Recent reviews by Zen

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Review for Fritz Chess 17 Steam Edition (english and french)

1. English
With Fritz 17, in addition to the Fritz 17 engine, you get a completely new chess engine that was created with the help of a neural network based on the AlphaZero approach. There are also new exciting functions for creating and practicing opening repertoire. Based on LCZero technology, a neural network was trained with Grand Master games for over a year. The developers named the result Fat Fritz, which, however, needs a very powerful NVidea graphics card to achieve the full game strength.

The engine also works on a processor of a commercially available personal computer, delivers very interesting results thanks to the neural network, but is actually up to two thousand times faster on the fast graphics card. Fritz 17 introduces repertoire management that is not based on entire variants but on trains.

The Fat Fritz Engine refers to the community project Leela Zero (Lc0). Fat Fritz definitely focuses on analysis. With Fritz 17 and Fat Fritz, Chessbase offers every chess player the opportunity to participate in the new analysis techniques with little effort.

Since the Fat Fritz program is based on a self-learning neural network, it is free of all templates. What promises success is preferred, regardless of what the theory thinks of it.
On the Computer Chess Ratings List of November 23, 2019, Fat Fritz took first place with the impressive Elo score of 3617 points.

High performance is already achieved with an RTX 2080 GPU. An RTX 2080 ti graphics card achieves an NPS performance of 37000.

There are three Fat Fritz engine versions available: the one controlled by the main processor ("CPU") and an "Open CL" and a "CUDA" version. The latter two require an extra graphics processor in the computer, and only with one of these is the Fat Fritz engine interesting (a largely undocumented tip is that many AMD graphics cards and even the graphics cores built into modern Intel processors support "Open CL", the performance of the integrated graphics cores is low but still much higher than that of the CPU): Fritz 17 is in any case the first commercial program to contain a modified version of the "Leela Zero" Chess Engine.

The GPU is not used to actually calculate. While the search is carried out on the CPU like any other engine, the GPU provides the assessments. But even with the best GPU, the search on the CPU only runs with two cores. Using more cores can even be counterproductive, because what is important is not how fast the CPU calculates, but how quickly the GPU can read the results of the neural networks.

The classic engines can use two, four, 32 or 128 cores. And each additional core leads to higher computing power. Fat Fritz and Leela do not use additional CPU cores.

The Engine Fat Fritz from the Fritz 17 program is the front runner in the CCRL Elo list and has a positive record against all tested programs.

Fat Fritz
against Leelenstein 11.1: +16 -11 =164
against Lc0 0.23.1 w42850: +17 -8 =167
against Stockfish 11 64-bit 4CPU: +19 -9 =72
against Allie 0.5 nn49921: +58 -3 =131
against Stoofvlees II a14: +51 -8 =121



2. French
Avec Fritz 17, en plus du moteur Fritz 17, vous obtenez un tout nouveau moteur d'échecs qui a été créé à l'aide d'un réseau neuronal basé sur l'approche AlphaZero. Il existe également de nouvelles fonctions passionnantes pour créer et pratiquer le répertoire d'ouverture. Basé sur la technologie LCZero, un réseau de neurones a été formé aux jeux Grand Master pendant plus d'un an. Les développeurs ont nommé le résultat Fat Fritz, qui, cependant, a besoin d'une carte graphique NVidea très puissante pour atteindre toute la puissance du jeu.

Le moteur fonctionne également sur un processeur d'un ordinateur personnel disponible dans le commerce, fournit des résultats très intéressants grâce au réseau neuronal, mais est en fait jusqu'à deux mille fois plus rapide sur la carte graphique rapide.

Fritz 17 introduit une gestion de répertoire qui n'est pas basée sur des variantes entières mais sur des trains.

Le Fat Fritz Engine fait référence au projet communautaire Leela Zero (Lc0). Fat Fritz se concentre définitivement sur l'analyse. Avec Fritz 17 et Fat Fritz, Chessbase offre à chaque joueur d'échecs la possibilité de participer aux nouvelles techniques d'analyse avec peu d'effort.

Le programme Fat Fritz étant basé sur un réseau neuronal auto-apprenant, il est libre de tous les modèles. Ce qui promet le succès est préféré, indépendamment de ce que la théorie en pense.

Sur la liste des classements des échecs informatiques du 23 novembre 2019, Fat Fritz a pris la première place avec l'impressionnant score Elo de 3617 points.Des performances élevées sont déjà atteintes avec un unité de traitement graphique RTX 2080. Une carte graphique RTX 2080 ti atteint une performance NPS de 37000.

Il existe trois versions de moteur Fat Fritz disponibles: celle contrôlée par le processeur principal ("unité centrale de traitement") et une version "Open CL" et une version "CUDA". Les deux derniers nécessitent un processeur graphique supplémentaire dans l'ordinateur, et le moteur Fat Fritz n'est intéressant qu'avec l'un d'entre eux (un conseil largement non documenté est que de nombreuses cartes graphiques AMD et même les cœurs graphiques intégrés dans les processeurs Intel modernes prennent en charge "Open CL", les performances des cœurs graphiques intégrés sont faibles mais toujours bien supérieures à celles du unité centrale de traitement): Fritz 17 est en tout cas le premier programme commercial qui contient une version modifiée du "Leela Zero" Chess Engine.

Le unité de traitement graphique n'est pas utilisé pour calculer réellement. Alors que la recherche est effectuée sur le unité centrale de traitement comme n'importe quel autre moteur, le unité de traitement graphique fournit les évaluations. Mais même avec le meilleur unité de traitement graphique, la recherche sur le unité centrale de traitement ne fonctionne qu'avec deux cœurs. Utiliser plus de cœurs peut même être contre-productif, car ce n'est pas la vitesse à laquelle le processeur calcule, mais la vitesse à laquelle le unité de traitement graphique peut lire les résultats des réseaux de neurones.
Les moteurs classiques peuvent utiliser deux, quatre, 32 ou 128 cœurs. Et chaque noyau supplémentaire conduit à une puissance de calcul plus élevée. Fat Fritz et Leela n'utilisent pas de cœurs unité centrale de traitement supplémentaires.

Le moteur Fat Fritz du programme Fritz 17 est le leader de la liste CCRL Elo et a un bilan positif contre tous les programmes testés.

Fat Fritz
contre Leelenstein 11.1: +16 -11 =164
contre Lc0 0.23.1 w42850: +17 -8 =167
contre Stockfish 11 64-bit 4CPU: +19 -9 =72
contre Allie 0.5 nn49921: +58 -3 =131
contre Stoofvlees II a14: +51 -8 =121

Game Genre: open world, fps, action, post apocalyptic
graphic: +++++ (5/5)
sound: ++++- (4/5)
gameplay: +++++ (5/5)
music: ++++- (4/5)
tutorial: +++-- (3/5)
found no bugs: +++++ (5/5)

Farming Simulator 19
Game Genre: sumulation, multiplayer, realistic, classic
graphic: ++++- (4/5)
sound: +++-- (3/5)
gameplay: +++++ (5/5)
music: ++++- (4/5)
tutorial: ++++- (4/5)
bugs on version 1.1.x

I use it now several years and since Treexy updated this tool, it runs better, even if the backup function doesen`t work for all drivers, but all new drivers could be installed without any problem. If we use windows 10, several drivers will be installed from os (operating system ). It`s important to install only drivers with hundred percent compatibility and checked for WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Labs), if available. This is the reason i like it, no need to update all drivers, sometimes it could be better to use a driver which work perfect on our system. Highest priority for selecting drivers should have os, because it can detect hardware too, second the driver update tool with compatibility check. It`s recommended to know which hardware components we use in our system. This can be easily read out with a free tool. Especially on 64 bit systems it`s necessary that all drivers work perfect together.

Imperium Galactica II Alliances (Short Review)

Game Genre: strategy, space, 4X, classic

graphic: ++++- (4/5)
music: +++++ (5/5)
gameplay: +++++ (5/5)
tutorial: +++++ (5/5)

What i like: Successful adaptation of a classic game in real-time strategy genre. Additional Scenarios included.
What i dislike: Multiplayer mode and achievements not available.

Dungeon Defenders II
Its still pre-alpha, but second version.
I play this game now about 200 hours and i still like it very much. Guess the reason is that the developers always work on this game to improve it. Dungeon Defenders was released in the year 2011. The second part can not be compared to DD. Duneon Defenders II with new 3D animations is the next step with lot`s of improvements. This game belong to the tower defense game genre. The second pre-alpha update include some new game types ( campaign, free play ) like incursion, onslaught, end game, end game incursion and end game onslought. The difficult level has added ( easy, normal, hard ) four new nightmare levels. The match type Quick match is for multiplayer co-op and Private for invited friends only. New pets are available now in epic, mystic and legendary. For all of us who expect more, we can power up and increase our pet`s affection level in order to evolve. It`s necessary to use Shellium shards for evolve. To receive shellium shard let the founded eggs in your inventory about 48 hours. The first pre-alpha offered medium challenge, now with the second alpha it`s more challenge. From easy to hard difficult it`s possible to play single too, but on nightmare it`s obligated to play in a team. The currency in this game are crystals and wyfern tokens. The crystals are included in pre-alpha and the wyfern tokens can be earned in daily and monthly missions. With the crystals for example we can buy more inventory bags, new character slots or discover accessories. For all Uber Speres and lockbox master key it`s possible to pay with wyfern tokens. The balance of this game is good. From the fondly social and private tavern we can choose challenge on the war table. Bug report is possible too at the tavern keeper. There are some different Shops in this game. The Gran`Masta ( Skill Sphere ) support improvements for hero skills and defense improvements. The Alchemist can improve your items ( clothes, relics and weapons ), simply put all stuff you don`t need inside around your good item and improve your `better choosen item`. The Hatchery for pets can be found at stable boy. For feed your pets go to the Keeper. The Seamstress offers assessories and on the Relic Hunter shop we can buy relics. All special uber skills can be bought on the adventurer token collection shop. The game has reached alpha version and is free to play until beta.

short review: ( positive criterion ( + ) maximum 5 ) - single multiplayer and co-op

music: +++++ (4/5)
graphic: (5/5)
gameplay: +++++ (4/5)
tutorial: ++++ (3/5)

I like the music, this game is still challenging. Some of my friends have played the first part of Seven Kingdoms years before. Sure, the graphic can`t be compared to latest high end games. But all other is finest art. For me, this game is a diamond in this genre. This rts ( indie strategic simulation ) part is one of the best games i`ve ever played before.
short review: ( positive criterion ( + ) maximum 5 ) - single and multiplayer - no achievements - finally in HD
music: +++++ (5/5)
graphic: average (3/5)
gameplay: +++++ (5/5)
tutorial: ++++ (4/5)

easy to control
good graphic
changing gameplay
realistic traffic
valueable simulation

really nice