Elements of the ULTIMATE Chess GUI?

[BrendanJNorman]

Hey guys,

I've been considering working with (hiring) some developers at some point and creating a GUI that combines all of the best elements for engine testers enthusiasts and chess learners.

My question to you guys is:

What features would be absolutely essential in the PERFECT chess GUI?

Personally, I'll be aiming for the following:

- Winboard and UCI compatibility

- Attractive design, board and piece set/s ( and including attractive multi-PV analysis display - unlike Arena)

- Round Robin, Gauntlet and Swiss Tournaments

- Custom Opening Books (hopefully with ability to import/convert other books)

- Ability to clearly display UCI options for engines with a LOT of options (Rodent, Texel, Pro Deo, Gambit Fruit etc)

- TB usage/adjudication

- Openings study features

- Open EPD and PGN files

- Game user-adjudications

- Attractive Engine logo and rating display during matches

- Rodent and Pro Deo built-in (assuming permission from Pawel and Ed )

- Beautiful engine tournament crosstables and engine rating changes on-the-fly (like Arena, but with beautiful visuals)


Anything else?

[Arpad Rusz]

I would suggest to build on ChessX, an attractive GUI which already has lots of features.
http://chessx.sourceforge.net/

[Look]

Hi,

- Cross platform.

- Lite on hardware resources.

[Modern Times]

Very flexible adjudication options. That is an area where ChessGUI is ahead of anything else.

For a repeating time control, allow it to be specified in minutes and seconds and not just minutes

[Volker Pittlik]

A "Guess the Move" feature like in this prog: https://sites.google.com/site/fredm/. Scroll a little bit down.

Volker

[Guenther]

A "Guess the Move" feature like in this prog: https://sites.google.com/site/fredm/. Scroll a little bit down.

Volker

I think Chesshero is quite good for your needs just in case you don't know it?
http://innokuo.altervista.org/chesshero.html

[Volker Pittlik]

The problem with both of them is that I use Linux and both are Windows-only. I don't know the Chesshero, but "Guess the Move" is my favorite. I really enjoy it to go over games with it.
Yes, I know there is wine, but the results when I tried it have always been disappointing.

Volker

[Guenther]

The problem with both of them is that I use Linux and both are Windows-only. I don't know the Chesshero, but "Guess the Move" is my favorite. I really enjoy it to go over games with it.
Yes, I know there is wine, but the results when I tried it have always been disappointing.

Volker

I forgot that you use solely linux since long ;-)
OTH in the thread below someone maintains (in 2012 though) he ran
Chesshero flawlessly with wine under Ubuntu. (post #14)

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/ubuntu-users

Guenther

[Look]

And more:

* Highly customizable

* Vector images

[D Sceviour]

It is important to turn off all the features not wanted, and to make sure that blank features do not continue to be displayed.