Check out Janggi (Korean Chess), our featured variant for December, 2024.


[ Help | Earliest Comments | Latest Comments ]
[ List All Subjects of Discussion | Create New Subject of Discussion ]
[ List Earliest Comments Only For Pages | Games | Rated Pages | Rated Games | Subjects of Discussion ]

Single Comment

Diagram Editor with scalable graphics. An easy-to-use tool for drawing boards and pieces of any size and color.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Greg Strong wrote on Mon, Jul 27, 2020 03:39 AM UTC in reply to Greg Strong from Sun Jul 26 10:18 PM:

New update, since we're re-rendering anyway:

https://www.chessvariants.com/public_html/graphics.dir/alfaeriePNG/GS-2020-07-27.zip

A tiny change or two, but mostly just adds a few new pieces: wequesrex, wkingrook, wkingbishop, and wforwardchancellorprince (the CwDA Colonel.)

First, I know that the Alfaerie set has multiple, different compositions of the same pieces. The kingrook, kingbishop, and equesrex may seem unnecesseary or redundant but there is a reason for my madness: these pieces are used in the Game Courier set group "Alfaerie 1: Historical & Compounds". This will complete that set, if:

Second, as you have made compounds for archbishop and chancellor, can you also make a compound of bishop + nightrider called "wcardinalrider" (and, of course, bcardinalrider)? With my new additions, this is the last piece needed to complete that set.

As for my overall plan, we could do two different approaches:

(1) make the anti-aliased stuff only for new material. The problem is that this site has a TON of material, most of which will not be updated.

(2) swap out existing stuff. I think we should do this, but I am willing to do it ONLY under strict guidelines. The replacement must be considered to be an improvement. Going to smooth, anti-aliased pieces is definitely an improvement... But I will only replace an existing Game Courier piece set if everything has been upgraded, and any changes (and there will be changes) are improvements, not just swapping things out because it is convenient.

Granted, what is an improvement is somewhat subjective. I am editing these pieces. For the most part, it is just fixing errors or making them a more precise representation of what the original author intended. But, in rare cases, I am making more radical changes. I justify this with the opinion that, while most alfaerie graphics are very good, there is a ton of material in this set and some of it is clearly of lower quality. I have changed the Lion and complete re-done the Tiger. I think these both should be considered "improvements" because of the quality of the original artwork. That said, if others disagree, please speak up. It is not my intention force any changes of style on anyone who has strong feelings and doesn't like the changes.

I say all of this because what I plan - changing existing Game Courier piece sets - will change existing graphics across-the-board. I think we really should do this to upgrade the look of the site to modern standards, but please do not think I take any global, retro-active change lightly. I will only do it under these guidelines, and will be upfront about what I am doing and open to objection. Even if a piece set is changed, if the change is not popular, it can always just be changed back. The new graphics are in a new location. The old graphics will not be deleted.