If you’ve spent any time reading about gaming or game development, you will likely have come across random number generators. These handy programs feature in all manner of software, from statistical simulations to secure financial transactions, but they are particularly important in the online gaming world, where they help to power some of the biggest games around. They also have a huge role to play in the online casino sector.
What is a Random Number Generator?
So, what exactly is a random number generator? Usually known as an RNG, this is a form of computer program with a basic function: to generate a string of random numbers. RNGs can generate hundreds of random numbers per second and are integral to many gaming experiences.
To get technical for a moment, there are two broad types of RNGs, known as true random number generators (TRNGs) and psuedo random number generators (PRNGs). A TRNG relies on random physical events to generate number values, which makes these numbers impossible to guess.
A PRNG, on the other hand, uses algorithms to create extended number strings, based on an initial shorter series of numbers, which is known as the seed number. Sometimes, as with the TRNG, the seed number can be based on a mechanical or natural origin. However, since a PRNG uses an entirely digital methodology, it could, in theory, be hacked, but any hacker would have to uncover both the algorithm and the seed number, which in practice, is virtually impossible.
RNGs in Video Games
You may be wondering how RNGs can be useful to game developers. In fact, RNG technology is essential to many of the most popular video games. In game development, an RNG can be used for determining what items you find in a treasure chest, what objects are dropped by an enemy, which creature or character you meet in a particular room or, in some cases, the state of the weather.
An easy way to imagine this is to picture a game in which the player always encounters a monster at a certain point on their path. All of the various monsters are created and added to the game, but which monster a player meets on each play-through can be determined at random. In a real-world game of D&D, you might do this by rolling dice. In a video game, it happens much faster, thanks to RNGs.
The RNG has a much bigger role to play in games that rely on a lot of procedurally generated content. A classic example is Minecraft, in which every newly created land is unique and generated from a seed, which is a short series of numbers. From this seed, the game can generate all the necessary features, although these are designed to fall within certain parameters.
The advantages of procedurally generated content for developers are obvious. Rather than having to encode an entire world piece by piece, they can create a range of detailed possibilities and then allow chance, working through the mechanisms of the RNG, to build part or all of that world.
Top RNG-powered Games
Some of the biggest video games are built around RNGs or employ RNGs heavily to create the overall playing experience. Here are four of the most notable.
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Bethesda games regularly feature RNGs and in this hugely popular open-world edition of the Elder Scrolls series, RNGs play a major role in determining what loot players earn every time they open a chest, kill an enemy or explore any part of the Skyrim world.
CS:GO
The phenomenally successful first-person-shooter CS:GO relies on RNG heavily in its gameplay. RNGs are used to determine the success of each shot a player makes, helping to add an element of real-life randomness to this fast-paced game.
Baldur’s Gate 3
This award-winning RPG uses RNG technology heavily to determine the loot that players can pick up and to decide the outcome of each action. Every time you fire an arrow or cast a spell, there’s an element of randomness, thanks to the RNGs, that keeps the game balanced and engaging.
Destiny 2
Destiny is all about grinding to find the best gear and, thanks to RNGs, there is an element of unpredictability in that search for the rarest and most powerful items that ensures the game remains fresh and challenging.
RNG and Casino Gaming
Given the importance of random chance in casinos, it is not surprising to learn that RNG technology is heavily used in the online casino sector, where it provides a more straightforward function. Whenever a player tries their hand at roulette or blackjack at one of the many tested and recommended casinos available online, the outcome of the game will be determined by a PRNG.
The random number systems used in online casinos are always active, so are constantly throwing out numbers, which are then converted by the game software into different game elements. In the case of a slot game, these numbers are turned into the icons that land when the reels stop spinning, or in roulette, they determine which slot the ball will land in when the wheel stops.
You may be wondering how a casino can make a profit if all its games are truly random. In fact, as with video games, online casino games are random within certain parameters. In all online casino games, the chances of landing a particular card or row of slot icons, are set to ensure that, in the long term, the casino will always make a profit. This mirrors how real-world casino games use random chance in the favour of the casino, and it explains why players always lose in the long term.
As you can imagine, the security and fairness of online casino RNGs are crucial to the successful and legal operation of casino games. Reputable online casinos maintain a high level of security around their RNGs, which are also regularly audited and tested for fairness.
