The Games Room/The Games Room.iso/amiga/board_games/expello/expello.doc

Text File | 1997-01-01 | 16KB | 382 lines

     EXPELLO! version 1.1   The exploding othello! (C) May 1992, June 1993

     Programmed by Andrew Kreibich with AMOSv1.35 (C) 1990 Mandarin/Jawx
     and compiled with the AMOS compiler.


     RATIONALE:
     This game is aimed at the shoot 'em up maniacs who never play games
     involving logic on the grounds that nothing blows up or gets shot.
     It is dedicated to David Drew, in the hope that one day he may take
     his hand of his joystick and (however briefly) use (both?) his neurones!

     It plays just like a normal game of othello with the following exceptions.

     (a) You can change the size of the board from 5X5 to 12X12.

     and

     (b) If you turn the explosion facility on then things blow up.


     #####################
      Memory requirements
     #####################

     This programme needs 1 meg.
     You may run it from Workbench in the usual manner or from
     CLI.
     Just type

     Run > Nil:expello
     endcli

     (Make sure you have Run and endcli in your C directory)

     If memory is short or if you could put it on its
     own boot disk and replace your startup sequence with the above lines.


     ################
       DISTRIBUTION
     ################

     THIS PROGRAMME IS SHAREWARE!

     This means that my ego and my wallet would appreciate a little feedback
     for all my efforts!
     You may (and are encouraged to) distribute the Demonstration version
     of this  programme to anyone providing you observe the following
     conditions.

     (a) You don't make any money from it (apart from a nominal copying fee)
         without my prior written permission.

     (b) You may not include it or any routines from it in any commercial
         release (including SHAREWARE or one of its variations) without
         my prior written permission.

     (c) You distribute this entire doc. file  file with the programme.

     (d) You do not distribute the full registered version to anyone.

     (e) The demonstration version may be used on magazine coverdisks providing
         all files including .doc and readme files are included.

     (f) If you use it you write back and let me know what you think of it
         along with a shareware donation. (minimum $20 Australian)

              To  Andrew Kreibich
                  Box 333
                  Wantirna South
                  Victoria
                  Australia.  3152

     When you register (In Australian dollars if possible, our banks charge a
     fortune to convert:- another benefit of deregulation?), you will receive
     the latest compiled version with all features enabled, together with
     the source code to this programme (in AMOS).

     If you are having extreme difficulty laying your hands on Australian
     money, then Pounds (sterling), US or Canadian Dollars or Dm will do
     but this costs me money to change over so please send the equivalent
     of $25.

     PLEASE DO NOT SEND EUROCHECKS, it costs me over $40 to convert these.

     Naturally if you think I have done a really fantastic job on this
     and you cannot help but show your appreciation by sending more money
     (Australian Dollars!) etc. then I will happily accept it!

    If you have the full version and have already registered: Thankyou

    If you have the full version and have not registered: Please do so and
    may the person who supplied it to you be rendered in the gobberwarts
    with a blurglecruncheon!

    THE AMOS FILE REQUESTER
    ***********************
    All loads and saves use the AMOS file requester.

    The parent gadget is the small circle on the top left corner.

    The list of files and directories can be scrolled using the slider bar or
    the arrows on the left.

    A list of all available volumes can be obtained by clicking in the window
    which lists the files with the right mouse button. To get the file list
    back click in this window with the right mouse button again.

    Directories are prefixed with a *

    Everything else is self explanatory (I think).



    INSTRUCTIONS FOR PLAYING THE GAME (at last!)
    ********************************************


    The standard game of Othello (or Reversi) is played on an 8X8 board.
    The object of the game is to have the most pieces at the end.
    Players take it in turns to place a piece. You can only place a piece
    next to your opponent's piece and you can only do this if you make a line
    so that one (or more) of your opponent's pieces are between your own.

    eg   WBBBB <- you could place a white piece on this end of the row.

    When you have don this you turn over all of your opponent's pieces
    between your two pieces.
    The above example would become

         WWWWWW

    The 4 blacks having been turned into whites.

    If you can't place a piece so that you turn over one or more of your
    opponent's pieces then you must pass and it is the other player's turn.

    The game ends when all squares are full or when neither player can move.
    The winner is the player with the most pieces.
    (Is there really anyone out there who doesn't know how to play othello?)

    The computer will not let you make an illegal move and will inform you
    if you must pass.

    All messages are displayed in the top right corner underneath the
    EXPELLO! sign.


    To start and stop the game use the menu. (make sure that the mouse
    is not too far down on the screen when you do this:- You will see why.)


    MENU ITEMS
    **********

    START/STOP:  Starts and stops the game.
                 After the game has started you cannot change any of the
                 buttons on the right hand side of the screen except for
                 LEVEL.


    LOAD/SAVE:   Load and save a game. DISABLED IN DEMONSTRATION VERSIONS.
                 You must STOP the current game before you can LOAD a new
                 one. You can only SAVE a game which is in progress.

    SETUP BOARD: Allows you to set up a position on the board. Make sure that
                 you set any explosion settings before you select this as
                 you will not be able to change them afterwards without
                 setting up the board again.

    SWAP PIECES: Swaps the current players from COMPUTER to HUMAN and
                 vice versa.

    FORCE MOVE:  Forces the computer to play the best move which it has
                 found so far. (Can be useful on high levels!)

    CONTINUE:    Continue a game which has been loaded, set up or stopped.
                 This will be inactive if you have changed any of the BOARD or
                 EXPLOSION settings.

    REPLAY:      Replays the last game up to the current board position.

    |< < > >|    Forward/back gadget.
                  |< Back to start of the game
                   < Back one move
                   > Forward one move
                  >| Forward to last board position (before you started messing
                     with this gadget).
                  This can take a while to calculate on large boards with
                  a lot of options (eg explode, cascade) enabled.

                  USE WITH CARE, IT IS EASY TO SELECT THE WRONG ONE!

    ABOUT: Try it.

    QUIT: Quits of course!


    Some menu items are inactive at various stages of the game and some are
    permanently inactive in the DEMONSTRATION version.


    CONTROL PANEL ON RIGHT HAND SIDE
    ********************************

    To use just point to a button and click with left mouse button.


    BOARD: Row of buttons determines the size of the board.
           Odd numbered boards have a different arrangement of pieces at
           the start. The blue one is a 'wild' piece and can be used by
           either player. i.e. if it is black's turn then the blue piece
           behaves like a black and if it is white's turn then it behaves
           like a white.
           This was necessary because without changing the arrangement it
           was impossible to put a piece on half of the squares on the
           board and I needed an odd number of pieces to do it. This seemed
           to be the fairest way.
           One side effect of this is that playing on an odd numbered board
           requires slightly different strategies to playing on an even board.

    LEVEL: Row of buttons to determine the computer's level of play. This is
           only used if one or more players are the computer. This can be
           changed at any time during the game except while the computer is
           thinking.
           Level 1 is the weakest, the computer just picks a random legal
           move.
           As you increase the level the computer gets better (and also takes
           longer to make a move). On level 4 the average move is about 30
           seconds on an 8X8 board. Larger boards take longer. Each level
           above this takes about 4 times as long so don't play level 7
           without an accelerator or a great deal of patience.
           If you don't like waiting for the computer to move you could
           try giving it a swift kick in the motherboard. It is highly
           unlikely that this will improve the speed but it might make
           you feel better (until you get the repair bill!).

    CASCADE: Turning this option on results in a cascade effect. Instead of
             just turning over pieces in line with the one just placed, the
             computer will check each newly turned piece to see if it results
             in any more pieces being turned. This is hard to explain in words
             (and even harder to programme!) so I hope the following diagram
             helps.


             BEFORE                           AFTER

         white to move           CASCADE OFF           CASCADE ON


             WBBBBx                  WWWWWw               WWWWWw
              WBBB                    WBBB                 WYZB
               WBB                     WBB                  WBB

      white decides to play
      at the spot marked x

      With cascade off only the top row of blacks will be turned over.
      With cascade on the first two blacks in the second row (marked Y and Z)
      will also be turned over because they are trapped between one of the
      newly turned whites on the top row and another white.

      If this still doesn't make sense turn the button on and try it!

      Using this option can make it a much more complicated game (especially
      if you are playing against the computer) and can result in large changes
      to the score on each move.

      THANKS TO PERRY ROSENBOOM FOR SUGGESTING THIS. (If you don't like this
      option you can send him some hate mail at the above address, or do the
      sensible thing and turn it off.)


    FIRST: Two buttons (BLACK and WHITE) which determine who plays first.

    PLAYER: Two buttons which determine the type of player (human or computer)
            for each colour. Just click on these to toggle between human and
            computer.

    SCORE: Shows the score for each colour.

    TURN:  Shows whose turn it is.

    LOSE:  Plays suicide game. Computer tries to lose (and so should you!)
           The winner is the player with the LEAST number of pieces at the
           end. This is quite hard to play, especially on a big board.

           THANKS TO RENE KATOLL FOR INSPIRING THIS OPTION.


    EXPLOSIONS: Turning this on activates all of the buttons in this box.

    The buttons are divided into two types.

    Those on the left determine the effect of the explosion.
    You can only select one of the four.

    FLIP: Flips all exploding pieces to the opposite colour.
          If you use this in conjuntion with PATTERN (see below) then
          pieces will continue to flip after every move.  I don't think
          that you get a very good game out of this as the winner is
          usually the person who does not make the last move but if
          you want to use it this way, it doesn't do any harm.
          I find it best to use it in conjuction with BOARD (see below).

    FIX:  Fixes the piece so that it will not turn over (although your
          oponent can still use it to place a piece).  Fixed pieces have
          a light green square.

    CLEAR: Clears the square.

    CRATER: Leaves a crater so that this square is not usable for the
            rest of the game.

    Note: The last two can result in a fairly short game at times because
          pieces can become isolated and you run out of legal moves. In an
          effort to make the games last a little longer the explosion will
          not change the last piece you placed. (This will be noticable using
          Flip, Clear and Crater.)

    Buttons on the right determine which squares will explode.

    HIDEN: Only used in conjunction with board and computer generated mines.
           Turning this on hides all of the mines placed on the board.
           It doesn't work if Place is turned on because there is not much
           point in hiding the mines if you put them there!

    PLACE: Allows you to place the mines or determine the pattern. If this
           is off then the computer will place them, if it is on then you
           will be instructed to place the mines or determine the pattern
           when you have selected START from the game menu.

    BOARD: Mines are placed on the board either by the computer or by you.
           The number of mines left on the board is displayed in the square
           underneath the EXPLOSIONS button. The first piece to land on a
           mined square will explode according to the rules outlined above.

    PATTERN: If you select this then the square underneath the explosions
             button will change into a grid when the game starts.
             If you have selected PLACE then you will be instructed to place
             a pattern in this grid, if not then the computer will generate
             one. During the game any combination of pieces of the same
             colour which forms this pattern will explode according to
             the rules outlined above.


   Keep an eye on the message section at the top right of the screen.

   Enjoy the game, and if you do please register. This will get rid of the
   interuptions and allow you to Load and Save your games. You will be sent
   the latest version which might even run a bit quicker and/or have a few
   more features (and a few less "features"?)


   By the way, if you don't like the interuption message in the demonstration
   version you can do one of 3 things.

   (1) Move quickly, the message appears at random times while you are
       thinking, the longer you think, the more chance that the message
       will appear.

   (2) The message cannot appear while the menu is open so you could do all of
       your thinking with the right mouse button held down.

   (3) Register! Then you will also be able to load and save, replay and take
       back moves, as well as getting the latest version and my eternal
       gratitude.



   Andrew Kreibich, July 1992


   Modifications and updates
   @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@


   V1.1 June 1993 recompiled using amos 1.35 so it should work on A1200s