Time Frame Strategy Gaming

I think I may have invented a new way to play Turn-based strategy games...

This probably isn't a new idea, so if you have any resources linking to other people who have had similar ideas, let me know in the comments :v.

UPDATE: I have done some research and the technical term in regards to game theory for this particular style of gaming is called "Simultaneous" or "Static" gaming. So far as chess is concered, I believe the version I detail below is unique but at least 2 other versions of a simultaneous chess have also been invented: https://www.chessvariants.com/play/erf/Synchron.html

Time Frame Strategy

I love Turn based strategy, I love Real Time strategy. How do we combine elements of the two?

By making everyone in a Turn based strategy game make their move at the same time of course!

The concept is simple, you take any Turn based strategy game and instead of players taking it in turns you let both players plan a move to be made and submitted into the game at the same time.

For convenience, we will call each action (or set of actions within a Time Frame) made by a player a "move" and we will call a the set of all "moves" made by all players at the same time a "Time Frame".

TFS Chess

Lets have a look at how this might work with good ol' classical chess.

Rather than White going first and Black going second, both players can make their move within the same "Time Frame".

Each player would make an intended move and when both players have decided on the move they want to make, the moves are locked into the engine and the next "round of moves" (Time Frame) commences.

Example

Starting Board:

After 1 Frame:

After 2 Frames:

After 3 Frames:

After 4 Frames:

After 5 Frames:

Notice how in Frames 4 and 5 Blacks Knight was able to capture White's pawn, but when White tried to recapture with his own pawn, the Knight had managed to escape to another square...

Certain rules would need to be defined for each game that TFS was applied to - which can be different for each type of game. For example, in the above I have shown that a piece is able to evade capture by moving away from the square it would otherwise be captured on... but perhaps you would have a rule that says if a piece could be captured on that square then the piece is not able to evade capture even if it moves away - if it tried, the piece would simply be removed from the board (this would make checks practically winning).

Rules of Standard TFS Chess

- Only moves that would be legal in Classical Chess can be legal in TFS Chess.

- A piece may evade capture by moving away from the square it is currently on even if the opponent moves a piece to that square during the same Time Frame.

- If two pieces land on the same square during the same Time Frame, then both pieces are removed from the board.

- The path of a piece may not be intercepted, however a piece cannot move "behind" an opponents piece in anticipation that the blocking piece would move.

- Pawns can only move one square forward at a time if legal.

- A King in check must be moved.

- A King can "accidently" move into check if it is from a move in the same Time Frame that would put them in check (same goes for moving through check in the case of castling).

- Stalemate is a loss.

- Losing all your pieces save your King is a loss.

- Losing your King by landing on the same square as an opponent piece is a loss.

Variations

X-ray variation

A piece (such as a Queen/Rook/Bishop) can attempt to move to a square behind an opponents piece. If the piece moves during the same Time Frame, then the move is successful, if not, then the piece must capture on the square where the blocking piece sits.

Interception variation

If a piece (such as a Queen/Bishop/Rook) moves to a particular square, then its path may be intercepted by another piece provided the ammount of squares the intercepting piece had to move is the same as or fewer than the ammount of squares the Queen/Bishop/Rook would have to make to be on the intercepting Square. Crashing: Two pieces "Crash" if the move along the same rank/file/diagonal "through" each other, or if the paths they have taken would lead to them being on the same square at some point whilst taking that path in the same number of "square-steps" as each other. In both cases, both pieces are removed from the board.

X-ray Interception

Combination of the X-ray and Interception variations.

Capture variation

If a piece or pawn can be captured on a square then that piece cannot evade capture if the opponent chooses to capture the piece on the next Time Frame. If the player attempts to move the piece to evade capture on the next Time Frame and the opponent captures on that square, then the piece is removed from the game (before it is able to "land" on any other square).

Go Down Fighting

Same as Capture but the piece being captured as it moves away is able to capture opponent pawns and pieces before it is removed from the board.

Clocks

There are 2 ways we can impliment clocks or physical Time controls.

Method 1 - Regular:

Both (all) players have regular clocks. When one person has "locked in" their move, everyone else's clock begins counting down. A players clock stops when they have locked in their own move and play continues when everyone has made a move so the next Time Frame can commense.

Method 2 - Delay:

Everyone has a preset delay. Player's clocks start counting down after the delay. The clock is stopped/paused when a move is locked in. Play resumes during the next Time Frame.

Method 3 - Incremental:

Each player is given a certain set increment of time whenever they lock in their move. The clock is paused whilst waiting for other players to make their moves.

TFS is a way of playing Turn based strategy games. It is free and you can incorperate it into any of your games as you like.

I hope you have found this insightful. Maybe one day we will get to see TFS being played in 4pc or even 8 player chess. Let me know if you think there is a future for TFS :0

- Eldar