An Application of Game Theory

My post about dice has got me thinking about OX Blocks and Zombie Dice, and which of these games would involve the most tactics and less luck.

Zombie Zice is a multiplayer game, so the comparison could only be made between OX Blocks and two player Zombie Dice. I note that boardgamegeek.com categorises OX Blocks as 'abstract strategy' and Zombie Dice as 'party game'.

I have managed to secure the rules to both of these games, only a paragraph for each, which I have in pdf format: Download OX Blocks vs Zombie Dice

The challenge for PythonMagus is, which game has more strategy and tactics?

Comments

[PythonMagus]

OX Blocks is infinite, and I think we abandoned our very last game of it when decision drifted away (or was it that the sun came up).

Zombie Dice could also be like poker die where you have to roll a stronger hand each time. Assuming there is no misere type behaviour, the game cannot last more than 6 exp 13, or 13 trillion rounds.

[Paul]

OX Blocks and Zombie Dice have finally flushed you out.

You cannot be scientific by 'assuming' that Zombie Dice plays like Yahtzee and not reading the rules. This is why you continually make errors in your gun contol and global warming analysis.

I'm not sure you are correct in the dice answer. The only decision in Zombie Dice seems to be when to stop rolling dice. There does not appear to be interaction with the other players. In OX Blocks there is the dice roll, and then a decision as to where to place a piece, or possibly remove an opposing piece.

Another interesting mathematical question is whether both games are infinite. It is theoretically possible (I think) to keep rolling and play OX Blocks forever, with pieces coming on and going off the board. Zombie Dice may not have this characteristic.

[PythonMagus]

It would be difficult to have a game with less strategy than OK blocks. The best location for an X or O would rarely require deep thought (unless it is 5:30 am). An AI would simple to create, but I can't see anyone bothering. A random move maker is unlikely to play much worse.

Assuming that Zombie dice plays a bit like Yahtzee (no Paul, I'm not reading the rules), its strategy would be easily reducible to payoffs times likely outcomes, so would be very simple to create AI for. However, given the number of choices, and humans' basic inability to assess long odds, this would tip the complexity scale in its favour.