Why no Chess game on Xbox & Live ?

[VR46]

Call me sad, but I've played chess since I was a kid and it dawned on me how good would it be to play chess games over Live, with rankings etc etc.

I know there are a few for the PS2 & PC but none for the Xbox, prehaps Chess is not played in the USA ?

[Commander Marklar]

It's certainly played but not by the typical Xbox demography, where they'd only take a second glance if it was ported to an FPS, used dual-weapons and featured vehicle combat. With Ninjas, obviously.

You need a mouse too, you can't play Chess with a joypad!?!

[Brats]

you can't play Chess with a joypad!?!

I've heard it all now.

[AllYourBase]

it wouldn't be popular, not even the mighty tetris has sold volumes even thou its on LIVE

rather than a mouse, voice commands would be better, Knight A3 to B5, sorted! 8)

[jiroczech]

I think the Japanese got some strategy games with the launch of Live..

*quick google*

from Eurogamer.net The Japanese starter kit includes the Xbox voice communicator headset, one years subscription to the service, and two games - Sega's Phantasy Star Online Episodes I&II, and Zuno Taisen Live (Brain Battle Live). Four mini-games are also available for playing on the service - Mahjong, Go, Japanese chess and Reversi.

No real chess, but the lucky bastards got Go.

[Razz]

Go >>> Chess

Why not just play them for free on your PC?

[VR46]

So Go="proper chess" ?

Reversi is also a quality game

Don't suppose anyone knows if the JPN Live discs are region free ? would love to be able to play them on my PAL machine.

Marklar, a joypad would be fine, you only need to select a piece and select a square to place your piece on and away you go, you could probably use your Steel Battalion controller also

Thanks for the info by the way.

[jiroczech]

Nah. Go is not proper chess. Different game altogether. I'd agree with Razz and say it's better than chess.

Here's some basic info. There's loads of PC based Go stuff that'll let you hook up and play folk across the world, get ranked (oo-er) etc.. bit techy for me.

Live based Go would be ace.

[randombs]

I'm praying that either

a) someone makes a tunnelling program (like xbconnect and xlink) that works with ANY XBox program that uses system link. that way you could play, say, Amiga Battlechess against someone over the internet, or Chessmaster 9000000. If there is such a program pls lmk!

b) someone ports kaillera over to XBox which will be super sweet. That way, if someone beat you at Chessmaster 300000000, you could just smack them up in SF2CE

c) the emulator makers get their emus working with either xbconnect or xlink

And there you'd have it - online Chess on the XBox. As for XBox Live...I like the idea of voice recognition - cue that funky chess scene in Harry Potter being echoed across the world's optic fibres...

[Commander Marklar]

I was joking about the joypad, some people huh?

<- must remember to include one of these guys more often.

Voice control would be nice, it'd be better if you could just wave your hand though and pick up a piece VR style. Oh, hang on....

[Salsa Party Animal]

I think it is a lovely idea even I don't have a clue how to play chess.

[randombs]

well i bet you'd learn quicker online than you would if your dad was teaching you...

my dad never taught me but then, recently I heard him shouting at my little brother coz he kept dying in Manic Miner! So I guess I'm glad. The fact that my little bro came downstairs crying 'I don't like that game' (he's 8, bless him) is warning enough