Chess Changelog

This is the changelog of our Chess app:

Version 4.1.6: Small fixes before mayor changes:

Solved a bug with misplaced pieces on the Kindle Fire and maybe another tablets

Improved the “Seek Filter” dialog, now fits on small screens without scrolling

Added a new option to do not show problem info dialog

Version 4.1.5: Solving old bugs

Pressing setup while computer was thinking was not showing the right board

If there is only one legal move, computer does not think, makes the move

Problems are now sequential and problem number is shown on the problem text message

Added the menu option “Go to problem”, to go to a problem number

The app no longer sets the variable “noescape” playing online, some people prefers this

Version 4.1.3: Small fixes

Show checks and game ends toasts playing online, disabling them only when playing wild variants

Improved support for wild variants on ICC

Some corrections to portuguese and english texts

Version 4.1.1: Trying to improve connection problems

Fixes visualization problems on some tablets showing mangled board and pieces (failing since version 3.7)

When playing online now sets the variable “noescape” to off, avoids losing games by disconnection (adjourning them)

On each connection to the chess server sends a “resume” command to continue adjourned games

Version 4.1: The Chess Variants version

Added support for Chess Variants (Atomic, Losers, Suicide and Chess960) when playing online (disabling move validation)

Added a new option to the seek filter for chess variants

Added options to specify chess variant to the seek and match dialogs

Added a new “+” icon to the view seeks screen, shortcut to the new seek dialog

Removed toast message for game end when playing online: it does not work for chess variants and server already notifies game end

Added a Changelog dialog when the app starts after an update, you can also access the Changelog dialog with MENU->Changelog on the main screen

Visual improvements on seek/game lists and on dialogs

Improved performance on the game list

Small fixes on texts and translations

Version 4.0.2:

Added support for the JaqueMate.org chess server

Solved some problems with the German translation. If you want to contribute with translations: http://www.mobialia.com/translate/chess/

Do not force sensor orientation detection when playing in 2D

Version 4.0.1:

New German translation by Axel Gaiser and Jan Grüner. Some things remaining, if you want to contribute: http://www.mobialia.com/translate/chess

Optimized speed on board redrawing

Removed arrows on setup screen (introduced by error on 4.0)

Solved a BUG causing that when playing offline some times computer did not move

More small fixes and optimizations

Version 4.0: New 3D board!!!

3D Board (Beta), you can enable it on Settings->3D Board

Fixed a bug on 3.7, board coordinates where now shown

Version 3.7.1: Urgent bugfix

Confirm move when playing online was causing a Force Close error

Version 3.7: Major rewrite of the chessboard

Piece movement animation: can be configured or disabled on the preferences

Updated portuguese translation by Nilson de Lourenço

Version 3.6.7:

PGN: Current opened game is highlighted on the game list and list is initially opened on its position

Play Online: Confirm move feature was failing when combined with the “Always Promote to Queen” option

Solution for some force closes on the game offer list

Version 3.6.6:

Solved some force-close errors introduced on version 3.6.5 (one very important exiting the console on the Ads version)

Version 3.6.5: Premove is here!

New premove option. If you select it on the preferences, you can input your next move on the opponent’s turn. The origin and destiny squares of the move will be highlighted on magenta, and on your turn the move will be done automatically.

On the “Flip Board” preference you have a new option to rotate only pieces, this is useful when you play on the same device against other player (as suggested by Kasparov).

New options to specify White and Black player names on offline mode. This option was added for the Kasparov’s simul game.

New preference category “Move Input” grouping the new “Premove” and the old “Promote to Queen” options.

Portuguese translation corrected by Nilson de Lourenço

Now you can introduce moves while examinating (we removed this but was necessary)

Examine last game option was not working on FICS

Added some improvements to reduce AdMob’s memory consumption

Version 3.6.4: Small features and new translation:

Added “Examine last game” menu option also to ICC

New options when an online game finishes (follow player, examine game)

New Portuguese translation

Some corrections on the spanish translation

Version 3.6.3: Adding new features:

Long press on forward/backward buttons now fast forward/rewind all moves

Added “Examine last game” menu option when playing on FICS

Added observe high rated games menu options when playing on ICC

Do not allow doing moves when examinating games

Since 3.6 on small screens (320×240) chessboard text was too big

Changed icon on Ads version

Version 3.6.2: Fix for more problems:

PGN Browser: The arrow showing last move on the first move was not working properly

Solved force close on seek list

Ads version: PGN file chooser was failing with a force close

Version 3.6.1: Fix for two poblems:

Opening book was not packaged on the 3.6 version

Ads version: On medium size devices do not reduce distance between clocks and board (portrait)

Version 3.6: “Mobialia Chess Lite” is now “Mobialia Chess Ads” with all the features of the full version but supported by ads:

The Ads version now has the same features than the complete version

The ad is always shown on the board screen

Many bugfixes on small screens

On “Mobialia Chess Ads” with small screens on portrait the captured pieces difference is not shown

Improved list performance

Now PGN export is in SAN format (standard compliant)

Solved a problem with a black background on the seek list on some Honeycomb devices

Now uses the last version of the Carballo Chess Engine

Solved a force close trying to setup the board on the LITE (now Ads) version

Version 3.5.3: Solving more problems on Honeycomb and other fixes:

Solved a problem causing mangled graphics when rotating the board on Honeycomb

Hardware acceleration on Honeycomb devices

Improved dashboard on tablets (centered icons)

New actionbar background an other small graphic improvements

Added the 12″ option to time increment when searching online games

New option to change online console text size

Limited player name size on the board view

Solved other force closes

Version 3.5.2: Better support for tablets and bug fixes:

Improvements on board visualization for big tablets (XOOM, test first the LITE version)

FICS the automatic “set defprompt 1″ at login was not working because variables were locked before

ICC Ignore game offers when observing

ICC Bug removing match offers

ICC match offer is now parsed and shown with time, color, etc

Now the app can reconnect from the console screen

New AdMob SDK on the LITE version

Version 3.5.1: Some PGN improvements:

Solved a problem opening the last game on PGN files without a blank line at the end

Also failed if there were more than one line between the header and the moves of the PGN file

Exported PGN file now doesn’t has two blank lines betweeen the header and the moves.

Version 3.5: New cool features and more bugs solved:

New filter and sort buttons on the seek list

New PGN Browser, opens PGN from SD card and from email

Now you can select your next piece to move on the opponent’s turn

New option on the preferences to hide captured pieces

New option to use alternative TCP Port 23 when connecting to Chess Servers

Improved detection disconnection for online play

Solved bug with reversed ratings when playing on ICC

Other ICC improvements: user pattern, support for non ASCII characters

Removed error notification by email, now done through Android Market

New black style more Gingerbread-friendly

Updated AdMob SDK on the LITE version

Version 3.4: A little redesign and many changes:

New dashboard as startup screen

New transparent forward/backward ans confirm/cancel buttons

New option to promote queen automatically

New options to show last move (coloured squares or arrows)

Evaluation sign is now + for whites advantage and – for blacks

When playing online do not touch user formula

Do no close the board when observing or examinating and game finishes

Improved orientation detection solves visualization problems on some Archos tablets

Now is possible to play without problems on 320×240 devices like the X10 mini

Solved a bug with move forward when playing offline

Version 3.3: Transitional update: some bigger changes will be available soon:

New piece set: Jumbo

Improved graphics for tablets (higher resolutions)

The settings option “Opponent” now defaults to alternate color

When playing offline, if returning to the board more than 15 minutes after the last move, clock stops

Engine minor update to match the lastest version on SVN

Bug: exporting PGN failed if no move was done after entering the board

Version 3.2: On-screen ELO, adapted for tablets and some bugs solved:

Now shows opponent’s ELO on screen

Adapted for the Samsung Galaxy Tab

Phone volume control now adjust media volume not ring volume

More time showing the problem info

Added a link to the full version on the Chess Lite App

Better handling of chess server disconnections

Bug: server disconnections could cause phone lock

Bug: choosing promotion piece on ICC

Bug: capture sound notification playing online was not played on the opponent’s turn

Version 3.1.1: Urgent release to solve a setup board bug after last update. Sorry!

Version 3.1: Solving some bugs and adding minor features:

Different sounds for captures and check notification

Option to save the PGN files on the SD card

Bug: The PGN generated was not compliant with PGN rules

Less difficult levels, starting from ELO 500

Bug: Saving game state when playing against Android

Bug: Finger window when playing on FICS was not showing after the last update

New direct menu options to observe highest rated games & LectureBot on FICS and to play TrainingBot and ProblemBot on ICC

New settings option to disable pop-up chat windows when playing or observing online

Unified Chat dialogs (on only one window) & First chat message of bots not showed

Console was not refreshing after reconnect

Added Market license verification when playing online. Due to piracy, we are forced to add this. Now SlideMe.org will be not used anymore for distribution.

New intro screen

Version 3.0: The new 3.x series start with the support for ICC, and many other improvements:

Support to play online on chessclub.com (ICC) with all the options already avaiable on FICS (timestamp, observe, examine, etc.)

New engine Carballo 0.5, 150 ELO points stronger than the previous version

Selectable ELO level for the engine from 1000 to 2100 ELO points in 50 points ELO steps

Graphical setup board

Solves a draw by threefold repetition detection bug

When choosing to play a problem on “play vs android”, marks the “alternate” option on the Opponent setting to play the puzzle with the winning color

Option to disable the arrow showing the last move

Solved bug rotating 270 degrees on Android 2.2

Solved a problem with the gin variable on FICS: now is set to 0 on connecting

And other minor bugs…

Version 2.9: Ending the 2.x series, trying to solve remaining bugs and adding some minor features:

Now you can move the app to your SD card on Android 2.2

New clocks code, when screen gets blank or other activity start, clocks continue to run in background

Added 3 and 7 seconds move time when playing vs Android

Solved force close when setting an incorrect FEN

Removed the black square on d5 when starting a new game or a new chess problem

Chess Problems

Problem summary to be a toast

Included a new menu option on problems “Play Position” to move the current position to the “Play vs Android” board

Online Play

Now you can examinate games (i.e. for puzzlebot or with the “exl” command)

Adjudicate game when clock reaches 0 (autoflag)

Seek dialog now remembers the last seek from the last time

Sometimes, playing on fics with black, the board does not autorotate: changed the method used to rotate

While in view seeks->console, if status changed to playing, go to the board OK

Solved some FCs with NullPointerException

Version 2.8: A big effort to solve all bugs and include petitions from users:

Auto-flip board when playing human vs human

BUG: Clock fails in human vs human mode

BUG: Do not show promotion dialog if invalid move

Allows to pick up pinned pieces or any of your pieces that can’t move, but when dropping set the move as invalid

Background issues: removed background

Online play:

List of pending offers

Reconnect button also when playing

Chat in tabbed console, also supports receiving kibitzes

User finger

New checkbox option in the settings “Confirm Moves”. When checked asks confirmation for each move (the forward and backward buttons change into a confirm/cancel buttons)

Observe games. Can also observe LectureBot

Timeseal option now enabled by default

Seek list sorting configurable by a settings option: by username/by rating/by game time

Seek list shows when a seek is set to manual accept

Seek list styling

BUG: Seek list now distinguish between computer, guest, titled, and registered

Console: word wrap

Console: don’t show seeks

Version 2.7: New features:

Setting to turn off the display sleep timer when using the app

Dialog to ask for promotion piece

Online Play

Timeseal (avoids lag problems)

Removed unregistered title

Continuous gc after closing fics connection (draining battery)

Seek Dialog: manual accept, ratings range and use stored formula options

Version 2.6.1: Version 2.6 had a bug involving forward gesture detection: tapping on any part of the screen was interpreted as forward.

Version 2.6: Lots of changes, many thanks to all the people who contributed with their ideas (some remain for the next version):

On screen backward and forward buttons. Undo removed from menus. Now you can also redo moves in offline and problems

Captured pieces in portrait mode moved up to fit buttons

Sound as an option in preferences

Online Play

Seek list is now refreshed each 5 seconds, makes easier to select a mach offer

FICS console should now stays at the end of the buffer when moved to the end

Now shows player titles (unregistered, computer, GM, etc)

Confirmation to abort/resign the match when pressing back

Takeback option, asks in a dialog if you are going to takeback a half-move or a complete move

If you are checkmated the notification completely obscures the chess board, now you can show the board again with a new button

Chess Problems

Option in Settings to not auto-play problems when best move found, now lets you go investigating move by move

Bugs Solved

Send PGN by email failed on some mobiles. Now saves a mobialia_chess.pgn in the root of the sd card before sending it

Online play en passant not working

FICS reconect failed sometimes

FICS Console failed with an OutOfMemory error

Solved FICS Check after leaving check and duplicated notifications

Version 2.5: Renamed from Carballo Chess. Improvements on FICS play: new match offer, rated/unrated on lists and seek/match offers (disabled for guest), draw and abort offers when playing…