Software:Chessmaster 7000

From HandWiki
Short description: 1999 video game
Chessmaster 7000
Developer(s)Mindscape
Publisher(s)Mindscape
SeriesChessmaster
Platform(s)Windows
Release1999
Genre(s)Computer chess
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Chessmaster 7000 is a 1999 chess video game developed and published by Mindscape for the Windows. It is part of the Chessmaster series.

Gameplay

Chessmaster 7000 has a new interface. The game's features are organized into "rooms". The Classroom has quizzes and tutorials with audio game commentary from Josh Waitzkin. In the Game Room or Tournament Room, you can play against personalities. The Game Room offers options like coaching modes and watching the computer's thought process. The Tournament Room has single rated games and tournaments with no hints or other help features allowed, and games affect your rating. New to Chessmaster 7000 is the Kid's Room that has features tailored to children like chess sets, tutorials, and personalities. The game's database includes over 500,000 matches, 200,000 more than Chessmaster 6000. The chess engine, King, is the same as the one in Chessmaster 6000.[1] Network multiplayer options are LAN, modem, and TCP/IP. Internet play, Chessmaster Live, is through MPlayer.com service.[2]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings82%[3]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGM4/5[1]
GameSpot8.1/10 (US)[2]
8/10 (UK)[4]
IGN8.1/10[5]
PC Gamer (US)78%[7]
PC Games75%[6]
Absolute Games (ru)80%[8]
PC Action (de)91%[9]
PC Joker80%[10]
PC Player (DE)80%[11]

Chessmaster 7000 received generally positive reviews from critics. The game was said to be mostly a minor upgrade from the previous title. GameSpot thought the new interface was worse than in Chessmaster 6000. In conclusion it was said that "If you already have Chessmaster 6000 and don't have a kid who wants to learn the intricate game of chess using dinosaur pieces, I can't really recommend spending money for what's little more than a cosmetic overhaul to an already classic product."[2] GameSpot UK said that "If you're a big fan of Chessmaster 6000 then this new game, despite having more to it, may seem to be just a fussy reworking of an already great game." and "[...] you may even find that you prefer Chessmaster 6000's interface to this update."[4] IGN was very impressed with the game: "What makes this game different is the degree to which you can customize the play options. But when stacked up against a title with the same flexibility, it's the usefulness of CM7000 as a reference tool that brings the most value to the game."[5] Computer Games Magazine commented: "If you already own Chessmaster 6000, there’s not a lot new here unless you have children who would enjoy the Kid’s Room. In fact, the new interface leaves less room on the screen for the board and windows. If you’re an accomplished chess player looking for serious tournament preparation software, something like Fritz 6 may be more appropriate." PC Action (de) gave a positive review and said the only drawback was that the game is only in English.[9] PC Joker said Fritz is the stronger chess program and recommended Chessmaster 7000 for more casual players.[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lackey, Jeff (22 February 2000). "Review - Chessmaster 7000". theGlobe.com. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/026/098/chessm7k_review.html. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Poole, Stephen (2 November 1999). "Chessmaster 7000 Review". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/chessmaster-7000-review/1900-2538404/. 
  3. ↑ "Chessmaster 7000 for PC". CBS Interactive. http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/193200-chessmaster-7000/index.html. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Stobart, Laura (9 November 1999). "Chessmaster 7000 Review". ZDNET. http://www.gamespot.co.uk/pc.gamespot/puzzle/che7k_uk/review.html. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Butts, Stephen (11 October 1999). "Reviews - Chessmaster 7000". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/12/chessmaster-7000. 
  6. ↑ Wagner, Harald (January 2000). "Test - Chessmaster 7000" (in German). PC Games (Computec Media GmbH) (1/2000): 144. https://archive.org/details/PC.Games.N088.2000.01-fl0n/page/n143/mode/2up. 
  7. ↑ Novicki, Joe. "Reviews - ChessMaster 7000". Future plc. http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/06/chessmaster_700.html. 
  8. ↑ Martynov, Andrey (22 October 1999). "Review of Chessmaster 7000, The" (in Russian). Golden Telecom. http://www.ag.ru/reviews/chessmaster_7000. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Geltenpoth, Alexander (January 2000). "Test - Chessmaster 7000" (in German). PC Action (Computec Media) (1/2000): 163. https://archive.org/details/PCAA19962013GER. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Test - Chessmaster 7000" (in German). PC Joker (Joker-Verlag) (84): 84. February 2000. 
  11. ↑ Duy, Manfred (January 2000). "Spiele-Test - Chessmaster 7000" (in German). PC Player (1/2000): 166. https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-2000-01/page/n127/mode/2up. 
  • Official website (archived)
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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