Rock Paper Scissors – Genetic Optimization Visualization

Week 1: "Genetic Optimization Visualization"

For our first session of Games & Art, we looked at Rock Paper Scissors (RPS) as well as at strategies for winning this time-honored game.

In the standard game, one point is awarded for rock beating scissors, paper beating rock or scissors beating paper. With this point assignment, there is no numerical strategy that will create a distinct advantage. Basically, the best way to win is to try to psyche the other player out or, to go a bit further, to make your rock, paper or scissors choices be as random as possible. In other words, R, P and S should each have a 33.3% chance of being chosen in each round. This makes sense given that RPS is generally thought of being more along the lines of a coin toss than a game.

If we change the point distributions awarded to a winning R, P or S, however, the possibility of numerical strategies for winning begins to emerge.