Macworld: Chess Classics for iPhone ...

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14 Replies Last post: Sep 15, 2008 6:31 PM by bioffe

Macworld

11,211 posts since
Nov 30, 2007

Aug 18, 2008 6:35 AM

Chess Classics for iPhone

Post your comments for Chess Classics for iPhone here

realperson12

1 posts since
Aug 18, 2008

1. Aug 18, 2008 8:56 AM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

It appears that this company uses shills to pump up its rating on iTunes. Take a look at Caissa Chess for a list.

Jim_Ratliff

5 posts since
Jul 22, 2007

2. Aug 18, 2008 2:28 PM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

The board on Chess Classics is too small; it doesn't use enough of the screen's real estate for display of the most-crucial element: the board!

I prefer Caissa Chess. It's board is as large as possible, and it's much more quickly responsive. (Chess Classics takes a long time just to load.)

deepgreene

5 posts since
Aug 19, 2008

3. Aug 19, 2008 2:02 PM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

I'll second or third that... I've got both Classics and Caissa, and Caissa is better all around, particularly in terms of playability and keeping a record of your games.

Kingdaddy

5 posts since
Aug 28, 2008

4. Aug 28, 2008 3:54 AM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

Why don't the reviews of all software products show a picture of the software running on the iPhone? I'd like to see what it looks like when it's reviewed, without downloading it.

bioffe

4 posts since
Aug 28, 2008

5. Aug 28, 2008 1:58 PM

in response to: Kingdaddy

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

Well. In case of this product, we saw reviews even before software was released to the general public.

Do you know that Gameloft released "placeholder" at the day of application store launch? The actual software became available only one week after. Dispite that fact, it managed to get into top 20 best selling games (WITHOUT SELLING A SINGLE COPY !!!). Mail me if you need solid evidence, I have screenshots supporting what I said above.

I personally found Classic Chess sluggish and unfriendly. This app is not native to Iphone platform, it was developed for ipods 5 and 5.5 generation. Gameloft ported it using some sort of virtual machine.Hense the size, Classic Chess weights 78.8 MB(!),Caissa Chess 1.8 MB and we bundle more graphics with our app.

They don't publish real screens because it was really sloppy job UI wise and not up IPhone crowd expectations. I must admit GameLoft has brilliant marketing department. I see swarms of good reviews and blogs worldwide. One day they managed to get 35 five star reviews on their Itunes storefron (they had total 70 in 5 weeks before). Gameloft trully redefined "Globalization" and "hostile marketing" for us little team of developers. Nevertheless, we actually do play and love chess and our product is much more robust and feature-rich.

Here is a real video for you Kingdaddy (native resolution, so it takes some time to load )

Video Caissa v.2.0.1

Video Cassa v2.1 (teaser, 2.1 to be released soon)

Kingdaddy

5 posts since
Aug 28, 2008

6. Aug 28, 2008 2:09 PM

in response to: bioffe

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

Thanks! I already have Caissa and enjoy playing it. I really like the Colossus Ebony & Ivory view of the chess pieces - makes them look 3d.

Your video does a good job of portraying Caissa and its benefits. It's an excellent choice.

deepgreene

5 posts since
Aug 19, 2008

7. Aug 29, 2008 8:01 AM

in response to: bioffe

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

Wow, thanks for that. If my eyes don't deceive me, you're adding announced openings. Sweet. That was the only thing Classic had that I wished was in Caissa. Is there (will there be) a way to move back and forward through a list of moves already played?

bioffe

4 posts since
Aug 28, 2008

8. Aug 29, 2008 8:28 AM

in response to: deepgreene

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

Caissa knows about about 2775 standard openings. There are over 26000 chess puzzles & compositions sit in in a database on the server and can be pushed to the app. Classic Chess offers 10 (!!!). In Caissa user can load puzzles or entire games from the web or emails.

In 2.1.1 you can mail your game to a friend. Your friend can open your game, make a move, and mail you back. t is not real time game, but I find it even more convenient and forgiving for us (contemporary yuppies). In Caissa Chess editor you can create custom positions and analyze them, there is no such thing in Classic Chess. I can go in length what Caissa does that Classic Chess does not.

DeepGreene

I'll answer your question. You can navigate back, but not forward. Full pgn browser is deferred to 2.2 release. It will be implemented by October.

To Peter Cohen, Macworld

Would you be interested publishing Caissa Chess review, so America would have a chance to find out about organic iPhone software with no added sales preservatives and marketing hormones ?

Regards,

-B

deepgreene

5 posts since
Aug 19, 2008

9. Aug 29, 2008 9:41 AM

in response to: bioffe

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

Excellent news! Thanks much.

Kingdaddy

5 posts since
Aug 28, 2008

10. Aug 29, 2008 10:04 AM

in response to: bioffe

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

As a reader, I think we all would benefit if you took bioffe up on the offer of publishing Caissa Chess review.

I for one would like to see it!

osplo

2 posts since
Sep 1, 2008

11. Sep 1, 2008 7:14 AM

in response to: bioffe

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

I fully agree with bioffe. Unfortunately I bought Gameloft's Classic Chess before I knew about Caissa. What a waste of money.

I bought Caissa as well, and I can't be happier. It is great. It has a strong engine. Snappy, easy to use. With Classic Chess you have to wait for everything and you cannot see the board as clear as in Caissa.

I just have a problem in a human-human game where white O-O-O was denied for no apparent reason. There were no check squares inbetween or any other thing (King and Rook were not moved). Strange. I saved the game and can send it to you if you want, maybe I am wrong. Otherwise no problems whatsoever.

Bottom line, don't waste your money on Gameloft's.

Where can I find all these puzzles for download?

Regards,

bioffe

4 posts since
Aug 28, 2008

12. Sep 11, 2008 8:32 AM

in response to: osplo

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

Just to update you all. Caissa 2.1 is out once it will get through apple certification process. Peter has AdHoc version of Caissa 2.1 hopefully he will find time to share his thoughs with us.

osplo

2 posts since
Sep 1, 2008

13. Sep 15, 2008 4:03 PM

in response to: bioffe

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

bioffe,

any news on the fix for the castle bug I mentioned earlier?

The more I play the more I find the bug. It is really annoying!

Otherwise the app is great.

bioffe

4 posts since
Aug 28, 2008

14. Sep 15, 2008 6:31 PM

in response to: osplo

Re: Chess Classics for iPhone

I am aware of the problem and I made two attepts on it.But I couldn't reproduce the bug so far. Seldom occurence bugs are worst.

In 2.1, Caissa remembers castling history, so if you undo moves your castling information restores as well. Some of the castling logic was reworked. Also I found and fixed other bug in FEN calculation logic, so it may have contributed to the problem. Hopefully in 2.1 it wont manifest itself anymore. I'd very much love to fix it , but I need to catch it first

There will be 2.1.1 release in a couple of weeks, it will contain few bugfixes and one new feature that didn't make into 2.1

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Aug 18, 2008 6:35 AM

Chess Classics for iPhone

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