In a casual conversation during a gaming convention in 2012, board game designer challenged mathematician Eric Harshbarger to create dice that could determine the starting player without the risk of a tie, aiming to expedite the game’s commencement. Harshbarger, a senior lecturer at Auburn University, embraced the mathematical challenge, envisioning dice that would offer each player an equal chance of winning while ensuring no ties among participants. Despite the theoretical solution, the practical implementation of such dice proved to be a complex endeavor.
Nearly 15 years later, Harshbarger and his team successfully developed a set of Go First Dice tailored for five players, enabling a fair and decisive selection of the first player with a single roll. Over time, Harshbarger oversaw the project, collaborating with various experts to refine the dice mechanics. The team swiftly devised a set of four 12-sided dice for two, three, or four players, guaranteeing a conclusive outcome with each roll. However, devising a solution for five players presented a greater challenge.
After extensive brainstorming and trial and error, the team contemplated dice designs with an increasing number of sides, eventually settling on a set of five 120-sided dice proposed by a new team member from Australia. Subsequently, a Canadian software engineer named Paul Meyer joined the project and astoundingly cracked the puzzle, unveiling a solution employing five 60-sided dice. This breakthrough sparked further research endeavors, exploring the feasibility of fewer sides for a five-player set and potential expansion to accommodate six players.
As the project continues to evolve, Harshbarger and his team remain dedicated to exploring uncharted territory within the realm of dice design. Acknowledging the unpredictable nature of mathematical problem-solving, Harshbarger emphasizes the allure of pursuing perplexing questions that defy conventional answers, underscoring the enduring fascination that drives mathematicians to persist in unraveling complex puzzles over time.
