Comments/Ratings for a Single Item

Apothecary Chess 1 is now there. I'm not sure why you're having a problem creating a page for Apothecary Chess 2. Take me through what you're doing, step by step, so that I can identify where the problem lies.

I am doing the normal process, no trouble yet, when i click send I get an error that says that the specific id is already taken!

I've managed to upload a dummy apothecary chess 2 (empty for know) by changing the id to containing apothecary chess 2 2 and then changing the name back to apothecary chess 2. It works, I'm now working on that one and hope everything will go according to plan. I'd like to take a look on apothecary chess 1 again before you read it so dn't hurry Fergus. Thanks for everything! I apologize for creating this havoc. See you soon!

I have a preliminary upload now for both games, just a moment to do the final checkups and then it's up to your Fergus, and/or other reviewer.

I'm ok now with what I've send. I'm waiting for feedback, with the hope that everything is fine!

Now that I've written the articles with the rules (mostly, they are unreviewed currently but it is the final countdown), I'd like people to play these games (between us I promised a lot of friends the chance for this), I've seen when posting the two articles two other options, create a zillions of games item and create a game courier preset. What are these and how do they work? What do I have to do in order to create games with it? Do they cost any money?

For now ChessV 1 is not an option because of tehnical issues that require a lot of programming, and I cannnot yet work to implement the games in chess V2 as I have to get things going with my knowllege of c#. I only know c++ in which Chess V1 is programmed.

I don't have the knowledge to add rule enforcing code to a preset, but I know enough to create a preset.  I also dabble in ZoG, so that may be a possibility, as well.  Maybe when the rules pages are published, I'll take a look and see if I am good enough to do it.

Thanks Nick, maybe I can do it myself, I just need guidance; also the rules have many tricks!

Hello Fergus,

Apothecary Chess 1 should have the description : " Large board variant obtained through tinkering with known games. ".  as Apothecary Chess 2 has. I cannot change it properly, why?

The problem was that the IndexEntry table had a reference to MSapothecary-chess-2 even though the Item table did not. This is now corrected, and I have changed MSapothecary-chess-2-2 to MSapothecary-chess-2 in multiple tables.

Thanks, Fergus, it is so kind of you to help with all my shortcomings.

To the editors of this website,

I'm now working on the preset for both apothecaries games, and I'm saving from time to time. Please don't mind my work until I post here that I'm ready. For now the preset is a work in progress.

I need an advice with the game courier preset.

How do I set the random seed, by clock or something, as rand 0 1 always gives me 1?

One more question.

I need to generate akin to fisher random chess (I've checked that preset, too) random piece placements. Here is my code:

drop Q any b2 e2 i2;
drop A any b2 e2 i2;
drop M any b2 e2 i2;
drop q any b9 e9 i9;
drop a any b9 e9 i9;
drop m any b9 e9 i9;

Is there a neat way to get an mirror between white and black as the code I provide is almost never synchronized between white and black. I understand that I can search and remember whites position and then place pieces for black in the generated way, but I'm searching for a neat way to do things quickly,

Thanks, Aurelian

Hi Aurelian.

To get random mirrored positions for Q, A and M use this code:

drop Q any b2 e2 i2;

drop A any b2 e2 i2;

drop M any b2 e2 i2;

copy b2 b9;

copy e2 e9;

copy i2  i9;

flip b9 e9 i9;

That's all... neat as you want!

Could you please write here a link to the preset you're working on?

Very neat; thank you Carlos.

Actually I am working at two presets rougly at the same time, but I'm just starting:

/play/pbm/play.php?game=Apothecary+Chess+2&settings=Apothecary2&submit=Edit

/play/pbm/play.php?game=Apothecary+Chess+1&settings=Apothecary1&submit=Edit

These are the links to Apothecary2 and Apothecary1 respectivelly. I dare to want to write enforecing rules code, and I think, but I'm not sure, that one can program move by mouse like in the fancy websites. I already told many friends about my games and they want to play them so I have to provide well.

Do you know how can I genereate a randomized seed, Carlos, or anyone else for that matter?

What do you mean with "a randomized seed"? Do you mean to place at random all the pieces on 2nd and 9th ranks?

I'm afraid I will not be able to help you much because I'm a neophyte in programming matters. I learned a bit about randomization by analizing the Fischer Random Chess preset and some other presets edited by José Carrillo.

I have only edited 5 presets with rules enforced:

1) Sac Chess

2) Euchess

3) Cardinal Chess

4) Chess 9x9

5) Glinski's Hexagonal Chess (Symmetric)

All of them simply by copying and pasting the code from some other presets edited by Fergus.

Anyway, I will try to help as much as I can. My recommendation is to analize carefully both Grand Chess and Omega Chess presets.

Thanks, I will analyse bot Omega Chess and Grand Chess.

A randomized seed means the first value of a random generator. The random generator is usually a polynomial that calls himself to generate the next number. Generally speaking a random sequence is:

a0,P(a0),P(P(a0)),...

My trouble is that for me a0 is always the same, so not that random. I need a seed generator like the remainder of microseconds until next Monday or something like that. Most programming languages have such routines.

I foresee three main diffculties for me in implementing Game Courier Presets for Apothecary Chess 1 and Apothecary Chess 2.

1.The move enforecement for the griffin and aanca. Also the move enforcement for pieces that have just move abilities like the advanced omega chess knight. How do I differentiate between just moves and regular moves?
2.The joker movement. If the regular joker movements shouldn't prove a big trouble as I saw there is an last piece moved variable that I can build from (it seems a bit tedious though), the trouble is with the insertion of the joker on the regular board as it should move from the pocket square (p2 respectively p9 in the diagram) to a just vacated spot by a friendly piece that is not a pawn or a bruhaha square piece and has not previously moved by turn 12 for white and 18 for black. The worst thing is that two pieces get moved in one turn.
3.The endgame conditions which are suficiently different. Actually that should not be a big trouble as the threefold repetition and the 100 moves (actually 50 but that's just an constant) rule are implemented and counting some points should be fairly easy.

I believe I can hadle myself the weird pawn promotion of Apothecary Chess 1 & 2, but if I have trouble I won't hesitate to ask for help.

May I please receive some advice regarding the above?

I have no idea how to generate said randomized seed neither how to solve such difficulties. The good news is that while you find the corresponding answers you can edit a preset without rules enforced and begin to playtest it against humans not against machines. By my part, I'm ready for it when you like.

Well, Carlos, somebody could help. I will challenge you to an apothecary chess 1 and then to an apothecary chess 2, to see how it's going. And then will see!

OK, thanks. In both games I will give you White side.

Excellent, this is one of the most incredible things about Game Courier.  You can try out an idea without programming everything.  For Apothecary chess, I think it makes sense to have basic automation to randomize the starting position, but full enforcement of rules is not necessary.

I am also willing to try a game of Apothecary 1, although I expect I will lose badly!