Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
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7
Multiplayer
The gunslinger, the criminal, and the sheriff faced off in the town square. A
tumbleweed drifted by. They reached for their six-shooters.
The gunslinger had a split second to decide whether to shoot the
criminal or the sheriff. He couldn't wait to see where each of them was
aiming—by then it would be too late. He had to decide now, as he drew his
weapon. But which should he choose?
He had been paid to shoot the sheriff. So that's what he should do.
But wait. The sheriff knew that the gunslinger had been paid to kill
him. So the sheriff would shoot the gunslinger in self-defense, which
would leave the criminal free to shoot who he pleased. And the criminal
had a vendetta against the gunslinger because the gunslinger had stolen
the criminal's horse six months earlier. So the criminal would probably
shoot the gunslinger as well. And the gunslinger knew the criminal was a
much better shot than the sheriff. So to defend himself, he'd draw on the
criminal and hope the sheriff missed.
But then, the sheriff knew all this as well, so he knew the gunslinger
would try to stop the criminal first. This would leave the sheriff open to
shoot whomever he wished. So he would shoot the criminal, because
it was his job, and because he didn't want to be caught in an even fight
against the better-shooting criminal if both of them shot the gunslinger
together.
But the criminal knew this. And the gunslinger knew he knew that.
And the sheriff knew that they both knew something else. Around and
around the logic went in the gunslinger's mind as his hand closed around
the pistol grip.
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