A Random Comment

[Lexxuk]

Tiggy, the time and cpu clock etc. are all known and constant variables, let's go with the system clock, the seed is 9am on the 1st June 2014, you can (if you know the seed date) know what the 1,000,000,000th number is, it isn't random, it has an end result which can be known, there is a 0% chance that you *know* if a coin is going to be heads or tails next toss, it's true random.

A computer on it's own cannot generate a true random number, all it can do is apply fancy mathematics to simulate a large enough pool of numbers to suggest randomness, if the same seed is used again, the same results are shown, so the seed itself has to be randomly generated from a method that cannot be guessed so that the same results can never occur, we could go for, number of transactions currently hitting the database, multiplied by the number of people logged in, divided by the current time (UTC), again, not true random, the seed has the possibility of reoccurring which would bring exactly the same results again.

See, you're trying to make a computer generate a seed, but a computer cannot generate a random seed, but as a computer cannot generate a random number it cannot generate a random seed for the pseudorandom. If the seed repeats, the sequence repeats which is why a computer will never be able to do random because math.

[Tiggy]

Tiggy, the time and cpu clock etc. are all known and constant variables, let's go with the system clock, the seed is 9am on the 1st June 2014, you can (if you know the seed date) know what the 1,000,000,000th number is, it isn't random, it has an end result which can be known, there is a 0% chance that you *know* if a coin is going to be heads or tails next toss, it's true random.

Despite the fact those were just examples I'll go down the rabbit hole real fast. The time is a known variable yes, but it's only valid for a millisecond. Not enough time to do anything about it. You don't know the range they clamp the results from, you don't know if they random a few times before picking the final number, or any other such techniques to improve variability. Just knowing the seed isn't as powerful as you think and even then the seed is so fleeting it won't matter between individual lots. For all intents and purposes it is still random enough for uses in games like this. You will never be able to use knowledge of the temporary seed and predict your outcome.

It seems to me you just want to argue random number generation theory though as opposed to how it practically effects the game.

[Yoohre_WildRiver]

Despite the fact those were just examples I'll go down the rabbit hole real fast. The time is a known variable yes, but it's only valid for a millisecond. Not enough time to do anything about it. You don't know the range they clamp the results from, you don't know if they random a few times before picking the final number, or any other such techniques to improve variability..

this, i dont think FFXIV programmers would go with something as simple as just the clock to generate the seed. i was talking about this with a member of my FC. i would use more than just one variable to generate the seed i would nest arrays of words to be chosen by random and mix that with the date and then generate the seed maybe use the characters position on the map X Y Z, the eorzea clock server clock client side clock. the more the better.

everytime i hear a FC member tell another FC member doing atma to do th jap method atma farming i laugh a little.. this method is so full of comfirmation bias i tell them to just use my method instead.. the yoohree method is easy.. be patient, accept the reality of pRNG and embrace it with a cold six pack... because even if you dont get the atma at least you had some good beers!