From critical hits to random encounters, and from loot boxes to procedural generation, video games are stuffed to bursting with randomness. In this episode, I look at the way randomness is used in games - and why some forms are more contentious than others.

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Have Mark talk at your studio, university, or event - https://gamemakerstoolkit.tumblr.com

Sources

Uncapped Look-Ahead and the Information Horizon | Keith Burgun
http://keithburgun.net/uncapped-look-ahead-and-the-information-horizon/

A Study in Transparency: How Board Games Matter | GDC Vault
https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020408/A-Study-in-Transparency-How

GameTek Classic 183 - Input Output Randomness | Ludology
https://www.dicetower.com/game-podcast/ludology/gametek-classic-183-input-output-randomness

Why revealing all is the secret of Slay The Spire's success | Rock Paper Shotgun
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/02/19/why-revealing-all-is-the-secret-of-slay-the-spires-success/

Crate | Spelunky Wiki
https://spelunky.fandom.com/wiki/Crate

Random Generator | Tetris Wiki
https://tetris.fandom.com/wiki/Random_Generator

Level Feeling | Spelunky Wiki
https://spelunky.fandom.com/wiki/Level_Feeling/HD

Plan Disruption | Etan Hoeppner
https://ethanhoeppner.github.io/gamedesign/plan-disruption.html

Fire Emblem True Hit | Serenes Forest
https://serenesforest.net/general/true-hit/

The Psychology of Game Design (Everything You Know Is Wrong) | GDC Vault
https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1012186/The-Psychology-of-Game-Design

How Designers Engineer Luck Into Video Games | Nautilus
http://nautil.us/issue/70/variables/how-designers-engineer-luck-into-video-games-rp

Roll for your life: Making randomness transparent in Tharsis | Gamasutra
https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/263953/Roll_for_your_life_Making_randomness_transparent_in_Tharsis.php

12: Into the Breach with Justin Ma | The Spelunky Showlike
http://thespelunkyshowlike.libsyn.com/12-into-the-breach-with-justin-ma

Find out more

Many faces of Procedural Generation: Determinism | Gamsutra
https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/FranciscoRA/20160511/272419/Many_faces_of_Procedural_Generation_Determinism_classification_system_part_3.php

Why Our Brains Do Not Intuitively Grasp Probabilities | Scientific American
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-our-brains-do-not-intuitively-grasp-probabilities/

How classic games make smart use of random number generation | Gamasutra
https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/320213/How_classic_games_make_smart_use_of_random_number_generation.php

Games shown in this episode (in order of appearance)

Cuphead (2017)
Enter the Gungeon (2016)
Octopath Traveler (2018)
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017)
Griftlands (In Early Access)
Dicey Dungeons (2019)
Hearthstone (2014)
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (2014)
Darkest Dungeon (2016)
Dead Cells (2018)
SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech (2019)
Into the Breach (2018)
Spelunky (2012)
Armello (2015)
Minecraft (2011)
Chasm (2018)
Downwell (2015)
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014)
No Man's Sky (2016)
Celeste (2018)
Fortnite (2017)
Mario Kart 8 (2014)
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014)
Tekken 7 (2015)
Super Mario Party (2018)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (2019)
Borderlands 3 (2019)
Call of Duty: WWII (2017)
Valkyria Chronicles 4 (2018)
Civilization V (2010)
Wargroove (2019)
Plants vs. Zombies (2009)
XCOM: Enemy Within (2013)
Chess Ultra (2017)
Mark of the Ninja (2012)
StarCraft II (2010)
Slay the Spire (2019)
Apex Legends (2019)
Civilization IV (2005)
XCOM 2 (2016)
Overwatch (2016)
FTL: Faster Than Light (2012)
Card of Darkness (2019)
Diablo III (2012)
Tetris 99 (2019)
Puyo Puyo Tetris (2017)
Phoenix Point (2019)
Fire Emblem: Three Houses (2019)
Tharsis (2016)

Music used in this episode

Cuphead soundtrack - Kristofer Maddigan (https://studiomdhr.bandcamp.com/releases)
Tharsis soundtrack - Half Age EP by Weval (https://atomnation.bandcamp.com/album/half-age-ep)

Other credits

RNGesus original artwork by Dinsdale
https://twitter.com/dinsdale1978

Super Mario Party - Luigi wins by doing absolutely nothing | Nintendo Unity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5IyYNI28gM

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - New Game Plus Maddening Walkthrough Part 43! | MrSOAP999
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRZuFK3q9Q4

Deadpool 2 © 20th Century Fox

Pandemic Card Art © Z-Man Games

Contribute translated subtitles - https://amara.org/en-gb/videos/C3IIn1JRUBXt/