Checkers was completed in February 1997. It is freeware, which means it's free, but please send me some email; let me know what you think.
System Requirements
･ 256 colors is best for Checkers. If you don't have that, try 4 bit grayscale (16 grays). It will work on any computer with color Quickdrawｪ, but it may not look so nice. Using thousands or millions of colors should work fine too, but more memory will be needed and animations may be slightly slower.
･ System version 7.1 or later is highly recommended, operation on earlier systems may cause problems.
Menus
Apple
About ･ Displays info and bouncing checkers.
･ also lets you open desk accessories!!! (wow)
File
New ･ Use this to start a new game. Note that you should save your game before you select this, because Checkers never asks if you want to save the game(unlike most Mac applications).
Open ･ Opens a saved game.
Save Game ･ Saves the game. If you have opened a game, or previously saved a game, then that file will be replaced by the current game, otherwise it will ask you where to save.
Save As ･ Asks what file you want to save the game to.
Revert ･ If you have saved a game, or opened a game, then selecting this will set the board to the way it was as saved on disk.
Zoom ･ Selecting this will change the size of the pieces. This has the same affect as clicking the the Zoom box in the board window. There are 3 possible sizes.
NA-- Page Setup... ･ The standard printer setup dialog, used for all printing by Checkers.
NA-- Print ･ Prints the board if it is the top window, or prints the Move List if that window is on top.
Quit ･ Saves changes to preferences and exits. Note that window positions are also saved, as well as almost anything else that you can customize. This does NOT ask if you want to save the game, so make sure to save it before quitting.
Edit
･ none of these items are used by Checkers, included only for standardizing reasons.
Options
Computer is Black ･ Computer moves for the black player.
Computer is Red ･ Computer moves for red player.
･･･ The computer will only move if the board window is in front.
Level ･ This determines how well the computer will move. This affects the "Suggest Move" item too. Generally 3 or 4 is best. Higher levels may take a very long time to finish. These are average times(seconds) for a board size of 8 on a 132 MHZ 604 PowerMac:
1: <1
2: <1
3: <1
4: 1
5: 3
6: 40
7: 5 minutes
8: 20 minutes
9: 2 hours
10: ???
Preferences ･ Brings up a dialog which allows you to set:
･The Animation speed; "Fastest" is as fast as your machine will go. "Normal" is usually slower, and "Slow" is even slower. (any questions?)
･The board size; This does not affect the board size immediately. It only changes the size when you select "New Game" from the "File" menu.
･Time Limit; If you check this, then a players time will be limited to the amount you type in.
･ Startup Window; when checked, shows a nifty design when you launch Checkers, you can't turn this off in the Freeware version.
Sound On ･ If you find the game sounds rather annoying, feel free to turn them off.
Must Jump ･ If this is checked, then players must jump, if a jump is available. The standard checkers rules say you must jump when possible. Having this checked may reduce up the computer thinking time (sometimes).
Show Numbers ･ If this is checked, then the coordinates will be shown in the board window.
Weird ･ Changes the board appearance. There are 3 different possibilities, and always reverts to the default.
Control
Edit Board ･ This allows you to set up the board however you like. When selected, a little window will appear. Click on the piece in this window, then click on the board where you want to put it. Note that using this will clear the move list.
Normal Mouse ･ Select this when the cursor is acting stange or you don't want to jump again. This has the exact same effect as pressing "esc" on the keyboard.
Stop / Start ･ Selecting this will pause game play or resume game play.
Switch Turn ･ Changes whose turn it is. Same as the buttons in the "Board Edit" window.
Suggest Move ･ The computer will find and execute what it thinks is the best move. This is affected by "Level" in the Options menu.
Tack Back ･ Takes back two moves, same as pressing the "<" button in the Move List window twice.
Show Move List ･ Shows and brings the move list window to the front.
Show Game Info ･ Shows and brings the info window to the front.
Reset Windows ･ This places the windows in a standard position. Useful if the windows have somehow been moved off your screen. This does not show the windows.
Shareware (this menu only appears in the shareware version)
About ･ Same as in the Apple menu.
Help ･ You are reading it.
Registration ･ Tells you to open the "Registration" file.
Register ･ Enter your info here.
Windows
Game
This is were all the action takes place. While playing useful messages will appear in the menu bar.
-If you move the cursor into this area it will turn into a hand colored the same as whose turn it is.
-If you jump, and can jump again, the cursor will turn into an exclamation mark, press "esc" if you don't want to jump again. If "Must Jump" is selected, then you must jump again.
-The zoom box will change the window's size, it goes from 26 by 26 sized squares, to 39 to 52. This must be the top window, or else the computer will not move.
Info Window
･ This window displays basic information about the game. The top rectangle contains total player time on the left, and the last turn time on the right.
･ The second area displays pieces owned. The ratio that is colored black or red is the ratio of pieces.
･ The third area displays the last move, and is colored appropriately. If this is red, then it is blacks turn, if it is black, then it is reds turn.
･ The last area doesn't display anything too useful. It does show how close the computer is to making a move.
Move-List Window
This window displays all the moves back to the beginning of the game, or back to when the board was last edited. Clicking in the main list area will revert the game to that time. If the game is over and you want to go back and play, you must select "Start" in the control menu.
The buttons can be used to move one ahead, or one back. The buttons on the end are play and reverse. To stop, press the pause button in the middle. If a rectangle is selected, and you start to play again, all the moves after that will be erased.
･ At the top to the right of the buttons the number of moves are shown.
Future Development
This is currently version 1.0.1, the first release. Hopefully newer and better versions will come out, maybe a native PowerPC version. Printing may be added, but that does not seem very important. Any suggestions will be sincerely considered, so feel free to send them in.
Problems
There are no known incompatiblities. But I am sure problems will arise, so please inform me.
Contact
For email users: ande2115@tc.umn.edu (that's right, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities)
