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Comments by benr

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StrataChess v1.0. separate Strategic and Tactical gameplay. 2-6 players. Element of Chance. Terrain. Build your own armies.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Sun, Jul 7, 2019 04:13 PM UTC:

(Er, I hadn't thought about how "that ship has sailed" would be interpreted:  I hadn't meant it for this variant, as a criticism of Greg for publishing it; rather, I was trying to indicate the last few years during which a few new anonymous inventors have had material published here.  And as Greg noted, this does include great community members like wtdr2, so I don't hold this position firmly; I would just like to encourage inventors to attach their names to their variants.)


Hunterbeest. Large variant with one each of distinctive Nimrod pieces, and of similar set of oblique pieces. (11x10, Cells: 110) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Sun, Jul 7, 2019 04:28 PM UTC:

The diagrams no longer work as intended because of a change in the diagram designer:
https://www.chessvariants.com/index/listcomments.php?id=36723

I'll make the necessary changes when I have a chance.

Edit: done, although using the !-markers rather than the ./#-markers.


Diagram Designer. Lets you display diagrams without uploading any graphics.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Mon, Jul 8, 2019 03:23 AM UTC:

The change of interpretation of the period from movement-marker to single empty square has affected a few pages.  (The changes were documented in this comment thread; a bug report was made at https://www.chessvariants.com/index/listcomments.php?id=37820 .) 

I have added the new functionality's description to the introduction here.

I've identified 25 affected pages, all but one of them by Charles Gilman.  (I only ran the search on member-submitted pages' Pieces section.  There were 4 false positives in the regex [from another author], so perhaps not all of these actually have problems.  The other affected page is an old never-published submission.)

ItemID    
MSaltorth-hex-chess    
MSnearlydouble-wildebeest    
MSnimrod-chess    
MSbachelor-nimrod    
MSman-and-beast-01-constitutional-characters    
MSman-and-beast-03-from-ungulates-outward    
MSman-and-beast-04-generalised-generals    
MSman-and-beast-06-the-heavy-brigade    
MShunterbeest    
MSman-and-beast-07-when-beasts-collide    
MSman-and-beast-08-diverse-directions    
MSman-and-beast-09-mighty-like-a-rose    
MSman-and-beast-11-long-nosed-generals    
MSman-and-beast-12-alternative-fronts    
MSman-and-beast-13-straight-and-crooked-moving    
MSman-and-beast-14-oddly-oblique    
MSman-and-beast-15-strengthened-across-the-board    
MSman-and-beast-19-the-vice-squad    
MSwestfield-chess    
MSman-and-beast-21-lords-high-everything-else    
MSfragnurasian-qi    
MSbachelor-hunterbeest    
MSaltorth-with-further-piece-types    
MSknavish-chess    

There might be a regex solution to fixing all of these pages, which seems superior to doing them by hand or splitting off a version of this script for the old period-markers, but I don't want to accidentally break anything more.  I think the periods that need to be replaced can be described as those following `drawdiagram.php`...`code=`, before any closing `>` or argument-separating `&`.  I'll think/look at it more later, but comments are eagerly solicited.


Hidden Random Chess. This is a two-player game that incorporates the element of chance in chess.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Sat, Jul 13, 2019 05:20 PM UTC:

The contents are here, just hidden pending editorial review.  But Greg's point does stand that this should have a different name to differentiate it from the existing Flip Chess.  Maybe something that indicates the hidden information aspect?


Raumschach. The classical variant of three-dimensional chess: 5 by 5 by 5. (5x(5x5), Cells: 125) (Recognized!)[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Mon, Jul 15, 2019 09:26 PM UTC:

@Kelvin, I think these are equivalent, because of the current text's requirement "always in the same coordinate plane," or from the later "never step through the corner of a cell."

Also equivalent, I think, is the one-orthogonal one-diagonal-outward if this page treated the unicorn's "triagonal" as non-diagonal.  I think maybe the easiest description would be "like a knight in any of the coordinate planes," but that's probably pretty subjective.

If you disagree with any of these equivalences, could you point out an example move that one has that the other doesn't?


Hidden Random Chess. This is a two-player game that incorporates the element of chance in chess.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Fri, Jul 19, 2019 03:39 AM UTC:

@Prussia,

1) We (an editor) will need to change the name; let us know when you're settled on one.  (Also, to me, Undercover seems like the player should know their own pieces' identities.  "Reveal" or something, but that suffers the same problem and hints at existing Revelation.  Hmm.)

2) You should be able to upload images from your computer using the "upload files" link just after the bottom of the game description -- the part that begins with the 'm' icon and "This 'user submitted' page ...".  The editing links for you (including the image upload) will only display when you are logged in.  If you want to use the diagram designer, there should be some suitable modified-pawn images that would work, or maybe using the dotted modifier recently described there.  (A black dot over pieces that are technically unknown to the players, but which you want to show the reader?)

I also wanted to mention that this reminds me a little of V.R. Parton's Identific Chess (here currently only as a Friedlander applet; I'll have to write an article later), which led me also to David Howe's Potential Chess.


SacriliChess. Members-Only A point-buy chess format that allows promotions for all pieces.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Since this comment is for a page that has not been published yet, you must be signed in to read it.

MZmegamix[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Mon, Aug 19, 2019 04:38 PM UTC:

The relevant file seems to be missing.  (Also, I don't have Zillions, so another editor would need to verify that the file works should it be uploaded.)


Game Courier. PHP script for playing Chess variants online.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Mon, Sep 9, 2019 02:47 PM UTC:

What game/preset?  (This comment thread is the general Game Courier one, not attached to a particular preset.)


About Game Courier. Web-based system for playing many different variants by email or in real-time.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Mon, Sep 16, 2019 02:41 AM UTC:

@Luigi, Can you give an example?  I've not encountered this.


8-Piece Chess. (Queen's Army chess, all 8 Back Rank Pieces different).[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Mon, Sep 16, 2019 07:24 PM UTC:

Nice!


Ben Reiniger wrote on Thu, Sep 19, 2019 06:13 PM UTC:

Spoiler(?) (should we consider adding a spoiler tag plugin for CKEditor?):

Qxc5+, ke6 // in check both from queen and sentry->lancer
Qd5+, ke7
Qxf7+, kd6 // again doubly checked
Ld2=n+, kc6
S-c6Kd6# // checked by Lancer, no piece to interject; cannot move back to Sentry's square, and Queen and Pawns cover last escape squares.


Ben Reiniger wrote on Fri, Sep 20, 2019 12:37 AM UTC:

I've put (what I think is) the solution in my last comment, but as an html comment.  You can see it by viewing the page's source code (ctrl+u on most browsers; then ctrl+f to search for "spoiler" should get you there quickly).  I was suggesting/asking whether we (the editors) should pursue adding a spoiler-hiding method and, probably, a button in CKEditor to insert such a spoiler to the site.


Ben Reiniger wrote on Fri, Sep 20, 2019 02:32 PM UTC:

Thanks H.G., I've changed my older comment to use the inline-style whiteout.


MPrandom-start-chess[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Tue, Sep 24, 2019 02:10 PM UTC:

We don't generally allow users to completely delete an index entry.  I will remove this manually in a few days if you don't want it.


MPsiege-chess[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Tue, Sep 24, 2019 02:24 PM UTC:

The diagrams need some work (they have various additional markers?), and you don't need to include diagrams for FIDE pieces.


Chimera Chess. The highlight of this chess variant are the Chimera pieces, which are substantially enhanced versions of the orthodox Knight.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Sun, Oct 6, 2019 06:03 PM UTC:

Yes, graphics are present now, and I've unhidden the page.

You might consider renaming the Chimera Rider, since "rider" is a common variant piece descriptor.


Something amiss with What's New page?[Subject Thread] [Add Response]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Tue, Dec 17, 2019 03:52 PM UTC:

Last time it was just because there were no published submissions in the time period.  It's probably the same this time, but I'll check (and I'll check the pending-approval queue).


Pawnbarian[Subject Thread] [Add Response]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Fri, Dec 27, 2019 03:29 AM UTC:

An interesting in-development single-player game:
https://j4nw.itch.io/pawnbarian

"A quick-playing roguelike puzzler" incorporating minor deck-building components, a small-board one-v-rest similar to Maharajah, and (new and old(?)) fairy pieces.  Pretty entertaining already, I'll be interested to see how it develops.


MS-lengthened-elephantplay[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Mon, Jan 6, 2020 08:29 PM UTC:

This still needs diagrams, or at the very least starting positions specified.


Jumper Chess. Members-Only Missing description[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Since this comment is for a page that has not been published yet, you must be signed in to read it.

MZchess-with-pawns[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Mon, Jan 6, 2020 08:38 PM UTC:

Clicking the download link takes me to a 404 missing page.  I'm not sure if the relevant file is actually just somewhere else, or wasn't uploaded?


Knights Chess. (Updated!) Queen, Rook and Bishop may also jump as a knight.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Mon, Jan 6, 2020 08:50 PM UTC:

This game was also invented in 1970 by C. G. Lewin under the name Knights Chess.  It appears in Chapter 14 of the CECV, and Ed Friedlander made a java applet here (though we don't seem to have a Game page for it).


Games for Game Courier. The many games you can play online with Game Courier.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Ben Reiniger wrote on Wed, Jan 8, 2020 03:43 PM UTC:

Thanks Armin!

I've added links to the settings files on the respective Preset pages:
https://www.chessvariants.com/play/minishogi
https://www.chessvariants.com/play/judkins-shogi

(I've forgotten the convention about Inventors of Preset pages...the preset author or the game inventor?  Fergus, Greg, Joe?)

Judkin's original settings file doesn't appear to actually be different from the Chess one, so perhaps it should be deleted.


Ben Reiniger wrote on Wed, Jan 8, 2020 10:25 PM UTC:

That's strange.  The button sends me to the correct settings according to the URL ("default") but the displayed image is that of the old settings ("Minishogi").  If I click Play or Move it takes me to the correct settings after all.

Maybe this is related to the cache issue we've had on other page types?


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