return randomised mysql function from an array?

Question

So I want to create a script where out of about ten mysql functions that give a user a different item, whenever the user clicks on the page, one of those functions is executed at random. It's kind of an rpg function I need, where depending on the user's level with hunting, they are more successful, but won't always get food. So they click on the page and from an array of items, one is at random returned and that item given to them via a mysql_query.

I hope that makes sense, if not, let me know...

so far I've got these starting points

$input = array("value 1", "value 2", "value 3", "value 4", "value 5");
 $rand_keys = array_rand($input, 1);
 echo $input[$rand_keys[0]] . "\n";

I don't know if this would allow mysql queries in the array though. I've also thought about using a redirect thing, but the one I tried kept redirecting, which was not what i wanted, and urls can be tampered to get the good result with that...

Anyway, I hope that made sense and any help would be greatly appreciated :)

Robin Castlin · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-13 12:22:28Z

1

I would tackle this challenge by having a table with the items and it's values. One of the columns would be prio_drop. If you want a certain item to be dropped more often it can have value 2 while the others have value 1. The higher value, the greater chance.

Then I'd do a:

$arr_items = array(1, 2, 3, 5); /* This event can drop items with these ids */
$str_items = implode(', ', $arr_items);

mysql_query("
SELECT id, name
FROM items
WHERE id IN ({$str_items})
ORDER BY (RAND() * prio_drop) DESC
LIMIT 1
");

Hope I understood you correctly?

answered Apr 13, 2012 at 12:22

Robin Castlin

11k1 gold badge30 silver badges44 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Elizabeth Over a year ago

Thank you so much, this is exactly what I need! I'll try it when everything else is finalised around it, but is there any way I could also include the possibility of it returning nothing, so that the person using it won't always get something?

Robin Castlin Over a year ago

I guess you could have a joker item which gives nothing if chosen, and have an extra column which says if it's Joker or not. Else you should simply do a if (rand(1, 10) <= 8) return; in php and skip running the query at all.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

return randomised mysql function from an array?

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related