🕸Fergus Duniho wrote on Mon, Jul 28, 2003 03:12 AM UTC:
The updated PBM is now ready for some beta-testing. Let me run down some of
the new features.
1) You can use a single graphic image for the board, which is overlayed
with transparent table cells. I've created presets of Eurasian Chess and
Chinese Chess as examples of this. It also works with images smaller than
the whole board by tiling the image. You can try some of these out by
editing a preset.
2) The PBM now includes formal invitations and acceptance of invitations.
3) The PBM now uses userids and passwords. You need a Chessvariants.com
userid and password to use the PBM to play games with another person.
Although only contributors can register right now, David is currently
working on allowing others to register.
4) All games are logged, and the log format is completely different than
it used to be. Logs are now an integral part of how the PBM operates.
5) There are different levels of privacy for logs.
6) The PBM can now be used for playing games in real time. Logging all
games allows players to bypass the need to actually receive email. Also,
if you are on the page for moving before it is your turn, the page will
periodically refresh itself until your opponent has moved, and it will
alert you with an audible beep when it is your turn to move.
Since the PBM is the beta-testing phase, there could still be bugs. Please
try it out in the spirit of testing for bugs and let me know if you find
any.
Also, I'm hoping someone will volunteer to help me try out the real-time
play feature around 9:00 pm EST Monday night. I'll need a volunteer with
a Chessvariants.com userid. This is one thing I can't thoroughly test by
myself.