fungame: Well, I have asked for the conditional rules of standard chess and some variants (I think they aren´t good in antichess...). Maybe it is possible in backgammon, but I don´t know it because I don´t play it and don´t know the rules. Anyway, conditional moves will speed up the games.

naughtypawn: conditional move can be also in backgammon - "when I have no valid move, my choice is pass" (of course I don't mean a case when some dice rolls might result in valid move, only when no rolls help)

* this is not an autopass provocation :)

Fencer: Ok. Thanks for the answer.

playBunny: It is exactly like grenv has explained.

naughtypawn: All of this is planned.

playBunny: Conditional moves are where after your move you propose what the next few moves should be. The opponent can accept or reject them. It is very useful in speeding up the game when there are a few forced or obvious moves.

An analysis board is a board where you are able to move the pieces around while analyzing the position, presumably it would start in the same state as the actual game board.

naughtypawn: What's a conditional move?

How would the analysis board work?

naughtypawn:

I second the conditional moves, for all games where dice (or hidden pieces like dark chess) are not involved.

I would like to see the following chess features:
1. Conditional moves for chess.
2. A board in which the position could be analyze.
3. The game of Shatranj.

Please can you create somewhere to "save" PM's received?

Something like to tick the message and have an option to "Move from Inbox to SaveBox" - or something like that?

there was some talk on the jungle board for a variation of jungle. in it you would need to get your mouse into the opponents lair to win or simply capture the opponents mouse. someone said it would be easy for someoneto be cheap if they kept the mouse in the water the whole time. So I made the following post which was suggested to be posted here.

"what about adding a new animal peice? Maybe a croc or snake? the croc could go on land or water and be able to kill anything weaker than a lion. perhaps also make it so that it can only attack while in the water or when coming out of the water. if already on land it can't attack.

A snake could be like the crock only it could be killed by any animal. in addition it could possibly kill any other animal(poison) in return. though, perhaps not the elephant. you know, to keep it as the strongest piece in the game.

just a random idea. don't mind me ^_^;"

Edit: this was posted after my post in responce.

"I don't like the croc idea. The croc has a great power that could be easily abused and even if a lion can kill it it will be a very dangerous piece. The snake idea is good, any piece attacking a snake will be killed (so this is a kamikaze weak piece) I think you might want to make the rat immune to his powers, not the elephant. You really don't have to make any animal immune to his powers though. That way you would either have to trade snakes or get your cat out there and sacrifice him. The point is, this snake piece is a good idea because it forces each player to make moves that aren't normally considered in standard jungle. I personally usually leave my minor animals at home to protect my lair but if a snake is coming you don't want to fight it at the last minute and lose a defender (usually their are two defenders for each magenta square but with a snake nearby you can make it one, this is an invaluable tactic). I think the snake idea is great, perhaps you should take your idea to the feature request message board?"

Edit 2:forgot to mention that ColonelCrockett�was the one who replied to my post.

I am playing some multi-point backgammon games. When I win, the "Match" isn't over because I haven't achieved the total number of points. In Backgammon, the game may be worth more than one point. On the message stating I won (or lost), it would be nice to also show the points break down...total points earned per player, points won on this game, and total points needed. I know you can get this info elsewhere, but it would be nice to have it on the message, also.

BIG BAD WOLF: We should just be glad for what we have :) Everything else Fencer adds is just a bonus! But I will say this, if 7x7 checkers is added, I will 100% guarantee to re-new my 1 year rook membership for as long as I possibly can

Thad: I don't know - I would guess more games. He normally does not like to share it that way if for some reason he does not do the top thing first, he will not get bombarded with questions of why - or what is taking so long - or other questions like that. This way he works at his own pace and gets things done when he can.

... or at least that is what I think.

BIG BAD WOLF: What is (at the top of his list)?

Thad: I do not think Fencer is against creating different rating systems for different games, but I do know that it is not on the top of his list either.

I would not be surprised that in due time, Fencer will code a Backgammon friendly rating system here and also back-track all ratings for those games into the system.

.... just something that I'm sure will not happen for awhile but I believe may be on Fencer's to-do list.

Thad: Yep, the ratings are fried alright!

prophet: Whether the system encourages or discourages longer matches is not a simple question. Under the ELO formula, when players are of roughly equal rating, then a longer match will result in a greater rating adjustment regardless of who wins. However, where there is a significant ratings difference, then after a certain point a longer match can actually result in a smaller adjustment. This is because the ELO formula takes into account the probability of either player winning the match. As the match gets longer, the probability that the higher-rated player will win increases, and the ratings effect of a win by the higher-rated player gets smaller. Of course, if the lower-rated player wins, then the ratings adjustment is always larger in a longer match.

Therefore -- the current system, which does not take into account match length, actually can be seen as encouraging high rated players to play long matches against low rated players. This is because the high rated player is more likely to win a long match than a short one, and yet the ratings adjustment will be the same for the long match as for the short one.

If players are of roughly equal strength, then the failure to take match length into account should be a neutral factor. At the start of the match each player's expected outcome is zero, i.e., there is an equal likelihood of +x or -x, since it is not known who is going to win and both have the same chance. It doesn't really matter what value is assigned to x.

If anyone is discouraged, it should be the low-rated player, who will not be properly rewarded if he does manage to win a long match against a high-rated player.

If there are players who grumble that it's too much trouble to play a long match for a relatively small ratings adjustment, my response to them is that it's more fun and a greater test of skill to play a long match. In addition, if your self-esteem depends upon achieving a high rating on this server, you really need to reconsider your goals.

playBunny: I agree, we should use the ELO formula.

prophet: I disagree with the premise that players are not inclined to play long matches, on the contrary I'd rather play a long match, where at least I know the better player has a good chance of winning.

WhiteTower: Indeed, although it's not enough. The longer the match the more it favours the stronger player so the proportions of the points awarded should change as well.

I know! Why not use the well established ELO Backgammon formula?! Doh! I don't know why no-one's thought of that.

prophet: As usual, the square root of the points to win the game is a good idea as a multiplier for rating changes.

Fencer: I seem to recall you saying that you had plans to make changes in the message boards, I thought you had mentioned that 4 or 5 months ago, or was I smoking something

I think that rating change should consider the number of points in the match.
Currently the rating change will be the same for 1 point Backgammon match and for example 3 points Backgammon match, which takes more time and skill to win.
Current system discourages players to play longer matches

Vikings: What revised message board?

alanback: I believe that Fencer has plans for a revised message board

Andersp: Sorry.... there was no intent at anything negative, it just might not have come out correctly in my written format. But I am sure there are some others out here who apreciate the lesson as well. I know I am confused with the language and it is my native tongue. I cant imagine how difficult it must be as a second language.

Again, I wanst laughing at you but the LOL was more of a chuckle that I understand how confusing it can be sometimes. Sorry if you felt I was trying to embarrass you...

Czuch Chuckers: i suppose you thought that more people and I needed the correction since you corrected me in a public "LOL-message" instead of a pm...i have noone blocked

Thanks for the score display, Fencer :)

alanback: Or, at least, the search feature on the top right of the board could search on message subject's as well... (and maybe even author name?)
Probably simpler to implement, and just as usefull

When a message board is active, a response sometimes is widely separated from the message to which it responds. (E.g. Fencer's message to Andersp). It would be nice to have a link to the previous message, or alternatively a button to "view thread" which would provide a list of all messages in the string.

Czuch Chuckers: Agreed. I struggle with French and German, and with the language of whatever country I happen to be in at the time . . . and always welcome assistance from the natives!

grenv:

Czuch Chuckers:

One die
Two dice
Three dices

pgt: I agree with pedro.... english is a complicated language, especially with context like die and dice, instead of dices. I have travelled a bit and I have found that most people who are trying to learn or improve their english do like to be "corrected". As long as it isnt meant to be critical or cruel.

pgt: I know how you mean it. It always depends on the intention with which the "corrector" corrects the "correctee". But I would just like to let everybody know that the more you correct my mistakes, the better! :)

Pedro Martínez: I'm always reluctant to correct mistakes in English for non-English speakers, because my Czech/German/Dutch/Greek/Italian or whatever is so much worse than their English!

Andersp: LOL @ Andersp.

However, I always appreciate when someone corrects my mistakes when writing English. You can improve your language skills this way, y'know?

Jump This: You can try your discussions on general chat as well.... I know one Iranian, Reza, who speaks english very competently, and is always very helpful in giving Americans (and others) a different perspective of the world. But you best bet, like BBW said, is to get a membership and join a fellowship. Although that type of forum doesnt include pawns and therefore does diminish the full scope of opinions. But is the quickest way to become a lying idiot! Sound like fun? *cough* up the cash ;)

Andersp: LOL.... dice is the plural of die, unless you have a machine that slices and dices your vegetables for you, or if the past tense is dead!

Andersp: This is a joke, isn't it?

Jump This: Well, you can always ask them directly... it just won't be available to everyone else, but it will satisfy your curiosity

Jump This: I agree with Jump This. It would be a great board to have.

* Edited to change good to great.

BIG BAD WOLF:Well,maybe you're right BBW,I realize this a game site and maybe it's not the proper place to discuss very serious issues that are going on in the world today.The only reason I made the suggestion is because I noticed this site has 47 players from Iran and 2 players from Iraq,considering what's taking place in that area of the world, I felt it would be very interesting to hear directly from those people using a discussion board format. I don't trust reports from the news media,I'd rather hear directly from the people who live there and I thought others would as well. I wasn't thinking about debating or arguing about political issues,I was just interested in getting information and a better understanding of certain issues. :-)

BIG BAD WOLF: Politics stems directly from culture. You will have the same problems with a cultural board as you would a political. Of course if things get too heated Fencer can use that handy-dandy delete key, LOL. :)

WhiteTower: World culture would be cool (as long as it stayed off politics as much as possible) - in my opinion.

BIG BAD WOLF: OK, then no debates or political stuff - Jump This mentioned mostly cultural attributes in his request. Let's say a World Culture board then. Or would that be too politically related as well?

Jump This: To have a public politics board will probable only lead to problems in my opinion. It would probable be dominated by a select few people, probable on the anti-bush, anti-optional war, etc.. type of talk.

If you are a paid member (knight or above), there is a "Debate club" fellowship which has it's own board to debate and talk about politics. I was pretty active in there until recent when I finaly got sick of the same idiot making up lies about what I have said and such that I finally left.

Anyway, I think many people are put off by political discussion boards, and would probable only lead to problems if one was put up on this site.

It would be great if BK had a "Political and World Events" discussion board.I think we can all learn more about what's going on in the world and what life is like in each country from the people who actually live there instead of getting second hand information from the news media.For example, as an American I would love to know what life is like in Iraq,Iran,Israel,etc.and how people from those countries view the war in Iraq and worldwide terrorism. (Jump This)

Eriisa: 20 items or more

Luke Skywalker: They don't add up, because some of them are using the retirement feature of the stairs!