King Albert is a solitaire card game I enjoyed for the first time in a Macintosh 512K. Ron Aldrich developed it in 1984 for a company named Videx. It was a copy protected game that could only be played in the machines using the system that was included with the game. The Macintosh Plus, was probably the most advanced machine in wich it could be played. Since it was such an absorbing solitaire, I always waited for a version to come up that would run in the later macs but, never did see it, even in Shareware. That's why, when I decided it was time to make my first application for the Macintosh in a third generation language like C, I thought King Albert was a great first proyect.
Requirements
This software requires system 7.0 or latter, color capable Macintosh, with a monitor of 640x480 (someone tried it in a monitor with 640x400 and told me it worked fine, but I haven't), and 1Mb of free memory.
How to play it
The object of King Albert is to try to build the "foundations" up, in suit, from Ace to King.
The cards are distributed in nine columns plus a "free" column. Only the top card in the nine columns can be moved around. Any of the cards in the free column can be moved as necesary. The cards that are placed in the foundations can not be moved.
The columns are built down alternating colors.
As soon as there are no more cards in a column, any card can be placed over the ﾒholeﾓ that is left behind.
Commands
･ When you use the "New" command, the cards are shuffled depending if the option "Strong Shuffle" or "Weak shuffle" is choosen, and then a new game of King Albert II appears.
･ "Use a Previous Game", allows you to use a previously played game using the numer that appears in the title of the window as a reference.
･ "Start Over", allows the game to start over. If you wish, you can review all the moves with the "Redo" command.
･ "Undo" takes back the last move. This is unlimited, in the sense that you can take back every move until you get the same effect as "Start Over".
･ "Redo" re-does the last move that you have un-done with the Undo command. Itﾕs also unlimited.
･ "Strong Shuffle" mixes the cards really well the next time you use the command "New". This option tends to make the game more difficult.
･ "Weak Shuffle" doesn't mix the cards so well, so it's probably easier to win this game.
Tips
The best strategy is to free the columms as soon as posible, to have a space where to move the cards around. It's my experience, that once you empty three columms, you have a pretty good chance of making the solitaire, and with four columns it's almost shure you can complete the game.
This game is, in my humble opinion, a solitare that is best played using a computer and not real cards. The reason is, not only that the computer arranges and maintains the cards in order, but that there is the posibility of undoing and redoing instantly until you are completely sure that there is no way you can advance. However, I can understand that the purists may find this last thing a sin :-).
This game is very absorbing, but can be very frustrating for the beginners. Be patient, once you learn the way to win, Iﾕm sure you wil love it as I do.
Shareware
This game is Shareware. That means that if you use the game you must pay for it. I am asking 10 US$ for the use of the game.
You can distribute it, as long as this document always acompains it.
Address
To send the payments you can use my U.S.A. P.O. Box:
Ricardo Rozemberg
Day&Night #127
P.O.Box 140280
Coral Gables FL 33114-0280
If you have any comments about the program, you can use that address or this two e-mail address in the internet:
riroz@ven.net
300@ssebbs.bbs.ve
Use the two at the same time because I may be changing at least one of them in the near future.
My phones (in Venezuela) are: (582) 7938290, (582) 7938553, (582) 7938657. Fax: (582) 7939610
PLEASE DON'T USE THE NEXT ADDRESS UNLESS YOU LIVE IN VENEZUELA
My address in Venezuela is:
Avenida Andr市 Bellos con Buenos Aires. Edificio Belloral. PB., Local 2. Los Caobos. Caracas 1050.
Aknowledgmets
First of all I want to thank my parents and Fernando R痴quez. Without them this game could not have been done.
To Giuseppe Farese for providing the place to make the initial divulgation of the program, also for being a betatester and making me buy with him those Developer University courses in the MacWorld Expo :-).
To Gustavo Benzecri for giving me the first answers to my doubts in programing this game.
Again to my father for helping me with this read me.
To Alcides Le溶 for his help.
To my betatesters: Specially to my mother again, who used this program from itﾕs beginings, suffered itﾕs first bombings :-). To Ivan Arcangel Orellana, Temis Nu貌z, Marvin Rozemberg (my brother :-), Amaya Gergoff, Alfredo Corser, Jose Ram溶 Sanchez Ron, Guillermo Amador, Bernardo Horande, Daniel Pilo, Guadalupe Raboso, Merlin Kingsley,Noel Kingsley, Pedro Perdomo, Jesus Maria Bianco Troconis, Cristian Viola and Richard Trujillo.
DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY:
IN USING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ﾒAS ISﾓ WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. THE AUTHOR DOES NOT MAKE ANY WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THIS SOFTWARE.
IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR SPECIAL DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF CRITICAL DATA, LOSS OF PROFITS, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS, AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS SOFTWARE.
