FAQ
Where can I get the latest patch?
If you have version 2, the easiest way is to choose "Check for Updates" from the Help menu. You can also download the latest patch here.
If you're still at version 1.x, you can download a patch for upgrading to 1.3.1 here. We'd rather see you on version 2 of course. Send us information so we can verify you're a version 1 owner and we can get you an version 2 upgrade discount.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If I buy Zillions of Games and use it to create an original game of mine, can I then sell my game?
Assuming you're using your own graphics for the board and pieces and your own scripting code to implement it, then I don't see why not. However, keep in mind that other users will need to own Zillions of Games in order to play it. Think of the game rules files you create as documents, just like Word processing documents. You can sell the documents you create, but the purchaser will need a program to open them with.
Zillions of Games does not have the ability to generate stand-alone games, although if you have a game that works in Zillions of Games, our programmers can turn it into a stand-alone game for a fee.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Will I be able to develop new games in Zillions?
All Zillions games are specified in a powerful, data-oriented, scripting language designed specifically to describe game rules. There are sections for describing pieces, the board, the goals, the help, etc. Scripting is akin to very easy programming. If you have any experience with any programming language, scripting language, or formatting language like HTML, you shouldn't have any trouble writing a Zillions Rules File. If you are good at math and logic, you should be able to figure it out. If you have no experience in things like this, then implementing new games may be beyond you, and you should rely on the games other people are creating.
You'll need the full (unlocked) version to develop new games, but other than that nothing is required. New games are described to Zillions in text files, so all you need to write a new game is a text editor. WordPad will do, but others can highlight keywords for you. Zillions comes with a built-in parser/compiler that will alert you to syntax errors you make and can even detect run-time problems like endless loops.
A language reference manual is provided. Another great place to get help is our discussion board (ee the "Designing Games for Zillions" topic), where lots of friendly game authors hang out.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm a good Windows programmer and want to program my own AI for my game. Is this possible?
Yes, we support a plugin architecture where you can create a DLL that overrides Zillions' AI for a particular game. This is documented in the language reference manual. Also, we have created a sample plugin.
in the newest version of of Zillions (download the newest patch).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm curious whether ZoG's chess play has ever been rated, even approximately. I know it's not entirely fair to compare a general purpose game engine with one optimized for chess. But from your extensive experience, how would you rank it with other computer chess programs?
Zillions has never been officially rated, but it is certainly much weaker than today's commercial chess programs, including our own engines (NOW, Innovation,...). However, on a really fast computer (I use a 450MHz Pentium) on a faster time control it does seem better than me, and I've been as high as USCF 2050. That probably makes it a good match for an average tournament player on an average machine and of course means it will slaughter 99% of the gamer population. It gets all its strength from tactics as it doesn't understand some long-term positional strategies like Pawn structure.
A review in "Variant Chess" said,