Notation for ST3D Chess by L. Lynn Smith When I first approached developing games for this particualr playing field, I was often hampered by the ability to explain certain rules and conditions because of its shape. This staggered three-dimensional configuration of shifting cells is one tough cookie. Basicly, it is considered to be three 4x4 areas called Fixed Levels and four(or more) 2x2 areas called Attack Platforms. Those Attack Platforms would offer the most trouble, they can exist at several locations within the 3D plattern. Franz Joseph, in his publication of the Star Fleet Tech Manual, had titled the three Fixed Levels as White, Neutral and Black. White being the lower, Neutral the central and Black the upper. This would be completely acceptable. I could have opted for a simple alpha-numeric form, but this was actually very nice. Still these could be abbreviated to W for White, N for Neutral and B for Black. I then applied common alpha-numeric notation to each of these Fixed Levels, so that they each appeared thus: 4 [ ][ ][ ][ ] 3 [ ][ ][ ][ ] 2 [ ][ ][ ][ ] 1 [ ][ ][ ][ ] a b c d This system was applied to each Fixed Level. The perspective is from the leading edge of the lower White Level, as if I was walking up a set of stairs. Each ascending Fixed Level would have the same orientation. Now each of the cells on the Fixed Levels could be identified. Using the simple abbreviation of each Fixed Level, followed by the alpha-numeric notation of the specific cell. A player could now see that Nb3 would be the b3 cell on the Neutral Fixed Level, and Wc3 would be the c3 cell on the White Fixed Level. That fairly explained the possible cells of the Fixed Levels. But this left the more difficult Attack Platforms. This one I had a little more problem with relating. Those little 2x2 areas could be in 24 possible locations on the playing field. It was easy to assign the alpha-numeric notation to the specific cells on each of the Attack Platforms. 2 [ ][ ] 1 [ ][ ] a b I then began with the idea of naming each Attack Platform, according to their starting location during the game. So that an Attack Platform with began on the right-hand side of the White Fixed Level would be called White King's Attack or WKA. And an Attack Board which began on the left-hand side of the Black Fixed Level would be called Black Queen's Attack. Of course this form of notation is still based upon the above orientation of the playing field. But what if these Attack Boards do not start at any particular position? These titles may be difficult to apply and cause confusion between players. I returned to the basics. Maintaining the initial notation for Fixed Levels, I then began to title the possible positions of these Attack Platforms. This would be referenced to the corner of the cell of each Fixed Level which the Attack Platforms are placed. That would be a1, a4, d1 and d4. And since each Attack Platform could be placed either up-right or down, these position would be further modified with the notation of "u" for up and "d" for down. This would mean that an Attack Platform at Wa1d is located on the corner of the a1 cell of the White Fixed Level in the down position. An Attack Platform at Nd4u would be located on the corner of the d4 cell of the Neutral Fixed Level in the up position. This notation of the Attack Platform location could then be applied as a prefix with the particular cell upon that Attack Platform. So that Bd1da1 is now the a1 cell on the Attack Platform located on the corner of the d1 cell of the Black Fixed level in the down position. A little long-winded but extremely precise. There should now be no confusion as to the location of a particular piece upon this playing field. Movement of pieces could now be notated with accuracy and understanding. If I was to write "P-Nd4ua1", a reader could quickly translate this to "Pawn to the a1 cell of the Attack Platform located on the corner of the d4 cell of the Neutral Fixed level in the up position". The former now being much more concise compared to the latter. When notating movement of Attack Platforms within the playing field, players would note the starting point followed by the destination point. "Ba1d-Ba4d" would denote the movement of the Attack Platform on the corner of the a1 cell of the Black Fixed Level in the down position to the corner of the a4 cell of the Black Fixed level in the down position. It will be taken that any piece which occupy a particular Attack Platform are translated in its movement. If there was a Pawn located on the Attack Platform which preformed the above "Ba1d-Ba4d" move, it would automatically be considered to have been moved along with it. So that a Pawn at Ba1da1 would then be located at Ba4da1. This notation is applicable regardless of the various rules which can be applied to this playing field. Regardless of the cells of the Fixed Levels considered to be connected to Attack Platforms located on its points. The basic alpha-numeric notation on each Attack Platform would be considered in relation the Fixed levels. If the Attack Platforms are rotated on the points of the playing field, this notation would maintain its orientation in regard to the Fixed Level. So, that the a1 cell of the Attack Platform would be on the lower left-hand side whether the Platform is up or down. ___________ |_____|_____| a2 | a1 | | _______________________| |_____|_____|_____|_____| a4 a3 a2 a1 | | | _____|_____ |_____|_____| a2 a1 So a piece located on the a1 cell of the up Attack Platform could either be considered to have remained on the a1 cell when the Attack Platform is moved to the down position, or it could have been "rotated' to the a2 position. This would be complete predicated upon the individual rules of a specific game. But the notation of the Attack Platform would thus be maintained. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AUTHOR'S AFTERWORD This paper is an attempt to create a common-sense form of notation for a rather complex playing field. Other forms have been previously presented but were specific to a particular game. This is to be considered a generic form which can be utilized by anyone.