Hi!

Today I added another training track, Bullseye! and realized it has been a while since I have updated the version number. So here is what has happened recently on Backgammon Studio:

Backgammon Studio 3.2

Improvements since 3.1:

• New actiontags:
  • Blot contact or not.
  • Blot positioning.
  • Homeboard blot or crossover.
  • Cover which homeboard blot.
  • Make which homeboard blot.
  • Hit blot in homeboard or not.
  • Increase directshots or not.
• New training tracks:
  • Bullseye! Hit a blot in your 5 point board or pass on this opportunity?
  • Coverup! Cover which homeboard point? Not always as obvious as it may seem!
  • Volunteer! Volunteer a directshot or play it safe? Sometimes the answer is surprising!
  • Last hope! Take a last attempt at avoiding gammon. Worth a try!
  • Contact! Try to maintain contact with your back blots or don't worry about that?
• Play as with PR summary.
• Tournaments overview.
• My matches versus opponent.
• Scaled chat homescreen.
• Sound settings.
• Access buttons to privately shared databases.

Some images



An ever growing number of training tracks! Current total is 52.



The number of actiontags keeps growing too. Can't get enough of these! :-)



MCG wanted to see a PR comparison at the end of playing through a match in 'Play as' mode (play as one of the original players in the match). I had to try this with a match I played a few years ago (while commuting to work). It was surprisingly fun to compete against my former self! :-) [With your private database you can do this too!]



Which tournaments generate the most matches? The biggest change is Carolina Invitational that jumped from 11th to 6th place after a heroic transcription effort by Michelle Steinberg and her transcription team! Well done!



In your online matches overview you can now find out how well you have played against a particular opponent.



I find this homescreen option very useful (dynamic update of results in the latest news section and updates in the chat log) but it might not fit all screens so you can adjust the size of the chat area.



I suspect the sounds that Backgammon Studio uses can sometimes get a bit annoying so you can now turn off the ones you don't like.



If you have access to a privately shared database you should now see an access button in the main menu so you don't have to navigate to the databases section and then select your database from there.

In other news



Yesterday Backgammon Studio passed 900 users! I'm super happy about that but surely there are more backgammon players out there? :-)

The US is getting a pretty good lead here but there is a chance to fight for second place!



The number of matches in the database keeps growing and is now at 4823 which isn't too bad! I also got a few matches from the Sibernik Open that was recently held in Croatia. This includes the 51 point match that Mochy played against the croatian team. Thanks Mate Feher!

Michelle Steinberg, Rick Janowski, Lawrence Powell, Robert Wachtel, Achim Müller, Kevin Finch, Michael Nielsen, Mochy and possibly more have all sent me matches. A big thanks to everyone!

While writing this posting I got a few emails about match transcriptions uploaded to Backgammon Studio from Janos Csendes. Awesome! Thanks! If you enable email notification of this event you will also get an email whenever this happens.



I suspect I have transcribed a few matches myself recently and currently working my way through 2014.

I am in the process of setting up a new server (more memory, cpu, disk) so Backgammon Studio will become unavailable for a few hours (perhaps longer) sometime next week. I haven't tried this before so wish me luck! :-)

http://www.backgammonstudio.com The swiss army knife of backgammon! :-)

Best regards,
TP