend, Perion's, boots of the divine messenger, Brannalbin, Kinslayer.

[Paul 1602]

Not as unlikely as 2 surges of power of course, but I just found 2 pairs of SLB on PC:3 literally 5 steps from each other, pretty awesome if you ask me