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Topic: Hello and first thoughts (Read 1498 times) |
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akensond
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Arimaa player #6195
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Hello and first thoughts
« on: Feb 16th, 2011, 8:29pm » |
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Hi all,
I couldn't find a place to put my hello when I opened hello topic so here it is instead.
I recently bought my Zman games edition and started to play against my nephews. We were all hooked by the first game and now I have to buy two more games for them!
I then rushed to buy the book. A very good read. I now understand more about tactics and strategy so will visit here more often.
After only about 20 games, I'll risk saying that is the best game since the Gipf project, and I suspect, much deeper than any of the games in the Gipf series. But time will decide.
Great work Omar and thanks!
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Fritzlein
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Arimaa player #706
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Re: Hello and first thoughts
« Reply #1 on: Feb 16th, 2011, 10:52pm » |
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Welcome akensond! Thanks for your kind words about my book.
Which of the Gipf games is the strategically deepest in your opinion? Do you think any/many of them have staying power, and if so, why?
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| « Last Edit: Feb 16th, 2011, 11:10pm by Fritzlein » |
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akensond
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Arimaa player #6195
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Re: Hello and first thoughts
« Reply #2 on: Feb 17th, 2011, 1:44am » |
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Your welcome Fritzlein. The book truely is good, especially since it has no section on openings or endgame theory...bravo! And of course you give a mention to my favourite German thinker.
To Gipf:
Each time I played a new game in the Gipf series I changed my mind on potetial depth and longevity. I think the last of the series Tzaar will prove the deepest but I think depth is possibly at the expense of clarity.
I find the random setup provides perhaps something like infinite depth (and perhaps branching problems for computers), but whereas with Arimaa, the random set up does not look daunting or overwhelming, perhaps because it is all staged on the first and second ranks.
I imediately tried the most obvious strategy of moving rabbits and supporting this with the strengh of a couple of heavyweight pieces while trying to avoid the traps.
So while I didn't know what I was doing I immediately felt I could find out what to do by starting somewhere obvious...rabbit must get to the other side... can't get there alone...must avoid traps and so on.
Look at the random setup of Tzaar and thank God there were not 60 or 70 pieces for each player on an extended board! I think you discuss this issue in relation to Go. Why not make Go on a 50 x 50 board?
Arimaa is 'efficient'.
The original Gipf game is losing attention by gamers but it is the most intuitive and clear to me. Dvonn is quite beautiful, but again, the setup issue. Zertz is the most beautiful, and the shrinking board makes for a different kind of tension, but I find it a little opaque and counter-intuitive.
Tzaar might well have the longest life but I like the clarity of the original Gipf. Perhaps it's my Connect Four history as a child? The place-then-move mechanic does not concern me. It appears clear and I have yet to exhaust its depth.
The potentials are a great addition that increases variety and depth, and this might see them kick around a bit longer.
However, I think that what goes a little against all the games is the greater emphasis on tactics over strategy (at least when I'm playing) and that is perhaps the death of games because it gives an imediate, yet shallower pleasure at the expense of a longer term discovery and richer pleasure. One looks to the next new fad.
Yes, Arimma does have a 'steep learning curve', and within the first game one knows one has made progress, and that it is not futile.
If I have one possible criticism of Arimaa from a 'Beginning...' player, it is that the four-step option, while a means to a specific end (revenge on Deep Blue) can lead, especially in the middle game, to the feeling of overwhelming option and a lack of control.
I love surprises, but not ones I had no chance of seeing just two moves ago!
However, I'm no control freak so I'm happy to be lost at sea for the time being.
Maybe for life
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omar
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Re: Hello and first thoughts
« Reply #3 on: Feb 17th, 2011, 9:40am » |
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Welcome to the Arimaa community and thanks for the nice comments. Be sure to stop by during the world championship games which usually feature live commentary. It will give you a chance to check out some high quality Arimaa games and see how much we still don't know about the game 
Check the 'Scheduled Games' section in the gameroom for game times.
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| « Last Edit: Feb 17th, 2011, 9:41am by omar » |
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Fritzlein
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Arimaa player #706
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Re: Hello and first thoughts
« Reply #4 on: Feb 17th, 2011, 10:19am » |
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Thanks for the rundown on the Gipf series. I will be curious to see which games in the series, if any, maintain a following ten years from now. Thanks also for your first impressions on Arimaa. The feeling of being "out of control" is not something that goes away, at least not in my experience, but once I discovered that I could beat the bots even in out-of-control positions, I didn't mind so much any more.  I hope that you remain impressed with Arimaa as you play it more and more.
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