25 Aug 07
In the Quick mode, when I made a conditional move sucessfully, I then chose "reset to board..." to make another. However, it doesn't then let me make another conditional move, and I have to go back to the board and then reopen the quick mode window.
Is this a bug, or me misunderstanding what that buttons ment to do.
25 Aug 07
Originally posted by bosintangI don't think it will encourage bad chess.
Well since you asked..
I don't like it. One, it's hard to implement for the reasons you mentioned. Secondly, it encourages people to play bad chess. Whenever your opponent makes an unexpected move, you should stop and ask why did your opponent make that move before continuing.
If you've thought through properly, then it's not about realising an 'unexpected' move - it's a shortcut to avoid putting in all the possible moves that could be played that won't affect your strategy.
To say it will encourage bad chess is like saying a hammer encourages broken thumbs - if you use any tool improperly then you can expect accidents, but it does not make the tool wrong.
As for difficulty of coding, I think you might be right.
The problem here is capturing exceptions. You'd need a starting position, then an array of positions that would prevent your next move, and also the move to make - this is all very different from the structure that is there now.
Deciding on the starting position should be straight forward, as would the building of the array of 'exception' positions (the problem would be showing them all).
The final move is the real problem. It can't be recorded as a FEN - as the move being replied to isn't decided. This would probably need a big re-design of the whole thing to accommodate this type of conditional move.
I can only see this being useful in the very early stages of the opening, or at the end game. I'm ALWAYS being surprised by mid-game play - so I'd have no use for this here except under quite specific circumstances.
04 Sep 07
Originally posted by RussBUMP
I'm behind on getting another version of this done. Do keep your comments coming, because even if I don't read them right now, I will certainly do so before I do any more work on this.
-Russ
To re-cap the comments by testers - (in no particular order)
1) It would be nice to have the conditional moves shown in the order they were entered.
2) How about the possibility of creating a 'library' of moves to apply to any game.
3) Could the interface behave more like the 'analysis board' feature
4) Offering resignation as a conditional
5) Offering a draw as a conditional
6) How to capture castling and en-passant rights as to the application of a conditional
7) Pre-loading of conditionals (i.e. setting the conditional in quick mode before actually moving).
8) Sending of messages along with the conditional move
9) Being able to tell which of your own games had pending conditional moves from the 'My Games' page
10) Exception conditions
I think I got all the suggestions.
The best change in that list above would be to make it all more like the analysis board. Its hard to set lines and be able to see how they 'play', where each move is made individually. The forward and backward links you have in the analysis board make it much more intuitive to set 'lines' - which is what I look for, rather than 'positions'. Does that make sense?
All that said - The way it stands now is fantastic. It's not hard to use and it gives a great deal of flexibility in managing your games.
04 Sep 07
Originally posted by orangutanI support number three strongly!
BUMP
To re-cap the comments by testers - (in no particular order)
1) It would be nice to have the conditional moves shown in the order they were entered.
2) How about the possibility of creating a 'library' of moves to apply to any game.
3) Could the interface behave more like the 'analysis board' feature
4) Offering resignation as a conditional
...[text shortened]... 's not hard to use and it gives a great deal of flexibility in managing your games.
I personally find the interface of this conditional move feature silly to say it the most positive way. Therefore I must admit I do not use the functionality at all. Somehow it doesn't work for me, functionally and mentally. But we can conlude that I am dumb.
04 Sep 07
Originally posted by AikoDon't worry. You're not dumb, because I feel the same. 😉
I support number three strongly!
I personally find the interface of this conditional move feature silly to say it the most positive way. Therefore I must admit I do not use the functionality at all. Somehow it doesn't work for me, functionally and mentally. But we can conlude that I am dumb.
The current interface makes me feel like I'm putting in extra effort, which I wouldn't have to if I just played my response manually.
But, then, I do appreciate that this is a first try. The final interface really needs to be practically part of your move process( ie: analyse the line as you would when choosing your move, and then simply clicking record conditions or something), rather than an additional task.
I have had one conditional move fire off though, and felt a little bewildered by the position. When I clicked into the game screen, I'd have really appreciated something stating what had just happened. A simple ingame screen system message saying something like "Conditional Move played: 30... Rxa6 31. Rxa6" would do.
D
04 Sep 07
Originally posted by RagnorakYes, I mentioned that earlier. You get a message if a conditional move has been played and your opponent sent an ingame message, which is nice, but I would like to get that even if there was no ingame message. I guess it should be optional, though.
I have had one conditional move fire off though, and felt a little bewildered by the position. When I clicked into the game screen, I'd have really appreciated something stating what had just happened. A simple ingame screen system message saying something like "Conditional Move played: 30... Rxa6 31. Rxa6" would do.
D
04 Sep 07
Originally posted by NordlysPersonally, I don't see the need for messages telling me that a conditional move has been played. It's more clicks for redundant info. I only want to know what has been played when I click into the game page, when it is next my move.
Yes, I mentioned that earlier. You get a message if a conditional move has been played and your opponent sent an ingame message, which is nice, but I would like to get that even if there was no ingame message. I guess it should be optional, though.
D
04 Sep 07
Originally posted by RagnorakWhen I said "message", I didn't necessarily mean a PM. I agree it would be enough (even better) to have it displayed with the game.
Personally, I don't see the need for messages telling me that a conditional move has been played. It's more clicks for redundant info. I only want to know what has been played when I click into the game page, when it is next my move.
D
05 Sep 07
Originally posted by RussAnother feature that I'd quite like, is to update the notebook as part of a conditional move.
Thanks for the comments guys. I need to find a clear couple of days to get the new version done.
-Russ
When I make a 'normal' move, I (usually) put something into the notebook (esp. true in the opening). To have this as part of making a conditional move might help in making sense of what's gone on 'automagically' for you.
13 Sep 07
1 edit
Originally posted by jp4995Are you absolutely sure that the position reached is legal - king not in check, not castling through check etc?
I still am unable to get the deep mode to work. Every time I hit submit it tells me it is an invalid move. I have tried several different ways and it still tells me that. Anyone else having this problem?
If all looks OK, then post a FEN diagram to show the position before and say what the move is you're trying to submit. In theory I could set up my deep mode board to match your position and try and make the same move.
[of course I wouldn't be able to comment on the move itself, only the mechanics of making it 😉]
I do know that once you've been hit with the 'invaild move' error, you'll have to go back to the board and then back into conditional moves and then deep mode and set the board up again, before trying another move.
I think there are several similar problems with the interface.