Murray Chu
Canada
Vancouver
British Colombia
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I love it when there is an electronic version of a board game available. It gives me a great distraction when I'm not in the mood to fiddle around with Minesweeper or Hearts and allows me to improve my game and prepare for the real thing: playing with my friends.
Even though most adaptations are of the solo/AI only variation, I still love it as I'm usually looking to just scratch an itching for a game. In fact, since I'm usually just looking for a distraction, the fast playing AI and the ability to drop a game guilt-free is very attractive.
If you are uncertain about the rules of a game or if you want to playtest a game first, these electronic versions are indespensible.
Silverlight has an online version of Khet here: http://www.ascendingintegration.com/Khet/. Being raised on Chess, I was very interested in checking it out.
Adaptation
I am uncertain if this is the official game, but it has a link to where you can buy the game as well as very official looking rules.
In order to play Khet on the site, you will need to register, but it doesn't even take a minute. Available to play are the original game as well as several expansions that are optional. You can also use different starting positions in the game, but more on that later.
Overall, the graphics are workable, if not basic. It took a few seconds for me to get used to recognizing the rotation of the pyramids. The colour scheme of the board is quite true to the original game, being red, grey and black, but it's hardly easy on the eyes.
The game uses its own notation system as well, but unfortunately there are no markings on the board that makes them actually useful. In case you are wondering the alphabet part of the notation represents the columns (so label the board on the bottom, horizontal from left to right)
Interface
The actual playing board is quite small. I think AsoBrain has ruined me as I want everything to be scale-adjustable. Things are laid out neatly with the chat on the left, notation on the right and turn markers on the bottom. As mentioned before, it would be nice if the board itself had notation.
Moving a piece is a relatively simple affair. Click and hold a piece to see all legal moves and move them. This holds true for switching places with a piece as well.
The main problem with the small board is the rotation of pieces. If you however your mouse over the piece without clicking on it, two arrows will appear. If you hover the mouse over either one, they will animate and spin, telling you how the piece will move.
This is handy, and is probably the best solution available other than: click to lift, right click to rotate, and click to drop, which is more precise but less intuitive.
I have, on several turns, accidently clicked the rotation icon when I wanted to move a piece. This is because the board is too small and the clickable area is unclear. However, as long as you take your time and click carefully, you should be fine.
AI/Multiplayer
This online version of Khet offers both online multiplayer and a decent AI. With the AI, you can only play using the classic set up. However, with other players you can use a handful of the official set ups, some which include expansion pieces like the Eye. No custom set ups, however.
When I tried out the game, there wasn't many people there, but there was evidence of life in the chat history. Perhaps I logged on during a quiet time, but at least there is the computer there to keep you company!
The AI is pretty good, at least against a new player like myself. You will definitely learn how to play well against this computer as it makes good strategic moves both offensively and defensively. However, it is a bit of a slow thinker and sometimes suffers from a bit of AP. Luckily, computer AP is nothing like human AP, so you won't wait *that* long.
Overall
This online version is excellent. It may strain your eyes a bit, but it'll give you a great feel for the game and help you learn the rules and improve your play as well.
Whenever I finish a game, the screen would suddenly refresh and everything goes white. Does anyone else get that? It's a bit disconcerning, but a minor detail as it does not happen until the winning move.
Overall, I recommend this online version. You just need to register, with a fake email even, and enjoy!
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Jeff Till
Amherst
New York
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The game appears to be gone. Is there a replacement anywhere? I see on khet.com that there are bids to create an iphone version of this game, so maybe they had this free version taken down.
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I think you must use Internet Explorer.
EDIT: No it doesn't work... I think you are right
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Kämmen mein schnurrbart
United States
Austin
Texas
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Not Khet, but an earlier (and superior IMO) game: Laser Chess.
http://www.laserchess.org/
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Canada
Victoria
British Columbia
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jatill wrote: The game appears to be gone. Is there a replacement anywhere?
Looks like the site was reorganised; Khet is now here.
They also have a Silverlight Z-machine with Zork. :)
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