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Peter Aronson wrote on Tue, Mar 16, 2004 09:52 PM UTC:
Folks, I'm thinking of proposing to David Howe (Master of the index system)that we add an index for Ultima variants. Now, it is not always easy to say just what <strong>is</strong> an Ultima variant and what's a Chess variant with a piece borrowed from Ultima. For example, <a href='../other.dir/fugue.html'>Fugue</a> is clearly an Ultima decendent, but what about <a href='../other.dir/chessonlongboard.html'>Chess on a Longer Board with a Few Pieces Added</a>, which has a Withdrawer. <p> What sort of criteria would people find useful?

Roberto Lavieri wrote on Tue, Mar 16, 2004 10:22 PM UTC:
This is not easy, and it seems to be unnecessary, though. I can´t classify
'Chess on a Longer Board...etc' as an Ultima variant.

Michael Nelson wrote on Tue, Mar 16, 2004 10:25 PM UTC:
Three critieria come to mind to distinguish an Ultima variant from a Chess
variant with some Ultima elements (this might also be a useful thing to
index):

1.  More capturing move types than non-capturing move types.

2.  Majority of capturing move types are non-replacement.

3.  At least one piece with an important special power (e.g.
Immobilizer).

#3 is not a strict criteria but is indicative in borderline cases.

Chess On A Longer Board . . . is clearly a Chess variant with Ultima
elements by these criteria.

Peter Aronson wrote on Tue, Mar 16, 2004 10:25 PM UTC:
Necessary, perhaps not.  But I think such an index would be convenient,
since the games form a sort of recognizable cluster, and someone
interested in one might very likely be interested in others.

Antoine Fourrière wrote on Wed, Mar 17, 2004 06:42 AM UTC:
Mike Nelson's criteria look right on track. One could add that Chess on a
Longer Board is not an Ultima Variant simply because the Withdrawer isn't
too weak in CLB, although I guess a King, a Withdrawer, an orthogonal
Coordinator, an orthogonal Immobilizer, diagonal Chameleons, Jumping Chess
Knights and Pawns stepping one or two squares vertically forward but
capturing custodially diagonally would still add up to an Ultima variant.

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