Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 2.3
All blades may be created equal, but
that doesn't mean they get used equally.
But wait… that last item
is
relevant, isn't it? If you use those refill packs, or any-
thing similar for that matter, you may immediately recognize the point. For many
of us, a distinct pattern of behavior surrounds those blades. When I first open a new
pack and click the first blade into place, there is a quiet, almost subconscious oath
to myself. “This is a
new
pack. I'm going to make it
last
.� That mindset lasts for a
while until finally, in an act of self-preservation, I have to switch to the second
blade. Once I begin using that second blade, the mystique of the “first blade� is
gone. I may as well change as needed. My diminished regard for conservation con-
tinues through the second, third, and fourth blades. The other end of the tray leads
to a similar thought process as the first, however. This one is a bit more conscious
on my part—and therefore has a bit more weight. That mentality is “This is the
last
one
in the pack. I should make it last before busting open a new one.�
If this subtle, but noticeable, shift in my allegiance to certain blades is taken
into account, there is no longer a blanket assumption of equal usage that underlies
the earlier premise. If we know the order of the blades, we can suggest that there is
a slight bias toward the first and last blades in the pack—more so toward the last
one. Therefore, rather than a straight 20% across the board, the distribution of
usage may look more like Figure 2.4.
Notice that there is a slight bias toward blade 1 and a slightly larger bias toward
5. Obviously, the other three come in slightly under their starting point of 20%. The
numbers I selected are by no means scientific. In fact, I have no idea if they are ac-
curate about my blade usage or not. (In my less-funded college days, blade 5's usage
would have been significantly higher due to “make it last because I can't
afford
to
buy a new one.�) If I were to use this hypothesis as a model for simulating my true
blade usage, however, I believe it would be more accurate than a simple 20% across
the board. In any event, it would certainly be more interesting.
