Although FICS and US CHESS LIVE are WONDERFUL and I can be found playing there all the time, here are a few suggestions that I have to help improve/enhance these servers. This text file seems like a better way of expressing them than if I had simply messaged them. The suggestions are in no particular order. Note that I will probably add more suggestions to this file as I think of them. Some are major, others are very minor. A recap of the suggestions can be found at the bottom of the page. - Edward D. Collins (EdCollins on FICS, DICS, EICS, MEWIS, Chess.net and USChessLive...) Suggestion #1 ------------- Have you ever heard of what I believe is called "rapid transit" chess? From what I've read, this was very popular in the '50s and '60s, especially in the clubs in New York City. It's 10 seconds per move. (I THINK back then it was commonly played at 10 seconds per move. No reason why that figure couldn't be more or less.) There is no "increment." Each player has, for example, 10 seconds to make their move. If they make it earlier, there is NO bonus or time added on to their clock... they'll have another 10 seconds to make their next move. (As I understand it, in NY a bell would ring in the chess clubs every 10 seconds... and if you didn't finish your move before the bell sounded, you lost!) After reading about this, a friend of mine and I recently played this with his new Chronos digital clock. WAS IT EVER FUN!! There is an element to it that is completely different from games with or without an increment! It would be a total hit if FICS could implement this type of a time control as an option. Of course, there are a lot of things to work out... What should be considered a lightning rapid transit game, (1-3 seconds per move?) what should be considered blitz and standard etc. How to specify this type of game? (SEEK 0 0 10 maybe?) But it is something for the powers that be to strongly consider. (This idea is probably way ahead of its time. I'm sure that someday this option will be available on one of the servers somewhere. When it is and when it becomes a popular way to play, you heard it here first.) Suggestion #2 ------------- While playing a recent game, my obnoxious opponent was in a lost position and kept offering a draw after every single one of his moves. This type of behavior would not be allowed in an OTB tourney and it shouldn't be here. It seems to me that it wouldn't be too hard to implement a rule that if you offer your opponent a draw twice, and he/she refuses both times, the next draw offer must come from him/her... you're not allowed to offer a draw again. From a programmer's standpoint, it doesn't sound too hard to implement. Simply increment the number of draw offers each time, if it came from the same party. If it's more than two, send back a message to the person offering it, stating that he is not allowed to offer one again. If it didn't come from him, simply reset the reset the draw counter back to 1. Suggestion #3 ------------- In the FischeRandom help and rules files, I see that name spelled with two r's (FischerRandom) with one r (FischeRandom) and as two words (Fischer Random). I think the help files should be updated and should be consistent with one another. (I personally don't know WHICH is the correct spelling. My preference is none of the above. I would spell it with a hyphen it the whole thing was up to me: Fischer-Random.) Suggestion #4 ------------- With the price of storage space (hard disk space) dropping all the time, is it possible to have everyone's "history" display their last 20 games like ICC does, and not just 10? What about going one better than ICC and going all the way up to 25? Is that possible? (It is something that would probably welcomed by everyone!) Suggestion #5 ------------- I've added another new FICS login screen to go with the others I've created. I now have eight in all. They can all be seen at: http://edcollins.com/chess/fics-login.txt Suggestion #6 ------------- The censor command actually does TOO much. Not only does it filter out tells, shouts, cshouts, kibitz, whispers, or says, from the individual that you specify, but it filters out match requests too. But if I wanted to filter out match requests from an individual, I could simply +noplay this person. So between +noplay and +censor, I can completely ignore this person. Fine. But what if I wanted to not HEAR him, but I didn't mind PLAYING him? Well, there is currently no way to do this, because +censor (to not hear him) ALSO filters out the match requests. Ideally, match requests should still come through when you censor someone. By cutting DOWN on what censor does, you would then actually have MORE control than what you do now! Suggestion #7 ------------- My choice of interfaces is WinBoard, a popular choice. However, when logged into FICS, after every move I make, as well as after every text input from the server, I see this: "fics%" For example: fics% Machugina (2041) seeking 1 0 unrated Lightning ("play 10" to respond) fics% koppite (1512) seeking 2 12 unrated Blitz ("play 28" to respond) fics% koppite (1512) seeking 3 12 unrated Blitz ("play 8" to respond) fics% oldsamiam (++++) seeking 2 12 unrated Blitz ("play 41" to respond) This "fics%" of course, is my "prompt." But on ICC I can set my prompt to 0 and then not see anything at all, so the same text would look like this... Machugina (2041) seeking 1 0 unrated Lightning ("play 10" to respond) koppite (1512) seeking 2 12 unrated Blitz ("play 28" to respond) koppite (1512) seeking 3 12 unrated Blitz ("play 8" to respond) oldsamiam (++++) seeking 2 12 unrated Blitz ("play 41" to respond) ... which is much nicer looking and easier to read. However, if I try to suppress this prompt on FICS, (SET PROMPT 0) all it does is change the "fics%" to "0" and looks like this: 0 Machugina (2041) seeking 1 0 unrated Lightning ("play 10" to respond) 0 koppite (1512) seeking 2 12 unrated Blitz ("play 28" to respond) 0 koppite (1512) seeking 3 12 unrated Blitz ("play 8" to respond) 0 oldsamiam (++++) seeking 2 12 unrated Blitz ("play 41" to respond) Could the server code be altered and allow one to completely suppress this prompt if one so desires? Note: Tim Mann believes this is related to the timeseal program. +----------------------------+ | IMPLEMENTED !! | Suggestion #8 +----------------------------+ ------------- I know several players who actually seem to enjoy using a Java (ugg) interface on both ICC and Chess.net. Whether it's because they aren't able to use a telnet client or whether they find Java simpler, or what, I don't know. But it would be nice if we could give these people the opportunity to play here, and offer them a Java interface as well. At times, Yahoo's chess site (ugg again) now has up to 2600 people logged in, playing chess. If we could offer a Java interface that was equal to, or surpassed theirs, we could then give the people who play there a similar way to access FICS. Suggestion #9 ------------- ICC's "noescape" variable, to cut down on adjudications, is a good idea. Chess.net has this now as well. (If I recall it's called your "safety" variable over there.) What this is, is if both players have this set to 1 or true, then if either player disconnects that player automatically loses... the game is not saved on the server. This is a nice option to have and I think it would be wise to implement our own noescape or safety variable. The people in charge of adjudicating games would probably agree. Suggestion #10 -------------- On the FICS homepage, on the Quick Guide page, at item #6... Graphical interfaces... a) Although I don't use CClient, I don't think that screen shot does the program, and therefore FICS, any justice at all... the board is way to small and the colors of the board and pieces are too... funky? A nicer screen shot should be created to better represent that program. For example, take a look at the Fritz5.32 screenshot at www.chessbase.com. (Once there, click on the "Fritz5.32 now shipping" link) Isn't that a wonderful screen shot of that program? That screen shot alone gives me the desire to purchase that product. b) the link marked "graphic boards" does not exist. (A not found error results.) ** FIXED!! ** Suggestion #11 -------------- How does one even know that it is possible that the "suggestion" account even exists and that one can message it? Typing INFO doesn't list this possibility in any way nor does typing HELP COMMANDS. It's not listed when one first signs on in the login screen either. Seems to me that there should be some documentation file somewhere (a suggestion help file) that mentions it. Suggestion #12 -------------- Since the server is capable of e-mailing me my games in a PGN format if I so choose, it seems to me that it would be very easy to implement a new PGN command that could list, on the screen, a game in one's history, or journal or whatever, in this PGN format. Currently, I don't think this is possible! PGN, of course, is the universal format almost all chess programs and viewers recognize. One CAN list the game with either the OLDMOVES, SMOVES or MOVES command, but it is not listed in this more popular PGN format... it's listed in what I refer to as the "oldmoves" format. (Again, ICC has a neat little PGN command which does this.) +----------------------------+ | IMPLEMENTED !! | Suggestion #13 +----------------------------+ -------------- "Bad index given; no such ad." when replying too late to a seek sounds a little... harsh. It makes you feel like you've made a mistake or something. How about, "That player has already started a game." or something similar, instead? Suggestion #14 -------------- Even if a new PGN command is not created, (see #12) when a FischeRandom game is e-mailed to you, (or other wild variants in which the pieces do not start on their original squares) in a PGN format, it really MUST include the startup position! Otherwise the notation is almost useless. For example, simply include the FEN tag: [FEN "bbnnrkrq/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/BBNNRKRQ w - - 0 1"] This way you'll be able to load the game into any of the many PGN viewers and reply the game. Otherwise, you will not be able to. +----------------------------+ | IMPLEMENTED ON 2-10-99 !! | Suggestion #15 +----------------------------+ -------------- Since Channel 1 is the help channel, when a guest signs on, I think they should be added to Channel 1 automatically. Some interfaces will do this, but not all. Isn't is possible to have the server do it? Suggestion #16 -------------- I think that accounts on FICS like Eddie, Supermann, tri, Rock, Abba, Thief, and dozens more like these should be removed. These players have NEVER connected (not even once) and are using a handle that someone else may wish to use. I propose that if you register an account but you don't sign on within, oh, say three months (that's plenty of time) that account should be deleted. Suggestion #17 -------------- Along those same lines, if a player has not played a single game on the server, and hasn't even connected in x number of days or months, this account too should be deleted. +----------------------------+ | IMPLEMENTED !! | Suggestion #18 +----------------------------+ -------------- To help cut down on the occasional guests that flood the profanity in some of the channels, I'd love to see implemented something that replaces know profane words with asterisks. (Again, ICC has this. Hey, they do have SOME good ideas.) After all, we are a family server. Ideally, a variable could be set, which would then determine if you wished this to see or not his profanity. Note that when guests sign on this profane variable would be set to true by default. t votebot v 101 *Change the way shouts are displayed on the screen. (We're not really 'shouting.') When one shouts, this is displayed for all to see: "EdCollins shouts: Does anyone know if Kasparov won today?" Actually, we've all come to 'filter out' the word "shouts" when we see a shout on our screen. Actually, we "see" it in our mind as this: "EdCollins: Does anyone know if Kasparov won today?" Thus, I think that's how a shout should be displayed. Note: There is no reason to change the command. It would still be shout . Suggestion #19 -------------- Here's a minor one. When one "shouts," this is displayed for all to see: -> EdCollins shouts: Does anyone know if Kasparov won today? Believe it or not, we've all come to filter out the word "shouts" when we see a shout on our screen. Actually, we "see" it in our mind as this: -> EdCollins: Does anyone know if Kasparov won today? Thus, I think that's how a shout should be displayed. Most of the time, when someone "shouts" it's not as if they were "shouting" their words anyway. Usually one is just making a comment or a statement of some kind. There is no reason to change the command. I would still type shout to shout, but it think it would look nicer on the screen (less clutter, for one) if the word "shout" was removed. And, of course, the "it" command would still be different than a shout... -> EdCollins wonders if Kasparov won today. ...so there is no problem there. Suggestion #20 -------------- FischeRandom is considered a wild game. When you play a rated FischeRandom game, your wild rating is updated and your wins and losses in your wild category are updated. But FischeRandom is actually a much more "normal" wild variant than say... style 3 (where you could have SEVERAL Queens or SEVERAL Rooks, etc.) style 5 (where each player's pawns each start out on their 7th rank!) style 8 (where each player's pawns each start out on their 4th rank!) style 8a (where each player's pawns each start out on their 5th rank!) ...etc. For this reason, I'd believe FischeRandom games should have their own category. I think this would also help to make it more popular. (It's a wonderful game.) rating RD win loss draw total best Blitz 1667 41.1 1599 1446 186 3231 1822 (18-Aug-96) Standard 2158 225.9 6 2 0 8 Lightning 1592 39.9 350 355 35 740 1683 (27-Mar-97) Wild 1835 201.1 7 5 1 13 Bughouse ---- 350.0 0 0 0 0 Crazyhouse ---- 350.0 0 0 0 0 Suicide 1405 143.5 28 60 2 90 1766 (08-Apr-97) FischeRnd ---- 350.0 0 0 0 0 Suggestion #21 -------------- At times I find myself observing the highest ranked game. To do this I must first type GAMES, wait for the information to appear, and then type OB . Ideally, the observe command could take an additional argument or two, to automatically show me the highest ranked game. I suggest something like: ob +s to show me the highest ranked Standard game ob +b to show me the highest ranked Blitz game ob -b to show me the lowest ranked Blitz game etc. Suggestion #22 -------------- With so many different ways that one can customize what they see or don't see on the screen (being able to see or not see shouts and chouts, being able to see seek ads or not, being able to see just the seeks ads that one is interested in, being able to censor someone, being able to listen or not listen to the channels of your choice, etc., etc., etc.,) I find it odd that one cannot "turn off" your rank adjustment after you've played a rated game. Lightning rating adjustment: 1629 --> 1616 Lightning rank: 1045/1649 (down 27) Lightning hrank: 985/1588 (down 27) I know a lot of people who would rather not see this and I'm one of them. Although it is now taken for granted, I can recall that when this was first implemented, how surprised I was that it could not be turned off. I propose that a new "rank" variable be created. If rank is set to 1, or true, then this information is given to you after your games. Otherwise it won't be. Suggestion #23 -------------- If your PIN variable is set true, you'll be notified when all others log on and off the server. Well, I enjoy knowing when people log ON, but it really doesn't interest me much to know when the log OFF. Thus, ideally I'd like to see just HALF of the information provided by the PIN variable. How about if PIN = 1 would display just the names of those logging on. PIN = 2 would display just the names of those logging off. PIN = 3 would display both the names of those logging on and off. Again, this is just another idea which allows one to customize the server to EXACTLY what they want... without taking anything away from what is already there. Ideas / Suggestions Recap ========================= Note that the ideas with an "!" in front of them are hard to argue against because implementing this idea/suggestion would not displease anyone; if they didn't like this new feature then they simply wouldn't use it. And the ideas with an "*" in front of them I think that the majority of the players would either a) love to see or b) wouldn't care one way or another if they were implemented or not. ! 1) Allow one to play a rapid transit game! * 2) Allow just two consecutive draw offers to your opponent and no more. ! 3) Clean up the FischeRandom help files. * 4) Increase the number of games saved in ones "history" to 20 or 25. * 5) Update the FICS login screen with any one of the eight that I have. ! 6) Give one more power by altering the properties of the censor command. ! 7) Allow the fics% prompt to be suppressed if so desired. ! 8) Give those who prefer Java an opportunity to play here. IMPLEMENTED! ! 9) Create a "noescape" variable, similar to ICC's and Chess.net's. * 10) A modification to a certain homepage graphic would be better. ! 11) Let others know about being able to "message suggestion." ! 12) Create a PGN command to list a game in a PGN format. * 13) Re-word "Bad index given; no such ad." to something less harsh. IMPLEMENTED! ! 14) Include the FEN tag for the startup position on wild variants. ! 15) Automatically add all guests to channel 1 when they sign on. IMPLEMENTED! * 16) Delete never-activated accounts that are x number of days old. * 17) Delete activated accounts who have never played after x number of days. ! 18) Have the server replace profanity with asterisks if you desire this. IMPLEMENTED! * 19) Change the display on the screen when someone "shouts." * 20) FischeRandom games should be in their own category. ! 21) Enhance the "observe" command to show the highest ranked game. ! 22) A new "rank" variable determines if info is given to you after a game. ! 23) Alter the PIN variable to make it more versatile. (This file was last updated Saturday morning, October 7, 2000.)