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        Arimaa >> Site Discussion >> Software improvement suggestions
        
(Message started by: Ryan_Cable on Jan 20^th, 2006, 2:23pm)

Title: Software improvement suggestions
Post by Ryan_Cable on Jan 20^th, 2006, 2:23pm

During the WC and over the last couple months, I though up several software improvements that I think would be useful. I have never programmed in Flash nor done any internet server programming, so I have little idea how much work these things would take. I am just throwing things out there, so they can at least be considered. In no particular order:

Replace the scoring function with FAME. After move 19b, Aamira was down DCR for nothing, but it had a score advantage of 1022 points. Moreover, clueless was so passive that it is quite plausible that good play by Aamira could have drug the game out to the limit. To be fair, this would probably have to wait until the CC and Challenge are over. My understanding is that jdb is already using FAME in Clueless, so you might be able to copy his code to do the scoring.

http://arimaa.com/arimaa/gameroom/comments.cgi?gid=23512

Move the send button in the plan window. If the send buttons were in different positions, it would be almost impossible to accidentally send a move you meant to plan. I know this is a dumb mistake to make with the different colored backgrounds, but when playing a tough game I tend to hyperfocus, and it would be nice to have one less thing to worry about.

Add a synchronize button to the plan window. Currently, if you are using the plan window and a new move comes in, you have to close and reopen the window or else takeback the line you were considering and manually input the new move. Both of which take 10s to 15s (and reopening the plan window can take 2m on dialup). It would be nice if there were a button you could press in the plan window and have it automatically update to the latest move in the game window. It would be especially nice if the synchronize process kept the line you were considering when it is still valid (if your opponent made the move you predicted or an equivalent move), but it would be useful even without this.

Fix the gameroom counter for the chat window. Often, I will open the chat window and the counter will not increment. This is particularly bad if the counter is at zero, because people will think the chat is empty and no one will enter, because when you enter the empty chat, no one else will join you, because the broken counter causes people to think the chat is empty... It also might be worthwhile to see if there is a better chat program available. It is good enough for me, but I know some (Linux) people have problems with it.

I have grown quite fond of the new style time controls, but I don’t like the way the server displays the T factor in the Reserve box for the person who is thinking. It makes it harder to compare your reserve to your opponent’s reserve when deciding how to manage your time. I guess it is not that hard to keep track of it in your head, but I would prefer not to have to. I think it would be better to have the T factor display in the Move box. One way to do it would be to have the increment countdown in yellow as normal, then when it runs out display the T factor counting down in red (or any other currently unused color).

Title: Re: Software improvement suggestions
Post by omar on Jan 22^nd, 2006, 12:28am

Thanks for the suggestions Ryan. I'll keep them in mind when I begin making major changes this summer.

Title: Re: Software improvement suggestions
Post by Ryan_Cable on Jan 22^nd, 2006, 1:24pm

A couple easy ones:

The link from my Game Record page for all games, of any color, with any result, points to
http://arimaa.com/arimaa/gameroom/pastrecord.cgi?id=2171
which is just the Game Record page itself. If you changed it to point to something like
http://arimaa.com/arimaa/gameroom/pastrecord.cgi?id=2171&s=x
it would actually display the games. Also, it would be really nice to have a switch to display only human opponents or only bot opponents, like the all/rated/unrated switch.

From http://arimaa.com/arimaa/rating/
The rating uncertianty of a player increases by one point per week if the player has been inactive for the week and the rating uncertianty is between 30 and 120.

Actually, the RU is being increased for everyone with RU between 30 and 120. Either the statement or the code should be changed to make them agree. Personally, I would prefer to have the code changed to match the statement, but 1 point per week is so small it doesn’t really matter.

PS Word claims uncertainty is the correct spelling.

Title: Re: Software improvement suggestions
Post by omar on Jan 30^th, 2006, 12:46pm

I changed the game records page as Ryan suggested. Let me know if you notice any bugs.

I updated the ratings page to match the code. Originally the plan was to increase the RU only for inactive players, so I wrote it up that way, but when I went to code it, it became kind of tricky to determine if a player is inactive or not. For example what if a player has not completed any games in the last week, but has postal games going; is the player active only if he makes moves in those games? What if a player is playing only unrated games; is that considered active or are only rated games considered? So I figured just keep it simple and increase it for everyone. But then I forgot to update the ratings page. Thanks for bringing it to my attention Ryan.

Title: Re: Software improvement suggestions
Post by jdb on Jan 30^th, 2006, 3:05pm

One suggestion:

Make it possible to setup a position and begin play from that position. It should probably be unrated too.

For example, this would be a good way for someone to practice their goal defence against a bot.

Title: Re: Software improvement suggestions
Post by PMertens on Jan 30^th, 2006, 3:06pm

maybe with a random goal in x generator ? ::) that would be awesome ;-)

Title: Re: Software improvement suggestions
Post by Ryan_Cable on Feb 8^th, 2006, 2:33pm

The plan window counts repetitions differently than the game server. The game server scores a loss when a player causes a position to occur the third time, but the plan window shows the loss the third time the position is repeated (the fourth occurrence). I think the way the game server works is clearly the most reasonable.

I don’t understand why the plan window isn’t identical to the actual results, but as far as I can tell it is not effected by what move you begin planning on. I noticed this by looking at http://arimaa.com/arimaa/gameroom/comments.cgi?gid=23956 The game ends by repetition on move 30w, but the plan window never shows the loss until 31w.