Thank you for downloading Speed/Mac. This file contains excerpts from the About text in the Speed/Mac program. To read it, click the About button from Speed/Mac's main menu. About is also the place to go for help.
Speed/Mac is based on the card game Speed. The computer, which acts as a third party dealer, deals 6 cards to each flip stack, 1 card in each game stack, and 20 cards to each player. The object is to get rid of all your cards before the other person. On the bottom of the screen there are 5 numbers. Each number represents a card. 1 is an Ace, 11 is a Jack, 12 is a Queen, 13 is a King, and 14 is a Joker. You are only allowed to place cards that are to the left or right in this sequence: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13. This is a circular loop, so once you get to 13, you can place a 1 on top of it. 14 is a wild "transporter" card, and placing it means you (or your opponent) can place any card on top of it and continue the sequence from there. A valid stack could contain 4,5,4,3,4,14,6,5,4. Speed/Mac will not let you place a card that is not in sequence. Once a player reaches "no cards remaining", the game is ended. A counter at the top tells you how many cards you still need to place.
Speed/Mac has a convienent pause feature. Just click the button, and both screens will blank out. Click anywhere on the screen to resume. It is possible for one player to pause and the other to resume, but a good rule of thumb (that the computer doesn't enforce) is that the player who pauses should unpause it.
Speed/Mac 1.1 added the HyperNet Messaging System to send a message to the other player. That way, if one player has a phone call, that player can say why they're pausing the game before they do.
System Requirements:
Speed/Mac requires a Macintosh running any version of System 7 and HyperCard 2.1 or later. It also requires a network. To play Speed/Mac, you need to turn on Program Linking in the Sharing Setup control panel, and set up so the other user is allowed to link to programs on your Macintosh. See your System Software User's Guide for complete instructions on how to do this. If you want to play over a modem, I belive you'll need Apple Remote Access or AppleTalk Remote Access. Since I don't have either of these programs, I have no way to test it. If you have found a program that lets you play over a network, please let me know.
Both computers need to have the same version of Speed/Mac installed. I did this so that new features in new version will work properly and not cause errors. Both computers do not need to have the same version of HyperCard. However, both need to be 2.1 or later, and I don't know if it will work with HyperCard Player. I see no reason that it shouldn't, but if it does or doesn't, please let me know.
Network Considerations:
Speed/Mac generates a moderate amout of network activity. If it is a two computer network, this shouldn't be much of a problem. However, if there is a lot of activity, then that will slow down Speed/Mac. If the administrator of the network is trying to decrease the amout of network activity, suggest that network games such as Speed/Mac and Spectre be played after hours when other people are trying to get their work done. If your place of employment does not allow computer games or software to be installed by the employee, please abide by these rules. I cannot be held responsibe if you get in trouble for playing Speed/Mac. If you have two Macs at home that can meet the System Requirements, you can set up your own network using an ImageWriter II cable connected to the Printer port on each. Guess what I did to test Speed/Mac? As I write this, the Duo 230 is next to me sleeping, still connected to my "network".
Version History:
1.0 - February, 1995 - First released version.
1.1 - June, 1995 - Added messaging capabilities via the HyperNet Messaging System, a real deck, and automated the transition between setup and play.
1.11 - July, 1996 - Documentation chages. New email address. Registration form moved to external file.
Registration:
Speed/Mac is not free. If you like it, send $20 for one copy or $38 for two to me, along with the completed registration form.
How to Contact Me:
I can be reached via e-mail at dsmueller@besler.org
