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Subject: Re: Chessmaster for Gameboy advance

Author: John Merlino

Date: 11:08:04 08/17/02

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On August 16, 2002 at 23:24:18, Kerry McDermott wrote:

>On August 16, 2002 at 15:49:34, John Merlino wrote:
>
>>On August 16, 2002 at 15:34:05, Stuzzi Kadent wrote:
>>
>>>On August 16, 2002 at 14:18:56, John Merlino wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>At its highest setting (which could take forever to make a move), I would say
>>>>that the original Gameboy version played no better than 1750. At a more
>>>>reasonable time control, it was probably less than 1600.
>>>>
>>>>The Gameboy Advance version was done by Ubi Soft programmers in Romania. I
>>>>honestly do not know if they used the same engine that was in the Gameboy
>>>>version, or if they used something else. We did send them our PC code and
>>>>artwork for them to use (as a guide, if nothing else), but I don't know how
>>>>much, if any, was applicable to their program.
>>>>
>>>>jm
>>>
>>>I am puzzled by what could be a callous attitude to the franchise. Programming a
>>>specific machine's hardware is one thing, but I wonder why they do not ask the
>>>original Chessmaster programmers to do their best to scale down their chess
>>>engine size to ensure the basis remains as good as possible. Such as pruning it
>>>to 32K or whatever, and then let conversion programmers implement that. Rather
>>>than employ hardware specific programmers with no particular record in Chess
>>>programs to make all the decisions. Why Romania for instance? Because it is
>>>cheap? What is wrong with America?
>>>I don't know, I just wish I got the feelings companies cared.
>>
>>The companies cared enough to make a new Gameboy version, which is more than the
>>last three owners of Chessmaster bothered to do. And the programmers in Romania
>>have done several Gameboy products, so they know what they're doing. Sure, they
>>are probably cheaper than having it done in America (as is every other country,
>>I expect), but they are also good.
>>
>>Ubi Soft is a French company, not an American one. They are based in Paris and
>>they have development houses around the world. They assign products based on the
>>appropriate available development team. Cost is, of course, an issue, but I'm
>>glad that THEY did it rather than the Windows team, who collectively have zero
>>experience with anything other than Windows (well, a little bit of Mac, but
>>that's going back several years).
>>
>>jm
>
>I recently purchased TouchChess by Excalibur.  I was looking for info on it and
>came across this web site that gives some details re: Chessmaster Gameboy.  Hope
>it is helpful.
>
>http://home.earthlink.net/~kantack/lcdchess/exclvgmby.htm
>
>Regards,
>Kerry

That website refers to the original Gameboy version of Chessmaster, not the new
Gameboy Advance version.

jm



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