What is Firaxis up to? Civ VI looms in the horizon:

[Lord Baal]

Plus everybody knows they can just cheat by getting a computer to play at the grandmaster level for them. Some people have a totally weird inferiority complex and pat themselves on the back by doing this.

I might get a chess.com account to play people I know IRL as well as people I've met on this site, but for my regular chess sessions I'm going to stick of the chess app on my iPad as well as Chessmaster 10th edition.

I didn't actually know that exploit. Yeah, I get annoyed if I get beaten while playing chess, but mostly because I almost always lose because of a mistake, not necessarily bad strategy. There's nothing more annoying than blundering away a Queen whilst simultaneously blowing a check-mate position.

As an aside, I quite enjoy the tactical problems on that app. Occasionally they are somewhat stupid, but most of the time they're quite good. And I'm up to level 7 against the computer, which isn't bad since the default is level 3 and it took me some time to beat that when I first started earlier this year.

 

[caketastydelish]

I didn't actually know that exploit. Yeah, I get annoyed if I get beaten while playing chess, but mostly because I almost always lose because of a mistake, not necessarily bad strategy. There's nothing more annoying than blundering away a Queen whilst simultaneously blowing a check-mate position.

As an aside, I quite enjoy the tactical problems on that app. Occasionally they are somewhat stupid, but most of the time they're quite good. And I'm up to level 7 against the computer, which isn't bad since the default is level 3 and it took me some time to beat that when I first started earlier this year.

We must not talking about the same game. 'Chessmaster 10th edition' is a PC game played on the computer. The AI's do not have 'levels', but have specific ratings just like rated players in real life would (although unlike with human players, the AI ratings do not fluctuate as they are prefixed).

Not only do they have ratings but they also have specific personalities. Some for example prefer to attack with the bishop, some overvalue/undervalue material, some put a bigger emphasis on controlling the center, etc.

 

[Lord Baal]

We must not talking about the same game. 'Chessmaster 10th edition' is a PC game played on the computer. The AI's do not have 'levels', but have specific ratings just like rated players in real life would (although unlike with human players, the AI ratings do not fluctuate as they are prefixed).

Not only do they have ratings but they also have specific personalities. Some for example prefer to attack with the bishop, some overvalue/undervalue material, some put a bigger emphasis on controlling the center, etc.

I was referring to the Chess.com app.

 

[caketastydelish]

I was referring to the Chess.com app.

oh ok! I might get that on my iPad just depending on how I like the chess.com site first on my computer. We'll see.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

I have the Chess.com app. I get bored pretty quickly of playing against random people on the internet. I had more than one idiot abandon the game when it became obvious I was winning. Not surrender, actually abandon the game. Such childish behaviour does not encourage me to return to that website. Not to mention the fact that their video-guides are incredibly glitchy.

This is why you only play people you know. I used to play Nanocyborgasm and Narz quite a bit using just that website and app.

 

[Lord Baal]

This is why you only play people you know. I used to play Nanocyborgasm and Narz quite a bit using just that website and app.

The time differences between Australia and the majority of my online friends, like yourself, who live overseas would make that difficult, even if one discounted the obvious planning difficulties encountered when one is a single parent. I've failed tactics problems on that app on many occasions due simply to my daughter deciding to wake up screaming or give up on playing quietly to jump on my leg for no apparent reason. To the point where my tactics rating has dipped below 1000 twice this week, which, while I'm no Grand Master, is certainly below my actual tactical ability.

 

[eduhum]

I have more than 900 games played on Chess.com. Mostly 3 minutes vs 3 minutes. The problems you allege are anecdotic.

 

[Lord Baal]

I have more than 900 games played on Chess.com. Mostly 3 minutes vs 3 minutes. The problems you allege are anecdotic.

Obviously if I'm offering anecdotes about problems I'm listing anecdotal problems. But 3 minutes is considerably different to the 30 minute games I play.

 

[eduhum]

Obviously if I'm offering anecdotes about problems I'm listing anecdotal problems. But 3 minutes is considerably different to the 30 minute games I play.

Just saying that the level of amusement you get by playing against a human player is much bigger than versus a machine. The problems you cited are mere anecdotes, anomalies, rarities that almost never happen and are not sufficient by far to oblige a player to change "chess service".
And playing with a limited time is much better and you learn much more. At least this was my case.

 

[Borachio]

Can't say I ever learned much from speed chess. Except how to panic.

 

[Lord Baal]

Just saying that the level of amusement you get by playing against a human player is much bigger than versus a machine. The problems you cited are mere anecdotes, anomalies, rarities that almost never happen and are not sufficient by far to oblige a player to change "chess service".
And playing with a limited time is much better and you learn much more. At least this was my case.

I played 12 games on the Chess.com app against human opponents. I had 5 wins, 2 losses, 2 stalemates and 3 douches abandon games I was winning. Those odds aren't very encouraging, when one-quarter of my games ended with my opponent running off and refusing to continue. I would assume this would be less of a problem in speed chess due to the simple fact that things are moving so fast that by the time they reaslise they've lost it's too late for them to abandon the game.

Can't say I ever learned much from speed chess. Except how to panic.

Yeah, that's my problem. I'm actually reasonably good at the game - better than anyone I know personally, though I'd likely get bent over and spanked mercilessly should I actually attempt to enter even an amateur tournament - but I like to weigh my options.

 

[caketastydelish]

Can you play a game lasting a reasonable amount of time on chess.com (meaning at least 20 minutes per person) without having to pay any membership fee?

 

[Lord Baal]

Can you play a game lasting a reasonable amount of time on chess.com (meaning at least 20 minutes per person) without having to pay any membership fee?

I'm not a paying member of Chess.com and I have access to 30-minute vs 30-minute games. I do not know if that is only possible due to my Chess.com iPad app or if there are ways to play such games without it. I believe there are, but I haven't actually visited Chess.com in months, due to the aforementioned glitchiness of their videos.

 

[eduhum]

If you panic by time it's just your are not used to it. Instead of fear the challenge, you must embrace it and use it against your opponent. Time games are very fun. Let go of your instincts, at the end, after all the techniques and strategies, it's the subconscious that makes you win.
Play 1 min vs 1 min and don't think but act.

And I'm perfectly fine with people abandoning games when they see they are losing. In fact, if for example you loose your queen by a stupid mistake at the beginning of the game, you are pretty much screwed. You should abandon the game. The rest of the game is pointless. In fact, I don't think it is well seen to continue a pointless game without surrendering, its called wasting your time and the one of your opponent.

With premium membership you get to have nice stats, can hire a trainer for you (!), etc. I don't plan at all to have it.

 

[Lord Baal]

If you panic by time it's just your are not used to it. Instead of fear the challenge, you must embrace it and use it against your opponent. Time games are very fun. Let go of your instincts, at the end, after all the techniques and strategies, it's the subconscious that makes you win.
Play 1 min vs 1 min and don't think but act.

And I'm perfectly fine with people abandoning games when they see they are losing. In fact, if for example you loose your queen by a stupid mistake at the beginning of the game, you are pretty much screwed. You should abandon the game. The rest of the game is pointless. In fact, I don't think it is well seen to continue a pointless game without surrendering, its called wasting your time and the one of your opponent.

With premium membership you get to have nice stats, can hire a trainer for you (!), etc. I don't plan at all to have it.

I'm not talking about surrendering, I'm talking about physically logging out of Chess.com in the middle of a game rather than surrender.

 

[eduhum]

I'm not talking about surrendering, I'm talking about physically logging out of Chess.com in the middle of a game rather than surrender.

Oh yeah I see. You have to wait then to the timer to go on zero to win. happens. I just leave the tab and begin another game

 

[Lord Baal]

Oh yeah I see. You have to wait then to the timer to go on zero to win. happens. I just leave the tab and begin another game

That's not how it works on my iPad. It simply goes into some sort of waiting mode - which has happened to me before if my connection has failed - as if the person will be back, but they never show back up.

 

[plastiqe]

I read the thread up until 2 pages about chess.com.

For the someone who mentioned RFC, Rhye (the creator) has all but stopped development and it's been picked up by Leoreth for RFC: Dawn of Civilization which is still in active development. Check it out, it's like an RFC Expansion pack.

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Anyways, Firaxis. Their site has been down the last 3 days for maintenance. Google still shows the news that:

Firaxis Games is Hiring a Producer! Firaxis Games is looking for a seasoned producer to join our team! Want to work for one of the world’s top development studios ...

The job posting sounded like it was for Civ VI to me because it mentioned experience with AAA games and something about History IIRC.

Second, Firaxis had several developer blog posts from months ago. One on creating the map features in Civ5 from scratch and another on a trip some employees took to a game development conference in San Fran. The San Fran article was very promising because the guy mentioned stuff like learning about better hiring practices, not putting all your eggs in one basket, game making strategy. My comment was that 'Firaxis should be the ones giving the demos, maybe next year.'

One big recent development has been the public testing of the fall patch. AFAIK Firaxis has never done anything like that before; as someone mentioned earlier they've mostly kept to themselves. I think this is a very positive sign of them engaging with their fans.

Lastly, lessons learned from Civ5. They must realize how many people were disappointed with it. The comments on the map development blog were half hate mail; it would have been a feeding frenzy if they'd gone on to show A.I. development. I personally vow to not let them hire another Jon Shafer if I can help it. Had I known they were hiring him last time I could have at least warned them because of the Poland thread from 2004. (TLDR he wants to turn civ4 into Starcraft).

Now that Civ V has seen it's last Expansion it's time for them to shift to Civ VI. I don't know anyone at Firaxis, I'm not qualified to work at Firaxis but I will be paying attention to Firaxis. I must study hirings and blogs that my sons may have liberty to play a better game than last time. : )

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

God, its such a torture to play Civ V. It feels more like doing homework from school then enjoing replay of history of mankind. I hope Civ VI will work out better cause it may as well be the last Civ I am ever going to try...

 

[ParkCungHee]

The time differences between Australia and the majority of my online friends, like yourself, who live overseas would make that difficult, even if one discounted the obvious planning difficulties encountered when one is a single parent.

I'm on Australia time anyway, if you take it up.