Embedded DGT board on Ozchess

[Firegoat7]

Hi Guys,



HBK and I have been pondering the idea of getting a DGT board plug in embedded above the Shoutbox on Ozchess. Would like to get some feedback from the members about this concept.

What would u like to see?
How should we go about it?

etc etc

cheers,

[Just2Good]

Originally Posted by Firegoat7

Hi Guys,

HBK and I have been pondering the idea of getting a DGT board plug in embedded above the Shoutbox on Ozchess. Would like to get some feedback from the members about this concept.

What would u like to see?
How should we go about it?

etc etc

cheers,

So there would be a big chess board above the shoutbox? What about maybe a forum for it or something?

[flavid dude]

It is very easy to have to switch between two sites on your web browser. So why put a board in the shout box or should it be three boards which is the current number in clubs around Melbourne and this is bound to grow. Should it be even more if the ACF boards were put on the system? I have given up on the possibility of ever seeing them south of the Murray.

I understand that it would be nice to have a board on the screen with the ability to comment underneath and that this is a great idea. Possibly an even better way would be to have idividual threads for various boards. That way we could handle multiple boards very easily and unlike the shout box the analysis would be permanently available. It would be clever to have an initial post in each thread by someone with access to the game score. Then when a game is finished the game could be posted in a format that can be played through so providing a permanent record of he game.

Nevertheless guys I think that you have opened up a very interesting topic.

[Lekko]

Originally Posted by flavid dude

It is very easy to have to switch between two sites on your web browser. So why put a board in the shout box or should it be three boards which is the current number in clubs around Melbourne and this is bound to grow. Should it be even more if the ACF boards were put on the system? I have given up on the possibility of ever seeing them south of the Murray.

I understand that it would be nice to have a board on the screen with the ability to comment underneath and that this is a great idea. Possibly an even better way would be to have idividual threads for various boards. That way we could handle multiple boards very easily and unlike the shout box the analysis would be permanently available. It would be clever to have an initial post in each thread by someone with access to the game score. Then when a game is finished the game could be posted in a format that can be played through so providing a permanent record of he game.

Nevertheless guys I think that you have opened up a very interesting topic.

The problem with threads is that:
a. you have to keep making new threads for each board
b. the forum accepts bb code while I only know how to embed the boards with html code
c. users will have to keep refreshing the page to view other comments rather than it actually being "live"

[Just2Good]

Originally Posted by Heartbreak Kid

The problem with threads is that:
a. you have to keep making new threads for each board
b. the forum accepts bb code while I only know how to embed the boards with html code
c. users will have to keep refreshing the page to view other comments rather than it actually being "live"

But wouldn't it be simpler just to detach the shoutbox and then view the DGT games on a different site, and then use the detached shoutbox to commentate?

[Lekko]

Originally Posted by Just2Good

But wouldn't it be simpler just to detach the shoutbox and then view the DGT games on a different site, and then use the detached shoutbox to commentate?

I thought I'd create a chat channel underneath the live board, maybe a program or something so that you could comment on the game as its happening. Kind of like when they have the GM's analysing live games on ICC.

[Firegoat7]

Originally Posted by Heartbreak Kid

I thought I'd create a chat channel underneath the live board, maybe a program or something so that you could comment on the game as its happening. Kind of like when they have the GM's analysing live games on ICC.

In my opinion I would prefer to see a detachable Dgt board plug in, which could be resized. Much like the current detachable Shoutbox. Maybe situate it in icon form somewhere at the top of the front page.

cheers,

[Lekko]

Originally Posted by Firegoat7

In my opinion I would prefer to see a detachable Dgt board plug in, which could be resized. Much like the current detachable Shoutbox. Maybe situate it in icon form somewhere at the top of the front page.

cheers,

How easy do you think that will be to do?

[Firegoat7]

Originally Posted by Heartbreak Kid

How easy do you think that will be to do?

My opinion is meaningless on the matter as I am not qualified to judge. However, clearly you can link a flash video or Youtube clip. So it shouldn't be that difficult to add a simple Icon (thats easy enough). That expands to a board, (this cannot be that hard since its what we do now with the shoutbox notices). In fact it should be quite easy eh?

cheers,

[Lekko]

Originally Posted by Firegoat7

My opinion is meaningless on the matter as I am not qualified to judge. However, clearly you can link a flash video or Youtube clip. So it shouldn't be that difficult to add a simple Icon (thats easy enough). That expands to a board, (this cannot be that hard since its what we do now with the shoutbox notices). In fact it should be quite easy eh?

cheers,

The difference is the shoutbox is made to do this. I have very little idea how to make a flash applet do this.

[flavid dude]

As I pointed out the system needs to handle multiple boards. Otherwise someone has to decide which board to show at any time. This would require the judgement of Solomon. Obviously which board or boards are to be shown will vary from time to time.

Furthermore if we can get the drongos north of the Murray to send the DGT boards south then we would ideally want a system that could handle multiple boards at once. For instance if we had 6 boards streaming live comments from the Australian Masters then it would be great if people could watch them all and comment on whichever games they found the most interesting.

I am not sure that the shout box is the best place to do this. Possibly we should make a list of requirements first and then look for a software package that will handle these requirements.

Nevertheless I think that the ideas that have been posted are great Concepts.

Here are my first thoughts on user requirements.

1) The system is to display multiple boards.

2) There should not be any intervention required to start new games. Once a game commenced details should be picked up automatically.

3) More than one game should be shown on the screen.

4) Viewers should be able to effortlessly switch between games.

5) Comments should be attached to and embedded in the game score. Possibly we should have provision for a commentator to make annotations as the game is played with other people able to comment without their comments being permanently saved.

6) the annotated games should be saved as PGN and automatically added to a database.

[Lekko]

Originally Posted by flavid dude

As I pointed out the system needs to handle multiple boards. Otherwise someone has to decide which board to show at any time. This would require the judgement of Solomon. Obviously which board or boards are to be shown will vary from time to time.

If you embed the flash file from the url the DGT board is hosted at, then it is not necessary as you can click on the board you want just like at the box hill website.

Originally Posted by flavid dude

Furthermore if we can get the drongos north of the Murray to send the DGT boards south then we would ideally want a system that could handle multiple boards at once. For instance if we had 6 boards streaming live comments from the Australian Masters then it would be great if people could watch them all and comment on whichever games they found the most interesting.

Agreed.

Originally Posted by flavid dude

I am not sure that the shout box is the best place to do this. Possibly we should make a list of requirements first and then look for a software package that will handle these requirements.

It's not difficult to create the software. If you flow on from what I was suggesting in the shoutbox, you just need to slap a webbrowser onto a form that will link to the DGT board and then create a chatroom to display below it. It's actually very simple for someone with any sort of programming knowledge. I also thought it may be a good idea to have people able to load an engine so that it can suggest moves for them? Sort of like what they have in ICC after game when you click "computer analysis" or something.

Originally Posted by flavid dude

1) The system is to display multiple boards

In terms of a software solution, I had an idea where you enter the URL of the board, it takes the flash file, stores it in the program's directory and displays the board on the program. This way, if you want to comment on a Box hill game, but have a MCC or whatever URL open, you can easily switch between the two.

Originally Posted by flavid dude

2) There should not be any intervention required to start new games. Once a game commenced details should be picked up automatically.

I don't understand this point exactly. If you mean the moves should be sent to the board, then that will require a whole new complicated process that I'm not sure is worthwhile undertaking. Mainly because I'm not sure if there's anyone here that will be able to program it.

Originally Posted by flavid dude

3) More than one game should be shown on the screen.

4) Viewers should be able to effortlessly switch between games.

TOMA's software already allows this.

Originally Posted by flavid dude

5) Comments should be attached to and embedded in the game score. Possibly we should have provision for a commentator to make annotations as the game is played with other people able to comment without their comments being permanently saved.

At the moment, I think we should focus on getting the main idea going, and then incorporate these ideas later on in future updates of the solution.

Originally Posted by flavid dude

6) the annotated games should be saved as PGN and automatically added to a database.

Again, fairly simple to do.

Please consider what I said in your first point. I think that is a good idea that should work out well.

[Lekko]

In fact, since I've got nothing better to do, I'm going to make a prototype for it now.



Looks ... ugly? now, but I can pretty it up

[flavid dude]

I like this. Putting up a prototype. Good on you heartbreak kid.

I have not got a clue who you are or how old you are. however if you are a youngster who is studying with the intention of working in IT eventually then what you are building is an achievement that would look good on a resume.

[Lekko]

Originally Posted by flavid dude

I like this. Putting up a prototype. Good on you heartbreak kid.

I have not got a clue who you are or how old you are. however if you are a youngster who is studying with the intention of working in IT eventually then what you are building is an achievement that would look good on a resume.

I'm going to be studying software engineering this year at uni actually

Good practice in my opinion