Copyright: Engulf Copyright ® 1995 The Code Zone


Contents
Rules Summary

To play Engulf, drag one of your playing pieces (originally in the upper-left and lower-right corners) to a destination one or two squares away in any direction (horizontal, vertical, and diagonal).  Moves of one space copies your playing piece.  Moves of two spaces will jump your piece.  Moving next to an opposing piece captures it.  The winner is the player with the most pieces when the board is full.

Engulf Rules

Engulf Options

Engulf Commands


Game Rules
Object of the game

The object of Engulf is to have more of your pieces on the board than the computer has of its pieces when the game is over.  You take turns with the computer taking over empty spaces or capturing the computer's pieces.

Making a Move

In a move, you can move one or two spaces in any direction (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally).

If you move one space, you piece is duplicated. For example, if you start a move in the given position and move to the square pointed to by the arrow. . .

The result of the move will be the following. . .

If you move two spaces, the piece moves without being duplicated.  For example, the following move. . .

Will result in the following position. . .

Passing

You cannot pass voluntarily, but you can be forced to pass if you have no moves available.  If you force your opponent to pass, and you are ahead, you win by default.

If the computer is losing (has fewer points), and is forcing you to pass, the computer will resign if it cannot even the points in fewer than five moves.

Game Over Conditions

The game is over when one of three conditions is met
- All empty squares of the board are filled
- A player cannot make a move into an empty square on his turn
- All of a player's pieces are removed (only pieces of one type remain)

The winner is the player who has the most pieces when the game is over.

Hints

Try to form structures that are difficult to capture entirely.  For example, a 2 x 2 square of pieces of your own color cannot be captured in one move.

Be sure to weigh your moves carefully.  If you capture with a jump, make sure that the computer cannot move into the space you just vacated to capture many of your pieces.

Help Contents

Engulf Options

Engulf Commands


Game Options
How to set Options

To bring up the Options dialog box, choose the "Options..." menu item from the "Game" menu.  If any option is changed within the Option dialog box, the current game being played will be abandoned.  If you do not wish to abandon the current game, select the Cancel button and return to the game.

The Options dialog box is broken up into various sections shown by the tabs at the top of the dialog box.  Clicking on a tab shows the options available for that topic.  For example, the "Extras" tab allows you to choose the background color or texture of the game, and to change the sound options.

Tab Descriptions

Options Tab

Skill Level

Easy

Clicking on the radio button labeled Easy will select an easy game.  Most novices will be able to beat an easy game after a few tries.

Moderate

Clicking on the radio button labeled Moderate will select a moderately-challenging game.

Difficult

Clicking on the radio button labeled Difficult will select a difficult game.  A difficult game is very challenging and will require an accomplished player to beat.

Expert

Clicking on the radio button labeled Expert will select an extremely difficult game.  This option is not recommended for the squeamish!

Who Goes First

Player Goes First

If "Player Goes First" is selected in the drop down list box, you go first when a game starts.

Computer Goes First

If "Computer Goes First" is selected in the drop down list box,  the computer will make the first move when the game starts.

Layout Tab

There are 35 different boards in Engulf.  The Layout tab controls how those boards are displayed.

Board Number

If this radio button is selected, the same board will be played game after game.  You can enter the board number you want to play in the entry field to the right of the radio button.  Use the up/down arrows in the entry field to change the values.

This option is good if you want to become proficient on a particular board.

Random

If this radio button is selected, the layout of the board will be chosen randomly from the available 35 boards.

Step From

If this radio button is selected, the game boards will progress numerically from the value in the field to the right of the radio button.  You can enter the board number you want to be the base for board progression.  Use the up/down arrows in the entry field to change the values.

This option is good if you want to systematically explore all of the boards available in Engulf.

Board Tab

The Board tab allows you to change the appearance of the game board. The options for this tab will not affect the rules of the game; however, the look of the board will change.

Board Names

The "Board Names" list box shows the names of all of the board "tiles" available.  Clicking on a name in the list box selects the new board and previews the tiles in the "Board Preview" area.

Pieces Tab

The Pieces tab allows you to change the appearance of the playing pieces used in the game.  The options for this tab will not affect the rules of the game; however, the look of the game pieces will change.

Piece Names

The "Piece Names" list box shows the names of the various playing pieces available.  Clicking on a name in the list box selects the new game pieces and previews them in the "Pieces Preview" area.

Extras Tab

The Extras tab allows you to change the background color or texture of the main game window, or to change the sounds used in the game.  Changing the options in the Extras tab does not affect the rules of the game.

Screen Background

The box framing the "Screen Background" list box shows the current background color or texture of the screen.  Highlighting the name of a color or texture in the list box will preview the new background color or texture of the game window.

Game Sounds

Game Sounds Enabled

The "Game Sounds Enabled" check box turns the game sounds on or off.  This option is checked on by default.  Un-checking the box will turn the game sounds off.  If this option is turned off, the rest of the controls below it are disabled.

If your system does not have any sound support (i.e. you are not using a windows-hosted sound card), this option will not be available.

Path...

The Path... button allows you to choose a sound file to be played during a game event.  The game events that can have sounds attached are listed above the button.  You can associate any windows wave file (*.WAV) with a game event.

Test

The Test button plays the sound associated with the game event selected in the list box above the button.  If there is no sound associated with the event, or the selected file is invalid, no sound will be played.

Animation Tab

Animation

Animation Enabled

The "Animation Enabled" check box enables or disables the game animation.  If this option is checked, then the pieces slide into place.  If this option is off, the pieces instantaneously move from place to place.

Animation Speed

The "Animation Speed" scroll bar allows you to speed up or slow down the game animation. Moving the slider all the way to the left slows down the animation.  Moving the slider all the way to the right speeds it up.

Mouse Dragging

Drag Pieces

The "Drag Pieces" radio button makes the game show the piece as you are dragging it.

Hint:  This is the preferable action when dragging with the mouse.

Drag Outlines

The "Drag Outlines" radio button makes the game show an outline of the piece when it is being dragged.

Hint:  This option is recommended for people with slower computers that cannot keep up with dragging playing pieces.

Show Drag Zones

If the "Show Drag Zones" option is checked, the game will flash an outline over pieces that can be moved as you move the mouse over them.

Show Drop Zones

If the "Show Drop Zones" option is checked, the game will flash an outline over areas where you are allowed to drop a piece as you are dragging.

Help Contents

Engulf Rules

Engulf Commands


Game Commands
How To Move Pieces

Moving pieces in Engulf is accomplished by "dragging" them with the mouse.  To drag a piece, click the left mouse button on the piece and hold the mouse button down.  While holding the button down, move the mouse to the point to "drop" the piece, and release the left mouse button.

If you have the "Show Drag Zones" and "Show Drop Zones" options set, you will be able to see the places where pieces can be picked up and dropped.

Menu Commands

Game Menu

New

Starts a new game.  Abandons any game currently in progress.

Hitting the F2 function key on the keyboard will also start a new game.

Options...

Brings up the Options dialog box.  Abandons any game currently in progress if any options are changed.

Exit

Quits Engulf.

Hitting the Alt key plus the F4 function key on the keyboard will also quit the game.

Help Menu

Index

Brings up the main help index.  The help index gives you an introduction to the game and a quick synopsis of the rules.

Hitting the F1 function key on the keyboard will also bring up the main help index.

Game Rules

Displays an in-depth version of the rules.  The Game Rules page provides play examples and hints.

How To Play

Brings up the help page you are reading now.

Balloon Help

Toggles the help balloons on and off.  The help balloons display quick information about each menu item along with a quick synopsis of the rules.

Balloon help is a check-able toggle.  Choose it to turn the balloon help on.  Choose it again to shut it off.

Hitting the Alt key plus the F1 function key will also toggle the balloon help on or off.

About Engulf...

Information about the product

Panic Button

If you want to quickly pause and minimize the game, hit the Escape key on the keyboard.

Help Contents

Engulf Rules

Engulf Options