[pbmserv-dev] [rrognlie@gamerz.net: Re: Zhadu by email...]

[Richard Rognlie <rrognlie@gamerz.net>]

----- Forwarded message from Richard Rognlie <rrognlie@gamerz.net> -----

Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 22:37:50 -0400
From: Richard Rognlie <rrognlie@gamerz.net>
To: "R.A.Frederickson" <kson@zhadu.com>
Subject: Re: Zhadu by email...
In-Reply-To: <BB31AA4E.833%kson@zhadu.com>
User-Agent: Mutt/1.4i

On Wed, Jul 09, 2003 at 11:17:49AM -0400, R.A.Frederickson wrote:
> Dear Richard,
> 
> How are you ? I hope all is well.
> 
> I am the creator of Zhadu (www.zhadu.com). During a game via
> email with Kerry Handscomb (Abstract Strategy Game Magazine),
> he suggested that I speak to you about having Zhadu available
> on your server. Zhadu has its own notation system and the
> guidelines are available for download from the site.

Your website is gorgeous.  if a little frustating (having to wade through
the accolades before getting to the "meat").


Zhadu does look like a good fit for the server.  I've finally had a chance to 
look at it.

below are example boards...  I'm not sure which I like more, but the
board that's arranged "horizontally" might be easier to read when it 
has stones on it.

                                  __xx xx__
                               __/   | |   \__
                            __/      | |      \__
                          xx__    D  | |  G    __xx
                              \__    | |    __/
                   __xx xx__     \__ | | __/     __xx xx__
                __/   | |   \__     xx xx     __/   | |   \__
             __/      | |      \__         __/      | |      \__
           xx__    A  | |  C    __xx     xx__    F  | |  H    __xx
               \__    | |    __/             \__    | |    __/
                  \__ | | __/     __xx xx__     \__ | | __/
                     xx xx     __/   | |   \__     xx xx
                            __/      | |      \__
                          xx__    B  | |  E    __xx
                              \__    | |    __/
        *                        \__ | | __/
       / \                          xx xx
      / A \
     *-----*
     *-----*
   *  \ C /  *
  / \  \ /  / \ 
 / B \  *  / D \
*-----*   *-----*
*-----*   *-----*
 \ E /  *  \ G /
  \ /  / \  \ /
   *  / F \
     *-----*
     *-----*
      \ H /
       \ /
        *


If I might critique the notation a bit...  it's very "chatty".  lots
of information there that is not needed.

e.g. you don't need to specify p1_ or p2_.  you know whose turn it is
based on whether the move number is even or odd.

the "s" is not needed on the "which stone is being placed/moving?"

The pieces of 1, 2, 3, 123, 4 (might be better represented as
1, 2, 3, *, 4.  then they are always 1 character long)

(and is 123 also "wild"?   maybe w vs *)

so... move placement at the start is just

    1h1     *a3

etc.

movement, you need not specify the starting square.  there is only one
of each type.   Just specify the piece and the destination location.

Maybe use '-' to indicate a move and 'x' to indicate a capture
(vs a placement, but after the 10th total turn (5 per player), all moves
are "moves" or "captures")


So, your sample game from the 2nd .pdf becomes...


 1  3H0        2  4A3
 3  *H2        4  *A0
 5  4H3        6  3C0
 7  1H1        8  2A2
 9  2F0       10  1A1
11  2-G1      12  3-B1
13  *-F0      14  2-C1
15  3-E1      16  3-E3
17  2-F1      18  4-D0
19  3-G1      20  4-B1
21  3xC1(2)   22  *-C1(3)
23  4xE3(3)   24  4xE3(4)
25  2-F2      26  4xH1(1)




-- 
 /  \__  | Richard Rognlie / Oracle Prophet / Gamerz.NET Lackey
 \__/  \ | http://www.gamerz.net/rrognlie/    <rrognlie@gamerz.net>
 /  \__/ | I can only please 1 person per day.  Today is not your day.
 \__/    | Tomorrow doesn't look good either.


----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
 /  \__  | Richard Rognlie / Oracle Prophet / Gamerz.NET Lackey
 \__/  \ | http://www.gamerz.net/rrognlie/    <rrognlie@gamerz.net>
 /  \__/ | I can only please 1 person per day.  Today is not your day.
 \__/    | Tomorrow doesn't look good either.