Latest update

[k2021]

I thought I was transported to a time long long ago with this new format. What a hassle to play, everything is now so laborious. I suppose a feature allowing to undo a move is fine, but I want the option to turn it off. How do we get the previous format back?

[euklid314]

I have played this new version for 2 years now - it was called backgammonmatchplay. Therefore I am already used to the new interface...

Many players have requested to be able to use the doubling cube and play longer matches and not just one-point-games. This has finally happened. You can still play for a matchlength of 1 point and you will not need to use the doubling cube, i.e. you then have the old rules.

But the interface has changed and every change is tedious at first. I want to stress the two most important positive features:

*) Every time you wanted to move a checker you needed two clicks in the old version. Namely, you clicked on the checker first and then on the place where it should go. In the new version you only need to click a single time per checker move. The first checker you click on moves the number on the left die (the larger number), the second checker moves the number of the right die (the lower number). If you want to play the lower number (left die) first, you just click on the dice and they change their order. This approximately halves the number of clicks for checker movement.

This is a huge improvement but it takes some time to get used to it. I do not wonder that players find this counterintuitive at first - but it is the standard way to play on online sites.

*) You can now undo moves. It is possible to move the checkers and visually look at the resulting game situation. Then you can undo and play other moves and again look at "how it looks". Also in cases of misclicks you can undo. Only if you are satisfied you confirm in the end. This introduces additional clicks but eliminates misclicks.

In total less clicks are necessary in the new version.

[edit: Since they rolled out backgammonmatchplay without a good documentation many players are confused. They start or join a 5-point match without planning to. Hope that somebody will post all the changes (and their advantages) in the forum soon - such that everybody can make informed choices...]

[FreakyFranky83]

A nightmare !!!

[beavercreek]

They can change it back to the prior version please

[V1king]

This is so much better now. Thanks. For real. Already using this interface for over a year now. People will get used to it.

[RR surf]

Could you leave the option to play as it was for anyone who wants it?

[JohnnyCyclops]

I don’t like the change. First, the table didn’t render well on my phone whereas the previous table fit well. Second, with having to move the screen up each turn to hit ‘confirm’ I lost a lot of time and got down to less than 10 seconds at one point. I never recall having a time issue previously. Third, hard to see what the opponent rolled if they were blocked. Bearing off so much less clear how many are finished for both players.

I’d prefer a roll back or more testing of the changes first.

[Remkar]

Are people not checking the game options on game creation and the "setup" options while in game?

Almost everything people are complaining about can be controlled.

-There's multiple board styles/colors to choose from.
-Animation speed can be changed.
-1 click moves can be turned on/off.
-Board size can be changed.
-Whether pieces born off are shown on side is an option.
-Pips remaining/score on the board itself is an option.
-Doubling cube can be turned on/off.
-And more options that I don't remember or feel like listing.

It's SO customizable. Absolutely love it.
It will even calculate and show your dice statistics if you ask it.

The ONLY negative thing I've seen so far is there is lag in move submission that makes real time fast almost impossible to play while staying in positive time. Not sure what is causing that, but once that is addressed, and everyone figures out how to set their options, I can't see how people can complain.*

*Just kidding, people will always complain. ;(

Great update! I had quit playing (except for alpha testing this version), but I'm back now because of if this update.

[spotcard]

This version is an improvement, though I have been playing with it for awhile as backgammonmatchplay. The old version of 'two clicks to move one checker' was agonizingly slow. There was also some kind of dead time after moving a checker, so if you clicked on the second checker too quickly, you got an error, slowing it down even more. I don't think the new implementation is great, I don't like having to click the dice to switch the order. I wish it was something like clicking the left mouse button would move the checker the higher die, and clicking the right mouse button would move the checker the lower die. Also would be nice to be able to click on any empty space to have it automatically move two checkers to that point if possible. But even so, it is significantly faster than the old version. I think those claiming the new version is slower just need to get used to it to make it faster than the old version. The undo feature is also nice and way overdue.

[Waikirikiri]

The new interface is too slow.
It froze on me forcing me to get a time penalty.
It was so slow that I couldn't get out of negative time.

My opponent ended up with a time penalty from simply playing.

There's a significant dela\y between clicking the confirm button and the turn registering while to clock continues to countdown.

The undo button is great but the other changes are horrible.