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Clash Royale: Are we playing an algorithm?

So, the Clash Royale addiction continues. The levels keep going up (and sometimes down). We have resisted the temptation to buy virtual goods (though we have spent a teeny weeny bit). But the doubt we have is: Are we playing an algorithm?

Every card has its strength and every card has an antidote. Each card and level is perfectly graded. A level 8 barbarian will be defeated by a level 9 barbarian. If you have minion horde, arrows are all  you need to pin it down. And so on.

To me it feels like Clash Royale is a giant big data analytics platform where the platform matches you  and your battle decks and there is clearly some set pattern to it - in terms of winning and losing - irrespective of the quality of the cards. The quality of the tactics is the only differentiator - but I suspect that may not account for so much - once the matching is done in a particular way - rather than a pure random match.

So, we now 'predict' a winning streak or a losing streak or type of chest - for example, rare chests seem to have a periodicity associated with it.

And all that has kind of made us feel that much ennui. As a learning experience, when you know you pit your wits versus when you know it is kind of a  platform you are playing against....

Now think about that when you build your own learning experience...

Update: Fazed by the probability of being manipulated by a giant algorithm, we uninstalled the game. Adios Clash Royale!

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