Anonymous wrote on Sun, Dec 11, 2005 03:12 AM UTC:
The issue, here, is how a new game distinguishes itself from other, older
games.
It does so by reference to the rules that are similar, and by contrast to
the rules that are different. We ought to know that Rococo somehow
descends from Baroque. That much we should know from the way their names
are spelled. But there is also the issue of the extent of the game's
inheritance. At this point, it is unclear whether the Leaper of Rococo
was actually intended to be any bit different from the Leaper of Baroque,
which I assume to be the same as the Long Leaper of Ultima. Perhaps we
should dwell a moment on the nomenclature for the Leaper, and conclude
that games with 'Long' Leapers operate according to different sets of
rules than those other games featuring general purpose leapers. (Even the
cannonball pawn, for instance, is arguably a kind of Leaper, one that
forbids capturing adjacent pieces in favor of those one square away.) But
unless someone can cite a reference that can be accurately dated back to
the time that Rococo was invented, it will ultimately be a matter moot
than dispositive.
Short of that, we could just as soon flip a nickel.
It does so by reference to the rules that are similar, and by contrast to the rules that are different. We ought to know that Rococo somehow descends from Baroque. That much we should know from the way their names are spelled. But there is also the issue of the extent of the game's inheritance. At this point, it is unclear whether the Leaper of Rococo was actually intended to be any bit different from the Leaper of Baroque, which I assume to be the same as the Long Leaper of Ultima. Perhaps we should dwell a moment on the nomenclature for the Leaper, and conclude that games with 'Long' Leapers operate according to different sets of rules than those other games featuring general purpose leapers. (Even the cannonball pawn, for instance, is arguably a kind of Leaper, one that forbids capturing adjacent pieces in favor of those one square away.) But unless someone can cite a reference that can be accurately dated back to the time that Rococo was invented, it will ultimately be a matter moot than dispositive.
Short of that, we could just as soon flip a nickel.