Re: [pbmserv] constraint based games

[Iain Gray <iain.gray@ednet.co.uk>]

Ann,

What you are doing/attempting falls under Constraint Logic Programming,  
specifically over Finite Domains. The problem is that you cannot just  
count solutions but have to build up a representation as a graph  
network. you can then apply techniques such as arc satisfaction to this  
graph. The two best references for this are:-

Programming with Constraints: An Introduction, Marriott and Stuckey,  
MIT Press, 1998

Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (2nd Ed.), Abelson,  
Sussman and Sussman, MIT Press, 1996

The latter is available online at:-

http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/

and it is particularly Section 3.3.5 that you want:-

http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book-Z-H 
-22.html#%25_sec_3.3.5

Hope this is of some use or, if hopelessly confusing, e-mail me with  
further questions.

Iain (igray)

On 14 Mar 2005, at 2:14, Ann Davies wrote:

> Hi:
>
> I love constraint based games... Clue, MasterMind, BlackBox
>
> One thing that I'm working on, is creating an algorithm that can  
> compute the number of remaining possibilities, based on the guesses  
> and results so far in a MasterMind game.  I don't have it right yet,  
> because after two or three guesses I always end up with zero remaining  
> possibilities.  Clearly wrong.  Does anybody have some general ideas?
>
> Does anybody have any mathematical experience with studying such  
> constraint type games?  Any cool references or research?
>
> Ann.
>
>
>
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