EvilDM Dice Server: FAQ

Questions

1. I don't like the way something works/looks. Can you change it?
2. Can I use this as the dedicated dice server for my game/site?
3. Why do I seem to get consistently high/low rolls?
4. How good is your random number generator?
5. You collect your random data from a web form. Couldn't an evil user hijack this system and submit a bunch of bad, nonrandom data?

Answers

1. I don't like the way something works/looks. Can you change it?
   
   
   Yes, unless it already works the way someone else wanted it to work. In that case we can still look for a compromise, so either way just send me feedback. I always answer!
   
   
2. Can I use this as the dedicated dice server for my game/site?
   
   
   Yes! That's what it's for. But if you don't mind, send me a note to let me know - I'm always curious about who's using the site.
   
   
3. Why do I seem to get consistently high/low rolls?
   
   
   That's just the way it is with random numbers. You'll get runs of high and low rolls with real dice, too. When it happens with real dice you chalk it up to being temporarily blessed or cursed, but when a computer does it then it's easy to blame the computer.
   
   The random number generator used here is more genuinely random than any other dice server out there. If you want to know why, you can read a detailed description of how the random numbers are generated, or see the next question.
   
   
4. How good is your random number generator?
   
   
   Objectively, quite good. Below is some statistical quality assurance information for the block of random numbers that's currently in use.
   
   

   	Ideal Data	Current Data	Allowed
   Entropy (bits per byte)	8	7.987	7.980
   Optimum Compression (%)	0	0.167	N/A
   Chi-squared	256	303.7	N/A
   Chi-squared randomly exceeded (% of times)	50	2.50	25 - 75
   Mean	127.5	126.6	N/A
   Difference in mean (%)	0	0.684	<= 1.00
   Monte Carlo value for Pi	3.141	3.111	N/A
   Error in Pi (%)	0	0.986	<= 2.00
   Serial correlation coefficient (absolute)	0	0.01613	<= 0.01000

   
   (Note that some of the values have been rounded for presentation, so the associated error percentages may differ slightly from what you'd get if you calculated them from the numbers shown here.)
   
   
5. You collect your random data from a web form. Couldn't an evil user hijack this system and submit a bunch of bad, nonrandom data?
   
   
   They could, but it would be caught by the auditing system and discarded before it ever got used. Check the audit results above to reassure yourself.