ONLINE PLAY NOTATION V1.0.0

We have been asked many times recently if there are any electronic or online play options available for "Cathedral, the Game of the Mediaeval City". There are no electronic or genuine internet versions available at the moment.

Alternatively one could play across the internet via e-mail, I.R.C. (Internet relay Chat), MSN, or discussion group if there was a suitable notation such as exists for Chess. In response to this request we have come up with a workable language that you can set up in a moment and learn in even less time. This page has the instructions on how to do so. 

CATHEDRAL, PLAY NOTATION

The Problem:

In terms of notation Cathedral presents a problem that does not exist in Chess. Chess is two dimensional , each piece covers one square, each square has one name, identify the piece you wish to move and name the square you wish to move it to. 

Cathedral on the other hand is three dimensional. You must first  name the piece you wish to place, align it with the game board in the direction you wish it to face, then locate it on the chosen squares. 

The Solution:

First name the playing surface. Create a 10x10 grid to fit over the normal game board surface. Number the squares A1 to J10 from top left to bottom right, Mark the top = north, bottom = south, left = west and right = east. Label the top of the playing surface A - J and the left 1 - 10.  On each piece now adhere by some means a compass needle on the segment indicated (as shown below ) white labels or masking tape. The compass aligns the piece in the chosen direction, and also locates the playing piece. To solve the question of which segment of the piece covers the chosen square the segment which has the compass arrow (called the prime square) adhered to it is the datum or location segment the whole piece rotates about this segment and this segment covers the chosen square. The animation to the right demonstrates this principle. 



Example of the playing Grid:-

You can print this grid to use over your game board by clicking on the image or HERE

Mark the pieces thus:-  Using a felt tip pen mark all the pieces with a compass arrow on the segments shown below and in the corresponding direction (alternately you might use white stickers if you do not wish to permanently mark your pieces). Remember the Dark Abbey and Dark Academy are mirror images of light pieces shown below.

The Cathedral 




The Light Set





The Dark Set





Back to the solution

Example of Play, using e-mail, chat or phone:-  
The Cathedral is positioned first. In this case the player has positioned the Cathedral facing north, and the arrow (prime square) covering square E5.

The second player has chosen to place the Castle next to the Cathedral as seen below. The Castle is facing East and the prime square (compass arrow) is covering F5. Play may continue in this manner, naming the Piece the Direction and the Location.

The Notation would read thus:-

See if you can place the next move, click here for the solution.

A True Notation
Taking this a step further, it is possible to abbreviate the names of  the pieces and the play notation thus:
  

CA: TA: ST: IN: BR: SQ: MA: AB: IF: CS: TO: AC: N: E: S: W:

Cathedral Tavern Stable Inn Bridge Square Manor Abbey Infirmary* Castle* Tower Academy North South East West

A game above would then consist of the following notation

1. 2.

DARK CAnE5  TOwG5

LIGHT CSeF5 etc.

CAnE5 = Cathedral, north, square E5

We trust you will enjoy playing Cathedral by phone, E-mail, our discussion forum or any IRC website. 

Your comments and suggestions are welcome for example, should we create a separate online playing forum.

Acknowledgements:
Dave Perkins, for insisting on an alphanumeric layout and test playing the language.
Mike Donovan, for suggesting abbreviation of the notation structure as in the last table above.

" The Game of the Mediaeval City"
Is property of and copyright © 1978, 1997 Chrisbo I.P. Holdings limited.
The intellectual rights in all parts, name, design and rules is protected by International copyright treaties. No parts may be copied or reproduced in any materials including electronic, multimedia and internet, without the express permission of the owner.