[pbmserv-dev] feature request: puzzle solutions & annotated games?

["David J Bush" <twixt@cstone.net>]

I wholeheartedly agree with the idea of implementing automated tourneys
on PBMserv. I also think it is best not to require constant participation
to keep your "league ranking."

As you may know, there are some Twixt puzzles on display on the PBMserv
website. http://www.gamerz.net/pbmserv/Twixt/puzzles.html

The solutions are also available, as diagrams showing the initial move
or some crucial position, and variations listed in text form. The
syntax is explained, but it is occasionally very difficult to follow,
especially with moves that rearrange links. Sometimes I get an email
query about some variation or other. I suspect the majority of viewers
who have difficulty understanding the move list don't email me about it.

How about an interactive screen which shows the solution almost the
same way that Jtwixt does, with "next-move" symbols over vacant holes.
These symbols would be of three varieties.

An up-pointing triangle means "a move here wins for the player to move."

A down-pointing triangle means "this move loses for the player to move."

A circle means "this move leads to a draw with best play."

Viewers could click on a symbol to make the indicated move. There would
be some indicator on the side of the board which evaluates the position
as a win for vertical, or horizontal, or a draw.

This would make it much easier to understand the solution. I could
provide solution files, perhaps in SGF format, or whatever format would
be preferred. http://www.red-bean.com/sgf/twixt.html

Link removal could present a problem, because sometimes a viewer might
want to know why certain links should or should not be removed and added.
One possible solution would be to place next-move symbols over existing
pegs and links on the board. These pegs and links will always be the same
color as the player to move. A symbol in the middle of a link implies
that that link will be removed, and it will still be that player's turn.
a symbol on a peg means that all legal links (at least one) will be added
to that peg, and it will still be that player's turn. A symbol on a hole
means that a peg will be placed there, all new legal links will be added
to it, and that player's turn will end.

This way, different ways of rearranging links will always have distinct
next-move symbol sequences.

I don't know if there is interest in puzzles for other games, but it
might be a way to draw interest to some very cool games here. For example
I am working on some Twixt puzzles which I would like to show on the
www.mathpuzzle.com website. It would be great, if this site had the ability
to show the solutions interactively as described.

Maybe such a feature could allow annotated games displayed, with a comment
window for example.

Thanks for your time.

David