[computer-go] chess/go for handhelds

[Don Dailey]

I like AIGO too.    It has more features than Ogo and a better user
interface with nicer graphics in my opinion and I bought a copy.

In response to Ben's post about Ogo not being significantly stronger,  I
will present what I have found in my tests.

1.  I never tested 19x19,  I can't say whether that is true or not.

2.  I hand tested 9x9 against AIGO at it's median level (level 3 of 5)
and the match was lop-sided in Ogo's favor after 50 games.     It would
be more lop-sided at level 4 and 5.   There is no comparison.

3.  On older palm devices,  Ogo would be slow at level 5.   But on
modern devices with ARM processors Ogo takes about 10 seconds at the
highest level for 9x9.    That is for a Tungsten T3,  some ARM devices
are a little slower.   (T3 is 400 MHZ)

4.  At 19x19, level 5 takes about 2 minutes even with ARM.    But if you
use level 3 it takes only about 10 seconds per move.


Ogo use the standard MC scoring method that people often complain
about.   I had someone write to me complaining that it sucks because it
sometimes "even moves into atari."   Ogo almost never moves into atari
when it really matters.     Most people don't know the difference
between a good move, bad move, and a move that doesn't make any
difference in Chinese scoring.  

If you play both AIGO and Ogo,   AIGO may seem stronger because it is
pattern based and does't do the MC scoring people hate,  but that's just
an illusion.   People also though Eliza was smart  and understood things
because it displayed sentences based on simple hard coded patterns.   

There are no Palm programs that actually play very strong,  so AIGO is
likely a better choice depending on what you expect out of it.   It
saves games and plays them back and it plays a pretty good move
instantly - a nice feature to have in this instant gratification world
we live in! 

Which is why I'm trying to improve Ogo.   I simply want it to play a
better move faster.    If I could make it play significantly faster and
significantly better, it would be pretty awesome as a toy program.

It's not clear to me that is even a good idea having a slower high level
- because most people are not satisfied to play anything less than the
"highest level."    It's a phenomenon the retail market takes advantage
of,   many people are reluctant to buy anything less than the top of the
line model if they can afford it.   Only the best for me!   I don't want
the dumbed down version!

- Don





Joshua Shriver wrote:
> I've greatly enjoyed Aigo over the years. I have it on my palm and
> have upgrade hardware 3x and each time the author has kindly given me
> a new registration code for free.  Think it only cost $8 and well
> worth it.
>
> Just my $0.02
> -Josh
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