Non-repeating random numbers?

[srussell]

I'm building a card game and I need to create a list of non-repeating random numbers from 1-52

Anyone have any ideas on this? Thanks This is what I came up with so far...

-- TEST LOOP --
Math.RandomSeed(52);
nFIRSTCARD = Math.Random(52);

local FLAG = false;
for count = 1, 52 do
while (FLAG ~= false) do
FLAG = false
Math.RandomSeed(52);
nNEXTCARD = Math.Random(52);
if nFIRSTCARD == nNEXTCARD then
FLAG = true
end
"CARD" + count == nNEXTCARD
end
end

[Worm]

I played a bit with that too

http://www.indigorose.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10507

[Corey]

I wonder if Lua has something like this?

http://ca3.php.net/manual/en/function.array-rand.php

[TJS]

It looks like your on a good track by making random selections and comparing them to ensure that they're not repeats, but I'd expect that the process will waste a lot of cycles as it approaches the later card selections if you are building a game that deals all or most of the deck... i.e. a lot of random 1-52 picks will get tossed when only a few are valid.

I'd recommend taking a look at the table actions. You could construct a table in memory with 52 records representing each card (you could even include fields for suit, value, etc.) and then randomly remove records from that table and insert them into a new table(s) to represent the hands dealt.

[Corey]

TJS is right in terms of optimizing the function. :yes

[srussell]

Initally the game requires 40 of the 52 cards, so the basic idea is to create an array of 40 unique numbers... I did this in another program using the method below... I like the table idea of removing 12 random numbers instead of trying to generate 40 unique ones...

[willfreer]

games

Speaking of games is it possible to create a memory game in AMS? for Example drag an object to an area and have it snap inplace if it was the correct item.

[clueless]

- use the current time as part of the seed to create more random numbers

[holtgrewe]

Just a thought...

Place each of the 52 cards into a table.

Randomize to the number of cards remaining in the deck each time.
Reduce that number each time you use a card.

Table.Remove() that card from the deck (table).

That's certainly over-simplifying it, but a similar routine to remove the selected card from the table ought to get the creative ideas flowing.

[holtgrewe]

...here's a cryptic little program I threw together that should give a starting point for some card deck logic. The "Card Shuffle" merely clears the Listbox and allows the Math.Random to do its thing.

The code will need to be tested and cleaned up. I hope this gives you some ideas.

Good luck with your project.