Off the wall Kickstarter Project

[Pawel]

I started a Kickstarter project (I know it is a long shot, but to had it get out of my system ;-)

 

Are there any chess players on this forum? Would you play Chess like this?

Kickstarter (Please help to spread the word it you find this idea attaractive, I probaly will use Playmaker if the project somehow makes it):
http://kck.st/1dZrn3H

[Lane]

I'm a big fan of chess and used to be an avid player. Online ELO for me was around 1800, OTB is probably closer to 1500.

I remember there was a few similar ideas done, boards on weird shapes or doing a 3d chess of some kind but the response was generally pretty dull. I don't think there is demand for chess game variants.

It's a complex game, ruling out most of the modern day game players who want grab-n-go fun and fast pace. Studious beginners will learn via traditional chess. Strong players aren't interested in deviating from the traditional board and the general public isn't exactly craving chess variants.

Chess is a pretty wild game, no revisions in hundreds of years, unfixable and fair gameplay, near limitless complexity and great flexibility for personal style. At the same time? Awesome. Basically perfect. I think players recognize it as that and aren't very interested in going outside that already fantastic quality zone, not that it might not be cool, but unlikely as good.

[Pawel]

Lance, again you have given me an opinion that is very stimulating. I especially like your observation regarding strong players not being interested in deviations from the tradition. Although you are probably right about it, it just crystallized some additional thoughts...

This Chess idea is very much on the same theme as Spheroku vs. sudoku. Because of this it is something I will actually be able to check, since now I have some access to the very top players from Sudoku World Competition and I should be able to convince some of them to give it a try... and they will let me know.

Will Shotz the legendary NY Times puzzle maker several years ago was quoted as saying that sudoku could not be improved on. "It is what it is" he said...

Now, my Spheroku has been out for about two and a half months, and I actually have some feedback from the "real world".

Two weeks ago, I run into an old friend who was addicted to sudoku for years and is a strong player. He completely switched to Spheroku he told me. When I told him about Will Shortz quote, that "sudoku could not be improved", he totally surprised me with how adamant  he was in his "But you did improve it!" answer. I was really taken back by this statement... partially because I thought it was my own selfish impression ("or worship of the cave" as psychologists would call this bias). I think I am fairly good in sudoku, I was solving only the toughest games for several years prior to developing Spheroku. Now, sometimes when I would get stuck in Spheroku, I would switch to sudoku view thinking that maybe it will be easier (usually it is not easier at all, you face the same issues regardless of the interface) -- and I always get this feeling of being "let down" or "deflated" when I go to flat version... Almost as if I developed a handicap, or lost one of my senses (smell, vision, hearing, whatever).

I don't know if this 3d Chess that I propose would have this element of being "more compete", or not. -- It is hard to guess until you play it... and this is not possible unless I develop it (Which is a lot of work!)

So, this is why I decided to do this as Kickstarter project -- let the crowd make a decision if it should be developed... While doing this I am learning more about marketing and exposing Spheroku to a new audience.

I just did a PR release: http://bit.ly/184Bq6h