[Kde-games-devel] kigo

[Ian Wadham]

On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 4:15:26 am Arturo Silva wrote:
> My goal is to try and eventually create something along these lines:
>
> http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Go-Equipment-Narrow-Black.png
>
> Lightly textured Go grid, a glossy cherry wood lacquered table for the
> background (most boards ARE the table itself, so you can image the go
> board is embedded unlike in the above picture), two lacquered wooden
> cups to hold the pieces, and a timer (with KDE branding of course).
> ^^'
>
You have the right idea re the wood and the pieces.  Go is a game with
a long cultural tradition and I believe it is important to respect that.  My
own Go set, which I bought in Japan a long time ago but have now lost,
had elm wood boxes and pieces made of glassy material.  I think the
black were obsidian and the white milky quartz.  Although the black
pieces had a matte finish and the white pieces were glossy, the specularity
had the same look and feel for both.  I guess shiny black is somehow
perceived as "shinier" than shiny white.

Also, IIRC, it is traditional to use the lids of the boxes to hold captured
pieces, which are used in scoring at the end of the game.  So it would
be a nice touch if the upside-down lids were visible somewhere.

I do not really like to see an "instrument panel" next to the board.  It
seems out of place, though it does contain some useful info.  Maybe
the choice of panel or box-lids could become settings.

I query whether it is appropriate to have a time-clock.  I have not
heard of or seen one being used in Go and would be generally
opposed to it, for the same reasons Parker advanced re Palapeli.
However I see clocks are used in formal competitions ...  Me, I just
like to enjoy a leisurely game at home.

Thank you very much for the gift of Kigo, Sascha.  +1 from me!

All the best, Ian W.