Played the online demo. This is nicely done! I like the UI sound effects. I wished a few of the UI elements (the map buttons in particular) had a stronger rollover effect - I see that the cursor changes, but it didn't read as "clicky" as I'd like.
The first few puzzles are a great selection because they're clearly teaching me to look for particular kinds of opportunities. I'm used to chess puzzles feeling kind of random, and this got past that for me. I did bounce off of puzzle ten for a bit, and found myself wishing for a bit more feedback (as other reviewers have mentioned).
Wow, really? I thought for sure the first set was focusing on rooks, and the second on bishops... weird how we create patterns like that. Thanks for sharing!
My first idea was exactly like that. I wanted to make worlds with different themes, like openings or endings and put more focus on the different chess tactics...but I can't play chess (or couldn't until I began with this game), so learning all these things is way out of scope for me. In the end I switched to a randomized but endless version of weekly new puzzles.
Maybe if when this game is finished and I someday meet a chess player who wants to create the puzzles the original idea would get a new approach.
I got an odd glitch a couple times: the blue moves, then before I can do anything they move AGAIN and I'm out. It happened on the very first puzzle, dunno if that can help... I'm unable to reproduce this odd behaviour in a consistent manner so I can't tell what's actually going on (even tried keeping my hands up to avoid accidentally hitting a key ^^;!).
This game a lovely old-times feel. Now if only I didn't suck at chess the way I do...
Edit: the glitch occurred in the fourth puzzle only
Really like the game, so I got me the download version for Windows. :-)
After solving the second puzzle the firework did not stop. I can go to the options menu but I cannot continue playing. Fortunately my progress was saved and now I can continue after restarting the game.
You get 54 new puzzles every Sunday. I'm currently working on an end screen, because some people had the feeling that the game was over after the first 54 puzzles.
No they are pulled from a chess puzzle database. But it sounds like an interesting approach to generate them. Can't even think of an algorithm which can handle this.
If you don't clear the world you'll get new puzzles and start all over.
To be honest I'm not sure if this is the best approach. I think about changing it to getting. New puzzles when you press a new game button.
They are differentiated by difficulty, aka the number of mates you need to win. It's a simple CSV file where I have listed each level with it's mate count. If I later on want to add a harder difficulty, I can easily add another column with a higher difficulty.
They don't have different themes, I just look for mates. The reason for that is I myself only understand mate puzzles. The other types just let you do x moves and you have to end in the best possible position. That's something for people who can play chess on a decent level.
I also think so. But I am not sure that I can solve them all. I always switched to another area when I failed at one puzzle for several times. I do not play chess myself. Instead I am a Go player. For Go there also exist thousands of puzzles (e.g. life and death problems). So maybe you can do a nice SNES-style GoKampf as well! ;-)
Comments
Played the online demo. This is nicely done! I like the UI sound effects. I wished a few of the UI elements (the map buttons in particular) had a stronger rollover effect - I see that the cursor changes, but it didn't read as "clicky" as I'd like.
The first few puzzles are a great selection because they're clearly teaching me to look for particular kinds of opportunities. I'm used to chess puzzles feeling kind of random, and this got past that for me. I did bounce off of puzzle ten for a bit, and found myself wishing for a bit more feedback (as other reviewers have mentioned).
Thanks for the feedback.
I fixed a bug with those buttons a few days ago and thought the same. Maybe I'll just go with a resize or a little color switch for now.
The other part with the feedback is already on my to-do. I planned to show the last move of the opponent, so you can see where he could escape.
And for the puzzles...they are in fact random. I just decided how many mates per puzzle and the algo gets it from a db.
Wow, really? I thought for sure the first set was focusing on rooks, and the second on bishops... weird how we create patterns like that. Thanks for sharing!
My first idea was exactly like that. I wanted to make worlds with different themes, like openings or endings and put more focus on the different chess tactics...but I can't play chess (or couldn't until I began with this game), so learning all these things is way out of scope for me.
In the end I switched to a randomized but endless version of weekly new puzzles.
Maybe if when this game is finished and I someday meet a chess player who wants to create the puzzles the original idea would get a new approach.
I got an odd glitch a couple times: the blue moves, then before I can do anything they move AGAIN and I'm out. It happened on the very first puzzle, dunno if that can help... I'm unable to reproduce this odd behaviour in a consistent manner so I can't tell what's actually going on (even tried keeping my hands up to avoid accidentally hitting a key ^^;!).
This game a lovely old-times feel. Now if only I didn't suck at chess the way I do...
Edit: the glitch occurred in the fourth puzzle only
thanks for this specific feedback. I'll have a look next time I sit on my PC.
Have you tested it in web, android or windows?
Web
Very good look and feel. I like the Zelda-style. Good animations and sound.
I would need a little more feedback from the game why my solution to a problem would not work.
That's actually on my to-do list. Something like a last move before ending the game would be my solution.
Really like the game, so I got me the download version for Windows. :-)
After solving the second puzzle the firework did not stop. I can go to the options menu but I cannot continue playing. Fortunately my progress was saved and now I can continue after restarting the game.
Thanks for the feedback. That bug is totally new to me and I will have a look at my analytics when I sit on my PC next time.
Glad you found a workaround and didn't get soft locked.
I made some progress. :-)
Can you do me a favour and tell me when you've finished your first season and how long it took you?
OK, I will tell you.
So far I am not sure if I know, what a Schachkampf-season is. But I think the game will tell me when the season is done.
Unfortunately it doesn't.
You get 54 new puzzles every Sunday. I'm currently working on an end screen, because some people had the feeling that the game was over after the first 54 puzzles.
Cool, are the puzzles procedurally created?
So what happens if I do not finish the season until Sunday?
No they are pulled from a chess puzzle database. But it sounds like an interesting approach to generate them. Can't even think of an algorithm which can handle this.
If you don't clear the world you'll get new puzzles and start all over.
To be honest I'm not sure if this is the best approach. I think about changing it to getting. New puzzles when you press a new game button.
Interesting.
How are the puzzles distributed among the different areas? Have they different themes?
They are differentiated by difficulty, aka the number of mates you need to win. It's a simple CSV file where I have listed each level with it's mate count. If I later on want to add a harder difficulty, I can easily add another column with a higher difficulty.
They don't have different themes, I just look for mates. The reason for that is I myself only understand mate puzzles. The other types just let you do x moves and you have to end in the best possible position. That's something for people who can play chess on a decent level.
Here is my Progress after 2-3 hours:
Thanks, that looks like I planned it timewise. Now you have the harder puzzles left, so you'll maybe end up with 4-5h for one complete run.
I also think so. But I am not sure that I can solve them all. I always switched to another area when I failed at one puzzle for several times. I do not play chess myself. Instead I am a Go player. For Go there also exist thousands of puzzles (e.g. life and death problems). So maybe you can do a nice SNES-style GoKampf as well! ;-)