Color Quads and Quazars Version 1.1 readme file Version Date Comments ------- ---------- --------------------------------- 1.0 3-7-2000 Initial release 1.1 5-6-2000 Difficulty bug fix as well as some UI changes Quads and Quazars is copyright 1979 G. Keith Still INTRODUCTION ------------ As the copyright notice above implies Keith Still invented the board game Quads and Quazars in 1979. I was introduced to the game in the March 1996 issue of Scientific American magazine. In that months issue the sub- title of the Mathematical Recreations article was "Playing with Quads and Quazars". Since I first read that article I have wanted to create a computer version of the game. The realization of that goal is the game that you just downloaded. Quads and Quazars for the Palm operating system. THE GAME -------- Quads and Quazars is played on an 11 by 11 playing surface in which the corners have been removed. In this first version of the game, each player starts the game with an unlimited number of quads and 7 quazars. A player's turn consists of placing any or all of his quazar pieces followed by placing one quad that ends the player's turn. The goal of the game is to place 4 of your quads in a square formation. The square can have any orientation on the board. The first player to create a square wins. Quazars are used to block the opponent from forming a square while leaving you free to continue your strategy with your quad. THE INTERFACE ------------- To place a quad simply select the location on the board you want the quad to go into. If you form a square the game ends by displaying the square. To place a quazar click on your color quad beside the quazar count at the bottom of the screen. It will start blinking. Select the location you wish to place the quazar and it will be placed. If you start to place a quazar and then decide you no longer wish to place it, select the blinking quad and it we be de-selected (it should no longer blink). COMMENTS -------- I would like to take this opportunity to thank Keith Still whom kindly gave me permission to bring this production to you free of charge. Any comments about this particular version of the game can be directed to me at babs@ix.netcom.com. Any comments on the game in general can be directed to keithstill@cs.com. The latest version of Quads and Quazars as well as all the other GrogSoft titles can be found at http://pweb.netcom.com/~babs. I would like to hear from you so let me know what you think. Greg Babineau President of GrogSoft babs@ix.netcom.com http://pweb.netcom.com/~babs