Software That Can Get You Fired, Part II

[Brad Adrian]

You may recall that a few days ago there was a discussion thread about the <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3300">new Scrabble game</a> for the Pocket PC and a Scrabble clone, called WordGame. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/scrabbleboth.jpg" /><br /><br />Well, I've been addicted to WordGame for several months (don't tell my boss) and quickly grabbed the "official" Scrabble game when it was released. I've been able to play with both games for a while now, so I thought I'd share my impressions with you.&lt;!><br /><br /><b><span>Scrabble And WordGame Comparison</span></b><br /><br /><b>Features</b><br />As far as the general features and functions are concerned, Scrabble and WordGame are very similar to each other. To make it easier to describe how they compare to each other, I put together a little table.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/scrabblefeatures.jpg" /><br /><br />These are the main areas for comparing the two versions:<br /><br /><b>Save/Load Games</b><br />Both Scrabble and WordGame allow you to save games in progress and reload them. Scrabble allows you to save a game to essentially any folder on your device or storage card, while WordGame only saves games to the directory in which the game is installed. That's not that big an issue, except that it takes WordGame much less time to locate all saved games than it takes Scrabble.<br /><br /><b>Maximum Number of Players</b><br />Both versions allow the user to play against other human players or the computer. When playing against other humans, the Pocket PC is simply passed between players as each takes his turn. If you like to play in larger groups, though, only Scrabble will allow you to play with up to three other human players.<br /><br /><b>Multi-Player Via IR</b><br />If you do want to play against other humans, Scrabble offers a unique feature: beaming game plays via infrared. Instead of passing the device from player to player, each can use his own device and simply beam his moves to the others.<br /><br /><b>Simulation</b><br />If you would like to see how two really smart people might play a game, then WordGame offers a simulation mode. It essentially demonstrates a two-player game, showing each move taken along the way. It's an interesting feature for seeing how the game works, but its novelty wore off pretty quickly for me.<br /><br /><b>Word Lookup</b><br />If you have a vocabulary as limited as mine is, this is a feature that you will use a lot. If you're not sure of a word's validity or spelling, both versions allow you to check it against the built-in dictionary.<br /><br /><b>Suggest Move</b><br />Another feature that I end up using a lot is the ability to find out what words my tiles might spell. Both versions provide this capability, but with very different results.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/scrabblehelpboth.jpg" /><br /><br />The Scrabble version typically suggests words with which I am much more familiar, and as a result seems a bit more realistic. The words suggested by WordGame are no less valid, but (as the screen shot shows) I have often never even heard of them before.<br /><br /><b>View Remaining Tiles</b><br />Both versions allow the user to see exactly which game tiles remain in the pool. For all but the most devoted strategic player, this feature may be superfluous.<br /><br /><b>Adjustable Penalty For Wrong Word</b><br />If you have ever played the board game version of Scrabble before, you know that part of the fun is trying to convince other players of the validity of the words you try to create. With the Pocket PC version of Scrabble, if an invalid word is placed, it is simply removed from the board. However, WordGame keeps the play a bit more on the up-and-up by allowing you to stipulate penalties for invalid words. Again, this is a feature for the most hard-core Scrabble players, so I usually turn it off.<br /><br /><b>High Score Tracking</b><br />I was a bit disappointed to find out that the Scrabble version does not keep track of high scores, only WordGame does. I mean, what's the fun in playing a game if you don't have a target score to shoot for?<br /><br /><b>Scoring Summary</b><br />On the other hand, Scrabble offers another scoring feature; it keeps track of each play of the game, allowing the user to review the entire game from start to finish, complete with attempts at invalid words. You might not use this feature very often, but it is a fun way to recall a game, especially if it's been a protracted one.<br /><br /><b>Edit Word List On PPC</b><br />Both versions allow the user to add or delete words from the dictionary. With WordGame, the edits are performed on a desktop PC and the changes are then synchronized to the Pocket PC. <br /><br />With Scrabble, the dictionary file can be edited directly on the Pocket PC, right in the middle of play. This ease of editing can be very helpful, unless you're prone to trying to add words like "qwoszrbduzs" just to gain a few points.<br /><br /><b>Editable Boards</b><br />If there is one feature of WordGame that really stands out, it's the ability to edit the playing boards. With a very easy-to-use interface, players can create a board with any type of configuration, complete with bonus squares and blocked areas. This flexibility insures that you will never tire of playing the game. In fact, WordGame doesn't actually include a board that is laid out like the original Scrabble game; if you want a traditional game, you have to create your own Scrabble-like board. I don't view this as a problem though, because it only took me about five minutes to create a traditional board.<br /><br /><span><b>Price</b></span><br />Ah, yes, the final -- and sometimes most important -- point: the price. As I mentioned, I've been using WordGame for several months and, at $14.95 I feel I've really gotten my money's worth. At $29.99, the Scrabble version seems a bit steep, and many people will balk at the game based on price alone.<br /><br /><span><b>Availability</b></span><br />You can download both demo and final versions of <a href="http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&platformId=2&productType=2&catalog=0§ionId=0&productId=43204">Scrabble</a> and <a href="http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&platformId=2&productType=2&catalog=0§ionId=0&productId=23598">Wordgame</a> from the Handango Web site.<br /><br /><span><b>Gotchas</b></span><br />The only real gotcha is the price differential; Scrabble is just too expensive for some people. <br /><br /><span><b>Conclusions</b></span><br />Each of these games is a blast to play, and I'll probably keep both of them installed on my Pocket PC because they each offer different benefits. In the end though, I have to say that I prefer Scrabble, even with the price difference.<br /><br />The reason I prefer Scrabble is that when I play against the computer it seems to be a bit more realistic and true to how the game usually flows with a human competitor. I like that WordGame suggests things like "aceta," but find myself stymied when it plays similarly-obscure words against me. Both games offer a challenge when playing against the computer, but it feels like Scrabble gives me a bit more of a fair chance.<br /><br />And where my vocabulary is concerned, I need all the help I can get.

[Ed Hansberry]

Suggest Move
Another feature that I end up using a lot is the ability to find out what words my tiles might spell. Both versions provide this capability, but with very different results.

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/scrabblehelpboth.jpg

The Scrabble version typically suggests words with which I am much more familiar, and as a result seems a bit more realistic.
LOL! "Pooh" Right up your alley Brad. :wink: :lol:

[palmsolo]

"The reason I prefer Scrabble is that when I play against the computer it seems to be a bit more realistic and true to how the game usually flows with a human competitor. I like that WordGame suggests things like "aceta," but find myself stymied when it plays similarly-obscure words against me. Both games offer a challenge when playing against the computer, but it feels like Scrabble gives me a bit more of a fair chance."

That is one of the major things that bugged me while comparing both games. I can't stand it when WordGame plays words that make no sense at all and I would probably never have accepted in a real game of Scrabble. Scrabble plays just like the board game and if it was just about $10 cheaper it would be no question of which one to choose.
[/quote]

[revolution.cx]

Here's the real test for hardcore Scrabble players: have the 2 games play each other. You'll have to enter the moves by hand, but I bet dollars to donuts that Scrabble on its hardest setting consistently beats Word Game.

[Brad Adrian]

I can't stand it when WordGame plays words that make no sense at all and I would probably never have accepted in a real game of Scrabble...
I just spoke with the product manager for the Scrabble game and she told me that it uses the offical Scrabble dictionary. I've been unable to find out what the dictionary source is for WordGame.

[jeff]

So what are the difficulty level settings like on Scrabble? Is there something kind of intermediate between Word Game's Advanced and Expert? I demolish the computer every time in Word Game on Advanced, but I need a bit of luck to beat it on Expert. Something in between would be nice.

And while it would be cool to pit the two games against each other, it's impossible. Each game will draw different tiles for each player.

Jeff

[jeff]

I can't stand it when WordGame plays words that make no sense at all and I would probably never have accepted in a real game of Scrabble...
I just spoke with the product manager for the Scrabble game and she told me that it uses the offical Scrabble dictionary. I've been unable to find out what the dictionary source is for WordGame.

It's the official Scrabble dictionary. I've been able to find every word I haven't recognized from Word Game in my paperback Scrabble dictionary.

[djl]

I've played both games, and I think Scrabble is much more difficult to beat. I like Word Game, but I've lost to it maybe once. Scrabble got me on the ropes on the first game. . . . Also, I grew up playing Scrabble, so I like the familiarity of it. . . . And I like the fact that it's based on the Official Scrabble Dictionary. . . . Yes, the price is higher, but you're paying for the brand and, at least in this case, the quality. :D

[revolution.cx]

And while it would be cool to pit the two games against each other, it's impossible. Each game will draw different tiles for each player.
Jeff

What's so hard about randomly starting a game in each until you get the exact same tiles? :D

I wasn't thinking so hard at the moment. Here is an interesting link and a quote for those more interested in the ins and outs of scrabble AI:

Brian Sheppard's official paper (he worked for Hasbro, the company that owns the Scrabble franchise):
http://citeseer.nj.nec.com/cachedpage/278658/8

And a quote from somewhere:
"A simulation-based approach has been used for a long time in Scrabble programs. Brian Sheppard, whose Scrabble program Maven defeated Grandmaster Adam Logan (a top-ranked player in the world) in the AAAI-98 Hall of Champions, coined the term ``simulator'' for this type of game-playing program structure. "

But what do I know

[Brad Adrian]

So what are the difficulty level settings like on Scrabble? Is there something kind of intermediate between Word Game's Advanced and Expert?
Scrabble had three difficulty setting: Easy, Medium and Hard. I can consistently beat the Easy setting, effectively doubling the computer's score. Medium is a pretty tight race, and Hard usually beats me.

[revolution.cx]

Scrabble had three difficulty setting: Easy, Medium and Hard. I can consistently beat the Easy setting, effectively doubling the computer's score. Medium is a pretty tight race, and Hard usually beats me.

Are you a really good Scrabble player (e.g. you can list all the legal 2 letter words in your sleep)? I'm curious, do you remember for sure that you have ever beaten Scrabble for Pocket PC on its hardest setting?

Many Scrabble software links:

http://www.gtoal.com/wordgames/scrabble.html

[Brad Adrian]

Are you a really good Scrabble player?
Are you kidding me? The only thing shorter than my vocabulary is my attention spa

[revolution.cx]

Are you a really good Scrabble player?
Are you kidding me? The only thing shorter than my vocabulary is my attention spa

HA.

When I played Scrabble for Pocket PC there was no way I or anyone I knew could beat the hardest setting. Perhaps it has been changed since I played it.

[ctmagnus]

Are you a really good Scrabble player?
Are you kidding me? The only thing shorter than my vocabulary is my attention spa

Do all your sentences just kinda drop off like that?

Or is that not attention span-related? :lol:

[jwf]

The Psion 3 Series had a superb implementation of Scrabble. The wide screen having the ability to show two differently zoomed views of the board at the same time, side-by-side. It's difficulty levels were assigned people's names, each of which had a different job and hobbies, and therefore had a different vocabulary. ISTR the simplest level was named Homer Gates, a computer geek ;-)

See www.widget.com.au/media/Scrabble.pdf

John

[Duncan]

Stuff Scrabble... when are they going to release their version of Monopoly! THAT I will pay $30 for!

[Jason Dunn]

Stuff Scrabble... when are they going to release their version of Monopoly! THAT I will pay $30 for!

Here here! Especially if it had a multiplayer mode - that would be great!

[CUShane]

Stuff Scrabble... when are they going to release their version of Monopoly! THAT I will pay $30 for!

You can already have Monopoly on your PPC... Grab PocketNES and the Monopoly ROM...

[mcohn]

I'd love to see a PPC version of Monopoly. I gave my daughter my old Visor Prism and she went out that day and bought the palm version of Monopoly. It's a really nice looking program, very playable and well done.

[Duncan]

You can already have Monopoly on your PPC... Grab PocketNES and the Monopoly ROM...

Yes but -

1) I can't get the Monopoly ROM legally (and I won't use a ROM obtained illegally) and

2) I want Monopoly designed for a Pocket PC not emulated...

[CUShane]

Yes but -

1) I can't get the Monopoly ROM legally (and I won't use a ROM obtained illegally) and

2) I want Monopoly designed for a Pocket PC not emulated...


1) That's a problem. I already had a Monopoly cartridge from my ancient NES.

2) The screenshots look interesting and designed for PPC would be nice, but $30 is a little steep... Knock $10 off that and I'd definately consider buying it.

[Marcel_Proust]

in the screen captures of the Scrabble program I noticed you guys have the top bar visibile. My trial copy seems incompatible with wisbar. anyone else experience this?

[disconnected]

Handmark is currently beta testing Monopoly.

[Brad Adrian]

in the screen captures of the Scrabble program I noticed you guys have the top bar visibile. My trial copy seems incompatible with wisbar. anyone else experience this?
Sorry. I don't have or use WisBar, but maybe somebody else can try it out.

[Ed Hansberry]

Sorry. I don't have or use WisBar, but maybe somebody else can try it out.
As cool as WisBar is (I used it for 6 months last year) I had to give it up because it blocked so much PPC 2002 stuff in the title bar. PocketNav does what I need in task killing/switching. I have tried 3 times to use again but it just blocks too much stuff.

[Mike Wagstaff]

For those interested in Handmark's upcoming Monopoly, I've just posted a selection of screenshots from the game:

http://www.pocketgamer.org/showthread.php?threadid=1114

Enjoy! :)

[Beezer1]

Some bugs I've noticed in WordGame:

1. If a 2-person game is saved, it resumes/reloads as a person vs. computer game.

2. In games (person vs. computer or another person) where the tiles are down to less than seven per hand, weird things start to happen: scores get screwy and when you return to your hand, the tiles may be changed from your prior hand.

3. Putting a "start box" square in the center as it is shown on the Scrabble board doubles the value of a word formed over this square; I don't believe it doubles in Scrabble.

Has anyone else encountered these problems? In March 2002 I asked Resco about Item 2 above...they responded they were aware of the "bug" and said they would fix it soon...

[yvilla]

Some bugs I've noticed in WordGame:

3. Putting a "start box" square in the center as it is shown on the Scrabble board doubles the value of a word formed over this square; I don't believe it doubles in Scrabble.


Can't comment on the other issues you raise, but the doubling on the center square is a true Scrabble feature. That's why winning the "who goes first" draw has any value. :wink: