In 2012, at a gaming convention, Eric Harshbarger was approached by a board game designer who wanted dice to determine the starting player without the chance of a tie. Harshbarger, a mathematician at Auburn University, found the challenge intriguing. After years of collaboration with experts worldwide, they developed a set of dice for five players that guarantee a unique winner with a single roll.
While the team quickly solved the problem for fewer players, creating dice for five players proved complex. Their mathematical solution needed a practical application, leading to the development of five 120-sided dice. The project gained traction when a Canadian software engineer, Paul Meyer, discovered a solution with five 60-sided dice, a breakthrough that impressed Harshbarger.
The team’s focus now shifts to exploring options for fewer sides for five-player dice and potentially expanding the concept to six players. Despite skepticism about the dice’s real-world effectiveness, Harshbarger asserts their fairness is based on solid mathematics. The ongoing research group continues to seek innovative solutions, embracing the unpredictability that comes with tackling complex mathematical challenges.