[comp.sys.amiga.games] ChessMaster 2100

caw@miroc.Chi.IL.US (Christopher A. Wichura) (01/06/91)

I have been playing around with ChessMaster 2100 for a little while now and
have a question to ask of other A3000 owners:  When the game displays the
moves list (either as the menu function or when in war mode), does it kill
the machine for about 15 seconds?  I'm guessing its getting a slew of bus
errors.  (Now where's that terminal...  Gotta see what Enforcer says...
(Actually, I wish I did have a terminal :( ))

Also, someone mentioned they wanted a chess game that would let them work
on specific openings.  Welp, CM2100 has a `Pactice Opening' option.  To
tell the truth, the game has LOTS of options.  And a nice on-line help
utility as well.  It says it is rated at 2322 (or thereabouts, I don't
remember off hand), though I'm such a lousy player I can't comment on this.
The game was kind enough to let me win a few times in newcomer mode,
however, which is better than I can say for some other chess games (I've
never won against a computer chess game before) (yes, I'm that bad a
player :->).

The game looks pretty nice, too.  I'd have to say its a lot better than
CheckMate (the 3d mode on that is nearly unusable in my opinion).  You can
also design your own pieces if you like (CheckMate allows this too,
correct?).  The music and voice are ok, but I found one tires of them
quickly and run in silent mode.

The game also sports a Boss!  option.  It brings up the stupidest looking
spreadsheet report I've ever seen.  One, for this option to be viable, it
ought to bring up a user defined image.  What if your work has nothing to
do with a spreadsheet?  Really, though, on the Amiga this function isn't
needed as you can just leave your real program running as well and flip
screens to it and actually do something so you look productive instead of
staring at junk.  Eat you heart out MS-DOS...

And why, oh why, must they open the stupid About window every time you quit
the game?  Why'd they even bother to make it a menu option if they are
gonna pull stupid, obnoxious stuff like this?

Outside of newcomer mode (which is all I have been playing so far), the
game thinks when you are choosing your move.  I'm wondering if on my A3000
I'm giving it a chance to think even more or if it limits the amount of
time it can think via video synchronization.  If it thinks faster on a
faster machine, that's giving the machine an even greater edge...

All in all, ChessMaster 2100 looks like a very nice game.  And the port is
actually a pretty worthwhile port, instead of the usual junk EA throws our
way.  If you're a chess fan, you probably won't be disappointed with it.

-=> CAW

Christopher A. Wichura                Multitasking.  Just DO it.
caw@miroc.chi.il.us  (my amiga)                          ...the Amiga way...
u12401@uicvm.uic.edu (school account)