Comments by Edwin Wilhelm

Well I dont have a design for meeting times but it should be not too hard 
to figure one out.
For example the first player to join a game could set a start time maybe 3 days 
into the future at 8 pm MST his/her local time. This would give enough time for 3 
challengers to join the game at their own specific times. For example one player 
may be in China and his/her local time would be 10 am. 

http://www.timeanddate.com/time/map/ 

This site gives a good over view of time zones and there are others.

The program ( game) could include an automatic time insert for each open game 
that has been started or invited.

I have a "Bishops notation" system invented too but I cannot read it on the small
pink board image here (and I dont remember it) and I wont be at my house until mid-

May to review my files. The notation uses the same Chess notation and also adds 

more similar for the extra 64 squares and 4 corner squares.

It seems it would require a pretty invasive change, though, because such GUIs are of course based on the idea there are two players.

>>>>>yes it would be the 164 squares and the 4 corner squares only.

It also seems you don't just want a GUI for local play, but really an internet client that connects to a remote site (e.g. embedded in an internet browser), so that people could play against each other over the internet. This begs the question whether you would want to support 'live' (i.e. real-time with running Chess clocks) or turn-based games (i.e. like correspondence Chess).

>>>>>yes "live" and in real time. People would have to know that other opponents would be ready to play for example at 8 pm their local time. or world-wide would have to arrange specific times etc etc.  Unless enough interest and then when 4 players join the game begins automatic , live 24 hours a day. Also to start, a site that has no "bots" or ability to have "bots" as I would prefer more "humans" playing and some "humans" may like it that there is no "bots", only "humans'.

About your statement that the game ends as Chess: what if the two surviving parties were neighbors? I suppose their Pawns would move at right angles then. That doesn't seem much like a normal Chess game to me...

>>>>>The rules state when a player is checkmated, whatever player that colour is then removed. Play continues with three players until another colour is removed. Then for example if Black and Pink remain,,,Pink must move to the seat at its left. If Black and Grey remain,,,Grey moves to its right. (This part of the rules may be re-written someday to more properly explain it.) If White and Black remain they remain in their respective seats.

It is basically a GUI I want and the ability to allow the legal moves of Chess pieces while playing Bishops and then allow legal moves of Chess when all the remaining pieces of the 2 final players reach the 64 square chess playing board. (Also one problem scenario would be if one of the final 2 players had 2 Bishops on one colour of the diagonal squares , which could theoretically happen, then one Bishop would need to enter the Chess area on a different colour square. ) (Also other problem scenarios may occur with pawn movement but precise writing of the rules would fix these scenarios)

One thing I do not know, since not enough actual Bishops Games have been played out to completion, and would like to know is how the average piece count would fair when the game continues "as Chess". If the 2 remaining players skill level at Bishops is more or less evenly matched , then the remaining pieces should be of similar strength. The ability to "survive" until the game becomes "Chess" is an added feature that "Chess" itself does not have. In Chess you either win or lose or draw. With Bishops you must first "survive" to reach the final stage which is then played as "Chess". Position and strength of the 2 remaining players will most likely not be similar to an "average" Chess game. With Bishops, if a player cannot learn how to "survive" then he will never be able to finish the game "as Chess". This feature and others is why I think Bishops, The Game could be someday.....viable.

Correction, adding an option to have a random backline is not a rule change , only an option that any game can use. Including Chess itself as I think proposed once by Bobby Fisher. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess960

Thanks for the comments.
Bishops is a four player game yes, but it ends as "Chess".

Since I am not a programmer I might ask silly questions at times.

What I am looking for is just a good visual game and only "smart" to the point
that legal moves are recognised.

To develop a "smart" bot to play Bishops would not be needed at this time.

As Bishops has to be played offensively to the left and defensively to the right, it adds
a more challenging effect. Skill and possibly a factor of luck is needed. Still luck
cannot be used in order to win consistently.

When the final 2 players are reached and are on the Chess playing area, then it is a Chess game to determine the winner. What pieces they have remaining depends on their overall Bishops playing ability.

The game was invented to allow four players to play a "Chess like" game. Which I think it does.

I do have a Java online version at another location and may have it online in May-June hopefully. However it will need bug fixes.

Looking for  programmers who may be able to get another version up and running
for play on Google Chrome etc etc...

Yes losing a Knight for a Rook would affect only 2 players, but there is how many combinations of 2 players ?......uh....WG..GB...BP...PW...plus WB...WP ...uh....16 combinations I think.....

Also as an upgrade to the rules will be the "option" to have the "Backline" placed at random starting points. Therefore a King could be placed beside its "safe" corner,,,then immediately the Bishops obtain the power of a Queen.

Any Chess variant is not meant to replace Chess and never will. Some variants can be fun to play and viable if given a chance and Bishops is one maybe. As it ends "as Chess" , not many other variants I have seen do this.....??

Not too much worried about developing robots or computer play.

Could Bishops, The Game be added to an existing chess engine with the extra 64 squares plus the four (4) corner squares?

Legal move detection is needed for a basic game.

Looking for programmers.

OK thanks that is a good point.

Another question:

Does anyone know of a site or "Chess site" whereby the "Chessmen" actually "fight" as in a video game type scenario? (using hand held controller compatible with computer website game)

This would be a variant obviously of Chess, but I am considering such a game scenario using "Bishops". This format would continue until the game was played "as Chess" , 2 players, as Chess is Chess.

Please reply with info or comments.

Hello,
This is the inventor of Bishops, The Game.

I would like to ask a question to the audience and get some opinions:

Question:
If and when an "online version" of Bishops. The Game is introduced someday in the future , should it allow "robots" or computer players ? ie the program would also supply a robot if requested. 

Or would it be better to only allow "REAL people" who are logged in to play?

Please add comments and say "Yes" to have computers and robot play or "No" to only have REAL people log in and play.

As the Inventor/Owner I am leaning toward "No" myself, but am undecided as yet.

A future online site may be resdy and "live" sometime in July-August 2014.