Comments by BobGreenwade
79. Inquisitor. When I posted the Retriever a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned but didn't post its diagonal counterpart.
Like the Retriever, the Inquisitor travels along its expected path, but can jump a couple of spaces off if something's in the right place. The difference is, of course, that the Inquisitor follows diagonal slides, leaping two spaces orthogonally or like a Camel. (BCD)
The leaps are, of course, such that the Inquisitor remains colorbound.
The piece design is closely based on the Bishop; while distinctive enough to tell the two apart, a player who isn't paying close enough attention might find the Inquisitor's leap to be quite unexpected. And of course nobody expects the... well, you know.
Short Sliders. Pieces are initially limited to 4 spaces (if that), and promote to longer moves. (12x16, Cells: 192) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]A few more icon trials:
- Healer
- High Priest(ess)
- Bongo
- Serval
- Dolphin
- Walrus
Looking at these, I wouldn't think that the Healer, Serval, or High Priest(ess) would be out of place in the main collection (though possibly under different names), the Bongo is OK for this game... and I'm not too sure about the other two. The Walrus, at the least, needs a thicker border, but the Dolphin looks to me more like a hummingbird.
Vanguard Chess. Game on 16x16 board, with 48 pieces per player. (16x16, Cells: 256) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]OK, so currently Post-Move 1:
gosub HandleMove false;
set vic2 #victim;
if == H #mover:
set p path #ori #desti;
set k count #p;
do while #k:
dec k;
set sqr elem #k #p;
set v space #sqr;
if isupper #v:
break;
endif;
empty #sqr;
if == K #v:
set victim K;
elsif == Q #v;
set vic2 Q;
endif;
loop;
endif;
if == k #victim:
set brd $space;
set p search pr #brd;
if #p:
add k #p;
endif;
endif;
if == q #vic2:
set brd $space;
set p search pc #brd;
if #p:
add q #p;
endif;
endif;And Post-Move 2:
gosub HandleMove true;
set vic2 #victim;
if == h #mover:
set p path #ori #desti;
set k count #p;
do while #k:
dec k;
set sqr elem #k #p;
set v space #sqr;
if isupper #v:
break;
endif;
empty #sqr;
if == k #v:
set victim k;
elsif == q #v;
set vic2 q;
endif;
loop;
endif;
if == K #victim:
set brd $space;
set p search PR #brd;
if #p:
add K #p;
endif;
endif;
if == Q #vic2:
set brd $space;
set p search PC #brd;
if #p:
add Q #p;
endif;
endif;Hopefully I have all of the capitalizations and instruction order correct.
I do think I have something screwy in the Pre-Game, though; when I press the Run button, I get a text list of legal moves for White, one per line, before the board. The Pre-Game looks like this:
include /membergraphics/MSgame-code-generation/betza.txt;
set legdefs(I'll skip the move definitions for now)
def P cond #0 1 0;
def p cond #0 22 0;
def N cond #0 43 0;
def n cond #0 43 0;
def B cond #0 144 0;
def b cond #0 144 0;
def R cond #0 165 0;
def r cond #0 165 0;
def Q cond #0 186 0;
def q cond #0 186 0;
def PC cond #0 227 0;
def pc cond #0 227 0;
def C cond #0 288 0;
def c cond #0 288 0;
def F cond #0 349 0;
def f cond #0 349 0;
def NR cond #0 470 0;
def nr cond #0 470 0;
def PR cond #0 511 0;
def pr cond #0 511 0;
def SL cond #0 572 0;
def sl cond #0 603 0;
def W cond #0 634 0;
def w cond #0 634 0;
def BR cond #0 931 0;
def br cond #0 931 0;
def A cond #0 1700 0;
def a cond #0 1700 0;
def BO cond #0 1793 0;
def bo cond #0 1793 0;
def L cond #0 2338 0;
def l cond #0 2338 0;
def H cond #0 2419 0;
def h cond #0 3997 0;
def GN cond #0 5575 0;
def gn cond #0 5575 0;
def SG cond #0 5616 0;
def sg cond #0 5616 0;
def SP cond #0 5642 0;
def sp cond #0 5642 0;
def K cond #0 5703 0;
def k cond #0 5703 0;
set wroyal (Pr K);
set broyal (pr k);
set morphers (P p SL sl SG sg);
set morphs assoc
P ((All N))
p ((All n))
SL ((All H))
sl ((All h))
SG ((All L))
sg ((All l))
;
set extinction 1; // must capture all royals to win
set promotables (P p Sl sl Sg sg); // pieces that can promote
set supply array; // in infinite supply
set promotab ( // allowed choices per rank
(n l h)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
(N L H)
);
// Additional Pre-Game code (only needed with non-standard piece set):
set mypieces assoc
P "wpawn.png" p "bpawn.png"
N "wknight.png" n "bknight.png"
B "wbishop.png" b "bbishop.png"
R "wrook.png" r "brook.png"
Q "wqueen.png" q "bqueen.png"
PC "wfalcon.png" pc "bfalcon.png"
C "wchancellor1.png" c "bchancellor1.png"
F "wbird.png" f "bbird.png"
NR "wnightrider.png" nr "bnightrider.png"
PR "wduke.png" pr "bduke.png"
SL "wchampion.png" sl "bchampion.png"
W "wmoon.png" w "bmoon.png"
BR "wman.png" br "bman.png"
A "warcher.png" a "barcher.png"
BO "wcannon.png" bo "bcannon.png"
L "wlance.png" l "blance.png"
H "wbenthero.png" h "bbenthero.png"
GN "wgeneral.png" gn "bgeneral.png"
SG "wsergeant.png" sg "bsergeant.png"
SP "wthief.png" sp "bthief.png"
K "wking.png" k "bking.png";
setsystem dir "/graphics.dir/alfaeriePNG/";
setsystem pieces #mypieces;Once this is sorted, I can start in on the text, and probably working with you and/or Fergus on getting the graphics icons I created for this game into the preset.
Run button: Ah, OK, so it wasn't my fault this time. That's a relief.
Capitalizing K & Q: I capitalized them in the Pre-Move 1, instead of the Pre-Move 2. I'm not sure whether I need to capitalize the K other than in the "if" section; I left it lower-case, because it looks like the k in the preceding lines is a variable..
Promotables: Should I just remove the promotables, supply, and promotab parts then? (And yes, that was while I had maxPromote=0.)
I had the wrong ones capitalized before; this is that section now in Post-Move 2:
if == h #mover:
set p path #ori #desti;
set k count #p;
do while #k:
dec k;
set sqr elem #k #p;
set v space #sqr;
if isupper #v:
break;
endif;
empty #sqr;
if == K #v:
set victim K;
elsif == Q #v;
set vic2 Q;
endif;
loop;
endif;In Post-Move 1, the h at the top is capitalized, and the K and Q at the bottom are not.
If that's correct, then all that's really left (except for the text part, which I'm pretty sure I have a handle on) is getting the four piece graphics I made for this game (for Berserker, Bowman, Soldier, and Spy) to appear in the GCP as they do in the ID. For that, unless I'm misunderstanding something, I can just upload the existing graphics for the Alfaerie set that are used in this to /membergraphics/MSvanguardchess/ (where the new ones are already located) and change setsystem dir "/graphics.dir/alfaeriePNG/" to look there.
Short Sliders. Pieces are initially limited to 4 spaces (if that), and promote to longer moves. (12x16, Cells: 192) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]One more trial of new pieces for a future Interactive Diagram on this game, filling out the Leader group:
- Marquis
- Priest
- Abbot
(I did the High Priest earlier, the Minister is already in the main collection, and the Duke basically is the Castellan.)
I probably will rework a couple of the ones I've already posted (the Walrus for sure, to fix the outline; the Turtle and Dolphin if I can figure out how to do better), and a couple that I'm ambivalent about using the main set for (like the Jackal), but otherwise I think this is the end of these.
(There also are a few, such as the Zebrarider, that I wish were part of the main collection, and are simple enough to make, but I'm not sure what to do about them.)
I got the icon shown from pictures of actual high priestesses, so I'll do it the other way around: the one already posted is High Priestess (and it's already labeled as such in the filename), and I'll use this new flipped one for High Priest.
Like so: 
Oh, and for most purposes I actually prefer to call it High Priestess. It's just that High Priest fits better for what's happening with it in this particular game.
By the way, your use of High Priestess is the only FAN on the Wikipedia page on fairy chess pieces, and I haven't been able to find any other name for that move combo anywhere.
PS: It's the High Priestess in the Dealer's Chess Expansion Set #1.
80. BWND. Just as yesterday's piece was the rotary companion of a previously-listed piece, so is today's. As a companion of the NARF, the proper pronunciation of this pieces name is "booned," though thanks to Ben Reniger it can also be pronounced "bwained," especially if the NARF is on the board.
True to its name, the BWND combines the moves of the Bishop, Wazir, Knight, and Dabbabah: it can slide diagonally any distance, move to an adjacent orthogonal space, or leap two spaces orthogonally or like a Knight. (BWND)
Both are powerful pieces on an 8x8 board, though on a larger board their influence approaches those of the Dragon Horse and Dragon King.
For its appearance, I do think I need to work on the forehead so it looks more like a bulging forehead and less like a pompadour.
Vanguard Chess. Game on 16x16 board, with 48 pieces per player. (16x16, Cells: 256) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]I've edited in the text portion (as well as fixed some of the text on this page), so if the Post-Move sections are OK, all that's left is getting the graphics to match those used in the Interactive Diagram.
Coherent Chess. Variant on 9 by 9 board with special knights. (9x9, Cells: 81) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]I think it'd be more appropriate to use the Pawn name and graphic for that piece; otherwise, nice going on that ID.
Zwangkrieg. Pieces affect other pieces' movement, including forced movement. (12x12, Cells: 144) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Coming soon: I'll be reducing this to 12x12 (since it's actually possible to buy a 12x12 board), taking out one each Queen, Phoenix, and Linebacker Pawn.
Then I'll see if I can get to work on an Interactive Diagram, with some of the adjustments being made to spells.
The board change is done now....
Short Sliders. Pieces are initially limited to 4 spaces (if that), and promote to longer moves. (12x16, Cells: 192) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]I worked up a new & improved Walrus: 
This almost actually looks like a walrus drawing!
I may have one or two other "improved" icons on the way....
81. Boxer. Another creation of Adrian King, the Boxer gets its name from its move diagram: it can step to any adjacent sqiare, or leap to any square three spaces away -- basically a compound of the King and the Cheetah. (KHCZG).
The obvious route for this would've been to make a piece that looked like a box, or perhaps a Cheetah with a King's crown. I decided to take a different approach.
OK, it's far from perfect, but at least you can tell what it is. And it's a good deal better than if I'd decided to go with a bust of a dog.
A few minutes ago, I had the thought of cataloging pieces according to their move, starting just with those made up of single steps or leaps to the second or third perimeter.
Then I calculated how many of those there would be: 512 (including the Zero and other "unmovers").
I think I'll let it wait. Or leave it to someone else. :)
Play-test applet for chess variants. Applet you can play your own variant against.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Do the columns labeled nr serve any real purpose? If not, removing them could free up a little space.
Vanguard Chess. Game on 16x16 board, with 48 pieces per player. (16x16, Cells: 256) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]I just realized that the Berserker, being merely a renaming of the Japanese Lion from Chu Shogi, is another piece here that can make more than one capture per turn. Argh....
OK, then, so if everything else is OK (as I mentioned before), it's mainly just a matter of getting the graphics set to match the ID, which I think is just a matter of putting them all in one place. (If nothing else, I can collect all the "official" graphics and the usable ones of my own creation/modification into the Dealer's Chess graphics directory, and direct everything there.)
Is it all good, as far as you can tell from your vantage?
A couple of considerably improved Spy icons: 
I think I'll keep the other one, though, in case I ever need a Courier.
Short Sliders. Pieces are initially limited to 4 spaces (if that), and promote to longer moves. (12x16, Cells: 192) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Slightly improved Dolphin icons:
At any rate, they now look more like dolphins to me than hummingbirds.
I agree; I'm just not sure how to fix that with the tools at my disposal.
(Still, it's worlds better than every try I've made at a Jackal!)
82. High Priestess and 83. Minister. A brief discussion with Joe Joyce about these two pieces, borrowed from his Two Large Shatranj Variants for my own Short Sliders variant, led me to present this pair for this weekend.
The High Priestess moves one space diagonally, or leaps two spaces diagonally or like a Knight. (FAN) The Minister, on the other hand, moves on space orthogonally, or leaps two spaces orthogonally or like a Knight (WDN).
(My apologies for not having move diagrams ready for these; they really should have them. I'll see if I can't rectify that by the end of the weekend.)
I think both of these pieces would have a good presence on a chess-variant board.
Vanguard Chess. Game on 16x16 board, with 48 pieces per player. (16x16, Cells: 256) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]I've already downloaded the entire Alfaerie set from the applet, plus a few dozen icons from the "Alfaerie Expansion Sets" mass-converted from gif to png, and put them into the same network drive directory along with all of the pieces I've created, using names I'm satisfied with (almost two dozen of them, including a few that I'm not using right away but think should be available).
(And looking at the original crocodile, gryphon, and dragon from that set does make me feel a little better about my dolphin and turtle.)
As for availability, not yet, but they will be once I upload them and Dealer's Chess gets approved.
As for SVG, sorry, no. I wish I could, but I'm stretching myself enough already making them as PNGs.
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H.G.'s point on excessive proliferation (what I call "the tribble effect") is a good one, if a little exaggerated. As a solution, I'd recommend using my suggestion of leaving the new Pawn behind in the space vacated by the Queen. Then, not only does it take at least two turns to make each one, but the player is limited to eight without also moving the King.
As for the double-step question, I'd suggest allowing it only for Pawns spawned in the first two rows, just to avoid confusion (since the "born" Pawns are presumably indistinguishable from the ones the player starts with).