The C3 Hint Thread: November 29th, 2013 – Twenty Questions Edition
- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
Ahem. Gather ’round, boys and girls, as questionmark explains a little something called GAME THEORY!
Game Theory is a concept that analyzes how rational individuals can make decisions — in cooperation and in competition with each other.
This here 20 questions is a great example of Game Theory — this is an example of a cooperative game — if we get it right, everyone wins!
It is also a zero/sum game – meaning, either we get it right (and win) or we don’t. This is important, because it means that there is no bonus and nothing gained from getting the answer right quickly or early.
This means that every guess has a value, and the best way to play the game is to get the answer right on or near the very end.
How do we maximize the value of our precious, precious guesses? By asking questions that RULE OUT the most answers possible.
A great question rules out a whole era, a whole genre, or a gender. There are many other examples, but keep this in mind — the answer to your question should eliminate as many possibilities as you can.
Look at our first 19 guesses for song #1:
01. Has the artist appeared in Rock Band before? No. (Nunchuck)
02. Is the song in any way related to Black Friday? No. (galexio)
03. Is the band from North America? No. (CrazyCanuck)
04. Is the song from a metal band? No. (ktz0r)
05. Did the song come out between 1980 and 1990? Yes. (mercuryshadow09)
06. Does the band have a male vocalist? Yes. (galexio)
07. Is the song a new wave song? Yes. (questionmark)
08. Is the artist from the United Kingdom? Yes. (prewow)
09. Is the artist a one-hit wonder? No. (Sideshow)
10. Is the artist Genesis? No. (Korewahondes)
11. Is the song from a hair band? No. (mercuryshadow09)
12. Has this artist been in a Guitar Hero game or any other music or rhythm game? Yes. (chexmixho)
13. Is the band Adam and the Ants? No. (Sideshow)
14. Is the artist a solo artist? No. (prewow)
15. Is the song “Bizarre Love Triangle” from New Order? No. (Sideshow)
16. Is the artist Spandau Ballet? No. (Sideshow)
17. Was the song released in the second half of the 80s? Yes. (chexmixho)
18. Was the song featured in a full band game? No. (prewow)
19. Is the song by Pet Shop Boys, Talk Talk or Dead or Alive? No. (EdTanguy)
The questions that are bolded are excellent. They rule out many, many possibilities. Some of the others aren’t too bad (Black Friday was a good idea, I thought, because it seemed like the sort of thing C3 might do). But some of them are either too narrow, or they forget to take the other, existing clues into account.
This is key — remember that as we get more clues, ALL OF THE CLUES HAVE TO BE TRUE AT THE SAME TIME. Read the original clues — if one of them contradicts your favorite band, don’t guess it!
Am I being condescending, and taking this too seriously? Yea, prolly. But there is some serious lack of awareness of Game Theory being demonstrated in this thread. If you think you don’t know anything about game theory, then just think of it as “logic.”
Oh yeah, another big hint is to keep pursuing a clue as long as you can ’til its logical conclusion. Watch this totally fictional example for the song “Runaway Train” by Soul Asylum, which would be awesome as a custom:
1) “Was the song released before 1980?”
No.
2) “Was the song released before 1990?”
No.
3) “Was the song released before 2000?”
Yes.
4) “Was the song released in the second half of the 1990s?”
No.
5) “Was the song released between 1990 – 1993?”
Yes.
6) “Was the song released in 1990 or 1991?”
No.
7) “Was the song released in 1992?”
Yes.
Bam. 7 questions, and the song’s exact year is pinpointed. 13 Questions remain to pin it down.
So. Game Theory. Know it, love it, ask great questions. Rule ’em out and narrow ’em down.
So, howzabout that twentieth question (and you can start on Song #2 if you want to mull it over for a guess)?
I have a couple other artist guesses but am going to hold off and let somebody else finish Song#1. I’ve already attempted a couple of tries anyhow.
I have a couple other artist guesses but am going to hold off and let somebody else finish Song#1. I’ve already attempted a couple of tries anyhow.So… start on Song #2?
” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_wink.gif”>Might as well ask the last question. Lemme parse what we’ve got:
This song is from a multi-hit New Wave band that is from the United Kingdom, was sung by a male artist, and was released between 1985 – 1990 and was featured in a single-instrument (or input?) Rhythm game.
It is NOT Adam and the Ants, Spandau Ballet, Pet Shop Boys, Talk Talk, or Dead or Alive.
With one question left, there is little chance of getting the artist, let alone the song, so I think I will use the last question to narrow the era down so people can make informed guesses:
#1 – was the song released in the years 1985-1987?
Song #2 Was this song released in the 90’s?No.
Song #2 has the artist had a song in rock band before?Both yes and no.
Song #2 – Is the song by a solo act?Yes.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.