W100
The term W100 , sometimes W-percent or W% called, is a description of various dice games and means, in principle, to generate where generally one or two, any method to a random number from 1 to 100 dice are used.
Dice types and methods
There are several ways to generate such a random number.
One dice method
In order to achieve a random number from 1 to 100 with one dice, a special, approximately spherical dice with 100 recesses lying opposite in pairs is required. This type of cube is also called the zocchihedron after its inventor. While such a 100-sided dice is not ideal , it will suffice for most applications in dice games where D100 is used. On a sufficiently horizontal, flat and smooth surface, the dice remains on one of the depressions and the number with the depression pointing upwards is the result of the dice roll.
The main point of criticism of this cube method is, on the one hand, the availability of "sufficiently horizontal, flat and smooth surfaces", since this type of cube tends to remain in place under non-ideal conditions so that the result cannot be clearly read. In addition, the application requires some sensitivity so that the dice does not roll out of the area intended for dicing, in particular because it is difficult to use together with a dice cup, since it has to roll to generate a sufficiently random number. A dice tray with a rim is well suited to optimize the dice conditions.
Two dice method
This method generally uses 2 clearly distinguishable D10 (ten-sided dice). The two dice are rolled at the same time and one of the two dice is interpreted as a "tens digit", the other as a "ones digit", which is announced before the dice is rolled.
If, for example, a gray and a red D10 are announced that the red one should represent the tens, and the red shows a 9 after the roll, the gray a 6, the result is 96. If the gray W10 had been announced as the tens instead, the result would be 69 with the same picture of the dice (red shows 9, gray shows 6) .If the tens digit shows a 0, the result is interpreted as a single digit, i.e. for example if the tens show a 0 and the ones show a 7, the result is 07, that means 7. A 0 on both dice is interpreted either as 0 or 100, depending on the rules of the game, mostly 100.
This method provides a more reliable random number than a zocchihedron, since the individual cubes can be "ideal". In this case, criticism is actually only directed at the players, as you can cheat when reading the result if, for example, the tens or units die is not announced in time. To counteract this, two such dice are also offered in pairs, with one bearing the numbers 00 to 90 in increments of ten instead of the usual digits from 0 to 9, which clearly defines the tens place for reading the result.
Applications
The W100 is most often used in pen & paper role-playing games . According to some role-playing game developers and players, the use of percentage probabilities creates a better overview of the game mechanics and makes the course of the game more predictable. Above all, smaller gradations in probability are possible than with other types of dice. In the role-playing game Midgard, the W100 is referred to as a dragon egg.
- some examples
- D&D
- Rolemaster & Space Master
- Midgard (RPG)
- Basic role playing (i.e. also RuneQuest , Stormbringer , Call of Cthulhu etc.)
literature
Each role play book in the W100 or W% is used e.g. B.
- Cook, Tweet, Williams: Dungeons & Dragons - Player's Handbook . Core Rulebook I. Wizards of the Coast, 2000, ISBN 0-7869-1550-1 , pp. 6 . (English: d%)
Remarks
- ↑ see the ball section in the dice article; The aesthetic shape of the zoccihedron was patented by Lou Zocci in 1985 ( United States Patent: D303553 )
- ↑ This type of D10 is seldom referred to as W100 / 10 : Brief dice science. In: Dice Offensive. Retrieved July 15, 2011 .