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Subject: 
Re: general gaming Q: multiple dice vs. die+bonuses
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.gaming
Date: 
Wed, 19 Dec 2007 18:42:42 GMT
Viewed: 
8733 times
  
In lugnet.gaming, Joe Strout wrote:
  
  • Ad6 tends to form more of a normal (bell-curve) distribution as A increases, leading to more “average” rolls and fewer extreme rolls; 1d6+A stays a uniform distribution no matter what the value of A.

Another difference is that there’s a large variance in Ad6, and very little variance in 1d6+A. With A=4 (for instance) you get Ad6 resulting between 4 and 24, which is a huge range. With 1d6+A, you get between 5 and 10.

For that reason, I’d prefer the Ad6, because it adds more randomness. Units that are outmatched might feel a glimmer of hope that they roll really well, and units that outclass everything else still have that fear that they’ll roll badly. Obviously it doesn’t happen much in practice thanks to the bell-curve nature, but it’s always good to have hope of a resounding victory!

  
  • Ad6 obviously means more addition for values of A > 2, though on the other hand, young players could just count the spots, whereas 1d6+A is only one addition but has to be done in your head.

I’d also go with the Ad6 method on this point because Ad6 is very physical, not very abstract. Knowing that you’ve got to add some number to your roll after the fact always seems a little strange to me... “I rolled an 8, but I also get to add 3 to that.” I always prefer it if it’s a straight roll.

  
  • Ad6 requires more dice (or else, rolling multiple times and adding up in your head), which could be an issue for some players.

That’s definitely a bonus for 1d6+A. Rolling 9d6 (say) can get tedius, both in counting and in rolling (if you only have 2 dice or something), whereas 1d6+A is usually much more feasible with a single die.

Without knowing any real details about your game, I’d probably go with the Ad6 method, but that’s by no means an informed decision-- your game mechanics might make more sense the other way, too, depending on how you want to work things.

DaveE



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: general gaming Q: multiple dice vs. die+bonuses
 
(...) Wow. I opened this thread expecting to defend the 1d6+A option, but Dave presents a convincing argument for the Ad6. Even with an opposing defense roll (with a defense value also 1-4), a ship with defense 1 would (with a 1-6 range) dodge once (...) (16 years ago, 6-Jan-08, to lugnet.gaming, FTX)

Message is in Reply To:
  general gaming Q: multiple dice vs. die+bonuses
 
I'm in the throes of designing a LEGO space battle game. I'm borrowing some ideas from Full Thrust, at Wayne's suggestion, but I'm probably going to monkey with the combat substantially. For example, I really like giving the defender a defense roll, (...) (16 years ago, 19-Dec-07, to lugnet.gaming, FTX)

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