Comments by catugo
Very neat; thank you Carlos.
Actually I am working at two presets rougly at the same time, but I'm just starting:
http://play.chessvariants.com/pbm/play.php?game=Apothecary+Chess+2&settings=Apothecary2&submit=Edit
http://play.chessvariants.com/pbm/play.php?game=Apothecary+Chess+1&settings=Apothecary1&submit=Edit
These are the links to Apothecary2 and Apothecary1 respectivelly. I dare to want to write enforecing rules code, and I think, but I'm not sure, that one can program move by mouse like in the fancy websites. I already told many friends about my games and they want to play them so I have to provide well.
Do you know how can I genereate a randomized seed, Carlos, or anyone else for that matter?
Thanks, I will analyse bot Omega Chess and Grand Chess.
A randomized seed means the first value of a random generator. The random generator is usually a polynomial that calls himself to generate the next number. Generally speaking a random sequence is:
a0,P(a0),P(P(a0)),...
My trouble is that for me a0 is always the same, so not that random. I need a seed generator like the remainder of microseconds until next Monday or something like that. Most programming languages have such routines.
I foresee three main diffculties for me in implementing Game Courier Presets for Apothecary Chess 1 and Apothecary Chess 2.
1.The move enforecement for the griffin and aanca. Also the move enforcement for pieces that have just move abilities like the advanced omega chess knight. How do I differentiate between just moves and regular moves?
2.The joker movement. If the regular joker movements shouldn't prove a big trouble as I saw there is an last piece moved variable that I can build from (it seems a bit tedious though), the trouble is with the insertion of the joker on the regular board as it should move from the pocket square (p2 respectively p9 in the diagram) to a just vacated spot by a friendly piece that is not a pawn or a bruhaha square piece and has not previously moved by turn 12 for white and 18 for black. The worst thing is that two pieces get moved in one turn.
3.The endgame conditions which are suficiently different. Actually that should not be a big trouble as the threefold repetition and the 100 moves (actually 50 but that's just an constant) rule are implemented and counting some points should be fairly easy.
I believe I can hadle myself the weird pawn promotion of Apothecary Chess 1 & 2, but if I have trouble I won't hesitate to ask for help.
May I please receive some advice regarding the above?
Well, Carlos, somebody could help. I will challenge you to an apothecary chess 1 and then to an apothecary chess 2, to see how it's going. And then will see!
Home page of The Chess Variant Pages. Homepage of The Chess Variant Pages.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]@ Carlos Cetina & @ Gregory Strong
I have made some modifications to the apothecary 1 and apothecary 2 presets that were causing trouble. Now I've changed everything back and it works (with less features but it works). I apologize if I've caused any inconvenience. I honestly did not know that saving those files will affect ongoing games. Now I know better. I'll see what happens in the future.
Best wishes,
Aurelian
P.S. I'm awaiting for your moves :)
Ok, I'll of course accept those invitations Carlos, but I think we can each use whatever set we want by the power of customization, I'm not sure!
@ Carlos Cetina,
Now I understand what's going on. You don't need to create a preset you just need to customize mine. Just press the customize button in the menu. So we can both use whichever figureenees we see fit. Now how do we switch all games to my presets, and then you customize how you like them. They should always be remebered like the Cetina style customization :), shouldn't them?
Carlos, Thanks so much for taking an interest in my games!
@ Fergus Duniho,
Hey Fergus,
Have you had time to take a look on the questions I've put on this post regarding game courier presets? I'm sure you are the most qualified to answer them. I'm a newbie with big targets in mind, ..., I know baby steps, ..., but the matter of fact is for the casual user, not for us aficionados, there have to be many facilities, and I kind of promised many of my friends that they can play my games. Please find the time to address the concerns I've raised regarding preset programming of my two apothecary games.
Bye Fergus,
Best wishes,
Aurelian
Fergus,
Thanks for the informations.
Regarding your concern about the rook I've said that it's a average piece as strength goes. That is used in the pawn promotion rules. But maybe instead of major, average, minor I could use strong, medium, weak. The first way sound more professional to me though.
About the weird endgame conditions is that I want to reward someone who forces a stalemate, or at least finishes with non neglijible extra material. For example in apothecary chess 2 an king+zebra+camel vs king is an advantage as I think we should reward a bit a player who collected 2 extra minor pieces, otherwise it would be a draw. Anyway if this bothers one much, he/she should find consolation in the fact that is a rare occurance. I doubt the advantage/disadvantage situation will occur often, but anyway it should be taken care of.
Thanks for you time Fergus,
Aurelian
Hello Carlos,
I tried to customize the appearance on my preset but I'm yet to succeed. It should not be difficult, though. The idea is that I like my pretty pictures and you like your pretty pictures which is fine. We shouldn't build two of each apothecaries for that, 1 of each is fine.
For now I'm cut in a hiring process in my real life so I am a little busy. After things settle I'll work with the rule enforcements and friendliness of the interface. Then I'll try to make things prettier as things are settled in a functional way. I'm really sorry if you feel an inconvenience moving the animal head griffin picture, but I promise is temporary and eventually I'll take care of everything. For now let's do with what we have. I'll of course play the second round of game with your pictures. Here I am concerned that my main apothecary 1 & 2 presets won't remember the games played with your apothecary 1 & 2 presets. I don't know how to merge the two databases of only one game, once they finish. I hope we'll find a solution.
Best wishes,
Aurelian
Apothecary Chess-Modern. Large board variant obtained through tinkering with known games.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]While playing a game against Greg Strong I figured out that a rule is not clear.
No pieces besides the initial ones can enter the bruhaha squares.
That's the new rule. For now I just put it in a comment when sufficient material is obtained I'll edit the article.
Apothecary Chess-Classic. Large board variant obtained through tinkering with known games.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]While playing a game against Greg Strong I figured out that a rule is not clear.
No pieces besides the initial ones can enter the bruhaha squares.
That's the new rule. For now I just put it in a comment when sufficient material is obtained I'll edit the article.
I have considered Greg Strong's input so I'm making a new rule (the one Greg proposed actually):
A player cannot move into a Brouhaha Square but may capture a piece already on it. Only the pieces initially placed there have special powers.
The second part is there to highlight that the special powers are given to help in the opening they don't go further to the possible capturer of the pieces initially placed on the brouhaha squares. Also remember that the special powers are just move abilities.
Apothecary Chess-Modern. Large board variant obtained through tinkering with known games.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]I have considered Greg Strong's input so I'm making a new rule (the one Greg proposed actually):
A player cannot move into a Brouhaha Square but may capture a piece already on it. Only the pieces initially placed there have special powers.
The second part is there to highlight that the special powers are given to help in the opening they don't go further to the possible capturer of the pieces initially placed on the brouhaha squares. Also remember that the special powers are just move abilities.
Public thanks to Gregory Strong for helping with the desing of this game and it's twin. I am such a newbie, I don't know how this has escaped me!
Fergus,
I see your point about the rook not being named a major piece, I will revision the article after I finish the preset and change the terminology. Moreover by definition of being able to checkmate solely with the help of the king the champion is a major piece in it's game and the aanca is not. Although the aanca is a much stronger piece in many game situations.
If proven a bad idea I admit that the advantage disadvantage system should be scraped despite being rare in it's application, and I had further criticism (initially the 100 moves rule was 150 for example) on this system.
Vickalan's idea was to use to point system only in the 100 moves (at the time 150) rule, as in threefold repetition the stronger side should get out and try to prove it's advantage. I think here if a player lost 2-3 pieces and then sneaked the queen and managed a perpetual doesn't deserve a draw. In the 100 rules move think at an endgame king+elephant+elephant+zebra+camel vs king+rook. It was probably a thrilling game and it ends an a draw after 100 moves. The superior side should get a small advantage in my opinion.
I don't see a problem that the goal is not always to checkmate (shogi has a similar points counting rule but it's only for win/draw). Checkmate is the main goal anyway. I guess as an engineer I am more comfortable with a more gradual measurement of disparity between players. I am also afraid of a draw death (even though for a larger that orthodox game that's unlikely as Greg Strong pointed out a few days ago). I probably take it to far but if this game becomes played (I sort of doubt it) players become more closely matched and more draws may occur. So there is merit in my view for a gradualization of the outcome closer to a draw. I'm sorry if a exaggerate a bit with that I am thinking it the whole way through as I strive to be a perfectionist. I honestly doubt my 2 games will become such success but an inventor should take care of possible long term problems.
Anyway nobody implies we should agree on all game rules. I think unless challenged with very hard counter-arguments the advantage/disadvantage possible outcome stays. It's my game in the end, and part of this is, admittedly, my thrill of applying my own idea. On the flip side I've said I'll ask for assistance in order to improve on (Grand Chess+Omega Chess)/2 , so if the endgame conditions are such a bad idea I'm screwed. Oh, my... in what have I got myself into... :).
I find it odd that there is only one archer(a colorbound piece). Besides that a neat initiative!
Greg and Carlos,
Thanks for your help! I have a new job and I am caught now in new things there. Also I moved to another city so my regular life it's all havoc now. But tonight I'm restarting my apothecary presets programming endeavors. So thanks and see you soon and updated.
Some of us do read french, and "fairy guys" it's a nice joke in my humble opinion, so give the benefit of the doubt please Fergus!
@Carlos Cetina &@ Greg Strog
Is there a way to watch from time to time your game, or is not public?
If the player forgets to place his fool he then forfeits the possibility. The problem with the loading has been taken care of in the proper save, it's just that i have not made public that one!
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One more question.
I need to generate akin to fisher random chess (I've checked that preset, too) random piece placements. Here is my code:
drop Q any b2 e2 i2;
drop A any b2 e2 i2;
drop M any b2 e2 i2;
drop q any b9 e9 i9;
drop a any b9 e9 i9;
drop m any b9 e9 i9;
Is there a neat way to get an mirror between white and black as the code I provide is almost never synchronized between white and black. I understand that I can search and remember whites position and then place pieces for black in the generated way, but I'm searching for a neat way to do things quickly,
Thanks, Aurelian