# What was that one game Dopers found that had the computer guessing who they were? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 25, 2011, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627 "2011-04-25T06:53:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/161 "2011-05-13T17:46:31Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > There’s the dictator or sitcom star site.. > > [Guess the Dictator/Sit-Com Character](http://www.smalltime.com/Dictator) 44 questions to get James T. Kirk! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/162 "2011-05-13T17:56:32Z")
> [@Aghris](#): > > You mean [Akinator’s Genie](http://us.akinator.com)? Didn’t get Tom Beck, the LAPD detective played by Michael Nouri in the wonderful 1987 alien-fugitive thriller _The Hidden_, in 50 guesses. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/163 "2011-05-14T02:58:48Z")
Stumped him with Rodney Hampton, running back for the New York Giants in the early-mid '90s. But he got: Peter Wiggin Keith Hernandez James Longstreet Bodie Broadus, of _The Wire_ (!!) ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/164 "2011-05-14T04:01:46Z")
It got Wallace from _The Wire_ in 18 questions, so I was surprised to find out no one had ever tried [Brianna Barksdale](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barksdale_Organization#Brianna_Barksdale) before me. I entered the name after my first pass, then kept trying to get her to come up. On the fourth try (total), she did. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/165 "2011-05-14T04:22:18Z")
It got Briana Banks, Bill Simmons, H.H. Holmes, the Bud Ice Penguin and Carmen San Diego. I stumped it with Jud Buechler after it guessed the other white Bulls Will Perdue and Steve Kerr. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/166 "2011-05-16T16:53:29Z")
> [@Aghris](#): > > You mean [Akinator’s Genie](http://us.akinator.com)? Heh. That’s a fun website. 14 guesses - Eddard “Ned” Stark from _Game of Thrones_ 38 guesses - T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) from _Notorious_ 20 guesses - Nurse Christine Chapel from _Star Trek_ 40 guesses - Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) from _Ghostbusters_ (although it asked twice if she was female!) 20 guesses - John Wilkes Booth from _The Conspirator_ ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/167 "2011-05-16T19:28:00Z")
Stumped it with: Jock Ewing Lucy Ewing Mr. Kimball Miss Brahms ---
**Author:** ![goldmund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a4c791/32.png) [@goldmund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goldmund)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/168 "2011-05-16T22:35:47Z")
After already establishing that my character was a real person, it asked me if they were a singer, I said yes. It asked me if they were a rapper, I said yes. Next thing it asks: “Does your character eat people?” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/169 "2011-05-17T02:54:20Z")
It was unable to identify 1980s shortstop Steve Jeltz, or a tertiary character from one of my childhood books. Obviously useless. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/170 "2011-05-17T17:03:49Z")
> [@Aghris](#): > > You mean [Akinator’s Genie](http://us.akinator.com)? 20 guesses - Haviland Tuf, _Tuf Voyaging_ 17 guesses - Del Spooner, the Will Smith character in _I, Robot_ 19 guesses - Brienne of Tarth, _A Clash of Kings_ 30 guesses - Robert F. Kennedy, _Thirteen Days_ (after unsuccessfully guessing Marlon Brando and then JFK, and twice asking me if it was a politician) 18 guesses - Nearly Headless Nick, _Harry Potter etc._ ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/171 "2011-05-17T17:32:56Z")
I assume Elendil mean’s “questions”, not guesses. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/172 "2011-05-17T17:49:34Z")
Yes, good point. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/173 "2011-05-17T17:53:17Z")
I do hate it when he counts it as a “win” when he doesn’t get it in the first 20 questions. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/174 "2011-05-18T20:13:38Z")
40 questions - Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels), _Gettysburg_ 40 questions - Dwayne Hicks (Michael Biehn), _Aliens_ 30 questions - Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), _Sherlock Holmes_ 30 questions - Harold Hill (Robert Preston), _The Music Man_ Stumped it - Jimmy Emmett (Joaquin Phoenix), _To Die For_ ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/175 "2011-05-18T21:15:35Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Is your character real - no > Does your character stand on 2 legs - no > Is your character from a TV series - no > Does your character wear human clothes - no > > and so on for 15 questions, then : > > Has your character been in space - yes > Does your character have a face - yes > > I’m thinking of … The man in the moon. [It’s had practice](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13737013&postcount=106). 😉 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/176 "2011-05-18T21:17:27Z")
> [@teletype](#): > > After already establishing that my character was a real person, it asked me if they were a singer, I said yes. It asked me if they were a rapper, I said yes. Next thing it asks: “Does your character eat people?” :eek: Probably trying to rule out [this guy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Lurch). ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/177 "2011-05-19T02:05:40Z")
Failed to guess Captain Flint (Long John Silver’s parrot) and Edward Lear (poet & author) Guessed Jean Valjean after 35 guesses which was pretty surprisingly bad. Guessed Tiamat on the first try (20 guesses), although I was thinking of the Babylonian deity and not the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon character it displayed (I gave it credit though). Guessed Fiver (_Watership Down_) in 19 guesses. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/178 "2011-05-19T19:58:12Z")
Stumped it - George Witton, the youngest defendant in the \*Breaker Morant \*court-martial Stumped it - Tolly Mune, portmaster and later politician in _Tuf Voyaging_ 30 questions - Major Strasser, _Casablanca_ 20 questions - Atticus Finch, _To Kill A Mockingbird_ 30 questions - Phil Connors, _Groundhog Day_ ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/179 "2011-05-19T20:13:47Z")
It got Ghan-buri-ghan in 20 (apparently there are too many other LotR geeks trying to stump it), but I was apparently the first person to play Ffleuder Fflan. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627/180 "2011-05-19T20:21:08Z")
Guessed Pete Campbell (Mad Men) in 20. I was surprised because I said “Yes” to “Does your character use guns” for question 7 and questions 8-18 were then about police/detective/crime shows. I thought I threw it off. Stumped it with Eliza, the old computer AI program. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-one-game-dopers-found-that-had-the-computer-guessing-who-they-were/579627.md?page=10)