Copyright: Push-Pull Copyright ® 1995 The Code Zone


Contents
Rules Summary

If you are playing first, click the mouse in an empty square to place the marker. Player and computer move in turn, moving the marker one square from its previous position.  The object of the game is to capture more pieces from the horizontal rows than the computer can capture from the vertical rows.

Push-Pull Rules

Push-Pull Options

Push-Pull Commands


Game Rules
Object of the game

The object of Push-Pull is to capture more of your pieces than the computer can capture of its own.

Making a Move

If you have the first move, click on an unoccupied square to place the marker.  If the computer has the first move, it will place the marker on an unoccupied square.

You then take turns with the computer moving the marker.  The square to which you can move the marker must be one square away from its current location.  You cannot move into a square that has already been used (marked with an X).

If you move on a square containing a piece (yours or your opponent's), that piece is captured.

Game Over Conditions

The game is over when one of the following things happen:

• All pieces of one color are captured
• The marker cannot move (all squares around it are marked)

At the end of the game, the player with the most pieces captured is the winner.

Hints

It is not necessary to capture all of your pieces to win; you must just capture more pieces than the computer.  If you have more pieces than the computer, you can win by "trapping" the marker where it can no longer move.

Help Contents

Push-Pull Options

Push-Pull 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 it.  For example, the "Extras" tab allows you to choose the background color of the game, and to change the sound options.

Tab Descriptions

Options Tab

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!

Player Goes First

If the "Player Goes First" radio button is selected,  you go first when a game starts.

Computer Goes First

If the "Computer Goes First" radio button is selected, the computer will make the first move when the game starts.

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 "Piece Preview" area.

Extras Tab

The Extras tab allows you to change the background 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), then 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 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.

Help Contents

Push-Pull Rules

Push-Pull Commands


Game Commands
How To Move Pieces

Capturing pieces in Push-Pull is done by moving the marker.  If you have the first move of the game, click the mouse into any board square which doesn't contain any pieces.  From that point on, the marker can only be moved one square away from its current spot.  To move the marker, click the mouse into an available square one space away from the marker.  An available space is either empty, or it contains a piece of either color.

Menu Commands

Game Menu

New

Starts a new game.  This will abandon any game in progress.

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

Options...

Brings up the Options Dialog.  Choose Push-Pull Options below for descriptions of the various options in Push-Pull.

Exit

Quits the game.

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 a more in-depth version of the rules than the index.  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 on the keyboard will also toggle the balloon help on or off.

About PushPull...

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

Push-Pull Rules

Push-Pull Options