Posted July 20, 2018
First, some definitions:
A "seed" is the value used to seed the game's random number generator. In this context, "seed" can also be used to refer to the seed used to generate the dungeon. (In particular, if you play the same seed twice, the dungeon will be the same.) Some games allow you to specify a specific seed when starting a new game.
A seed is "solvable" if there is a sequence of moves that will result in the game being completed. (For example, in Rogue, such a sequence of moves would result in the player getting the Amulet of Yendor and successfully escaping the dungeon.) The sequence of moves can be called the "solution".
My question: Is it important that every seed be solvable, or is it OK if some seeds are not solvable? In other words, is it OK if, on any given playthrough, victory is not possible?
(Incidentally, Nethack has at least one unsolvable seed; it starts the player on a cross-aligned artifact that, with auto-pickup, is immediately picked up, and the damage from picking up the artifact kills the player before they get to make even a single move.)
So, your thoughts?
A "seed" is the value used to seed the game's random number generator. In this context, "seed" can also be used to refer to the seed used to generate the dungeon. (In particular, if you play the same seed twice, the dungeon will be the same.) Some games allow you to specify a specific seed when starting a new game.
A seed is "solvable" if there is a sequence of moves that will result in the game being completed. (For example, in Rogue, such a sequence of moves would result in the player getting the Amulet of Yendor and successfully escaping the dungeon.) The sequence of moves can be called the "solution".
My question: Is it important that every seed be solvable, or is it OK if some seeds are not solvable? In other words, is it OK if, on any given playthrough, victory is not possible?
(Incidentally, Nethack has at least one unsolvable seed; it starts the player on a cross-aligned artifact that, with auto-pickup, is immediately picked up, and the damage from picking up the artifact kills the player before they get to make even a single move.)
So, your thoughts?