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Comments by CharlesGilman
Doubles Chess. Four player chess variant on octagonal board. (Cells: 128) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]The Game of the Three Kingdoms and The Game of the Three Friends are 3-player versions of Xiang Qi. My own Flyover Xiang Qi is a four-player version making use of the fact that the number of files divides exactly by 3 rather than 2.
Dragon. Missing description (9x15, Cells: 135) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]I'm not sure that a preset would be that much help, unless it were a prescriptive one like the Ed Friedlander programs. If it just waited for players to make a move and then complained that it was an invalid one, it would just put players off. If it failed to enforce the rules at all, players could easily start exchanging invalid moves without knowing it - or getting into a row because they disagree about what is a valid move.
Redistribution 3d Chess. Relatively small 3d variant with short-range pieces including Pasha family. (4x(4x6), Cells: 96) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Feel free to go ahead. If you can find images that echo the components - or at least 2d-compatible ones - of the pieces in some way.
Regarding piece images, so far so good. I look forward to seeing the rest. Having a list of all possible images below is a bit confusing. One problem is that you appear to have letterd the ranks. I could understand files being relabelled aa-dd or ea-hd or wa-zd, but the convention of numbering ranks and ranks alone is one that I have tried to observe in all my face-to-face 2-player cubic variants.
Right, so that redistributing of letters and numbers seems not to have worked. How about going back to letters across the bottom and numbers down the side, but show each level as a block rather than each rank. That would also make the whole display more balanced and lessen the need to scroll (eliminate altogether for a really big screen), as it would be 6 rows by 4 lots of 4 columns rather than 4 rows by 6 lots of 4 columns.
Dream Chess 46. 46-squasre variant played from opposite corners of a FIDE board with the other corners removed. (8x8, Cells: 46) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]I don't inderstand the question. The piece that I rejected can move orthogonally only forward. The one that I eventually settled on can move (and, of course, capture) one step along all fouer orthogonals.
3FewShogi Chess. Like Chess but 3 Shogi per side. (8x8, Cells: 64) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]This is a good question. The pieces are not arranged in a Castling-friendly way in Shogi, so I can see why putting a Shogi piece in a FIDE location might make Castling valid. It is for A. Black to give the actual answer, but it would be my guess that Castling is allowed.
I have now identified 4 odd integers n for which the cubic board has:
(1) an x:y:z leaper of length root n;
(2) directions of that leaper at right angles to each other;
(3) a dual leaper of length root 2n, resulting from the hypotenuse of two x:y:z leaps;
(4) a resulting leaper of length n, resulting from x x:y:z moves in one direction, y in another, and z in a third;
(5) directions of that leaper at right angles to each other;
(3) a dual leaper of length 2n, resulting from the hypotenuse of two of those leaps.
Given that the name Antelope is fixed it makes sense for the name of the symmetric n coprime leaper to be relatively unconnected to the root-n one's - although I manage to convey a double connection with Zoetrope and Gyroscope. However, it occurs to me that something could be done with forward-only (FO) pieces to make more use of a limited number of initials. For examnple the FO versions of the Antelope/Namel/Anu, currently named Quintet/Qump/Qandyman, could be renamed Haste/Hardness/Heaven (the first indicating fast movement, the second a quality of enamel, the third the sky personified by Anu). The FO versions of the Ultimatum/Lumel/Uluru would then be the Daste/Dardness/Deaven, those of the Zoetrope/Zomel Saste/Sardness, and those of the Gyroscope/Gymel Baste/Bardness. There would however then need to be new names for the FO versions of the Natamaran and Narrier, to replace Qull and Qold.
(1) an x:y:z leaper of length root n;
(2) directions of that leaper at right angles to each other;
(3) a dual leaper of length root 2n, resulting from the hypotenuse of two x:y:z leaps;
(4) a resulting leaper of length n, resulting from x x:y:z moves in one direction, y in another, and z in a third;
(5) directions of that leaper at right angles to each other;
(3) a dual leaper of length 2n, resulting from the hypotenuse of two of those leaps.
They are:
| n | (1) | (2)-(3) | (2)-(4) | (5)-(6) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Knight | [2:-1:0]+[1:2:0]=[3:1:0] Camel | 2[1:2:0]+[2:-1:0]+0=[4:3:0] Antelope | [4:-3:0]+[3:4:0]=[7:1:0] Namel |
| 9 | Ninja | [2:2:-1]+[2:-1:2]=[4:1:1] Nimel | 2[2:1:2]+2[1:2:-2]+[2:-2:1]=[8:4:1] Ultimatum | [4:8:-1]+[4:-1:8]=[8:7:7] Lumel |
| 13 | Zebra | [3:-2:0]+[2:3:0]=[5:1:0] Zemel | 3[2:3:0]+2[3:-2:0]+0=[12:5:0] Zoetrope | [12:-5:0]+[5:12:0]=[17:7:0] Zomel |
| 17 | Giraffe | [4:-1:0]+[1:4:0]=[5:3:0] Gimel | 4[4:1:0]+[-1:4:0]+0=[15:8:0] Gyroscope | [15:-8:0]+[8:15:0]=[23:7:0] Gymel |
There would also need to be replacements for Rook+Anu=Qomestead, Bishop+Anu=Qallow, Queen+Anu=Qarridan, and Unicorn+Anu=Qarbinger. At this point it occurred to me that I should yet again rethink the names for compounds of a radial linepiece and an oblique triangulator. There were some ideas that I'd had building on the Ace-Acme pattern. At the time I judged them too vague, but now I can see the advantage of aplying them to semi-dual pairs as well. Thus if the Gnu's Rook/Bishop/Queen/Unicorn compounds, currently the Homestead/Hallow/Harridan/Harbinger, were to become the Acropolis/Actor/Actress/Acuity (last referring to unicorn having sharp horn) this would make things easier as not only would the Nintu's compounds become the Inropolis/Intor/Intress/Inuity and the Zebu's the Ezropolis/Eztor/Eztress/Ezuity, the Antelope's could be the Anropolis/Antor/Antress/Anuity (derived name rather than misspelled real word) but also the Lefanu's the Elropolis/Eltor/Eltress/Eluity and the Feu's the Efropolis/Eftor/Eftress/Efuity. Of course I have already used the Gnu compounds in two variants, so I have to decided to check whether anyone objects to renaming them.
That will still leave the question of what H-names should replace Qull and Qold, so any suggestions for those two are welcome. Others will be needed for the Qaymaker (Fieldmouse+Numbat) and its own FO version the Qillock, prefebly ending with -er and -ock respectively.
Since the first posting I've realised that Heaven won't do as it has the wrong ending - the Anu's FO version should end with -an. Headman would suit the theme, as high rank echoes a literally high sky god such as Anu. That would make the FO Uluru's derived name Deadman, but one cannot have everything. I am now toying with Qull and Qold becoming Haggle and Heckle, to tie in with the overtones of Natter and Narrate in Natamaran and Narrier, and Qaymaker and Qillock becoming Hedger and Headlock.
Honorable Horse. Moves forward as a Knight.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Given that the Rook 'reappeared' in Shogi, albeit singly rather than in pairs, it is perhaps surprising that the Knight didn't - except in the variant where one player has two Knights instead of six standard Shogi pieces.
So how come this site doesn't have a Ko Shogi page? Is it anything to do with the different piece names from most Shogi variants? Interesting to note that this game's players call the same piece by their word for elephant as Russians do by theirs! Returning to the subject in hand (until dropped, of course!), just as this is a modified Knight another piece is a Rook modified in the same way - but the original Rook is also there, in a new position.
I was replying to Jörg Knappen's previous comment. Until I followed his link I knew nothing about the game either.
6 Ranks, remaining variants. Extrapolations from the Diana/Los Alamos/Haynie's Primary family of variants. (6x6) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]I have clarified the order in which the pieces are arranged, and it is indeed the same order as in Shogi itself.
Cannon Shogi and Cannon Chess. Played on a 9x9 Shogi board, feature various types of 'Cannon' pieces. (9x9, Cells: 81) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]The pieces decsribed in the previous comment have not, as far as I know, been used in a game, but a description has already been in place for some years in my piece article Man and Beast 06: The Heavy Brigade. This is the definition of 'beatified' versions of the standard linepieces, (as opposed to 'canonised' for the more familiar other way round).
Gross Raumschach. Larger, 4-player version of Raumschach. (6x(6x6), Cells: 216) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]You will see here that I don't do 4d. The nearest that I get is a third kind of diagonal on the hex-prism 3d geometry.
Hafts. A denser Draughts, but with pieces only capturing those bound to the opposite colour. (8x8, Cells: 64) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]To Daniil Frolov: are there any written records of your inventing of this? If so, I would happily add references and have it jointly credited.
I have worked out a list of possible renamings for this process. I am still happy to hear any ideas for improvement, or other objections to making the changes, or answer any queries as to the connections of real-word names with their components. Radial plus Triangulator compounds: Homestead=>Acropolis, Hallow=>Actor, Harridan=>Actress, Harbinger=>Acuity, Hustler=>Accoster Resulting derived names Domestead=>Inropolis, Dallow=>Intor, Darridan=>Intress, Darbinger=>Inuity, Dustler=>Incoster Somestead=>Ezropolis, Sallow=>Eztor, Sarridan=>Eztress, Sarbinger=>Ezuity, Sustler=>Ezcoster Bomestead=>Igropolis, Ballow=>Igtor, Barridan=>Igtress, Barbinger=>Iguity, Bustler=>Igcoster Qomestead=>Anropolis, Qallow=>Antor, Qarridan=>Antress, Qarbinger=>Anuity, Qustler=>Ancoster Momestead=>Afropolis, Mallow=>Aftor, Marridan=>Aftress, Marbinger=>Afuity, Mustler=>Afcoster Uomestead=>Erropolis, Uallow=>Ertor, Uarridan=>Ertress, Uarbinger=>Eruity, Uustler=>Ercoster et cetera New derived names Rook+Lefanu=Elropolis, Bishop+Lefanu=Eltor, Queen+Lefanu=Eltress, Unicorn+Lefanu=Eluity, Dicorn+Lefanu=Elcoster Rook+Feu=Efropolis, Bishop+Feu=Eftor, Queen+Feu=Eftress, Unicorn+Feu=Efuity, Dicorn+Feu=Efcoster Rook+Nunchaku=Unropolis, Bishop+Nunchaku=Untor, Queen+Nunchaku=Untress, Unicorn+Nunchaku=Unuity, Dicorn+Nunchaku=Uncoster Rook+Voudou=Ovropolis, Bishop+Voudou=Ovtor, Queen+Voudou=Ovtress, Unicorn+Voudou=Ovuity, Dicorn+Voudou=Ovcoster et cetera Forward-only squares and their duals: Quintet=>Haste, Qump=>Hardness, Qandyman=>Headman, Qull=>Haggle, Qold=>Heckle, Qaymaker=>Hedger, Qillock=>Headlock New derived names FO Ultimatum=Daste, FO Lumel=Dardness, FO Uluru=Deadman, FO Nutamaran=Daggle, FO Nurrier=Deckle FO Zoetrope=Saste, FO Zomel=Sardness, FO Zotamaran=Saggle, FO Zorrier=Seckle FO Gyroscope=Baste, FO Gymel=Bardness, FO Gytamaran=Baggle, FO Gyrrier=Beckle
Xiang Courier. Xiang Qi enhanced in the style of Courier. (12x10, Cells: 120) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Updated in response to the previous comment. I hope that the new Rules text clarifies things.
Knightless symmetric chess. Missing description (9x9, Cells: 81) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]This variant is suggestive of an enlarged Alapo, but with a King and win by Checkmate thrown in as well. One point: you don't say whether there is any promotion. Can the short-range pieces be promoted, or does the absence of Pawns imply the absence of promotion? Alapo has no promotion, but that is because of how it is won.
I'm not keen on the idea of adding Knights, precisely because their weaker versions are not weaker in the way that short-range pieces are of their own riders. Bishops and Kinghts are generally considered equal on 8x8, while enlarging as here strengthens Bishops and weakens Knights, but I am quite sure that a Ferz, even free of Fortress restrictions, is far weaker than a Mao. So a Mao is too strong. A Helm, on the other hand, is too weak as its power dwindles as its advances. In that sense it is what not the Wazir and Ferz, but the Wing and Mitre, are to the Rook and Bishop - and what the Point and Cross are to the Wazir and Ferz.
Well I've gone ahead with the substitutions with which I was most satisfied: Haste for Quintet, Hardness for Qump, Headman for Qandyman, Hedger for Qaymaker, Headlock for Qillock, and 12:5 / 17:8 / 8:4:1 extrapolations. I also realised that logically I should substitute Etsah for Tetniuq, which I have also done. I am now, however, having second thoughts about Haggle and Heckle, and am veering instead to using replacing the Hull/Hold family in its entirety. I am now looking to rename the Hull the Cabin and the Hold the Caisson (a wagon for carrying ammunition), as Ca- names can then be extrapolated to compounds in semi-dual as well as dual directions. These would thus include Leyline+Lenard=Lebin, Leverage+Lerving=Leisson, Felf+Fenard=Febin, Fertridge+Herving=Feisson, et cetera as well as Nilf+Ninard=Nibin, Nirtridge+Nurving=Niisson, Zelf+Zenard=Zebin, Zertridge+Zerving=Zeisson, et cetera. Qull and Qold would then become Nabin and Naisson. I am still up for better suggestions should there be any, but I would be surprised. Where I am still hopeful of improvement is to Homestead=>Acropolis, Hallow=>Actor, Harridan=>Actress, Harbinger=>Acuity, Hustler=>Accoster, and their offshoots. Thoughts on these are especially welcome.
That's a good point. The subject has got a bit away from its original title. By 'integer leapers' I meant pieces leaping an exact multiple of the Wazir's move. For example, the Antelope as a 4:3 leaper moves the same distace as the 5:0 leaper but in an oblique direction. Of particular interest to me were those which could be associated with pieces leaping the root of that distance. You will see from my opening comment that I expressed 4:3 as 2:1 squared, 12:5 as 3:2 squared, 15:8 as 4:1 xquared, and in 3d 8:4:1 s 2:2:1 squared. I ignored 8:6 as 3:1 squared as only trivially distinct from the first. Now that I have completed the changes most directly based on these relationships, should I move the discussion to a new thread?
Redistribution 3d Chess. Relatively small 3d variant with short-range pieces including Pasha family. (4x(4x6), Cells: 96) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Joe, have you given up on the implementation or are you just very busy with other things? It would be nice to know whether it's still a possibility.
When I named the 2:2:1 leaper after a Japanese stealth warrior (or 'Nearly Invisible Nutter Jumping Around', as one Terry Pratchett fan calls them) all I had in mind was a pun on its SOLL of 9, extrapolating from the existing 2:1:1 Sexton's 6 and continued with my 3:1:1 Elf's 11. Little did I realise at the time how strong it was not just as a piece but as a concept. Where for a 2d oblique piece a pair of directions has one further pair of its directions at right angles, like standard (Bishop) diagonals, and for a typical cubic one it has none, like the nonstandard (Unicorn) diagonals, a pair of Ninja directions has two pairs, like orthogonals. Huge numbers of pieces with SOLLs divisible by 9 can therefore be expressed as two or three moves in Ninja directions, as all moves can from Wazir steps. Here is a table comparing cubic moves comprising Wazir steps, Trebuchet leaps, and Ninja leaps. Note how many pieces can be formed of the same combinations of Trebuchet and Ninja leaps. Note that cubic SOLLs include neither 7 nor 63. Note also that the Cassowary and Zhemois moves cannot be formed of Ninja ones at right angles because the zero coordinate cannot be achieved from a 6:6:3 leap and a 2:2:1 or 4:4:2 one as it can from the latter two.
| 1 | 1:0:0 Wazir | 3:0:0 Trebuchet | 2:2:1 Ninja |
| 2 | 1:1:0 Ferz | 3:3:0 Tripper | [2:1:2]+[1:2:-2] Tripper [2:2:-1]+[2:-1:2] Nimel |
| 3 | 1:1:1 Viceroy | 3:3:3 Zombie | [2:2:-1]+[2:-1:2]+[-1:2:2] Zombie [2:1:-2]+[2:-2:1]+[1:2:2] Exorcist |
| 5 | 2:1:0 Knight | 6:3:0 Chamois | 2[2:2:1]+[2:-1:-2] Chamois 2[2:1:2]+[1:2:-2] Chipmunk |
| 6 | 2:1:1 Sexton | 6:3:3 Sessowary | 2[1:2:2]+[2:1:-2]+[2:-2:1] Sessowary 2[2:2:-1]+[2:-1:2]+[-1:2:2] Expounder 2[2:1:2]+[1:2:-2]+[2:-2:-1] Propounder |
| 9 | 3:0:0 Trebuchet 2:2:1 Ninja | 9:0:0 Tritrebuchet 6:6:3 Nhimois | 2[2:2:-1]+2[2:-1:2]+[1:-2:-2] Tritrebuchet 2[1:2:2]+[2:1:-2]+[2:-2:1] Nhimois 2[2:2:-1]+2[2:-1:2]+[-1:2:2] Opossum 2[2:1:2]+2[1:2:-2]+[2:-2:1] Ultimatum |
| 10 | 3:1:0 Camel | 9:3:0 Cassowary | 3[2:1:2]+[1:2:-2] Clinger 3[2:2:1]+[2:-1:-2] Hogger |
| 11 | 3:1:1 Elf | 9:3:3 Letdown | 3[2:2:1]+[2:-1:-1]+[1:-2:2] Letdown 3[2:2:-1]+[2:-1:2]+[-1:2:2] Loner 3[1:2:2]+[2:-2:1]+[2:1:-2] Whiner |
| 13 | 3:2:0 Zebra | 9:6:0 Zhemois | 3[2:1:2]+2[1:2:-2] Bystander |
| 14 | 3:2:1 Fortnight | 9:6:3 Fossowary | 3[2:2:-1]+2[2:-1:2]+[-1:2:2] Fossowary |
Redistribution 3d Chess. Relatively small 3d variant with short-range pieces including Pasha family. (4x(4x6), Cells: 96) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Now I'm confused. I understood that the array pieces - including the Duke and Elk - were the ones displayed on the end ranks. Are you using different images for array and non-array Dukes, Elks, et cetera? If you are, I see no reason to do so. Any news on whether you're taking up my idea to arrange the cells in the form .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... instead of .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... to get the ranks as numbers and files as either letters or pairs of letters and reduce the need to scroll?
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