The author is a high school math teacher and scholastic bowl coach.
About TicTacTrivia!
This program is shareware. If you like it, please send $5 to the author (a tiny fee considering all the questions in this software--try to get a book for that price) at the address below. In return for your fee, you will get access to about 3 times as many questions! Also, see about the special offer, especially if you are a teacher, quiz bowl coach, interested in writing questions, or a born cheater.
What you get for $5
When you register TicTacTrivia!, you will receive a key code that will allow you to use all of the questions and categories in the included files. This means you have access to 72 categories (see the list below) and over 1500 questions, triple the number of questions you will see without registering. Any updates to questions will be offered to all on the registered list, although the availability of updates depends on the response of registered users. To register, please send $5 (and include e-mail address if you have one) to:
Kevin DeVizia, attn. TTT
PO Box 478
Millrift, PA 18340
What you get for $20: The TicTacTrivia! Editor
In addition to enjoying the benefits of being a registered user, you will receive the TicTacTrivia! Editor, a program that allows you to read and edit the category/question files as well as create your own for use with the application. (Yeah, I know, this would allow you to cheat, too!) Great care was taken to ensure that the Editor would be a high-quality product, not just a bare-bones get-the-job-done program. Equipped with Mac interface and loads of editing features, the Editor should make it easy to search, read, edit, and create questions to suit your needs. You can cut, copy, and paste text; view a list of questions by category and click on one to read or edit; search all questions, all answers, or both for a given word or phrase; add questions up to a total of 1600 per file, and more! Great for teachers, quiz bowl coaches, coordinators, etc. Also, the author has plans for MORE QUIZ GAMES (assuming expressed interest), USING THE SAME FILE FORMATS! That means that the files you create with the Editor can be used with other these other games. To receive all this, please send $20 (and your e-mail address if you have one) to the address above. Note: the Editor requires at least a 12" monitor.
Object of the Game
Quite simply, the object of the game is to win money (sorry, not real money) by getting three of your markers in a row. All right, so I didn't invent the concept, but it's fun anyway!
Selection of Players
Upon choosing "New Game", you will be presented an array of buttons. You may select one of the existing players, or if there are buttons labelled "New Player", you may enter a new player by selecting one of these buttons. You will do this first for "X" (the player with the first turn) and then for "O". Of course, by selecting the "Computer" button, you can play against the computer. You will then be asked to set the computer's knowledge level. (Good luck if you choose "Genius" level; it rarely misses a question!)
By using the Player menu, you can set all scores back to zero, or delete players. Note that TTT must have at least two active players, so it will not allow you to delete unless you have more than two players available. New players can be added when selecting players for each game.
How to Play
Nine categories are chosen and randomly placed on the board. When it is your turn, you select an unoccupied square by clicking the Select button below that square. To win that square, you will have to correctly answer a question from the category assigned to the square. If you do, your marker is placed there, and the game value (displayed at the top of the board) increases by $100. If you don't, that square remains unoccupied and the game value decreases by $25.
After every two questions, the categories are shuffled. This continues until a player wins or the game is tied. In the event of a tie, the board is cleared of markers and nine new categories are placed on the board, while the previous game value is carried over until there is a winner. When someone wins, they receive all of the money in the game value window.
The Categories
Registered users get full use of each of these 72 categories, each with a minimum of 20 questions:
Math and Physical Sciences: Mathematics, Geometry, Chemistry, Astronomy, Aerospace, Technology, Earth Science, Meteorology, Physics, Gen. Science.
