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    One thing I would add here is that it is technically possible for real computers to produce numbers that are for all intents and purposes random by using other hardware, such as by measuring thermal noise. However, those methods produce random sequences very slowly, so they are impractical for most applications, and when they are used, it is usually just to generate a PRNG seed. Commented 2 days ago
  • 5
    Conversely, there's also the saying, "The generation of random numbers is too important to leave to chance!". Since Humans are bad at estimating "randomness", pseudorandom numbers can lead to better feelings of "randomness" than actually random numbers! That's the exact kind of gamefeel that's relevant in games. Commented 2 days ago
  • 4
    @murgatroid99 I think I overloaded my terminology - I agree that pesudorandom number generators should be statistically indistinguishable. My larger point was - sometimes "mostly-random" makes for better gameplay. (e.g. Fire Emblem's various 2RN systems) Commented 2 days ago
  • 3
    42 mentioned, yay! Also +1 for computer science degree Commented yesterday
  • 3
    @AlexanderThe1st The fixed point is not a general property of PRNGs or even LCGs, it is a consequence of the specific parameters chosen for the example. The Linear congruential generator Wikipedia article describes how the choice of those parameters affects the behavior, and it specifically notes that there are choices of parameters for which every seed has the full period. Commented yesterday