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'It [the re-invention of the wheel concept] says that proponents of
proliferation may re-create as their own prior-existing forms.'

Part II: Shatranj
My first 'successful' design was accidental. During a game of shatranj
with RLavieri, we began discussing the 'shortcomings' of some of the
pieces. I said I thought the game would be much better if the alfils also
had a ferz move and the general also had a wazir move. DPaulowich was
following the game [Tournament II] and made a kibbitz comment that
encouraged me to write up my extremely minor changes with promotion rules
and submit that as a variant, to my mind a very modest one. Well, I did
[and there went the second lost opportunity to cut way back on
proliferation - but don't blame David, it's my fault] and it was
well-received [that means people actually played it, unlike my 4D
designs]. 

This was the start of my examination of shatranj - the game, not the
history. Step by step, I gained a better understanding of the 'original'
chess pieces/piece-types. I continually invented and re-invented shatranj
as an ever-longer series of games, and with the reasonably successful
ShortRange Project as good evidence, I believe it can be truthfully said I
have made shatranj my own in a totally unique way. [Told ya ego was in
there.] This is an opinion [as everything expressed here], and as such, it
is only as good as its backers. Again, I invite comments, good, bad, or
ugly, from all who wish to express them. But I hope to have nudged the
field of chess variants toward a better appreciation of shatranj and its
possibilities.