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100 Sided Zocchihedron

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Eldersprig

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Dec 28, 2009, 5:10:34 PM12/28/09
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I just bought a 100 Sided Zocchihedron off of ebay, and I'm wondering
if I got a dud. If I shake it I hear something, but the die really
doesn't roll.

Is the internal ball supposed to rotate or something? I can't figure
it out at all.

Marcus L. Rowland

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Dec 28, 2009, 5:47:39 PM12/28/09
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In message <bsaij5h60l9f5c236...@4ax.com>, Eldersprig
<fsc...@yahoo.com> writes

You have to roll it and wait for it to stop moving. There are 100 slight
depressions in the outer clear plastic, one for each number - the one on
top is the result of the roll. Not sure why they made it that way,
presumably there was some reason why they couldn't cast it in a single
lump.

Personally I much prefer to roll 2D10 if I need a percentage - a lot
lighter and just as fast as waiting for the thing to stop rolling, and I
suspect a lot more random.
--
Marcus L. Rowland www.forgottenfutures.com
www.forgottenfutures.org
www.forgottenfutures.co.uk
Forgotten Futures - The Scientific Romance Role Playing Game
Diana: Warrior Princess & Elvis: The Legendary Tours
The Original Flatland Role Playing Game

Jim Davies

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Dec 28, 2009, 6:09:55 PM12/28/09
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On the grave of Eldersprig <fsc...@yahoo.com> is inscribed:

Mine sounds like it's got some sand in it. I think this is just to
provide some frictiona loss to make the thing stop rolling. It's just
a gimmick anyway so I wouldn't worry too much.

--
Jim or Sarah Davies, but probably Jim

D&D and Star Fleet Battles stuff on http://www.aaargh.org

Ben Finney

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Dec 28, 2009, 6:47:14 PM12/28/09
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Eldersprig <fsc...@yahoo.com> writes:

> I just bought a 100 Sided Zocchihedron off of ebay, and I'm wondering
> if I got a dud. If I shake it I hear something, but the die really
> doesn't roll.

The Zocchihedron is very close to a sphere. Every face needs to be
equally weighted, to make the die unbiased. But if it were a simple
solid or hollow shape, it would take a very long time to come to rest
since it is so close to a sphere.

So the Zocchihedrons are sold with free-falling weights inside, to
hasten the die coming to rest without biasing any particular face.

<URL:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zocchihedron>

--
\ “Dare to be naïve.” —Richard Buckminster Fuller, personal motto |
`\ |
_o__) |
Ben Finney

Eldersprig

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Dec 28, 2009, 11:42:20 PM12/28/09
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I think I need a small cup to roll it in, from what everyone's said.
Its pretty hard to figure out what the top # is supposed to be.

synthi...@yahoo.com

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Jan 4, 2010, 6:34:32 PM1/4/10
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I bought mine a zillion years ago just because I was so enthusiastic
about Lou himself, and stuff like
"alien space" zap!

It doesn't roll evenly anyway.

Nils

Peter Knutsen

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Jan 8, 2010, 2:38:38 AM1/8/10
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How do you know that?

--
Peter Knutsen
sagatafl.org

synthi...@yahoo.com

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Jan 8, 2010, 5:11:49 PM1/8/10
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> > It doesn't roll evenly anyway.
>
> How do you know that?

It isn't a regular polyhedra, and I think someone earlier quoted a
study on the subject.

Nils

Jim Davies

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Jan 8, 2010, 6:33:00 PM1/8/10
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On the grave of Peter Knutsen <pe...@sagatafl.invalid> is inscribed:

>On 05/01/2010 00:34, synthi...@yahoo.com wrote:
>> I bought mine a zillion years ago just because I was so enthusiastic
>> about Lou himself, and stuff like
>> "alien space" zap!
>>
>> It doesn't roll evenly anyway.
>
>How do you know that?

No die is perfect. Even casino d6s aren't perfect, and the
zocchihedron isn't even regular.

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