Re: [MISC] [OT] Bring and Battle

On Tue, 22 Sep 1998 Mike.Elliott@bull.co.uk wrote:

> The problem is that point systems may create unequal forces _that
> purport to be equal_. 

No. They are equal *points*, which is not the same thing. Give two
people
$100 each and have them buy stuff for lunch. The lunches will not be the
same, or equal. Quite probably one person can stretch a dollar farther.
But they *are* $100 lunches both. 

Which means they're roughly comparable. That's all.

The only way to be truly equal is to be identical -- which is, btw, the
way practically every classic game handles play balance.

>At least without a points system the forces
> may be unequal but are more obviously so.

I really don't get this line of reasoning. Show me slightly unequal
points calculated forces, I'll file off the point values and somehow
they
are more obviously unequal?

> Anyway, what are points systems actually trying to measure? Combat
power?
> Fighting strength? Stayability? Your guess is as good as  mine....

Who cares? It's a measuring device. E.g. do you really know what 200MHz
processor means in practice to the end-user? I don't -- but I do know
it's
about twice as fast as a 100MHz version of the same processor. But that
doesn't mean twice as fast everything as far as the entire system is
concerned... the processor speed is just a rough measuring device. 

It *is* useful, but you need to understand the limitations of its
usefulness.

-- 
maxxon@swob.dna.fi (Mikko Kurki-Suonio) 	   | A pig who doesn't
fly
+358 50 5596411 GSM +358 9 80926 78/FAX 81/Voice   | is just an ordinary
pig.
Maininkitie 3C14 02320 ESPOO FINLAND | Hate me?    |	      - Porco
Rosso
http://www.swob.dna.fi/~maxxon/      | hateme.html |