Update summary (and quick Arena mode poll)

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Which option do you prefer as the next Arena season option?

Poll ended at 01 October 2021, 21:11

8x9
7
26%
9x9
8
30%
10x10
1
4%
Free choice
11
41%
 
Total votes: 27

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ufm
Posts: 1327
Joined: 06 January 2017, 08:38

Update summary (and quick Arena mode poll)

Post by ufm »

BGA Connect Four was developed a year ago, so there were rooms for improvement here and there.
Recently I took over as the maintenance developer to fix bugs and add highly requested features.

- Confirmation

Confirm/reset buttons are displayed after placing the disc.
Even a player places 4 discs in a row, the player must confirm the move to win the game.
Red actions (confirm and swap) are irreversible.
Confirmation uses BGA undo framework, so placing a disc and retracting it later will be displayed to the opponent while they are online.
Many abstracts implement confirmation through BGA undo and I hardly see major objections.

Players can switch this option from player preference panel below game screen. The default is 'No' now.
If this option is off, placing the last disc of a turn (equals every disc except swap rule's first two discs) is also irreversible.

- ELO bug of drawn games

ELO did not change in drawn games for some reason. Fixed it.

- Concede

After enough moves progression rate is set to 50%, so the game will allow players to resign after that point.

- Opening rules

Two opening rules are added.
Pie rule: the second player can switch colors after the first move of the first player.
Swap rule: the first player places 3 discs (one red, one yellow, and one red), then the second player can switch colors or keep playing yellow.

- Board sizes

8x9, 9x9, 10x10 are added. 6x7 is still the default and is available in normal mode.

- Statistics

New statistics regarding swaps and win ratio of each board size are added.

- Arena mode

From now on 6x7 will be removed from Arena mode indefinitely, due to the solver issues.
Opening rule is locked as swap, which balances the game and allows more openings to be played (like Soosorv-8 of Renju).
That leaves the board size option for the next Arena season undecided. So I opened a poll for it!
'Free choice' means players may choose the board size they prefer in the lobby setting menu.


Edit: Replaced 8x8 into 8x9 to prevent db solver uses. Sorry for inconvenience but please vote again.
Last edited by ufm on 19 October 2021, 11:01, edited 10 times in total.
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ypaul
Posts: 30
Joined: 10 January 2020, 14:15

Re: Update summary (and quick Arena mode poll)

Post by ypaul »

Allow me to give a quick pitch for 9x9.

I am far from being any good at Connect Four, but I like the odd-numbered columns because it essentially gives at least two logical good spots without the pie rule, and possibly a significant number of additional variations with the swap rule.

Also, I feel that having the centre column is very important to maintain the identity of the game, although this is just my own personal bias. 8x8 just feels a bit weird.

This is irrelevant to the discussion, but I would also note that the 8x8 board is also solved, whereas 9x9 is likely to be impossible for the foreseeable future.

https://github.com/tromp/fhourstones88

If the number of cells is an issue, I might also propose 8x9, but that may open the floodgates to unnecessary number of variations.

I should clarify that 8x8 and 10x10 are in fact very viable, and are also decently popular options. I think I have a preference for 9x9, but I am by no means saying that these other boards are broken or anything.
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ufm
Posts: 1327
Joined: 06 January 2017, 08:38

Re: Update summary (and quick Arena mode poll)

Post by ufm »

FYI this poll only determines option for the next season, so less popular options will still have their chances later :)
Edit: Whoops, 8x8 database is there. I'll replace 8x8 to 8x9.
Domiswan
Posts: 1
Joined: 07 September 2021, 09:03

Re: Update summary (and quick Arena mode poll)

Post by Domiswan »

I also like the presence of a center. But also an even number of rows so that strategies remain similar to the standard game ("odd/even" strats)

So my vote goes to 8x9
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ufm
Posts: 1327
Joined: 06 January 2017, 08:38

Re: Update summary (and quick Arena mode poll)

Post by ufm »

New updates are now applied.
However, this major update broke ongoing turn-based games. Please abandon existing tables and create a new table.
If you want to prevent ELO and Karma loss, do not quit tables.
It can be prevented by not leaving the table and letting it be abandoned automatically after 40 days.

Sorry for the inconvenience.
User avatar
ufm
Posts: 1327
Joined: 06 January 2017, 08:38

Arena mode and tournaments are available now

Post by ufm »

Now Connect Four Arena mode and tournaments are back!
Connect Four Arena format will adopt rotating format between 9x9 swap and 8x9 swap. Option for current season is 9x9 swap.
Thank you for your patience. Have fun everyone!
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