EVE General Discussion

10 facts you maybe did not know. https://youtu.be/Shhhn6lu0Nc

Number 4 confuses me a bit. Can anybody explain that for me?

Very funny. I know nothing about programming. Can explain it a bit more?

... that thumbnail

… “O Deep Thought computer," he said, "the task we have designed you to perform is this. We want you to tell us...." he paused, "The Answer."
"The Answer?" said Deep Thought. "The Answer to what?"
"Life!" urged Fook.
"The Universe!" said Lunkwill.
"Everything!" they said in chorus.
Deep Thought paused for a moment's reflection.
"Tricky," he said finally.
"But can you do it?"
Again, a significant pause.
"Yes," said Deep Thought, "I can do it."
"There is an answer?" said Fook with breathless excitement.
"Yes," said Deep Thought. "Life, the Universe, and Everything. There is an answer. But, I'll have to think about it."
Fook glanced impatiently at his watch.
“How long?” he said.
“Seven and a half million years,” said Deep Thought.
Lunkwill and Fook blinked at each other.
“Seven and a half million years...!” they cried in chorus.
“Yes,” declaimed Deep Thought, “I said I’d have to think about it, didn’t I?"
[Seven and a half million years later.... Fook and Lunkwill are long gone, but their ancestors continue what they started]
"We are the ones who will hear," said Phouchg, "the answer to the great question of Life....!"
"The Universe...!" said Loonquawl.
"And Everything...!"
"Shhh," said Loonquawl with a slight gesture. "I think Deep Thought is preparing to speak!"
There was a moment's expectant pause while panels slowly came to life on the front of the console. Lights flashed on and off experimentally and settled down into a businesslike pattern. A soft low hum came from the communication channel.
"Good Morning," said Deep Thought at last.
"Er..good morning, O Deep Thought" said Loonquawl nervously, "do you have...er, that is..."
"An Answer for you?" interrupted Deep Thought majestically. "Yes, I have."
The two men shivered with expectancy. Their waiting had not been in vain.
"There really is one?" breathed Phouchg.
"There really is one," confirmed Deep Thought.
"To Everything? To the great Question of Life, the Universe and everything?"
"Yes."
Both of the men had been trained for this moment, their lives had been a preparation for it, they had been selected at birth as those who would witness the answer, but even so they found themselves gasping and squirming like excited children.
"And you're ready to give it to us?" urged Loonsuawl.
"I am."
"Now?"
"Now," said Deep Thought.
They both licked their dry lips.
"Though I don't think," added Deep Thought. "that you're going to like it."
"Doesn't matter!" said Phouchg. "We must know it! Now!"
"Now?" inquired Deep Thought.
"Yes! Now..."
"All right," said the computer, and settled into silence again. The two men fidgeted. The tension was unbearable.
"You're really not going to like it," observed Deep Thought.
"Tell us!"
"All right," said Deep Thought. "The Answer to the Great Question..."
"Yes..!"
"Of Life, the Universe and Everything..." said Deep Thought.
"Yes...!"
"Is..." said Deep Thought, and paused.
"Yes...!"
"Is..."
"Yes...!!!...?"
"Forty-two," said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.”


Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Heh

Computers are great at giving us the same answer to a question every time we ask them to do the same thing. They run in a very deterministic way based on their hardware and software.

However, often we want the appearance of randomness so that things aren't the same every time a program runs. This is the case with the design of New Eden.

When CCP created New Eden, including all gate connections, planets, moons, etc. they used an algorithm to generate what we have, they didn't do it all manually.

In order to ensure that the systems weren't all the same (eg. size, number of planets, gates, moons, etc.) the algorithms included random numbers to influence choices and values.

Computers generally can't create truly random numbers however, because they are still always just following a set of steps in a deterministic way.

So many programming languages, including Python, include functions to generate pseudo-random numbers that change the outcome and they use the system clock as a seed to generate the numbers from. Since time is always ticking, the numbers are always changing and they appear random, even though they aren't.

Instead of letting the language use the system clock as a seed (and there are other types of seeds), it's also possible to set the seed to a specific number.

That will actually allow you to create the exact same random numbers every time (hence, not truly random).

That has some advantages, even where you want variety in your design. By using a specific random seed, you can guarantee the same outcome from the program every single time.

See this image for an example:

https://puu.sh/uXJqZ/67a87cbfec.png

Every time a sequence of random integers is generated from 1 - 999 with no specific seed, a different sequence is generated.

However, when 42 is set as the seed, 655 is returned each time as the first number in the sequence. 115 will always be the second number in the sequence, etc. So a whole sequences of "random" numbers can be generated that will be exactly the same every time.

In using a specific seed, CCP could generate one of millions of possible versions of New Eden, but always be able to recreate that exact same version any time they need.

Thanks a lot. That makes it easier for me to understand.

Scipio is rarely an a--hole in his answers.

Hx2 + G +Tx2 + G
HHGTTG
Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy


Edit: Also...doesn't 42 represent " * " which can mean "anything" ?