Sorry For The Mess

[mickmackusa]

Dear Forum Users,

I must apologize for the current state of the layout.
Power Pinochle has just undergone a long overdue upgrade of its software.
For some reason, that I must figure out, much of the layout has been compromised.
I believe the site is still perfectly functional as an active forum, so feel free to use it in its lack-luster condition.

I hope to resolve whatever is going on within a short window of time.

Thank you for your patience.

mickmackusa
Power Pinochle Web Support

[mickmackusa]

Dear Power Pinochle Members and Guests,

I happy to announce that powerpinochle.com has successfully moved webhosts AND upgraded to the latest MyBB forum software which will offer reduced cost, improved security, better hosting support, and a larger range of functionality and coding liberty.

I am still mopping up all of the bits and pieces, so please bear with a few missing features.

I now see that much of the code that I wrote years ago is embarrassing for me to look at and whole pages require a complete rewrite.

Please let me know if something vital is not working.
Otherwise, I hope to have this all cleaned up in the next few days.

Thank you for your patience.

mickmackusa
Power Pinochle Web Support

[mickmackusa]

After repeated cries for information and ambassadors regarding lesser known variants, a spike in my discontent regarding a general lack of progress, and renewed interest in refining the game of Pinochle,  I've decided to take on a new hard line stance.

I will not be supporting/acknowledging (in my development projects) Pinochle variants that:

• Involve greater than two standard pinochle decks
  
• Use any cards that do not belong to a standard pinochle deck
  
• Use any meld scoring other the modern / simplified / web standard
  
• Involve two players or five or more players
  
• Use Checks scoring
  
• Are Auction-less
  
• Use non-scalable auction bidding
  
• ...these are just the criteria I can think of off the top of my head -- there are probably more.
  

Why?  Because including all possible variants is like nailing jello to the wall.
The notation must be finished soon so that layers of innovation can come into existence.

I will be rewriting all of the free tools pages with better code and more features.

For the meld-related pages, I must confirm that the three possible hand lengths are: 12, 15, & 20.
Right?  12 for 4-player single-deck, 15 for 3-player single-deck, and 20 for 4-player double-deck.

To complete the notation specifications, I only need to firm up the Exchange dyads.

I've got some fresh ideas, keeping it simple will payoff in the form of progress.

[mickmackusa]

I found the missing files for the Meld Calculator, Meld Training, and Meld Test programs.
They are all now back online and have their regular functionality.

I will not be adding any features to these programs in the future.
Instead, I will be rewriting this set of tools.

---

The Meld Calculator will have a minor input adjustment which replaces the four suited inputs with a single input that requires the new grouped notation syntax (mentioned in the Pinochle Notation specifications):  for example: "CATKQJ DATKQJ SATKQJ HATKQJ" or "CAT9 DTTK SQQJ HAA9"

The trump selector will be a dropmenu instead of radio buttons.

There will be a dropmenu to select one of the three recognized Pinochle variants:

• Double-deck Partnership (80-card deck, 20-card hands) <-- this is the default selection
  
• Single-deck Cutthroat (48-card deck, 15-card hands)
  
• Single-deck Partnership (48-card deck, 12-card hands)
  

There will no longer be a Meld Scoring Chart selector.  All users will be forced to use the modern scoring system which most online software employs.

The results area will show:

• The cards in the constructed hand
  
• Trump designated
  
• The cards to be tabled for meld
  
• An itemized textual representation of each meld unit
  
• A Permalink for the constructed hand (retaining trump suit)
  
• An advertisement to attempt the to be re-written Meld Training program
  

There are some other boring behind-the-scenes changes/upgrades that I am building in, but they aren't of any consequence to users.
I don't plan to delete the existing Meld Calculator program when it becomes obsolete, I just won't present it in the Basics menu anymore.  (A similar intended fate for the existing Hand Animator)

---

The Meld Training and Test programs will be subject to change as well.

Most notably, there are two separate skills regarding meld that should be tested.

1. Tabling Meld (only the correct cards, and all of them)
   
2. Counting Meld
   

In these new programs, users will be tested on their ability to (perfectly) select the cards to be tabled, and (perfectly) count the amount of meld.

While the Tabling skill doesn't factor into most online games, this is a necessary skill for non-digital games, and I feel it is important that this skill be honed.
This should sufficiently add to the challenge of these programs -- creating more delicious aggravation and a fresh Leaderboard!
I think this will serve to equalize the "weighted scoring" that was originally calculated with the original programs. 

---

Send me a message if you have any questions, concerns, or requests while this projects are in development.