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[Xazo-Tak]

Quantum computers could have some interesting effects on Dwarf Fortress.
For example, correctly set up, world generation wouldn't be hindered by any rejection rate less than 100%.
And you could specify that you want a specific historical figure or something in your world, and have that figure appear by random generation alone. All that is required is that what you want has a chance of occuring that is not 0%. Might have to make the history seeds a fair few digits longer once you start getting into the extremely unlikely though, such as 10 Cacames.

Any other effects/new features you can think of?
From what I know, what current quantum computers do is choose the possibility that returns the lowest value from an unlimited range of possibilities.
So I would expect with some very tricky setting up you can make it calculate every possible seed combination.
Included in the "tricky setting up" part is making the system return only one value, since I think it might not work with two, let alone quintillions.

[Putnam]

Yeah, but it'd still be slow as fuck I doubt quantum computers as they are now could handle the standard worldgen calculations in any reasonable time.

[Telgin]

Yeah, unfortunately our current understanding of quantum computers doesn't make them really any better suited at conventional computations than modern computers.  Eventually that will probably change, but we're talking probably well past the point that DF reaches version 1.0.    I can't think of any practical application of quantum computation on the game as it stands, aside from maybe something like the worldgen example you provided.

From what I know, what current quantum computers do is choose the possibility that returns the lowest value from an unlimited range of possibilities.

It depends on the architecture, but some newer quantum computers work something like that.  They rely on the fact that subatomic particles will try to reach their lowest energy state, so you try to configure them in such a manner that the answer you're seeking is their lowest energy state.  They'll eventually settle into it and give you the answer you were looking for.  Or something like that, I've never actually studied the subject directly.

[King Mir]

That's how Dwave's "quantum optimizer" works, which is the only quantum computer that has any claim to scalability.

More general purpose qunatum computers should be able to solve other kinds of problems, provided we can make the and make them at scale.

[Xazo-Tak]

Yeah, but it'd still be slow as fuck I doubt quantum computers as they are now could handle the standard worldgen calculations in any reasonable time.

Indeed, but Dwarf Fortress estimated completion date is 2030.
Quantum computers should be at least the power of current computers for processing speed by then.
And even well before then, although it might take all day for the history calculation, you won't need any injections of any sort to put in specific characters if you have a copy of DF that's optimized for quantum computers.

[Putnam]

a copy of DF that's optimized for quantum computers.

Now that's doubtful, hehe.

[Telgin]

Yeah.  I'm getting a little nauseated trying to picture a C or C++ compiler that would target a quantum computer architecture.  Namely, a quantum computer would almost need to be more like an FPGA than a traditional computer to gain significant advantages over them.  Eventually they'll probably be able to generalize them in the same way traditional computers have been I'm sure, but I do have to wonder if it will ever be the case that programming languages like C can be compiled to something usable in a quantum computer in the general case and in a way that it would be faster than conventional computers.

[King Mir]

There's also the problem that most quantum computer proposals, including Dwave's, need a room worth of refrigeration and shielding. . .

[Putnam]

Pretty sure the price figure is 5 digits or more, IIRC.

Also, what the heck would I run on it??? This isn't like the difference between PowerPC and x86, this is an alien-ass architecture.

[King Mir]

5 digits? It's more like 8 digits. At least that was the prerelease estimate. I don't think the latest purchase price of a quantum computer, at the  Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab, is publicly available.

[Armok]

Quantum computing is never going into the CPU. If it gets to PCs at all, it'll be in graphics cards only accessible via special calls to their proprietary API with the closest you get to using them for arbitrary things being something like shader languages. Using that kind of thing is very much not Toady's style.

[Crioca]

It's not certain that quantum computers will ever be used for general purpose computing, let alone within our lifetimes. We haven't actually BUILT a quantum computer yet, all the 'quantum computers' that are currently being advertised are binary computers integrated with a qubit register.

[Cruxador]

It's not certain that quantum computers will ever be used for general purpose computing, let alone within our lifetimes. We haven't actually BUILT a quantum computer yet, all the 'quantum computers' that are currently being advertised are binary computers integrated with a qubit register.

lPretty sure that's what folks are talking about. "Binary computer integrated with a qubit register" is just a bit of a mouthful. There's something to be said for correct terminology, but considering people nigh-universally do things even as basic as calling GNU/Linux just "Linux" I reckon this is one you're not going to win.