Chessmaster 9000

{ review.getRatingValue }}

"Useless with Snow Leopard!!!"

Riqiv July 02, 2010 / Version: Chessmaster 9000 1.1.2

2010-07-02 13:55:02 | By Riqiv

Summary

This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
While this program is awesome, it must have the CD to work and was constantly freezing up on OS 10.4. After you download this patch it asks if you'd like to download 1.1.3, Snow Leopard won't even allow me to start the program and I must force quit! It opens to the daily puzzle (when it does open) and there is no way to default it go directly to a game. Opening up saved games or taking back moves quickly can make the game quit . . . spinning beach ball.

Just rebuilt my directory and corrected permissions on my Mac and have no problems w/other programs. Unless your running Windows on Mac this program has proved to me to be utterly useless on Snow Leopard. If Feral would come up with a working patch, I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars, it's currently -5. Someone please make a chess game as comprehensive and visually striking as Chessmaster with a nice interface for Mac that truly works and I'm there!

5 stars

{ review.getRatingValue }}

"Excellent Chess game!"

eholt--2008 January 25, 2006 / Version: Chessmaster 9000 1.0.2

2006-01-25 17:10:04 | By eholt--2008

Summary

This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
Fantastic Chess game with in depth training, great graphics and numerous levels to play against.

5 stars

{ review.getRatingValue }}

"Chessmaster 9000 on Mac OS 10.4 Tiger"

cellist December 23, 2005 / Version: Chessmaster 9000 1.0.1

2005-12-23 15:41:08 | By cellist

Summary

This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
If you want to fix the opponent option for this system you can download a beta patch update by emailing support@feralinteractive.com and requesting it.

It works now! yay!

5 stars

{ review.getRatingValue }}

"Chessmaster 9000 on Mac OS 10.4 Tiger"

cellist December 23, 2005 / Version: Chessmaster 9000 1.0.1

2005-12-23 15:41:00 | By cellist

Summary

2 stars

{ review.getRatingValue }}

"If you're using OS 10.4, you can't select an..."

dkeegan--2008 July 26, 2005 / Version: Chessmaster 9000 1.0.1

2005-07-26 13:07:01 | By dkeegan--2008

Summary

...opponent
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
Like the previous person who commented on this program, after updating to OS 10.4, I found that I can no longer select from players ("personalities") in the program's "game room." And like the previous person who commented, I contacted Feral's support by email (no phone support allowed) several times about this problem. They never responded. I too think this is a potentially nice program, looks good and has a few decent features -- but that's about as generous as I can be. A chess application for which you cannot select an opponent? Please don't waste your money.

2 stars

{ review.getRatingValue }}

"No Support and No Updates to Fix Bugs!"

gryphonent June 25, 2005 / Version: Chessmaster 9000 1.0.1

2005-06-25 10:48:27 | By gryphonent

Summary

This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
I bought Chessmaster 9000 in December 2004 and instantly encountered many bugs. The program looks good and has great potential, but it is a terrible port by Zonic (a company that has become a brand name for doing a terrible job in bringing games to the Mac). Not only have I been reporting all bugs to Feral (without receiving ANY support at all), but also continued hoping that an update would be around the corner. IÃ¢??m starting to lose that hope now. DonÃ¢??t know what issues the update to version 1.01 addressed, but surely not the ones IÃ¢??m having, namely:
+ pieces move very slowly at times and are not positioned correctly (which is reason for crying out loud when playing in tournament mode where a move cannot be taken back);
+ no chance to win a rated game under hourglass timing. The pieces cannot be moved smoothly enough, sometimes even wobble around after being positioned;
+ a further annoyance of the game is the fact that I have to insert the DVD each time I want to play, which means I have to carry the DVD on travels with me... now, if this would be a FPS like Doom 3 I would understand that a DVD is needed, but as it stands Chessmaster is a chess program and has performed a full install;
+ in the classroom, when running a tutorial you cannot select a subsection of the tutorial and get credit for completing it without doing the ENTIRE section from start to finish;
+ when playing in tournament mode and the computer is loosing, the game always ends with the message that the computer draws and my rating is adjusted! Why am I not made an offer and can make the decision myself? Maybe I don't want to draw and would prefer to defeat the computer, increasing my rating by more points than it would be the case when accepting a draw;
+ furthermore, at least on my system, since upgrading to MacOS X 10.4.1 all computer players in Chessmaster 9000 1.01 are invisible. When selecting a random player in tournament mode (as the drop-down window is not working anymore) the program crashes without notice.

I think the program is very good in its concept and visual look... it's just the overall playability that sucks and makes me return to shareware SigmaChess. If anyone from Feral is reading this: PLEASE GET THE JOB DONE AND FIX THE BUGS!!!

show reviews

Full Specifications

General
Publisher	Feral Interactive
Publisher web site	http://www.feralinteractive.com
Release Date	May 04, 2012
Date Added	May 04, 2012
Version	1.1.3

Category
Category	Games
Subcategory	Board Games

Operating Systems
Operating Systems	Mac OS X 10.4 Intel/PPC, Mac OS X 10.5 Intel/PPC
Additional Requirements	None

Download Information
File Size	9.43MB
File Name	chessmaster9k_1.1.3.dmg

Popularity
Total Downloads	29,237
Downloads Last Week	12

Pricing
License Model	Free to try
Limitations	Not available
Price	$40

Report a problem

AirPower, 'Bendgate', Maps: Apple's 15 biggest flops

by Clifford Colby

Lower-than-expected sales, unexpected glitches, design fails -- it doesn't always go right for Apple...

Apple News Plus: 7 tips to use Apple's new magazine subscription service

by Clifford Colby

The new premium magazine service from Apple is cheap and easy to use.

Here's how to save your Google+ data before Google shuts it down

by Sandra Vogel

Google's shuttering its G+ social network. Grab your stuff while you still can.

PLATFORMS

POPULAR LINKS

CATEGORIES

HELP & SETTINGS

Chessmaster 9000 for Mac

Publisher's Description

What do you need to know about free software?

Submit Your Reply

Thank You for Submitting a Reply, !

E-mail This Review

Thank You, !

Report Offensive Content

Thank You for Helping us Maintain CNET's Great Community, !

Full Specifications

General

Category

Operating Systems

Download Information

Popularity

Pricing

AirPower, 'Bendgate', Maps: Apple's 15 biggest flops

Apple News Plus: 7 tips to use Apple's new magazine subscription service

Here's how to save your Google+ data before Google shuts it down