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How to play the game...

Quantum Effects

The Quantum Physicist's View

Levels of Difficulty


How to play the game
How to play the game...

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The primary aim of the game is simple -- shoot down as many ducks as possible using as few shots as possible. But when your target is a quantum duck, nothing is simple!

To start the game choose "Start" from the "Start" menu. At once a quantum duck starts flying across the screen. The mouse cursor becomes a cross-wire and you can use it to aim and shoot the duck. But you soon notice that even with perfect aim you sometimes fail to kill the duck. This is the spooky "Quantum Effect". You will see only one duck at a time on the screen. Each duck appears as soon as the previous one leaves the screen. There will be 10 ducks for each game.

If your trigger finger is sweaty, your throat is parched and you desperately need a drink of water in the middle of a game you can select "Pause" from the "Start" menu.

To adjust the degree of  challenge, select "Level" from the "Choices" menu and then pick "Beginner", "Intermediate" or "Expert".


Quantum Effects

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Quantum effects are not normal for objects the size of ducks. Such effects would be "seen" for objects that are about a billionth smaller than a duck! So, for the purpose of this game, we shall imagine that everything has shrunk to that kind of a size.One quantum effect on such a duck makes it grow in size if allowed to move unmolested. The target area on the duck also grows accordingly. However, this does not necessarily make it easier to kill. This is because as the duck grows the probability of killing it decreases proportionately (even if you shoot right on target!). To understand this you may imagine the duck getting fuzzier (spreading thinner) as it gets larger.

So the longer you wait the easier it is to hit the target but the chances of a kill on hitting becomes lower.

At the "Expert" level another quantum effect is included. If the duck is hit but not killed, it "collapses" back to its original size and changes its direction and speed randomly (a high pitched sqeak from the duck will let you know when this has happened.).

The Quantum Physicist is likely to be very unhappy with this exposition of quantum effects. Hence, I shall provide the "The Quantum Physicist's View".


The Quantum Physicist's View

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The quantum physicist should imagine himself/herself to be a blind duck-hunter. When the duck starts off with the first quack, the blind duck-hunter can tell its approximate position and momentum (with appropriate uncertainties). So the hunter tracks the duck in his/her mind and shoots accordingly. The blindness makes sure the hunter makes no observation of the duck after the first quack. Hence, the duck wavefunction does not collapse until it is actually hit.

At the "Expert" level, every time the duck is hit without being killed, the duck is appropriately terrified and gives out a squeak. The blind duck hunter hears this and causes the duck wavefunction to collapse.


Levels of Difficulty

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There are three levels of difficulty:

(1) Beginner -- Large target size and low maximum speed.

(2) Intermediate -- Same target size as for "beginner" level. Maximum speed twice that of "beginner" level.

(3) Expert -- Target size half that of "beginner" level. Maximum speed twice that of "beginner" level. In case of hit without kill duck will reduce to original size and change direction and speed randomly. See Quantum Effects.