Comments by catugo
Interactive diagrams. 
Diagrams that interactively show piece moves.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]I solved it, for some reason using open office instead of notepad does that, now I'll try to paste my own code!
The graphics are wrong, but the script works! For images it shows just cracked images!
It works great for the other game, the one with archbishops!
It works now, have you done something HG? or I just copied stuff wrong the first time?
Now I can actually play games, thank you H.G., I see now how silly they look. Thank you very much! It's now getting late here. See you soon!
That's actually a good idea, Totally displacing chess was never the main purpose as is a very good game. I have newver programmed for mobile but it shouldn't be so hard. An aplication for children is wonderful. But I'm also thinking at something granmaster level, wtih a very strong AI that gives increasingly lower handicaps until impossible levels maybe, where the computer recieves a handicap from the player. That shouldn't block the player though!
Or on second thinking, why not an aplication for children that reaches grandmaster level at high levels of play!
I've made some experiments with those two games. It's actually quite exciting but I blunder pieces way to often! After I get some experience I hope to be able to provide a game of each! For now if you would like to try it yourself here are the scripts:
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.chessvariants.com/membergraphics/MSinteractivedia/betza.gif"></script>
<div style="float:left;margin:0 40px 20px 0;">
<div id="diagram">
files=10
ranks=10
promoZone=3
promoChoice=ANBQGWCR
graphicsDir=http://www.chessvariants.com/graphics.dir/alfaerie/
whitePrefix=w
blackPrefix=b
graphicsType=gif
squareSize=54
symmetry=none
pawn::::a3,b3,c3,d3,e3,f3,g3,h3,i3,j3,,a8,b8,c8,d8,e8,f8,g8,h8,i8,j8
bishop::::d2,g2,,d9,g9
rook::::a1,j1,,a10,j10
queen::::e2,,e9
king::::f2,,f9
aanca:A:WyafsW:tiger:b2,,b9
griffin:G:FyafsF:gryphon:i2,,i9
champion::::e1,f1,,e10,f10
wizard:W:CF:mage:d1,g1,,d10,g10
knight:N:NmZ:knight:c2,h2,,c9,h9
</div></div>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.chessvariants.com/membergraphics/MSinteractivedia/betza.gif"></script>
<div style="float:left;margin:0 40px 20px 0;">
<div id="diagram">
files=10
ranks=10
promoZone=3
promoChoice=QNBAMZELR
graphicsDir=http://www.chessvariants.com/graphics.dir/alfaerie/
whitePrefix=w
blackPrefix=b
graphicsType=gif
squareSize=54
symmetry=none
pawn::::a3,b3,c3,d3,e3,f3,g3,h3,i3,j3,,a8,b8,c8,d8,e8,f8,g8,h8,i8,j8
bishop::::d2,g2,,d9,g9
rook::::a1,j1,,a10,j10
queen::::b2,,b9
king::::e2,,e9
archbishop:A:BN:cardinal:f2,,f9
chancellor::::i2,,i9
elephant:E:FAmH:elephant:e1,f1,,e10,f10
camel:L:CmW:camel:g1,,g10
zebra:Z:ZmF:zebra:d1,,d10
knight:N:NmG:knight:c2,h2,,c9,h9
</div></div>
Just save from notpad with the html extension and it should work.
I personally don't like multiplayer variants as I consider most of them unfair from the point of view that multiple players may attack the same victim. So if that's up to me I won't consider those. Playing against humans of the same level or close it's a good idea but it assumes a large enough number of players, not the case at least initially.
Regarding authority for the game, well the programmers are the main authority, who else. We or they (I'm not sure yet if I will get involved as I am more for more challenging tasks from an intellectual point of view) would consult the community of course.
Time should be enough maybe at blitz or a bit longer, not too fast as the player is not used to playing most of the variants, but not too tedious either.
I was concerned about the opening in the second game as I put the queen and marshall far from the center of the board. That happened mostly because I was not use to with an archbishop in the middle, but after a few trials it seems fine. I have seen the archbishop in the middle in Paulovich's variant of Capablanca chess, so I guess I am not the only one with this problem. I have done this in order to have the minor pieces (the ones who acording to opening principles attack first) closer to the middle. Although bishops could be 1 square more lateral.
I tinkered those 2 games a little bit and I came up with the following value of pieces based on their values in Omega Chess (omega chess website), Grand Chess (H.G.Muller values from wikipedia), Ralph Betza's evaluation of the aanca and griffin, mobility calculation for zebra, and my own observations playing the games, I also named the two games so I think I'm ready to maybe submit them, eventually:
Apothecary chess1
rook 6
wizard 3.8
champion 4
knight 4
bishop 4
queen 12
aanca 7
griffin 8.75
Apothecary chess2
zebra 3
camel 3.2
elephant 3.7
knight 3.4
bishop 4
queen 12
archbishop 10
marshall 11
I decided to name the games apothecary chess as they are obtained adding somewhat arbitrary mutations to well known games in the way apothecaries used to tinker their receipts.
Actually my mobility program gives the griffin roughly equal to a queen a little bit weaker on crowded boards but even stronger in the endgame. The Aanca is the strongest among the 3 in the beginning but quickly loses power becoming 21.5/26 queens in the endgame. Clearly stronger than stated. I think the conondrum comes from the fact that mister betza calculations are based on rook and bishop. So the result is that the rook and the bishop are stronger. The bishop is still 4 (ok maybe 4 and something) because it gets a colourboundness penalty, but the rook must be higher. My mobility program give 0.63 queens for the rook.
That beeing said 4 pawns are definetly better than a bishop in the endgame. Remember the rule that they can even promote to a rook on rank 8, but I never got that far with my calculations.
So new values:
rook 7.25
wizard 3.8
champion 4
knight 4
bishop 4.2
queen 12
aanca 9
griffin 11
Apothecary chess2
zebra 3
camel 3.2
elephant 3.7
knight 3.4
bishop 4.2
queen 12
archbishop 10
marshall 11
rook 7.25
The html code posted earlier doesn't enforce the rule that the pawn can promote to almost a rook on ranks 8 and 9 so you must decline manually not to promote to an aanca, griffin, queen , archbishop, marshall.
Actually I don't see many variants with aancas, griffins, or zebras. I assume there is good reason for that. That's why I considered the name paranoid chess, too, but my father advised me against it!
I appologise to have forgotten about this function, I've done so many attempts yesterday evening with other matters.
I had to change the order in promochoice, but the function works fine provided the piece list is open, or so I think, but that's not an issue
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.chessvariants.com/membergraphics/MSinteractivedia/betza.gif"></script>
<div style="float:left;margin:0 40px 20px 0;">
<div id="diagram">
files=10
ranks=10
promoZone=3
promoChoice=ANQRBGWCP
graphicsDir=http://www.chessvariants.com/graphics.dir/alfaerie/
whitePrefix=w
blackPrefix=b
graphicsType=gif
squareSize=54
symmetry=none
pawn::::a3,b3,c3,d3,e3,f3,g3,h3,i3,j3,,a8,b8,c8,d8,e8,f8,g8,h8,i8,j8
bishop::::d2,g2,,d9,g9
rook::::a1,j1,,a10,j10
queen::::e2,,e9
king::::f2,,f9
aanca:A:WyafsW:tiger:b2,,b9
griffin:G:FyafsF:gryphon:i2,,i9
champion::::e1,f1,,e10,f10
wizard:W:CF:mage:d1,g1,,d10,g10
knight:N:NmZ:knight:c2,h2,,c9,h9
</div></div>
<script>function WeirdPromotion(x1, y1,x2, y2, promo)
{
if((board[y1][x1] & 15) != 1) return promo; // moved piece is not a Pawn
if(y2 == 9 || y2 == 0) return ((promo & 15) == 1 ? 5 : promo); // on last rank: cannot stay Pawn
if((promo & 15) > 4) return board[y1][x1]; // larger than Rook: remains Pawn
return promo; // choice was acceptable
}
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.chessvariants.com/membergraphics/MSinteractivedia/betza.gif"></script>
<div style="float:left;margin:0 40px 20px 0;">
<div id="diagram">
files=10
ranks=10
promoZone=3
promoChoice=QAMRNBZELP
graphicsDir=http://www.chessvariants.com/graphics.dir/alfaerie/
whitePrefix=w
blackPrefix=b
graphicsType=gif
squareSize=54
symmetry=none
pawn::::a3,b3,c3,d3,e3,f3,g3,h3,i3,j3,,a8,b8,c8,d8,e8,f8,g8,h8,i8,j8
bishop::::d2,g2,,d9,g9
rook::::a1,j1,,a10,j10
queen::::b2,,b9
king::::e2,,e9
archbishop:A:BN:cardinal:f2,,f9
chancellor::::i2,,i9
elephant:E:FAmH:elephant:e1,f1,,e10,f10
camel:L:CmW:camel:g1,,g10
zebra:Z:ZmF:zebra:d1,,d10
knight:N:NmG:knight:c2,h2,,c9,h9
</div></div>
<script>function WeirdPromotion(x1, y1,x2, y2, promo)
{
if((board[y1][x1] & 15) != 1) return promo; // moved piece is not a Pawn
if(y2 == 9 || y2 == 0) return ((promo & 15) == 1 ? 5 : promo); // on last rank: cannot stay Pawn
if((promo & 15) > 4) return board[y1][x1]; // larger than Rook: remains Pawn
return promo; // choice was acceptable
}
</script>
It doesn't work properly in the 3rd rank it promoted only to QBN it is suposed to be other pieces, and yes it does not promote at the 9 th rank. Don't worry though. It works fine when hadled manually!
I did it correctly once again this is how it goes:
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.chessvariants.com/membergraphics/MSinteractivedia/betza.gif"></script>
<div style="float:left;margin:0 40px 20px 0;">
<div id="diagram">
files=10
ranks=10
promoZone=3
promoChoice=PBRCWNAQG
graphicsDir=http://www.chessvariants.com/graphics.dir/alfaerie/
whitePrefix=w
blackPrefix=b
graphicsType=gif
squareSize=54
symmetry=none
pawn::::a3,b3,c3,d3,e3,f3,g3,h3,i3,j3,,a8,b8,c8,d8,e8,f8,g8,h8,i8,j8
bishop::::d2,g2,,d9,g9
rook::::a1,j1,,a10,j10
king::::f2,,f9
champion::::e1,f1,,e10,f10
wizard:W:CF:mage:d1,g1,,d10,g10
knight:N:NmZ:knight:c2,h2,,c9,h9
aanca:A:WyafsW:tiger:b2,,b9
queen::::e2,,e9
griffin:G:FyafsF:gryphon:i2,,i9
</div></div>
<script>function WeirdPromotion(x1, y1,x2, y2, promo)
{
if((board[y1][x1] & 15) != 1) return promo; // moved piece is not a Pawn
if(y2 == 9 || y2 == 0) return ((promo & 15) == 1 ? 5 : promo); // on last rank: cannot stay Pawn
if((promo & 15) > 7) return board[y1][x1]; // larger than Rook: remains Pawn
return promo; // choice was acceptable
}
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.chessvariants.com/membergraphics/MSinteractivedia/betza.gif"></script>
<div style="float:left;margin:0 40px 20px 0;">
<div id="diagram">
files=10
ranks=10
promoZone=3
promoChoice=PBRELZNACQ
graphicsDir=http://www.chessvariants.com/graphics.dir/alfaerie/
whitePrefix=w
blackPrefix=b
graphicsType=gif
squareSize=54
symmetry=none
pawn::::a3,b3,c3,d3,e3,f3,g3,h3,i3,j3,,a8,b8,c8,d8,e8,f8,g8,h8,i8,j8
bishop::::d2,g2,,d9,g9
rook::::a1,j1,,a10,j10
king::::e2,,e9
elephant:E:FAmH:elephant:e1,f1,,e10,f10
camel:L:CmW:camel:g1,,g10
zebra:Z:ZmF:zebra:d1,,d10
knight:N:NmG:knight:c2,h2,,c9,h9
archbishop:A:BN:cardinal:f2,,f9
chancellor::::i2,,i9
queen::::b2,,b9
</div></div>
<script>function WeirdPromotion(x1, y1,x2, y2, promo)
{
if((board[y1][x1] & 15) != 1) return promo; // moved piece is not a Pawn
if(y2 == 9 || y2 == 0) return ((promo & 15) == 1 ? 5 : promo); // on last rank: cannot stay Pawn
if((promo & 15) > 8) return board[y1][x1]; // larger than Rook: remains Pawn
return promo; // choice was acceptable
}
</script>
I think both the tournaments, and the video game ideas are good, should we start a post on each of those?
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Thanks!