HIARCS Chess Explorer has just been updated to v1.5, bringing new functionalities, among which the long awaited engines-matches function :
Engine v Engine match play:
Single game and match play
Configurable time controls
Engine resignation and early draw detection
Optional engine evaluation and depth in game notation
Dual engine analysis output
Engine move sounds and animation
Copy engine game and position
Auto save of engine match gamed
Now let's hope for an engines tournament functionality for next update, and HCE will be get everything we need!
JuLieN wrote:HIARCS Chess Explorer has just been updated to v1.5, bringing new functionalities, among which the long awaited engines-matches function :
Engine v Engine match play:
Single game and match play
Configurable time controls
Engine resignation and early draw detection
Optional engine evaluation and depth in game notation
Dual engine analysis output
Engine move sounds and animation
Copy engine game and position
Auto save of engine match gamed
Now let's hope for an engines tournament functionality for next update, and HCE will be get everything we need!
Unfortunately, still no Linux version (nor are there any plans to release one as far as I know).
It's a shame really, there are so many good GUI APIs that could be used for cross-platform
development, wxWidgets, Qt etc. Until there's a Linux version this is a no-go for me.
I could have done without the engine matches features in Hiarcs Explorer. I was hoping it would continue down the path of just being a GUI for analysis and game play/training. There are some important analysis/database features it needs that (in my mind) were more important then engine matches. There are enough GUIs that do engine matches.
tomgdrums wrote:I could have done without the engine matches features in Hiarcs Explorer. I was hoping it would continue down the path of just being a GUI for analysis and game play/training. There are some important analysis/database features it needs that (in my mind) were more important then engine matches. There are enough GUIs that do engine matches.
So do you think that hiarcs 6 and 7 and others, were far better for personal use?
tomgdrums wrote:I could have done without the engine matches features in Hiarcs Explorer. I was hoping it would continue down the path of just being a GUI for analysis and game play/training. There are some important analysis/database features it needs that (in my mind) were more important then engine matches. There are enough GUIs that do engine matches.
So do you think that hiarcs 6 and 7 and others, were far better for personal use?
I am not really sure I understand your question? Or what Hiarcs 6 and 7 have to do with the Hiarcs Chess Explorer.
And I was not into chess when those engines came out. So I can't actually comment anyway.
But (and just my opinion) I was really hoping the Hiarcs GUI would steer away from engine vs engine matches and only focus on making it a complete and great GUI/Database manager geared towards analysis and training/playing.
tomgdrums wrote:I could have done without the engine matches features in Hiarcs Explorer. I was hoping it would continue down the path of just being a GUI for analysis and game play/training. There are some important analysis/database features it needs that (in my mind) were more important then engine matches. There are enough GUIs that do engine matches.
But there are very few Database GUIs that do engine-engine matches!!! It depends on what one wants to do personally. Any thing extra is always welcome and I find it strange that instead of appreciating the author's efforts we are criticizing him for giving something big absolutely free to the existing users - something that he might well have charged for or made a version change!
If you care to read his forum you will find that many members there have been repeatedly asking for this feature.
Now coming to the tech part of your question. Why do you say that Eng-Eng matches are not important? I have learn't a lot by observing engines play - that too strong vs weak engines. It shows what paths we must avoid and vice-versa what paths we must take! It helps me personally in my training. So much so I wonder why CB did not include it in their GUI. The least they did was to include it as a menu option to leave CB and go-to-Fritz.
Sorry if I sounded harsh - I was only looking at the other side of the coin.
As I type this I just noticed - a new update has just been released Version 1.5.1
HIARCS Chess Explorer v1.5.1 (free update for customers, 27th July 2013)
This is a minor update addressing a couple issues found in v1.5.
tomgdrums wrote:I could have done without the engine matches features in Hiarcs Explorer. I was hoping it would continue down the path of just being a GUI for analysis and game play/training. There are some important analysis/database features it needs that (in my mind) were more important then engine matches. There are enough GUIs that do engine matches.
But there are very few Database GUIs that do engine-engine matches!!! It depends on what one wants to do personally. Any thing extra is always welcome and I find it strange that instead of appreciating the author's efforts we are criticizing him for giving something big absolutely free to the existing users - something that he might well have charged for or made a version change!
If you care to read his forum you will find that many members there have been repeatedly asking for this feature.
Now coming to the tech part of your question. Why do you say that Eng-Eng matches are not important? I have learn't a lot by observing engines play - that too strong vs weak engines. It shows what paths we must avoid and vice-versa what paths we must take! It helps me personally in my training. So much so I wonder why CB did not include it in their GUI. The least they did was to include it as a menu option to leave CB and go-to-Fritz.
Sorry if I sounded harsh - I was only looking at the other side of the coin.
As I type this I just noticed - a new update has just been released Version 1.5.1
HIARCS Chess Explorer v1.5.1 (free update for customers, 27th July 2013)
This is a minor update addressing a couple issues found in v1.5.
I know that many people are happy about the engine vs. engine feature for HCE. I really was hoping that material search would be added soon as well as a way to hide the engine's move choice when analyzing (so as to only see the score).
Because those two features are not yet in HCE I have actually switched all my computer chess activities to Scid vs. PC which does have those two features and more. I love HCE but without those two features I can't yet make it my main GUI.
I know that economically putting eng.vs eng. play was the right move. It just didn't provide me with what I need.
Watching engines play each other does not hold my attention (just an opinion...). I have tried to use eng. vs eng. play as a training help but could not focus. I have done better when creating training positions using material search and then analyzing on my own first and then with an engine or two.
I am excited about the future of HCE. But I also have to say that Scid vs. PC keeps getting better!
tomgdrums wrote:I really was hoping that material search would be added soon as well as a way to hide the engine's move choice when analyzing (so as to only see the score).
In WinBoard you can do that by making the Engine-Output window so narrow that the PVs are out of view!