I've long been a keen player of Backgammon on computers, but didn't get the original S3a version from Purple, as Matt Millar produced his Shareware version first, and I was helping to beta test it. Matt was working on a new version for the S5, but that doesn't seem to be progressing any more. Consequently Purple have the field to themselves in this area as well.
Chinese Chess
Chinese Chess is not a game I'm familiar with, so I'm making use of the
on-line tutorial within the game to learn the rules. The extra displays of
legal moves, threatened pieces, etc. come in handy at this stage as well.
The similarity in appearance and controls to Chess is very strong, and the
package benefits from that.
Chinese Chess Display
Backgammon
For me, Backgammon is the real attraction of this package, and I
have spent most time playing, err, I mean testing, that. It allows four
levels of difficulty, as opposed to the seven in the Chess. The approach
used in the Shareware S3a version of having different "players" with
their own strengths and weaknesses definitely adds to this sort of game, and
I do miss it when playing this version. It is enjoyable though, and plays a
very good game, including optional use of the doubling cube. Again, 2D and
3D views are provided, and the same user interface as in the other games is
used.
A Backgammon Game in Progress
One useful quirk of the rules of Backgammon is that if you resign
a game, you only lose by a single game, multiplied by whatever the doubling
dice is at. This means that if you're heading for a dramatic loss by a
Gammon or worse, you can resign and not lose as badly as far as the score is
concerned. As the game keeps a running score, this does seem to be a form of
legalised cheating! Fortunately the computer player never resigns in this
game either, so you can humiliate it if you're good enough. Purple Software
assure me that this is consistent with all the rules of Backgammon, so I'm
now making good use of it with a clear conscience!
There are a couple of aspects of the implementation of the game
that do annoy me a little. Firstly, you always need to tell it to throw the
dice when it is your turn, even when your opponent holds the doubling cube.
I think it should be aware that you have no decision to make at that point
and throw the dice automatically, as happens in games without the doubling
cube being used. Along the same lines, it insists on having the dice thrown,
even if no moves are possible (for example a piece is on the bar, all the
points on the inner table are blocked, and your opponent has the doubling
cube). This is a waste of time, and I find I rebuke it every time I find
myself in that position - partly out of frustration at getting stuck in the
first place! Other touches could have been implemented, such as automatic
bearing off when all pieces are in the inner table, and a way of moving more
than one piece at a time when doubles are thrown.
However these omissions don't stop it being a good game, and one touch does especially delights me: when using the pen, it is possible to move one piece the full extent of the dice totals in one go - very handy! There is some intelligence built into that aspect, as it has to decide which intermediate point to land on, and so far it always picks the one I'd choose (i.e. the one that would take an opponent's piece). That, and the comprehensive tutorial, takeback, replay and setup options are considerable extra features not present in the S3a Shareware version. There's no doubt that this is a more substantial application, but also that it could be improved further without too much extra effort. This really is something every keen Backgammon player should consider.
Purple Software are at
PO Box 7535,Back to Introduction or to Chess review.
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