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Subject: Re: Nolot # 1 - The Game ...

Author: Mike Byrne

Date: 13:25:12 02/08/04

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On February 08, 2004 at 16:01:13, Christophe Theron wrote:

>On February 08, 2004 at 14:51:17, Mike Byrne wrote:
>
>>On February 08, 2004 at 12:22:37, Christophe Theron wrote:
>>
>>>On February 08, 2004 at 06:55:43, Eelco de Groot wrote:
>>>
>>>>Hi Christophe,
>>>>
>>>>Success with Chess Tiger X! Does it still use the hybrid set-up, I mean with
>>>>part of the engine not knowing all the rules of chess?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Yes, it is a faster engine.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>I know it is not the way you have been working on Tiger, but I still wonder if
>>>>people would be interested in having someting like a personality editor for
>>>>Tiger. I know I have had a lot of fun with that in Rebel but maybe that is
>>>>personal. Still, I think it is worth considering for the future? Personally I
>>>>don't find the SSDF numbers most important, less important than the quality and
>>>>"feel" of the analysis lines, which is not exactly the same thing?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>I consider that a personality editor would be a nice thing to sell more, but it
>>>is a gadget. I focus on improving playing strength. A personality editor would
>>>please people who would create a new personality, play a 20 games match against
>>>whatever, and claim they have found a significant improvement for Chess Tiger.
>>>It is a feature designed to please the ego of the user, who would think that he
>>>is able to improve a chess engine without actually knowing anything about the
>>>inner workings of that engine.
>>>
>>>So you see, I do not have a great opinion of this feature, but I might add it if
>>>it can help to sell more.
>>>
>>>Sorry for being a little rude, I'm just trying to express my opinion honestly.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>A personality makes a chess engine more fun for many users.   It enables the
>>user to tune the engine to increase variability in play.   It also allows a user
>>to tweak the engine to see if he can beat the default settings -- that is fun as
>>it seems to upset the programmer more than anything else  ;>)
>
>
>
>I would not be upset if I knew people will really try to find better settings
>and test those on really significant matches.
>
>But I know we will get messages like "Impressive victory: Chess Tiger X
><your_initials_here> personality beats Shredder 9 convincingly by 3.5-1.5", and
>I'm not yet prepared psychologically for this kind of bullshit. :)
>

You're right but it comes with the territory.  You can't stop it so you might as
well enjoy it and maybe earned a few extra bucks for it.

>
>
>
>>Anything that makes an engine more fun to play with will  probably help increase
>>sales --
>
>
>
>Yes, that's the only reason why I would add this feature.
>
>
>
>
>> as just all the professional engines can beat just about about anyone
>>at any time - we are left to our own devices to create fun of of the chess
>>playing monstors.  Many of the people who use Crafty 19.10 SE, use it with their
>>childred - as I created personalities that a child just learning to play chess
>>for the first time can beat.  I know that because they send me e-mails telling
>>me  what they are using Crafty SE for.  In fact during the month of January -
>>over 1000 poeple downloaded Crafty 19.10/08 SE (with personality) from Leo's
>>site.  Those people are not downloading Crafty 19.10 SE becasue they want to
>>please their ego - they downloaded Crafty 19.10 Se becasue they want to have
>>fun.
>
>
>
>But for that I have already done my homework. The current commercial Chess Tiger
>engine features "easy levels" that have been implemented initially for the
>PalmOS version (just have a look at http://www.chesstiger.com and click on FAQ,
>but I think you know that already).

Yes, excellent - Ithink that is one of the reasons why the Tiger enjoys suh
great popularity.  People like to know they have the strongest engine - but they
also like to win once in a while.


>
>The GUIs (Lokasoft, ChessAssistant, ChessBase) do not take advantage of this
>feature, but it's already there.
>
>On the PalmOS version for example, you can simulate a variety of opponents by
>playing with the "easy" levels and the "style" setting (normal, gambit, gambit
>aggressive and gambit suicidal). You even have an "anti-human" option for those
>players who want to close the game and get away with it.
>

All excellent - all you have to do now is ported to PPC !

Best,

Michael


>
>
>    Christophe
>
>
>
>
>>  Chess is a game and for most people, (save for the few chess playing
>>professionals) it is about having fun.  You play the game to have fun.  I think
>>Chess is the greates gamet ever invented.   Almost every day, I see something
>>about a chess position that I have never seen before.   Then we go back to games
>>played years ago and replaythem over and over agin - why ? because there was
>>something special about that game or a position.
>>
>>I really do not think it is that complicated and I apologize for being a little
>>rude, but I'm just trying to express my opinion honestly  ;>).



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