Author: Mike S.
Date: 12:02:59 03/30/01
Go up one level in this thread
On March 30, 2001 at 13:51:30, John Merlino wrote: >On March 29, 2001 at 21:36:49, Mike S. wrote: > >>(...) Did you ever wonder, why other chess programs neither have, >>nor seem to need at all, a "Wake up" function? >>(...) The human will automatically play for the other color, if comp-human ............^^^^^ (I meant, the human will be able to play for the other color. Probably too simple to get mentioned at all). >Chessmaster 8000 does this. I just tried loading a game which was human vs. >comp, with the position saved at comp (Black) to move. Immediately after loading >the game, the comp's clock started ticking and a few seconds later, the comp >made a move. This depends on the color (furthermore, when you load a *PGN* game, CM set the level to infinite - but that another problem. It should keep the level which was set before): Let's say CM has *white*. Now, set up a position with white having the move, and "apply" it. Seemingly, nothing happens - if the user doesn't have the thinkink lines window opened, it even looks as if the program has frozen. It doesn't allow the human to move - because the human has black... White's clock has *not* been started. But actually, CM is thinking already and will make the move, depending on the level. CM does never think automatically after loading from a PGN game (which I appreciate, but it should keep the level setting in this case). >Do you want the calculation to start immediately or not? No. Have you been aware of the follwing, very simple situation while using Chessmaster: - I play against CM, and CM has the white pieces. - Game ends, and I want to play another, this time I want white... - I choose "New Game" (big mistake! :o) - CM immmediatly moves for white! Do you see why this is not user-friendly? Of course, I would have had to bring up the "Game Setup" dialugue before, etc... Maybe you should ask around for other opinions. I'm sure most computer chess fans will acknowledge, that CM is absolutely *non-standard* in this respect of color assignment, starting the thinking process etc. I suggest just copy it from 99% of all other chess program which do it like this: >>5. At the start of a normal game, colors are assigned simply by either >> >>(a) the human makes the white move, or >>(b) the human uses "computer move" to start the program. > >This would be very non-intuitive for our typical user. Imagine how many people >would be waiting for the computer (and which personality is playing?) to make a >move before they figured out that they had to TELL the computer to move (which >does not mirror reality anyway -- why should White (the comp) not move until >Black (the human) says "go ahead and start now"). I don't think so... at least, all other chess software companies, and their customers respectively (and all chess computer manufacturers from the past and their coustomers), seem not to have any problem with the logic described in (5). >>6. They never fall asleep (and if they do, it's a bug). > >This (rare) bug was fixed in the patch. No... :o) what would the "Wake up" command be for then? (I don't have an example at the moment). Anyway, thanks for reading and replying to my long post. First I thought, some other CM users here are going to support my suggestions, but it doesn't seem so at the moment. Regards, M.Scheidl
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