Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 9.3
Because the number of lever presses per session is capped at 25,
as the amount of quinine dispensed per press goes down, the number of
quinine level presses must increase for the rat to quench its thirst.
The rat can no longer “splurge� on the tasty root beer.
Bentham vs. the Rats
There are a few lessons to be learned here. One is that utility levels aren't always
obvious and aren't always simple. It would be difficult for Bentham to have ascribed
values to the root beer and the quinine that would have, without other considera-
tions, allowed us to rank them appropriately in his hedonic calculus. Let's look again
at Bentham's seven criteria:
1.
Intensity:
In this case, the root beer is far more pleasurable than the quinine.
This much is simple.
2.
Duration:
This is similar to how much liquid is being dispensed per lever
press.
3.
Certainty or Uncertainty:
The rats learned over time that the liquid was a
certain
outcome of a lever press, rendering this issue irrelevant.
4.
Propinquity or Remoteness (Time Distance):
The dispensing was immediate
—irrelevant.
5.
Fecundity:
Irrelevant
6.
Purity:
Irrelevant
7.
Extent:
Irrelevant
