[pbmserv] PBMServ Update

["Phoenix T'Kar" <phoenix.tkar@gmail.com>]

Greetings all PBMServ Users,

A while back I asked if there were any plans for a graphical interface
(gui) for the TenjikuShogi games available here on Richard's PBMServ.
Paul responded and said that he'd be happy to do it if someone pointed
out the graphics. Since then Paul and I have been working on making this
happen. I made the graphics, and Paul did the coding.

http://www.gamerz.net/pbmserv/List.php?TenjikuShogi

Now available for your playing pleasure, via the gui, are two sets of
kanji tenjiku koma, and a pictoral to choose from. One of the sets of
kanji koma is large and the other small so that we could try to fit as
many people's screens as possible. The pictoral set has military-like
ranks for 'soldier' pieces like Pawns, Side/Vertical Movers/Soldiers,
Lances, Generals, etc.  For 'animal' pieces like the Fire Demon, Lion
Hawk, Kyrin, Dragon Horse, etc. there are pictures of the creatures on
the pieces. I hope you will enjoy :)

While we were testing the gui and working out the bugs, Paul discovered
three options that have been available when issuing a tenjikushogi
challenge, but that weren't documented in the Tenjiku Help Page. There
was a bug that caused two of them to not work properly, but Paul's fixed
it and everything works great now. These options are ...

-classicgenerals

  Which allows game play using the rules regarding the range jumpers
that not only can they not jump over other range jumpers of equal or
higher rank, but they cannot jump capture the other range jumpers of
equal or higher rank either.

-classiclionhawk

 Which allows for game play using the alternate move for the Lion Hawk
to move as a range 2 area mover, rather than as a Lion.

-classic

 Allows game play using both of the above.

If you use the  -classic options, there will be a message in your email
& on the gui to remind you of which rules the game is set to play with.
Paul has also set it up so that these options can be used from the gui's
tenjikushogi challenge page.

So if you've been holding off on your Tenjiku playing due to lack of a
graphical board, due to disagreements with the rules used, or if you
just needed a little more reason to play, there are a few more options
available to you now. :) If you don't know who to challenge, feel free
to try me ...

tkr101010