DICE GAME OF TRAINING FAQ

1. THE BASICS

1.0 What is the Dice Game of Training and why does it need it's own FAQ?

The Dice Game of Training is a technique to create a reward system for increasing your success in getting better in a skill. The hope is that you'll not only progress faster while using the game, but you'll also entrain yourself to succeed at anything else you start learning/practicing.

The FAQ came about because I've been asked to explain the game in detail (and answer some associated questions) a couple of times. I've also had several questions of my own that Andrieh has answered. Should someone else have questions, this will hopefully answer them and save them the time of asking.

The game proper is described in Hands-On Chaos Magic, page 48.

The FAQ will be updated/amended as necessary.

1.1 What sorts of tasks do you do with the game?

The Dice Game of Training is meant for skill improvement. It is not used for discreet tasks. Meditate = no. Meditate for 30 minutes = yes!

2. PRE-GAME/PREPARATION

2.0 What do I need to do before I can play?

You'll need the following before you start:

A. Two differently colored dice, one for the Major Rewards Table and one for the Minor Rewards Table. The dice will be six-sided (aka d6). If you want the most-random dice, you'll want to get a pair of casino dice. Failing that, try the GameScience dice or Chessex sharp-edge dice.

If you really don't care (and no one blames you), get a red one and a white one from a Risk set.

Designate one of the dice to be for your Major Reward Table and one to be fo the Minor Rewards Table.

To find out how seriously some people take randomness, check out the videos at http://www.gamescience.com/

B. Create your Major Rewards Table and your Minor Rewards table. Keep these handy. Creation will be further explained in X.X.

2.1 Do the dice really need to be different colors?

Yes.

2.2 Can I use other types of dice? d4, d10, d30, etc.?

No. Use six-sided dice.

2.3 How do I create the lists and what's the difference between the Major and Minor Rewards Tables?

Think of the Minor Rewards Table as a pat on the back for a job well done. Rewards on this list should be things that are relatively accessible and inexpensive/won't take much effort to get. An example might be "cheeseburger," "go see a movie" or "new CD."

The Major Rewards Table then, is something, well, major. Something you normally wouldn't do for yourself, but that you'd like to do. The major reward should be something that serves as a monument to your success, both while you are experiencing it and in memorium. These don't necessarily need to have a big price tag - they could be things you've always wanted to do but never did before. Examples could be: "new, sweet-ass computer," "day off of work and a trip to the spa" or "weekend fishing trip in Canada." Be sure that at least one or two items on your Major Rewards Table are truly Major.

Keep in mind that you should try to get the reward as soon as is practicable. For the minor rewards, this shouldn't be much of a problem. Go after work the next day or this weekend, whatever. A major reward (especially if it's big-M Major) might not be practical to get right away. If your reward is "new car" then start saving. Do research, get your down payment ready, etc. When the time comes (be it months or a year, etc.), go to the dealer and start the process.

One important thing to keep in mind is that this game is not about punishing yourself in any way. It's about rewarding your success with things your normally wouldn't do and in so doing entrain yourself to associate that thing with doing a good job.

For example: I don't often go to the bar. So for me, "go to the bar for a beer" is on my Minor Rewards Table. It's nice to go to the bar, but if I don't, it's not a big deal. For someone who is lonely and/or only gets to see their friends at the bar, not going to the bar would be bad and contrary to the goals of the game. They might instead use "get a top-shelf drink at the bar."

In other words: a Minor Reward should be something where getting it is nice, but not getting it won't affect your life. A Major Reward should be something where you can think back and say, "hot damn, I got/did that because I'm _good_."

3. THE RULES

3.0 Can you break the rules down step-by-step?

0. Get materials, prepare Major and Minor Rewards Tables and choose a skill you want to improve.

1. Every morning pick two numbers from 1-6. The first will be for your Minor Rewards and the second will be for the Major Rewards.

2. Work on your skill. If you do not do better than you did last time you practiced, no roll - try again tomorrow. If you do better, roll both dice.

3. If the Minor die matches the number you picked for the Minor Rewards Table, roll again and reward yourself suchly. If you hit both the Minor die and the Major die, roll on both tables taking the rewards a the come up. If you hit the Major die but not the Minor die, you do not roll.

In any event, tell yourself "good job" for any time you do improve on your skill.

4. Do it all again tomorrow.

3.1 Can you explain when to roll in the context of a skill you can train?

Discreet task: Meditate today.

Skill you can improve: I want to be able to meditate for 30 minutes.

When do you roll?

Roll: I meditated for five minutes today when I meditated for only two yesterday.

No Roll: I meditated for five minutes today when I meditated for five minutes yesterday.

Roll: I meditated for seven minutes today when I meditated for five minutes yesterday.

4. MISC. QUESTIONS

4.0 What if the opportunity to do something that's on my Rewards tables pops up and I haven't rolled that reward. Like, say "go to Great America" is on my rewards list and out of the blue a buddy I haven't seen for years shows up and invites me. Can I go even if I haven't rolled it?

Maybe. You'll need to decide whether or not following the rules of the game you put forth are true or would you rather spend all this time setting up and maintaining a structure before breaking it? Think about the entrainment that you're getting out of _that_ and how it will affect your future magical work. Then decide.

4.1 What happens if I hit a major reward, do I replace it or do I leave that space blank?

That's up to you. If you do decide to leave the spot blank, it becomes a "roll again" type thing.

4.2 I'm having trouble even filling out my Minor Rewards Table. I can't think of anything that I really like.

Skip this game. Either you've no imagination or you're leading a highly actualized life.

4.3 What if I decide I don't want a minor reward that I've already put on the list? Can I switch it out?

Sure, but think about it before you do remove it. You want some constancy with the rewards so that they serve as signifies of success. If you keep flipping things out, you're not going to have that resonance.

That said, if you suddenly _can't_ have one of the rewards, by all means, switch it out for something else.

4.4 What is the psychology behind random (and randomly distributed) rewards? Why is that better than a reward for each time I succeed?

The short version is: you are training a skill that you will be using often in the future (i.e. your magical practice from here on out). If you train yourself to expect a reward every time you do a good job at your skill and suddenly you stop rewarding yourself...guess what? You'll stop doing so well.

If you reward yourself randomly, you'll be more likely to maintain your progress and skill. The random rewards you give yourself along the way serve as "boosts" to your skill, not a requisite.

4.5 How do you know when you've achieved your goal and you should start working on a new one?

Make sure that you formulate your skill with a quantifiable component. In the example above we want to meditate for 30 minutes per sitting. I can definitely tell if I'm able to meditate for 30 minutes. I can also tell if I meditated for longer than I did yesterday.

A poorly worded skill would be "I want to better at meditating."

4.6 What are the odds? How often will I hit the reward?

Non-nerd version: If you succeed at your task every day, by the end of six weeks, you'll have received six Minor Rewards and one Major Reward.

The actual odds of hitting a Minor Reward are 5/36. The odds of getting a Major Reward are 1/36.

Before you say "ur rong, the odds of getting a Minor Reward are 6/36," let me say, yes, you are correct. But keep in mind that you can't get a Major Reward without also getting a Minor Reward so the "missing" 1/36 is the Major Reward.

4.7 What if I purposely brick it one day so I can do better the next and get a roll?

Then you're an asshole.

4.8 Can I work on two things concurrently? If I do them both, should I roll twice? Say I'm working on meditating longer and upping my bench press....

The jury is still out on this matter, but I'd recommend against it. This isn't to say that you can't work on two things simultaneously, but the

4.9 How long do I keep doing the dice game?

The dice game is meant to give you a jump start on getting better at a skill. You can, at any time, decide to stop using the game or to start using it again. Hopefully you'll use it while starting out and you'll have entrained yourself not only to get better at a specific skill, but to progress in any skill that you decide to work on later - that is, you're not only entraining yourself to get better at a skill, you'll entrain yourself to just plain ol' get better.

4.10 What's with picking numbers and etc.?

The hope here is that you'll develop a greater sensitivity for the ebb and flow of things and effect an influence over the results. If you prefer a random method of generating the numbers, see the Alternate Version below.

5. ALTERNATE VERSION OF THE DICE GAME

5.0 The dice game as-is seems like too many steps. Is there a simpler way?

Yes! Use Suentus' One-Roll 3d6 Method. I like this one better because one roll will tell you what table to roll on and what reward(s) you get. You'll need 3d6 (color is unimportant). Believe it or not, the odds are the exact same as the book method.

Here are the rules:

If you succeed at your task, roll 3d6. If two dice match, you get that reward on your Minor Rewards Table. If all three match, that reward is what you get on both the Minor and Major Rewards table.

It's that easy!