Auto-Save, AvA Pause, SGF Power-Ups & More!

Hey Go Fans & Strategists!

We've been hard at work on a significant update for KataNet Go, packed with features to enhance your gameplay, review, and observation experiences. Here's the rundown of what's new:

1. Never Lose Your Game Again! (Automatic Game Save)

• The Big One: Your current game (Player vs Player, Player vs AI, or AI vs AI) will now automatically save right in your browser!
• Peace of Mind: If you accidentally close your browser, refresh the page, or your computer restarts, the next time you open KataNet Go, it should pick up right where you left off. No more lost progress!
• (Note: This auto-save is cleared when a game officially ends, or when you start a brand new game via "Restart", "Settings -> Apply & New Game", or "Exit Review & New Game".)

2. Take Control of AI Battles! (AvA Pause & Resume)

• New for AI vs AI Mode: You can now pause and resume an ongoing AI vs AI game!
• How it Works: A "Pause/Resume AI Game" button will appear in the "Actions" panel during AvA mode. Click it to halt the AIs, and click again to let them continue their match.
• Why it's Great: Perfect for stepping away, analyzing a complex AI position, or just controlling the game's pace.

3. Smoother & More Powerful SGF (Game Record) Handling:

• Robust Loading: We've improved how the game handles loading SGF files.
• Continue from SGF Your Way: When you load an SGF and choose "Play From This Position," you can now adjust game settings (like Komi, or switching to Player vs AI mode) before resuming. Explore those "what if" scenarios with ease!
• SGF Komi Awareness: The game now prioritizes the Komi value specified in the SGF file itself when loading.

4. Deeper Insights with Enhanced AI Analysis (Review Mode):

• When reviewing a game and clicking "Analyze This Move," KataNet now provides a more detailed breakdown:
  • See the AI's top suggested move for the position.
  • Compare the score evaluation if the AI's move was played versus the score after the actual move played.
  • The AI's best move will also be highlighted on the board, making it easier to understand its reasoning and the impact of different choices.

5. Behind-the-Scenes Polish & Fixes:

• AI Smarts: Tweaked AI processing for more distinct play styles between "Dan" and "Kyu" levels.
• Undo Logic: Refined the "Undo" function for more intuitive behavior, especially in PvA games.
• Settings Reset: The "Reset to Defaults" button now provides a truly fresh start by clearing all preferences, auto-saved games, and reloading.
• UI & Log Updates: Continued small improvements to the game information panel and visual aids.

We're thrilled to bring these improvements to you! We believe they make KataNet Go a more robust, user-friendly, and insightful platform for playing and learning Go.

Your feedback is incredibly valuable as we continue to develop the game. Let us know what you think of the new features and what you'd like to see next!

Thanks for playing, and enjoy the update!