Comments on: Pointless probabilities http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/ the blog that is not dansdata.com Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:53:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Darien http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2403 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:06:19 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2403 The Dwarven Metals are keen. I have the hematite Dwarven Stones; they're very pretty. My wife got them for me for my birthday some years back; I think when you get to the point where your wife is giving you fancy dice as a gift, it's time to come to terms with what a giant nerd you are. :-o The Dwarven Metals are keen. I have the hematite Dwarven Stones; they're very pretty. My wife got them for me for my birthday some years back; I think when you get to the point where your wife is giving you fancy dice as a gift, it's time to come to terms with what a giant nerd you are. :-o

]]> by: peridot http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2400 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:13:25 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2400 oh, the spherical d6 is cute, but if competently made it should be perfectly fair. You put an octahedral void and a ball bearing in the middle of the sphere. When it stops, the ball bearing will be in one of the six points of the void, and so one if the six faces will be up. You do have to put the octahedron right in the centre of the sphere, so presumably it's easy to make these dice badly. oh, the spherical d6 is cute, but if competently made it should be perfectly fair. You put an octahedral void and a ball bearing in the middle of the sphere. When it stops, the ball bearing will be in one of the six points of the void, and so one if the six faces will be up.

You do have to put the octahedron right in the centre of the sphere, so presumably it's easy to make these dice badly.

]]> by: RichVR http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2398 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:47:36 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2398 Due to this post I ended up browsing the intarweb for dice. Just purchased these: http://www.rpgshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=34391& Due to this post I ended up browsing the intarweb for dice. Just purchased these:

http://www.rpgshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=34391&

]]> by: Balentius http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2392 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:25:24 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2392 Ah, yes, the good old d100... I had to buy one of those, when they first hit the gaming stores. I don't think I've ever used it for "real" gaming rolls, though... :) One you didn't mention, probably since it isn't a "real" die, is the d20's on this page: http://www.koplowgames.com/page59.html The "count down twenties"... When you roll that, everyone at the table notices! :) Largest die I own, since I don't have "fuzzy dice" hanging in my car. Ah, yes, the good old d100... I had to buy one of those, when they first hit the gaming stores. I don't think I've ever used it for "real" gaming rolls, though... :)

One you didn't mention, probably since it isn't a "real" die, is the d20's on this page:
http://www.koplowgames.com/page59.html

The "count down twenties"... When you roll that, everyone at the table notices! :) Largest die I own, since I don't have "fuzzy dice" hanging in my car.

]]> by: RichVR http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2390 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:13:58 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2390 Once again, great photo. I guess it's the off shapes of the d6s, but it seems like they are floating in the air. Until I focus on the other dice and it's obvious that they are on a flat surface. Until I focus on the d6s... aaak! Once again, great photo. I guess it's the off shapes of the d6s, but it seems like they are floating in the air. Until I focus on the other dice and it's obvious that they are on a flat surface. Until I focus on the d6s... aaak!

]]> by: Darien http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2389 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:47:32 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2389 I recently purchased some offbeat dice myself. I got a set of <a href="http://www.dicecollector.com/D6_OPAQUE_ROUNDED_SOLID_SPHERICAL_2.jpg" rel="nofollow">spherical d6</a>, which I'm not convinced are actually fair and take ages to roll, but are really cool. I picked up a 24, some conventionally-shaped dice with odd faces (for determining traps, door state, directions, and hit locations), and then I got (Probably NSFW, though not exactly explicit) <a href="http://shop.rpg.net/images/Dice/karmasutra.jpg" rel="nofollow">Kama Sutra dice</a>! Those were rather laughably expensive, but justified their price by being... rather laughable altogether. I recently purchased some offbeat dice myself. I got a set of spherical d6, which I'm not convinced are actually fair and take ages to roll, but are really cool. I picked up a 24, some conventionally-shaped dice with odd faces (for determining traps, door state, directions, and hit locations), and then I got (Probably NSFW, though not exactly explicit) Kama Sutra dice! Those were rather laughably expensive, but justified their price by being... rather laughable altogether.

]]> by: Chazzozz http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2387 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:41:47 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2387 From the link to the Christie's auction above: <i>Modern scholarship has not yet established the game for which these dice were used.</i> This die was from a society that used to think Dungeons &amp; Dragons was <b>real life</b>. Maybe gladiators used to carry some around with them for thsoe special moments when a saving throw was needed? Either that, or some Roman philosopher foretold the coming of E. Gary Gygax. Imagination runs wild at the thought... By the way, it's nice to see that the Crown Royal bag as the ubiquitous storage device for your precious dice made it all the way down to Australia, too. I always thought it was just a 'Canadian thing'. It begs the question to be asked: <i>How much Crown Royal is purchased only for the whisky?</i> :D From the link to the Christie's auction above: Modern scholarship has not yet established the game for which these dice were used.
This die was from a society that used to think Dungeons & Dragons was real life. Maybe gladiators used to carry some around with them for thsoe special moments when a saving throw was needed? Either that, or some Roman philosopher foretold the coming of E. Gary Gygax. Imagination runs wild at the thought...

By the way, it's nice to see that the Crown Royal bag as the ubiquitous storage device for your precious dice made it all the way down to Australia, too. I always thought it was just a 'Canadian thing'. It begs the question to be asked: How much Crown Royal is purchased only for the whisky? :D

]]> by: ex-parrot http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2385 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:02:57 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2385 Those brass hexagonal dice are superb... I'm sorely tempted to make some now but with the price of brass what it is... Those brass hexagonal dice are superb... I'm sorely tempted to make some now but with the price of brass what it is...

]]> by: Byrn http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2383 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:23:49 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/04/25/pointless-probabilities/#comment-2383 On the D5 page one of the suggested uses is "Also, in D&amp;D it is great for D4+1 weapons." Um, that doesn't sound quite right to me ;) Thay also don't seem to have any D7s, which I assume would be double numbered D14s? On the D5 page one of the suggested uses is "Also, in D&D it is great for D4+1 weapons."

Um, that doesn't sound quite right to me ;)

Thay also don't seem to have any D7s, which I assume would be double numbered D14s?

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