Author: Micheal Cummings
Date: 18:25:34 11/19/99
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On November 19, 1999 at 15:46:07, John Merlino wrote: >On November 18, 1999 at 22:22:03, Tina Long wrote: > >>The complaint is: although the King Engine (as used in CM6k) has been upgraded >>regularly since CM6k was released, the CM people did not do a new deal with the >>Author to purchase the latest version. We (I) don't know if that was the CM >>peoples or the Authors fault. >> >>I have King 2.61 engine in my CM6k program. >>I won't buy CM7k (as features have not improved from 6k enough to justify my >>buying, AND possible computer/driver problems. >>I probably will buy King 3.? in whatever form it reaches the market. > >The development team tells me that the reasons for not upgrading the engine in >CM7000 to The King 3.x was NEITHER Mindscape's NOR the the engine author's >(Johan de Koning) fault. Apparently, the company that the Johan worked for (and >who received the royalties from Mindscape) was involved in a completely >unrelated lawsuit (don't ask for details), which had the unfortunate side-effect >of freezing all incoming monies to TASC (Johan's company) AND preventing any >further contract talks. This lawsuit lasted for many months, preventing any >agreement regarding getting The King 3.x into Chessmaster 7000. > >Everything has been resolved now (too late for 7000, admittedly) and the team >tells me that the very latest version of The King WILL be in Chessmaster 8000 >(or whatever it's called). They also have several new things on their wish list, >which I'm sure that you all would appreciate, but I'd rather not say what they >are and risk a jinx on it all. ;) > >jm Well the only good new I hear is the update of the engine. After the release of CM6K many people gave them advice, they have taken out features which people like and really limited any improvement. Beginners need very little in a chess program, apart from something to make it fun. Medium to advance player need some more specialised things to keep them interested. That way newcomers will be able to advance with the program. They have yet to listen to anything much really. They do not have to add much to impress the more advanced chess players, but they will not. They have had the chance and time many times to do this. I see it still being a high selling program with one of the best engines. But apart from that I see no future for it. Time for Johann to start thinking about doing his best to put his engine to work in other programs. In Mindscapes case, seeing is believing. I know my Chessmaster programs, I know what I want, they have yet to deliver on many things. I am not looking for another specialised chess program. I am looking for a mass market program which can cater someway to all levels. They say they have one, they ARE wrong.
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