Contemplation about a coin being a 2-bit game in LSL5

[miracle.flame]

There's an item in Leisure Suit Larry 5 with this code

Code: [Select]

(instance Some_Change of InvI
(properties
view 942
cursor 942
signal $0002
description {the quarter}
name "the quarter"
)

(method (doVerb theVerb param2 &tmp [temp0 40])
(switch theVerb
(2
(Format @temp0 19 35 (* global168 2))
(proc0_14 @temp0 80 name)
)
(3
(Format
@temp0
19
36
(if (Random 0 1) {head} else {tails})
)
(proc0_14 @temp0)
)
(4
(localproc_008a (Inv indexOf: self) param2)
)
(else
(super doVerb: theVerb param2 &rest)
)
)
)
)
When you examine this quarter in game the narrator says "You always were a 2-bit game player!" where in strings 2 was translated from variable %d.

First off I am curious why this string had to have a variable in it and what could be the idea behind varying this value.
Secondly will someone try to elaborate how the random outcome of 1 or 0 is a 2-bit game and not 1-bit or...?

[Kawa]

In the original source code and Sluicebox decompile alike, things are a little clearer.

Look
You have a certain number of quarters, tracked by global 168 gQuarters. In American English parlance, a quarter is also known as two bits, as in the price of a shave and a haircut. Therefore, if you have one quarter in change, looking at the item says "2-bit game player". The number goes up accordingly, so if you have four quarters you're an 8-bit player. Unfortunately, you can't have four quarters as the number is only directly assigned 2, 1, or 0, not incremented.

Do
Nothing to say about this. A quarter has only two sides and it picks one at random. It has nothing to do with the Look description.

[miracle.flame]

Well, this was unexpected. Great knowing the idea behind it though. I am pretty sure this joke goes unappreciated by most folks.

[OmerMor]

Thanks for the explanation Kawa! I certainly didn't get that, even though I heard about the "two bits" before, in the context of this tune from Roger Rabbit:

[Kawa]

Thanks for the explanation Kawa! I certainly didn't get that, even though I heard about the "two bits" before, in the context of this tune from Roger Rabbit:

I was specifically hoping miracle.flame had seen that movie when I wrote that bit of my post.

[miracle.flame]

I've seen the movie... a looong time ago... with Czech dubbing. I have to check how they translated the scene there.