The Analog Computer Inside Prime Minister(insidegmt.com)
insidegmt.com
The Analog Computer Inside Prime Minister
http://www.insidegmt.com/2021/01/the-analog-computer-inside-prime-minister/
12 comments
Analog data is data that is represented in a physical way. Is the game not physical?
"Analog" meaning the ability to represent data across an uninterrupted, infinitely-fine continuum, versus "digital" meaning only able to represent data as discrete steps. Continuous versus discrete.
The comment that the "computer" in the game is correctly referred to as digital is because from the picture, there are discrete steps for the points on each policy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. on each area of the economy).
An "analog computer" could be implemented with electronic components, and a "digital computer" could be implemented purely mechanically.
The comment that the "computer" in the game is correctly referred to as digital is because from the picture, there are discrete steps for the points on each policy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. on each area of the economy).
An "analog computer" could be implemented with electronic components, and a "digital computer" could be implemented purely mechanically.
"You’ll track support for each party in each sector, moving wooden markers up and down the numerical tracks."
Unclear if this is discrete or indiscrete.
"Different sectors have different point spreads, reflecting their importance in the Victorian-era electorate."
Spread itself has discrete values, though maybe be representing something indiscrete.
"In this era, most British subjects didn’t have the right to vote, so the point spreads aren’t simply based on population distribution. They’re based on the number of voters..."
The indiscrete game world concept of unknown changing actual population, but a number of voters would be discrete.
"...and each sector’s overall impact on the election results, factoring in the value of campaign contributions, endorsements, and other means of influence."
Contributions value may be discrete, but endorsements and other means of influence I'm not sure about.
"As the game progresses, parties will reach maximum or minimum values in some sectors. These maximums and minimums affect the game’s strategy and evoke real-life political effects. No matter how strongly Scotland prefers one party over another, Scotland’s impact is limited by the number of voters in Scotland."
So, there are indiscrete things in game world represented, but it has a number of voters and that number itself would be discrete.
"The Conservative Party can also earn popularity points in the Workers sector, but can’t earn any red points there because Workers who support the Conservative Party prefer moderate MPs."
Seems like a calculable, discrete representation of the indiscrete.
Functionally it appears as a digital computer from the outside of the game, because of the point values.
But the point is that the game represents calculations happening in that game world with indiscrete variables like "variable support from unknown population", hence the "analog computer inside..." in the title.
Unclear if this is discrete or indiscrete.
"Different sectors have different point spreads, reflecting their importance in the Victorian-era electorate."
Spread itself has discrete values, though maybe be representing something indiscrete.
"In this era, most British subjects didn’t have the right to vote, so the point spreads aren’t simply based on population distribution. They’re based on the number of voters..."
The indiscrete game world concept of unknown changing actual population, but a number of voters would be discrete.
"...and each sector’s overall impact on the election results, factoring in the value of campaign contributions, endorsements, and other means of influence."
Contributions value may be discrete, but endorsements and other means of influence I'm not sure about.
"As the game progresses, parties will reach maximum or minimum values in some sectors. These maximums and minimums affect the game’s strategy and evoke real-life political effects. No matter how strongly Scotland prefers one party over another, Scotland’s impact is limited by the number of voters in Scotland."
So, there are indiscrete things in game world represented, but it has a number of voters and that number itself would be discrete.
"The Conservative Party can also earn popularity points in the Workers sector, but can’t earn any red points there because Workers who support the Conservative Party prefer moderate MPs."
Seems like a calculable, discrete representation of the indiscrete.
Functionally it appears as a digital computer from the outside of the game, because of the point values.
But the point is that the game represents calculations happening in that game world with indiscrete variables like "variable support from unknown population", hence the "analog computer inside..." in the title.
Analog is more characteristically described as the values between 0 and 1.
Whether the infinite values of voltage between 0.0V and 5V ( infinite as measured by a digital system requiring significant figures represented in floating point math.
Anecdotally, Film photography is not accurately called "analog" as it is not electrical, and does indeed break down to fine grained 1 and 0-like activation of silver halide crystals.
Whether the infinite values of voltage between 0.0V and 5V ( infinite as measured by a digital system requiring significant figures represented in floating point math.
Anecdotally, Film photography is not accurately called "analog" as it is not electrical, and does indeed break down to fine grained 1 and 0-like activation of silver halide crystals.
All true, but electrons are also discrete in number...
Clickbait rescue: […] inside the board game named “Prime Minister”.
I for one was glad to see it was about a board game instead of a short sci-fi story or an interview with the Prime Minister about their old pacemaker. Not that those wouldn't have been interesting, but I wasn't expecting a board game. What a surprise!
"Shocking Expose: Investigative Journalists Reveal Elaborate System of Passive Components and Pneumatics Calculating Jim Hacker's Next Move."
“The explosion was visible from Alpha Centauri.”
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Board game link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-906-prime-minister.aspx
However, I would say that boardgame mechanic that used for example a comparison between the height of piles of cards could be argued to be analog.