Room for Ian H. and TheLethalCoder

Ian H.

11:23

Hey, just a second about your challenge ...

TheLethalCoder

Hi

Ian H.

I just noticed something about the boxes

The 1/2, 1/4, etc. is supposed to be the probability of hitting it, right?

TheLethalCoder

right

Ian H.

Yeah, the problem is that works well with n=3 because 1/2+1/4+1/4=1 but for n=5 or n=1 that wont work, because for n=1 1/2!=1 and for n=5 1/2+1/4+1/4+1/8+1/8!=1

TheLethalCoder

I know it won't equal 1

Ian H.

11:25

(Thats also a reason why the formula I posted won't work)

TheLethalCoder

It's not meant too

Ian H.

But then it can't be the probability?

TheLethalCoder

Think of it as being a 1 in 2 chance of hitting in the middle, then 1 in 4, then 1 in 8 etc...

Perhaps probability isn't the correct word choice

Ian H.

Yeah i guess it isnt

Because if you have only one box you can't have a 50% chance in hitting it, right?

TheLethalCoder

Not in reality no but for the challenge yes. For n=1 each frame you have a 50% chance of hitting the canvas (as the box fills up the whole canvas)

Ian H.

11:30

Hm

I believe I get it

... kinda atleast

TheLethalCoder

I'd show you my reference implementation but it's golfed :P

Ian H.

I'm just afraid that others wont understand it

If you want you can show me, and I will restrain myself from entering the challenge :P

TheLethalCoder

No no I want to see how mine compares to yours :)

If I change probability to chance would that be easier to understand?

Ian H.

Well I guess the easiest way would be to give the chance in % (maybe)?

TheLethalCoder

I was keeping it as fractions because it's easier to read, in my opinion at least

Ian H.

11:34

Let me give you an example real quick on how I understand it: for n=1 a particle being placed has a 100% chance of being inside (the only) box. For n=3 a particle has a 25% chance of being placed in the left or the right, and 50% in the middle.

Is that correct?

Yeah fractions is way better than %, i agree, but they should sum up to 1 I guess

TheLethalCoder

So for `n=` per frame you have
`1` 50% chance of landing in the middle box
`3`50% chance of landing in the middle box, 25% of landing in the next
`5` 50% chance of landing in the middle box, 25% of landing in the next, 12.5% in the next
Where only one particle will land per frame.

Formatting -_-

Ian H.

But if there is only one box in n=1 how can it miss?

TheLethalCoder

Because it isn't real life? Plus doing it that way would make n=1 a special case and I wanted to avoid that

Ian H.

Im curious if I am going to do it correctly if you upload it xD

Whatever, since apparently I am the only confused with this, you can leave it as it was

TheLethalCoder

11:50

or the only one that has read it

Essentially
`loop centre to edge`

if chance
set particle
break

something like that

chance = 2

woops

Pseudo
chance = 2
loop middle to end; chance *= 2
if chance
set particle in box
break

Ian H.

But wouldnt looping from middle to end mean that 2 outer boxes at a time would be added a particle?

i.e how does the program now in which one of the sideboxes it has to add a particle?

TheLethalCoder

Well in my reference I loop mid to end, if chance I then do a random.Next(2) < 1 to work out if I'm placing it to the left of the middle or right

Ian H.

ahh thats a nice little hack :)

Now your fractions make alot more sense to me

TheLethalCoder

Meant I didn't need to come up with a formula as well

Ahh good

Should I change anything in the challenge so it is clearer?

Ian H.

Yeah, you don't need a formula that way

I think it's fine, was probably just me overhinking reality & coding

The question is whether its more efficient in terms of bytes with a formula ;)

TheLethalCoder

12:02

Exactly, I'm no mathematician, I did Physics for a bit at Uni before becoming a programmer but I've never been the best at more complicated maths.

I think I lost interest in maths when I found physics so I stopped learning it, to an extent anyway

Ian H.

Sometimes you just don't get around some mathematics, atleast when I'm coding

It sometimes makes your work alot easier :)

Then again, as a game programmer thats a difference probably

TheLethalCoder

Oh yeah I enjoy working it out.

Just I don't always think of it because I'm not as interested in maths as I once was.

Ian H.

You can work around everything somehow ^^

Yeah, it gets boring pretty fast though

TheLethalCoder

I created an OMR engine last year. That's full of maths

Ian H.

I'm sad that my teachers basically ruined my physics classes by showing no interest at all

TheLethalCoder

12:09

I had to fight to do physics, my college wasn't going to run the course

Ian H.

And were you lucky?

TheLethalCoder

Yeah, only because someone who said they wasn't going to do it changed and said they were. And even then it was because her mum worked there as a TA

Ian H.

12:25

Hahaha, nice :)

TheLethalCoder

Think I'll post the challenge tomorrow, depending on any other feedback

Ian H.

Alright, hope that I'm around when you do so :)

TheLethalCoder

Well it'll be 9-5.30 GMT tomorrow, probably the early side

Ian H.

Im going to work on the code dogs vs robbers once I get home, can I count on your support? ;)

TheLethalCoder

Sure if you need any help with it let me know

Ian H.

12:32

Uhmm GMT is CET -2 right?

Thanks, it'll be on sandbox anyways :)

TheLethalCoder

UK time :P I'm not the best with timezones

Ian H.

Alright, i should be kinda around nevertheless

Hope that nobody steals my C#

TheLethalCoder

Aye

Ian H.

I'll be leaving this chatroom now, (potentially) see you tomorrow!

TheLethalCoder

bye!

Transcript for

Room for Ian H. and TheLethalCoder