[imported_silkroad]

Based on the test results and comments on the the Chess feature of The Gameroom, we plan to uninstall this add-on feature next weekend.

We will keep an eye out for the next releases of Chess add-ons for vBulletin and hopefully, a future release will be more playable for our users. We don't mind to pay for an enjoyable, really playable add-on, but even the paid version is not "enjoyable and playable" because it simply does not have the basic features required for forum users who are professionals and also want to play Chess with other forum members when time permits.

I worked extensively with this add-on, going thru just about every line of the PHP code for the game board and chess games (we are not interested in the other games). Even after fixing so many broken features, our users commented:

(1) The flash interface for Chess was "clunky" and did not let them return directly to a game in progress. It took far too long to re-enter a game (I changed the code so this was possible because without hacking the code, it was not even possible to return to a game!!)

(2) The game is not fun or interesting because others, not even admins, can observe anothers game. Not even Admins!

(3) We had to hack the Chess board mod extensively just so users could actually leave the gameroom and do something else without the computer deleting the game!

(4) The PHP code base is an absolute mess. There are database fields and PHP var conflicts that are very hard to debug. I don't think I have ever seen such disorganized and unstructured PHP code on any vB mod.

As mentioned, we look forward to a future release that is more playable. The developer's comments back to me and our users to is basically to (1) discount the opinions of our users and (2) make an excuse that the Chess program is only one of many programs. (I am not sure how that is relevant to anything, because none of the programs are very good either, and our users are professionals and are only interested in Chess, not low resolution gambling, slots, poker, etc - plus we honor all Terms of Service (TOS) and gambling sites of any form violate Google's TOS).

In closing, it is sad that there is still no decent "really enjoyable" (playable) Chess add-on for vBulletin. We hope a future release is "playable" by professionals, not merely a type of toy that is more of a novelty (direct user comments), than a useful add-on to a forum.