Major Additions - Chess

Chess for vbulletin.

This mod turns an existing forum into a forum for playing chess in. Members can then play games against each other as easilly as posting a new post in a regular forum.

NB: the beta version of this dosn't enforce the rules of chess so illegal moves are possible - this does have the advantage of allowing handicap matches and variations on standard chess rules.

beta

This mod is a beta mod, this means that i have all the functions working on my board however there may be unforseen problems and conflicts on different vb setups. I'm 95% confidant that there are no major isseus left in the core code, the only issues that may arrise are from the new ajax features. If this is a problem for you, you can disable the ajax features in the admin cp.

Demo

A live demo can be seen here: http://www.giveupalready.com/forumdisplay.php?f=349 (running v1.0.1 till i've time to upgrade it)

Screenshots

Screen shot shows new UI

Version History

1.1b (beta): current version
- improved user interface (if you've changed the chess template you will need to revert/apply the changes manually)
- back/forward buttons for local moves (unsaved. Full backward/forward movement will be added in a later version)
- highlight for currently selected square.

1.0.1b (beta):
- fixed a couple of misisng TABLE_PREFIX's
- fixed table spacing issue

1.0b (beta):
- forced quick reply to be enabled.
- added reset board link + javascript to reset the board without reloading.
- ajax posting of moves.
- board updates itself every 10 secs via ajax.
- added option to flip layout of board.

0.2b (beta):
- added some javascript to update piece replacments instantly.
- templates are now fully phrased.

0.1b (beta):
- added faq entries to product file
- (hopefully) improved compatablity with vbseo
- modified instal instructions to avoid potential javascript problems.
- changed version numbering scheme.

beta:
- re-exported product file to contain all the settings fields.

alpha:
- changed image paths to allow for customised images.

Known Issues

- Table sizes are inconsistant
- If min post length is greater than 7 moves wont post without a comment.

Compatability

This mod was written on vb 3.6.0 and has been tested on 3.6.7 compatablity with other versions is unknown. Reported working on 3.6.8

Instalation

1. Backup your Database
2. Upload images into your images directory.
3. new for v1.0b Upload Chess.php to your main forum directory.
4. Turn your board off.
5. Create a new forum, browse to it and make a note of its forum id.
6. Disable Html, bb code,smilies,[img] code and post icons in this new forum
7. Import the chess product
8. In the vbulletin settings change the forumid to the new forum you created. You can also change the piece colour to better match your forums style.
9. (Optional) Create a link forum to point to the chess faq which explains how to play.
10. Turn your board back on
11. Click installed.

Upgrade from < 1.0b

1. Backup your Database
2. Upload Chess.php to your main forum directory.
3. Import the chess product (allow overwrite must be set to yes)
4. Check the new settings are set to your liking.

Upgrade from 1.0b

1. Import the chess product (allow overwrite must be set to yes)

Support

As all of my boards have been upgraded to vbulletin 4, I am no longer actively maintaining any of my vb3.x mods. Free support for all of my 3.x mods is being removed from the 31st of March 2010 after this date, I will only be offering paid support for 3.x mods; downloading and usage of the mods will remain free but unsupported.

For support of 3.x mods, please pm me as I won't be checking the threads very often.

Liscense
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

You may modify this software to suit your own purposes but may only distribute said modifications within this thread and with my approval.

Credits

Images were modified from icon files downloaded from http://www.enpassant.dk/chess/grafeng.htm

Checkers

Untill i get arround to coding and releasing a checkers game you can play checkers using this mod using the following instructions provided by one of my forum members:

(b8,b8)(d8,d8)(f8,f8)(h8,h8)(a7,a7)(c7,c7)(e7,e7)(g7,g7)(a1,a1)(c1,c1)(e1,e1)(g1,g1)(b2,b2)(d2,d2)(f2,f2)(h2,h2)(c8,bR)(e8,bR)(g8,bR)(b7,bR)(d7,bR)(f7,bR)(h7,bR)(a6,bR)(c6,bR)(e6,bR)(g6,bR)(b1,wR)(d1,wR)(f1,wR)(a2,wR)(c2,wR)(e2,wR)(g2,wR)(b3,wR)(d3,wR)(f3,wR)(h3,wR)

Just copy the code when you are making the first post. Simple as that.

Notes:
1. When you jump a piece, you must also double-click on the piece that you jump to get rid of it. If you write out the code manually, just write the code twice. [ex: (f4,f4)]

2. To get a king piece, use the same code as you would to promote a pawn.
[ex: (a1,bK)]

3. If you double jump, please put in the full syntax and not just the finishing move. This will help your opponent see all the jumps that you made.

Custom Images

You can add image sets by uploading a gfx for each piece identified by its initial into a new directory within the /images/chess/ directory and then changing the image settings in the admincp.

If anyone has any custom image sets that they can legally distribute pm me a link and i'll link to them in this post.

Feature requests
- Leader board
- Other games (checkers, monopoly,risk, go)

[imported_silkroad]

Originally Posted by Carnage-

The mod you link to there, seems on the face of it much different to this one. This mod is play by post which means games can go on for weeks if people only have the time for a move or two a day. Whereas the mod you linked to seems (without having installed it) to use live play.

In the other mod, the play can also go on for weeks or years, it just requires setting one or two timers which are easily changed in the code.

As you know, I have installed both mods, and (sorry to say) the "other chess mod" is far superior (for actally playing chess) and the developer is keen to make changes when bugs are found. For example, when debugging, our team found that it was missing one rule of play. We notified the developer and, without discussion or opinons, he fixed it. Now that chess game enforces rules 100% without error. Also, now it has notation, etc.

It is up to you.... but we have found a Chess mod that works very well, and we can easily modify to add features (which we have done), and because the developer is so responsive to make it highly usable, we will pay for the commercial version ($45) with standard chess rankings, ladders, etc.

The problem I have here is that we requested a game that enforced rules nearly two years ago, it seems. The "other mod" has one rule missing, and it was fixed within a week.... big difference in both actual usability and support. Of course, I did have to spend a few days changing the code to get it as we want it, but it was easy to change and fun.

Cheers.

[Digital Jedi]

Originally Posted by imported_silkroad

In the other mod, the play can also go on for weeks or years, it just requires setting one or two timers which are easily changed in the code.

As you know, I have installed both mods, and (sorry to say) the "other chess mod" is far superior (for actally playing chess) and the developer is keen to make changes when bugs are found. For example, when debugging, our team found that it was missing one rule of play. We notified the developer and, without discussion or opinons, he fixed it. Now that chess game enforces rules 100% without error. Also, now it has notation, etc.

It is up to you.... but we have found a Chess mod that works very well, and we can easily modify to add features (which we have done), and because the developer is so responsive to make it highly usable, we will pay for the commercial version ($45) with standard chess rankings, ladders, etc.

The problem I have here is that we requested a game that enforced rules nearly two years ago, it seems. The "other mod" has one rule missing, and it was fixed within a week.... big difference in both actual usability and support. Of course, I did have to spend a few days changing the code to get it as we want it, but it was easy to change and fun.

Cheers.

Maybe you missed the part where he said that development of this mod has stopped until vB4.

[imported_silkroad]

Originally Posted by Digital Jedi

Maybe you missed the part where he said that development of this mod has stopped until vB4.

Ah.... well, that is normal. There has not been any updates or development on this mod as far back as I can remember

That is why we are using a different Chess mod, one that is supported actively and has "basic required online chess functionality" for actally enjoying playing Chess

Update: We don't find the Gameroom Chess mod any better, really..... Our users don't like it either!

[lostgirl815]

Can you mention the 'different Chess mod' URL here, or is that forbidden? (No offense to whoever wrote the Mod on this thread, but I'm not planning to upgrade to 4.0 anytime soon.)

[imported_silkroad]

Originally Posted by lostgirl815

Can you mention the 'different Chess mod' URL here, or is that forbidden? (No offense to whoever wrote the Mod on this thread, but I'm not planning to upgrade to 4.0 anytime soon.)

No, it is certainly not forbidden

The other mod here with Chess is in the Gameroom.

However, that Chess mod is "not perfect" either, and our users have also commented negatively on that one. To be fair to Carnage and his mod, there are advantages and disadvantages of each, but neither actually "works" (is enjoyable to play) for our users.

In the other mod, legal moves are enforced, but you must hack the PHP code so people can actually play over a long period of time. Also, in the Gameroom chess program, you cannot observe a game being played by two other players. In addition, the Gameroom version has a clunky flash interface, so you have a waste a lot of time to go find your game (after you hack it, so you can actually play when you have time...) , and in the default (not hacked) version, if you leave the flash interface, your game is gone! Because of this, basic features like "it is your move" notifications to the forum are missing.

Our experience is that neither of the available vB.org chess mods are "keepers" for "real chess players", and this not my opinion, it is the opinion of our users who want to play chess when they have time, and want a robust, normal, rule-enforcing, observable, playable Chess feature.

The bottom line is that our users want a good Chess mod for vB. I am willing to pay for a decent one (if it really works well), but so far, we can't find any joy for our users even with any of the vB mods (two free, and the paid version of one of the free ones!)

I had to hack the code to make the Gameroom version playable, and even then, our users complained because it simply does not "answer the mail" for a great vB chess program/mod.

[lostgirl815]

Thanks so much for that very thorough answer! That answered every question I had and some that I didn't know enough to ask.

[imported_silkroad]

Hey lostgirl815,

You are welcome.

Best, I think is to encourage Carnage to update his mod to be a great program, but he has not released anything new in two years. His mod is also (mostly) not playable, as our users find the interface buggy and pieces move oddly, illegally and then a game they were playing for days is ruined. Very frustrating! We tried this mod a long time ago and our users complained strongly about it. Then, we tried the Gameroom Chess module, and our users complained strongly about that one too!

[Carnage]

Really, what i'd like to do is redo the whole of the javascript, this mod was written before I'd learn about js frameworks like yui and jQuery. The original version was written over two and a half years ago, it was done for my own boards I released it here when i had a slightly more polished version, realistically the problem with development is that my paid work has to take priority.

There are a number of things i'd like this mod to be able to do:
-optionally enforce chess rules.
-import/use pgn format moves
-split a thread (copy current board state into a new thread possibly with different players)
-provide back/forward buttons between moves (my dev version does this but its buggy)
-provide game win/loss/draw statistics.

our users find the interface buggy and pieces move oddly, illegally and then a game they were playing for days is ruined.

Yes, this does happen, however the interface is such that it should be easy/possible to put a game back to its proper state and continue.

[Carnage]

I've updated with the version from my dev board. It includes a much cleaner UI and a couple of other features i was working on.

No legal move enforcement, however i've been convinced that this is a necessary feature and will include it in the vb 4 version of this product (and provide a backport to this version)

[imported_silkroad]

Originally Posted by Carnage-

There are a number of things i'd like this mod to be able to do:

Also, on your TODO list, could you add:

-- Provide an ICF rating systems for players.

So, when players play, they get rated using the same basic system as ICF (unrated players start at 1500, etc.). You could also permit admins to manual place rating of ICF rated players.

Thanks.

Regarding your comment:

Yes, this does happen, however the interface is such that it should be easy/possible to put a game back to its proper state and continue.

We did not find that to be the case. Our users did not find anything "easy". If that was the case, we would not have deinstalled it.

Our forums have over 80K users, more than 3K active, and over 2M visitors a month. When we install a new feature, it is quite easy to test the feature and get immediate feedback from our user community, who are very computer savvy. They either like it, or they don't. They all want a robust chess program, not a buggy one where an opponent can easily mess up the board, and then have to discuss this with them. It is important for chess programs to enforce rules and for the board to be very stable.

In theory, anything is possible. In practice, either the users like it, or they don't. We have tried both vB Chess mods and removed them both.

We hope to see a robust, playable version soon!

Thank you!

PS: It does not work to argue with our users when they don't like something. They are smart enough to know what they like and don't like. Most board-jockeys learn early that listening to their members/users is the key to success.