Piece Classifications and Identification

There's dozens, if not hundreds, of pieces out there that you could use, so I'm introducing a simple notation system to help describe them.

In this notation system, we'll use this format:

Name: Witch

Movement: O(Inf., 1, false, false), D(Inf., 1, false, false), J(false), O(3, 1, true, false), D(3, 1, true, false)

Special Effects: Trans(Aura(1), Self)

instead of saying this:

 "the witch is a piece that moves as a queen, a knight, and a musketeer chess hawk combined, without capturing. Any adjacent piece becomes transparent to allied pieces, so that pieces that slide can pass over the transparent piece as if it weren't there."

Movement modes and abilities, or attributes, will be described using several inputs. If an input has square brackets around them, they are optional. If an attribute has multiple optional inputs, then you must put all the prior inputs to the ones that you wish to have. So, as an example, if attribute x has the inputs (a, [b], [c]) and you wish to put an input into c, but not b, then you still need to input the value you want for b (the default).

Abbreviations:

Inf. : Infinity

M-(piece name): Musketeer (piece name)

Taking: the piece that just took the piece being described

Movement Modes:

D([a], [b], [c], [d])

The piece can move diagonally with a minimum of b and a maximum of a number of steps, and if c is false, must stop directly before another piece, or capture the blocking piece. If d is false, the piece cannot capture with this certain movement mode.

Default values:

a = Inf.

b = 1

c = False

d = True

O([a], [b], [c], [d])

The piece can move orthogonally with a minimum of b and a maximum of a number of steps, and if c is false, must stop directly before another piece, or capture the blocking piece. If d is false, the piece cannot capture with this certain movement mode.

Default values:

a = Inf.

b = 1

c = False

d = True

J([a],[b],[c],[d],[e])

The piece can move in intervals of b squares orthogonally, then c squares at right angles to the first movement. The piece can repeat this movement a minimum of e and a maximum of d times. If a is false, then the piece cannot capture with this particular movement mode.

Default values:

a = true

b = 2

c = 1

d = 1

e = 1

Special Abilities:

Infect(a)

Transforms piece a into this piece, when a exists.

Additional additions and revisions will occur bi-weekly. Feel free to comment if you see any way I can improve this.

Okay, you do realize no one has any idea what you are saying.

I recommend 

Witch=W 

A (around)

O (orthogonal)

D (Diagonal)

J (Jump)

I (Infinite)

So it's W, A(I), J(2,1+2,2)

Ability: Transparent A(1)

The symbol for a piece is too often contested, so I just leave it to the people running the game to make a set of them. Thanks for the suggestions, though! I'll try to revise it on Wednesday next week.

Redoing this

X(capture)

Q (Queen's move, or all around)

O (orthogonal)

D (Diagonal)

J (Jump)

I (Infinite)

L (left), C (center, R(right)

A (around)

O (orthogonal)

D (Diagonal)

J (Jump)

I (Infinite)

A (Aura), or everything within a certain radius.

n< is anything BIGGER than the number,

n> is anything smaller.

n*< or > is including n and smaller.

You may mix notation

QO (around, orthogonal)

QD (Around, Diagonal)

QDI (around, diagonal, infinite) and so on.

There's an optional "if" variable.

For all basic pieces:

P[ifRank2=f(1,2), f1] Abilities: En Passant, Promotion

N[JA(2,1/1,2)]

B(QDI)

R(QOI)

Q(QI)

K(AI) Ability/Debuff: Royalty

Pawn is the most complicated since it has the most abilities.

Instead of A for around, try Q for... well, you know. Instead use A for aura, as in all squares it can get to in x king's moves, like the waterloo joker has the move pattern A2

Done.