BGblitz2go 2.0 is out. It now has a Fibs-client!

[FrankBerger]

BGBlitz2go 2.0.0 is out! The worlds smallest Backgammon expert!

New functions and quite some polish.

- a FIBS-client is included, so you can play at FIBS on every opportunity.

-BGblitz2go got a new much stronger AI that is trained over 20 million games. The memory needed is raised moderately.

- We added an "Extreme" level of play because a lot of devices nowadays are very capable. It uses 2-ply-evaluation. With the new "Mips" entry in the main menu, you can test how many positions BGblitz2go can evaluate on your phone in a second. Depending on your amount of patience you can try "Extreme" with values higher than 100. Values beyond 300 show nearly instantaneous moves. The 2-ply evaluation is also available in the "evaluation" and "best moves" dialog boxes.

The "Extreme" levels playing strength is in the ballpark of human expert players, so don't complain we haven't warned you (error rate < 2.0; rating > 1970) - you can save positions in "pos"-format for later analysis

- you can play the next game with the dice reversed, in the case you believe BGBlitz2go always gets the better dice. In case you want to try a different strategy you can also have the same dice.

- reduced the playing strength in easier levels for casual players

- improvements in usability - a couple of bugfixes, two of them serious

The update is free, the old serial code should work.

We hope you will like it. If you have questions, just drop us a mail and We'd like to hear your feedback

you can get it at http://www.bgblitz2go.com

Have fun

Frank and Markus

[inim]

Nice job Frank and Markus. Here is a brief HOWTO for a quick test of the software without the need of a MIDP2 enabled phone or a locally installed emulator.

1) Be sure to have Java installed, the more recent the better. I recommend to visit www.java.com and follow the instructions there to update to the latest and greatest version (1.6.0_13 currently).

2a) Surf to http://microemu.org/microemu-webstart/index.html anf follow the  Emulator start dialog (works on all platforms, it's already Java you use). When it is running, select menu "File -> Open JAD URL" and enter http://www.bgblitz2go.com/bgb2go.jad

2b) Alternatively  use http://webstart.mpowerplayer.com  and follow Emulator start dialog (works on all platforms, it's already Java you use) When the Emulator has started, select menu "File -> Open URL" and enter http://www.bgblitz2go.com/bgb2go.jad

3) Enjoy the show

For me both emulators work, albeit mpowerplayer seems to have problems to run in fibs mode and is quite a bit slower. Try both and decide for yourself, in doubt use microemu.

[inim]

(not so intentionally blank because I am stupid)

[FrankBerger]

Nice job Frank and Markus.

Thanks far the laurel BTW the FibsPart has Markus done alone ..

Most stuff of bgb2go should work on most mobiles, but the "socket-connection" we have to use to connect to FIBS, is an optional feature of the J2ME specification and without trying out it's hard to say whether it is supported. Fortunately you can install/uninstall Java software on mobiles without risking anything (different to e.g. Windows )

I would be curious to hear on which phones Fibs access works. So far I know it  on SE K770i, SE P1, Nokia E63. Didn't work on SE 750i.

ciao
Frank

[inim]

I would be curious to hear on which phones Fibs access works.

Fibs login works on Sony Ericsson W 850i, which gives you 339 MIPS for the NN.

[FrankBerger]

Fibs login works on Sony Ericsson W 850i, which gives you 339 MIPS for the NN.

Thanks for the info. The W850i is new on the list 

339 Mips is pretty fast. When using 2-ply it fells to me like normal game play against a human... o.k. the game play is stronger than the humans I usually play against )

[Tomawaky]

I tested your new client. 

This is a really really good client to play BG and to play at Fibs 
Don't even know if I still will use my javafibs client anymore 

One question. Its seems possible to sav the match file xxx.mat
I can create the directory but not the .mat file and have "save failed" ....

Is there any way to correct this ?

I am using a htc touch 270 mips

[FrankBerger]

I tested your new client. 

This is a really really good client to play BG and to play at Fibs 
Don't even know if I still will use my javafibs client anymore 

Thanks a lot. Markus have implemented the Fibs part competely on his own, so he deserves the laurel 

One question. Its seems possible to sav the match file xxx.mat
I can create the directory but not the .mat file and have "save failed" ....

Is there any way to correct this ?

I am using a htc touch 270 mips

I have only a limited set of devices to test (SE K750i, SE K770i, Nokia E63, Samsung SGH-E250)
The Samsung complains too that the saving failed.... but in fact the files are there and they are o.k.
so could you please check whether the files are there, inspite of the error message?
If not, I'll probably get a HTC S710 soon (same operating system I guess), so I can try to reproduce it.  I could also try to find out where the samsung complains and see if there is something the other phones tolerate but the Samsung not, hoping that's the same problem on your HTC.

BTW it is a

HTC Touch a HTC Touch HD or a HTC Touch HD Pro (The first would be new on the known to work devices list)

[Tomawaky]

There is no file. As I said I can create directory from the BGBlitz2Go menu but when I save I have the error and can't find the mat file in the explorer.
If I remember there is a log available that markus already ask me to give to him, but don't remember how to access if it can help.
It's a htc touch 3300 if remember well

[FrankBerger]

There is no file. As I said I can create directory from the BGBlitz2Go menu but when I save I have the error and can't find the mat file in the explorer.
If I remember there is a log available that markus already ask me to give to him, but don't remember how to access if it can help.
It's a htc touch 3300 if remember well

Hi Tomawaky,

just got a HTC S710 for testing and I can reproduce the problem. I hope I can find the reason and why it acts different than my other phones and a solution, but it might take a few days. When the problem doesn't come up in the emulator, it is time consuming to find a workaround.

ciao
Frank

[Tomawaky]

Thanks for your note Frank

[FrankBerger]

One question. Its seems possible to sav the match file xxx.mat
I can create the directory but not the .mat file and have "save failed" ....

Is there any way to correct this ?

This was a tough one!  But I got em!

At http://www.bgblitz2go.com/beta/bgb2go.jar (and bgb2go.jad)  you find a corrected version. 

ciao
Frank

[playBunny]

Frank, does BGBlitz suffer from the odd-ply/even-ply issues that GnuBg has?

[FrankBerger]

Frank, does BGBlitz suffer from the odd-ply/even-ply issues that GnuBg has?

BGBlitz shows large changes between different plies only if it doesn't understand the position well (which is rare and understandable because it "sees" the overlooked effect deeper in the game tree). In most cases the differences are small and I don't have the perception that BGBlitz suffers from a systematic odd-ply/even-ply effect, i.e. overestimates even generally und  underestimates odd (or vice verse) nor has anyone else perceived that.

In fact I don't have an idea why looking deeper in the game tree should hurt the evaluation quality...

[stog]

hi frank thx for the software

ive got a train journey coming up this weekend so i was hoping to be able to trial it then (im one of those strange folks who hardly uses a mobile but a 4 hour train journey will be perfect!)

went to the website -- nice directions - downloaded to my mac then transferred bluetooth to my sony walkman w880i phone and started a game --it's good and i was just getting into it and it said  that every second game ends! so i started a new game and wow i'm really pleased with this :

i like the tutor! and hint excellent
the big thing i am surprised and pleased about, is that it is less fiddly than i had feared. i am using it at the moment not on fibs as we have terrible mobile reception here in the sticks.

very nice software well done - which i had expected to take ages to set up and learn to use but which took less than half hour to to d'load,set up and play 3 games!

i see there is winning streak/loosing streak stats and that i can save matches too and i still haven't tried on FIBS because i think i will need a good solid connection which i don't have here in the woods! so look out for "stog on a train" later in the week!