Miniature

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Miniature is still not ready for end users. It doesn't play offline games and doesn't even know how to go online.
Miniature is still not ready for end users. It doesn't play offline games and doesn't even know how to go online.
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[http://maemo.org/packages/package_instance/view/fremantle_extras-devel_free_armel/miniature/0.1.2-1 Miniature 0.1.2-1] is available in Maemo 5 [[Extras-devel]], a repository recommended only to developers. End users will do good staying far from it, but there is a [https://launchpad.net/~michael-hasselmann/+archive/miniature launchpad PPA] with irregularly updated Ubuntu 9.04 packages.
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[http://maemo.org/packages/package_instance/view/fremantle_extras-devel_free_armel/miniature/0.1.3-1 Miniature 0.1.3-1] is available in Maemo 5 [[Extras-devel]], a repository recommended only to developers. End users will do good staying far from it, but there is a [https://launchpad.net/~michael-hasselmann/+archive/miniature launchpad PPA] with irregularly updated Ubuntu 9.04 packages.
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This version can:
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New features in the last version:
 +
* Candidate UI to move pieces: one click to select piece, second click to select destination square and click to an external button to confirm the move. Pieces and squares can be changed at will before clicking the confirmation button.
 +
* Checks are detected now.
 +
* Backend fixes improving the responsiveness of the moves.
 +
 
 +
Features implemented in previous releases:
* Boot a screen in portrait mode.
* Boot a screen in portrait mode.
* Display a nice-looking board.
* Display a nice-looking board.
* Set the pieces in starting position.
* Set the pieces in starting position.
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* Enforce basic chess rules: capture pieces, auto-promote pawns to queens etc. What is missing is basically anything related to the King and en-passant captures.
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* Enforce basic chess rules except:
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* Highlight the selected piece.
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** Checkmate
 +
** Stalemate
 +
** Castling
 +
** En-passant
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** Pawn promotion (works in the desktop version)
Check [[Miniature/Development]] to follow the latest status and to get involved.
Check [[Miniature/Development]] to follow the latest status and to get involved.

Revision as of 16:07, 19 December 2009

You love chess. You love Maemo and its devices. You believe they fit so well... yet you haven't found a convincing implementation of a chess game for Maemo. Miniature to the rescue!

Contents

The concept

Miniature is a chess board that is always with you, ready to let you play and learn wherever you go.

  • The main use case is playing online against other players at http://freechess.org (FICS)
  • Now imagine that you can also chat with the other player.
  • Learning is important: watch games live, review stored games and also process offline the lessons offered at FICS.
  • Play P2P games against other players next to you or in your Contacts.
  • And not only regular chess. See also Antichess, Chess960...

Miniature is based on Qt, targets Maemo as primary platform and plans to have ports for Symbian, Windows Mobile and desktop OSs (Linux, Windows, Mac).

News

Features

Miniature is still not ready for end users. It doesn't play offline games and doesn't even know how to go online.

Miniature 0.1.3-1 is available in Maemo 5 Extras-devel, a repository recommended only to developers. End users will do good staying far from it, but there is a launchpad PPA with irregularly updated Ubuntu 9.04 packages.

New features in the last version:

  • Candidate UI to move pieces: one click to select piece, second click to select destination square and click to an external button to confirm the move. Pieces and squares can be changed at will before clicking the confirmation button.
  • Checks are detected now.
  • Backend fixes improving the responsiveness of the moves.

Features implemented in previous releases:

  • Boot a screen in portrait mode.
  • Display a nice-looking board.
  • Set the pieces in starting position.
  • Enforce basic chess rules except:
    • Checkmate
    • Stalemate
    • Castling
    • En-passant
    • Pawn promotion (works in the desktop version)

Check Miniature/Development to follow the latest status and to get involved.

Screenshots

This is how the real application will look like in v0.1.3-x.

Miniature-in-need-of-an-excorcism.png
The black pieces can be rotated by 180°, for simplistic human vs human offline mode. Player information was moved below the board.
Miniature-movelist.png
Implemented as a stacked widget, players can see their moves in a separate view. It's only mock-up code at the moment.
Miniature-about.png
The about dialog.
All pieces.png
Rules for all pieces implemented
Miniature learns chess in korius' development branch. Here rooks and knights know how to behave with each other.
Miniature glossy svg.png
Miniature with a glossy SVG board (contributed by tbf) as seen in the SDK.
Screenshot00.png
Miniature right after boot in the N900. It should look nice and glossy but there is a bug in the missing SVG transparency.
Miniature Screenshot01.png
The opening looks nice and the UI is finger friendly, very usable and actually precise.
Miniature Screenshot02 20091116.png
We are still teaching Miniature how to play proper chess.

Mockups

How things should look like in the future. (We are looking for real designers!)

First boot.

Contact us

Questions, feedback and contributions are welcome!

Development

See /Development for more information on developing Miniature.

There are some policies that we follow in the project.

Contributors

Special thanks to Colin M.L. Burnett for his free piece set used by Wikipedia.

Retrieved from "http://wiki.maemo.org/Miniature"