Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ucla-cs.ARPA
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ukma!psuvm.bitnet!psuvax1!burdvax!sdcrdcf!ucla-cs!srt
From: srt@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.games.board
Subject: Re: Re: Seattle Rules Rail Baron
Message-ID: <8018@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 12-Dec-85 15:08:02 EST
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.8018
Posted: Thu Dec 12 15:08:02 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Dec-85 03:44:58 EST
References: <270@tekigm2.UUCP> <37800017@hpcnoe.UUCP> <304@tekigm2.UUCP>
Reply-To: srt@ucla-cs.UUCP (Scott Turner)
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 64
Keywords: more griping

In article <304@tekigm2.UUCP> wrd@tekigm2.UUCP (Bill Dippert) writes:
>...one
>way to get a 2, one way to get a 3, two ways to get a 4, etc.)

In this and your other posting you've said that people should count the
permutations and not the combinations in figuring out the odds for throwing
into the regions.  I believe you're wrong on this, though this sort of thing
was never my long suit.

Let's say that Plains comes up on even-7 and even-4 (just making these up;
I don't have charts with me).  Then the odds of throwing the Plains are

                1/2 * ( 6/36 + 3/36)

The one-half comes from the even/odd die.

>
>Other rule changes:
>
>1:  yes, use two white dice instead of one red die.  Speeds up the game as
>    you get to destinations quicker.  (Regardless of length of trip.)

And gives a bigger advantage to the players who get Superchiefs first.  Also
makes luck much more important in the early game, when rolling doubles
becomes a huge advantage.

>2:  what good does it do you to get a bonus roll when you are there?  This
>    rule merely spells out what was implied in the original rules.

A bonus roll can be CRUCIAL after you get to a destination!!  It lets you
get in and out in one turn.  Do we play the same game?  I don't have the rules
with me, but I'll be very surprised if I find your "implication" in there.

>5:  again, why would it do you any good to be established when you are at
>    your destination.  This is an attempt to clarify a situation caused
>    by the origninal rules, that really is impossible.  Once you reach
>    your destination, by definition you are no longer on a railroad, there-
>    fore, how can you be "established"?

No, no, no.  Suppose you are sitting at a junction of two railroads when one
of them gets bought.  You'd just finished riding the other one.  Are you
established on the one that was just bought?  Yes!  Likewise, you are
established on a railroad until you ride another railroad.  It doesn't matter
whether or not you go to your destination.  Again, this can be crucial if you
are going in and out of a destination on someone's railroad.

>  Which brings us to the use of the ruler.  It
>also was to speed up the game, the orginal chart was hopeless.  If you
>have the use of a computer, fine.  The ruler in most cases gives you
>either the identical $ or close enough that in the long run it does not
>matter.

I don't think the ruler is that close.  First of all, the charts take into
account crossing the mountains.  Secondly, the scale changes across the
map.  Though Oakland to Denver and Pueblo to Cinncinati are the same number
of dots apart, Pueblo to Cinncinati is actually several inches longer (but
pays $1K less according to the charts!).  Finally, the charts also take
into consideration the number of railroads in and out of a city.  San Diego
to Miami, for instance, pays more than it "should".

Regardless of the fact that you've been honing them for "ten years", these
rules don't seem well thought out or particularly playable.

                                                        -- Scott Turner