ParlorPlay

www.parlorplay.com

ParlorPlay is a service dedicated to the playing of classic "parlor games" such as board and card games between real people over the Internet. ParlorPlay's aim is to provide not only the best gaming experience available, but do it in a way that is extremely simple. There's nothing to download and nothing to install, all players have to do is to log in and start playing. ParlorPlay also strives to promote a friendly, social atmosphere in counterpoint to the anonymity and rudeness found on some of the big gaming services. ParlorPlay does not sell advertising. The site's owner, Rod Roark, plans to eventually make ParlorPlay good enough that players won't mind paying a modest fee to support ongoing operation, maintenance and enhancement.

ParlorPlay is actually an interface to FIBS (the First Internet Backgammon Server). Players are actually playing on FIBS through the ParlorPlay site.

Founded: 2003

Parent Company: Rod Roark

Supported Languages: English

Bonus Offers: None

Customer Service: Email

Software: ParlorBot is ParlorPlay's contribution to the family of backgammon-playing robots on FIBS. It is also the software behind the FIBS robots mgnu_advanced, mgnu_expert, mgnu_expertII and mgnu_WClass. It runs GNU Backgammon (gnubg) as a separate process, communicating with it and with FIBS concurrently. Gnubg is a remarkable piece of open source software and is available with an attractive graphical interface. ParlorBot runs an Alicebot to offer live chat while you play. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes interesting and often stupid, the bot will always have a reply to whatever you say. Use the "kibitz" command to talk.

System Requirements: Any of the following systems: a PC with Windows 98, XP, 2000 or similar; a Linux box or other Unix-like system; or a Mac with OS 8-9 or OS X. Also a browser capable of running JavaScript, such as Mozilla or Microsoft Internet Explorer, and at least a 1024x768 color display.

Licensed: USA

Games Offered: Backgammon

Game Play: Identical to that available on FIBS

Cost: Free for now

Tournaments Offered: There is a TourneyBot that allows for regularly played tourneys on FIBS. The types of tourneys played range from blitzes (1 pointers with 3 pointer final) to extremely long tourneys.

Note: Players do not need to worry about creating a FIBS login; ParlorPlay will provide an easy means of doing that the first time they elect to play.