initiates a game between the k players named. If any of the
names are prefixed with an equals sign ('='), the computer will
make the moves for that player. Thus,
yahtzee me =reagan =king
will initiate a game between one human and two artificial
players, a relatively civilized outlet for vengence. Options
may include:
-d# Delay time #. Specifies simulated thinking time
for artificial players (and allows you to watch
their playing); default is 10000. Try -d1 for
quick action.
-ha# Set parameters for automatic playing heuristic;
-hb# effect varies with program version, and in any
... case is difficult to describe.
-r# Set initial random number seed; identical seeds
yield identical games. Allows duplicate games,
in the spirit of duplicate bridge.
IDEA: Each of n players take turns in rotation. On each turn, a player
rolls 5 dice (and may reroll arbitrary subsets a maximum of two
times). He then enters the resulting score in some row of his
score card, counting points in various ways depending on the
row chosen. The game ends when each player's score card is
full, the player with the highest score being the winner.
SCORING: The rows of the score card are as follows:
ACES Count only 1's in roll.
TWOS Count only 2's in roll.
THREES thru SIXES You get the idea.
----------------- "The line" - see below. ------------------
3 of a kind If roll contains three of a kind, count
the sum of all 5 dice; else zero.
4 of a kind Sum of dice, if roll has 4 of a kind.
YAHTZEE means 5 of a kind. Count 50, if roll
contains 5 of a kind.
Full House count 25 if roll contains a pair AND 3
of a kind.
4 straight counts 30 iff roll contains 4 consecutive.
5 straight counts 40 iff roll contains 5 consecutive.
CHANCE Count sum of all 5 dice.
In addition, a bonus of 35 is added to a player's score iff the
sum of points scored above the line is greater than 62. Note
that this sum is just met by 3 dice scored in each denomination.
PLAY: On each player's turn, he interacts by pressing the special
function and keypad keys. The button immediately under each
die selects that die for re-roll; the ROLL button (which may be
pressed at most twice per turn) causes selected dice to assume
their new values. OOPS restores erroneously selected dice.
DONE (or equivalently, RETURN) ends the turn, posting the roll
in the currently selected row of the score card.
The currently selected row is distinguished by a WHITE (reverse
video) field in the player's score column. Alternative rows
may be selected by pressing UP and DOWN arrows on the keypad,
or pressing the SPACE bar. Only legitimate (previously unused)
rows may be selected. Selection of an inappropriate row (eg,
four of a kind when the dice contain no such combination) is
a valid move, but sacrifices that row (with a zero score) for
the game; since each turn must be entered in SOME row, such
scratches are necessary at times.
N.B... The WHITE score (in the selected row) is added in as if
it were selected. Thus a player may check the impact of
posting in various places by banging on the space bar.
BUGS:
1) Although this game has a cult following, the author rates
it marginally more interesting than computerized blackjack
-- perhaps in a class with backgammon.
2) Although kids first enjoy beating, say, Napolean in straight
sets, they will soon discover that a command like
yahtzee =carter =reagan
allows them to sit around watching the H89 like television.
Fortunately, they get bored by this more quickly than by TV --
maybe I should add commercials to the program to heighten its
amusement value.
3) The automatic-play heuristics are both ad-hoc and poor.
-SW
% d when the dice contain no such combination) is
a valid move, but sacrifices ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷
