TalkChess.com

[Julien MARCEL]

Hello Christophe

Well, I will unveil the mystery: on the iPad you now have "advanced" sorting options in the AppStore. For instance, when I look at chess app's actuality I set the filter to "last 7 days". Right now, with this filter on, it displays 2 apps for the iPad and 2 apps for the iPhone...

So you can guess how surprised I was when I saw "Chess Tiger" popping up in the results this morning. I can confirm that you made strictly NO publicity for it, so it was really unexpected... especially when we all more or less thought you were half retired of the chess scene since a while... now we know why

I won't discuss the price: you're the master of your own app for that, of course. As for me, I'm too currently in the process of developing some apps for the iPhone/iPad (so, btw, I DO believe you when you say you're working on it since one year and a half: so do I, the learning curve is steap with this 100% different platform from our usual Windows... But what a pleasure to use xcode, once one feel fluent enough! ), but I think I'll stick to the low pricing most people recommend. In the other hand, top chess apps are a niche market, so maybe it's a smarter move. Did you make pricing simulations?

Regarding Chess Tiger not being universal, I think it would be a good thing in the future (not mandatory for a first release of course). The main problem is not the graphics, but the feeling that it's just a big iPhone app. Some universal chess apps are really well done. The best example that comes to my mind is Shredder: it scales the iPad's big screen wonderfully: it's not just an upscaled version of the iPhone's version, it really makes use of the increased space. For me, it's the best iPad chess app, right now. If you ever decide to make a universal app, I suggest you to take a look at Shredder for iPad. I never saw such a fast growing of the chess software market than on iOS, and the iPad is clearly the ideal companion to the traveling player (especially the professional one...). The iPad 2 is double-cored and that is just the beginning. This is the future of chess!

But really, it was a really good surprise, and I was impressed by this first release. Excellent work!

(I only noticed that sometimes CT will hang if you change the PV display while it's thinking...)
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"A witty quote proves nothing." (Voltaire)
Author of Prédateur chess engine: http://predateur-chess.blogspot.fr