Hi all,
I try to make a sort of requests to the Backgammon NJ app for Apple. I start with the things that can maybe improve the app itself.
I AM TALKING ONLY FOR TURN BASED VERSION. Kindly read all paragraphs.
1) POSSIBILITY TO SKIP FORCED MOVES
I played a lot on Dailiy gammon. There there's the possibility to play many moves in sequence because backgammon has many routine moves, which are pre-viewed by an intermediate engine. Clearly if opponent at some point of the sequence make a different move the sequence stops and hero has to play according to the new position. This speeds up a lot the games: by experience I'd say that games are at least 40-50% faster.
I don't wanna say that it should be implemented on BGNJ,
but at least implement the possibility to skip automatic or forced moves. Between experienced players it will be chosen in an instant and for the random players simply keep things as they are.
2) DREAM: ANALYZE GAMES ON THE IPHONE
Ok, is great that you write the ER at the end of the game. But can you implement the possibility to rewiew the game on the phone, as on the PC, with the possibility to spot errors by NJ engine? It would be great. It's boring to send games by email, download and put them on XG... finally if you can put even the "luck one player had" it would be interesting.
3) NEXT GAME BUTTON MORE CLEAR
Ok, there's the tap tap mode, or the swipe mode to go from a game to another. But it's completely counter-intuitive. Simply after a move make a "Next game" button appear, one clicks on it and it's simpler to skip to another game. No need to tap 20000 times somewhere in the top of the board as it is now (at least on my Iphone)
3) TAKE A LOOK AT XG MOBILE BOARD.
BGNJ has a fine board but for me it's aesthetically ugly, patriculary when there are more than 4 ceckers on a point. That's not a huge minus, but take a look at XG mobile board and see if you can take inspiration by that "statue of perfection".
Now take some compliments:
1) It's a pay backgammon app. That's great. You completely eliminate random players that drops tons of games and inflate elo at random. It looks like gridgammon environment, full of interested people. Great job.
2) A plus: No elo change for droppers. That's great: now elo rating is not arassed by randoms.
3) You can find a lot of (good) players even in turn based mode. I have 50 active games on my phone (even if you said that the limit is 30) and some of them plays at 6-7 ER. It's an interesting challenge when you play against serious regs.
Thanks for reading.