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- Bangkok - An unusual dice game
-
- Ralph Nolte
- Frankfurt, Germany
- CompuServe 100143,3576
- (Feel free to email comments)
-
- 1. What is it?
-
- Bangkok is a dice game played a lot in the pubs in Germany and
- known under a wide variety of different names. With this Psion
- 3a program the user can play against the computer, making it
- more interesting and providing a sort of solitaire.
-
- 2. What's unusual about Bangkok?
-
- One thing that is unusual about the game is that a LOSER is
- chosen, not a winner. The loser then generally buys a round of
- beer.
-
- 3. What is in the BANGKOK.ZIP file?
-
- BANGKOK.ZIP contains:
-
- - BANGKOK.TXT This text file
- - BANGKOK.OPA The application program
- - BANGKOK.OPL The application program source code (sorry for
- the sometimes inadequate program structure)
- - BANGKOK.PIC The pointing finger graphic
- - DICE.WVE, DIE.WVE, Sound files used when rolling dice
- WOODY.WVE Sound file used at end of game
-
- 4. How do I install BANGKOK?
-
- Simply copy
-
- The file(s) to
- ----------- --
- BANGKOK.OPA Any \APP\ subdirectory
- BANGKOK.PIC \OPD\ subdirectory on standard disk
- (normally m:)
- DICE.WVE,DIE.WVE, Any \WVE\ subdirectory
- WOODY.WVE
- Then install BANGKOK.OPA via Psion/I (or the menu command
- "Application/Install") as desired in the system screen.
-
- 5. How do I play Bangkok?
-
- Simple. Six dice are used. The object of each player round is to
- reach or exceed thirty (30) points with the six dice.
-
- So you roll the six dice and can pick out as many as you like
- (but at least one, the highest, of course) and place them on the
- side in the scoring area. Then you roll again and repeat.
-
- This goes on until all 6 dice are "on the side." Now you add uo
- the total, and:
-
- - If you have less than 30 points, you receive the difference
- added to your name; for example, if the total is 28, you
- receive 2 points. If the total is 22, you receive 8 points
- (remember, points are BAD..we're finding a LOSER, not a
- winner!).
-
- - If you have exactly 30 points, nothing happens.
-
- - If you exceed 30 points, you get to play a "Bonus" round in
- which the resulting score is ADDED to ALL your opponents
- (described below).
-
- The Bonus: Assume you have reached a total of 33. You 'remember'
- the value 3 by which you exceeded 30 (it's shown as an extra die
- on the S3a screen to the left of the scoring area) and roll
- again. Any dice which show a 3 are again moved to the side and
- you roll again. This is repeated until you either run out of
- dice or until you roll and no dice contain a 3. The total of the
- dice on the side, including the extra die, are then added to the
- scores of ALL your opponents. REMEMBER: The object is to keep
- your score LOW. This is done, however, by reaching or exceeding
- 30 in each round.
-
- The first player to reach the end score (usually 51), LOSES and
- has to pay for a round of beer. 31 is a good end score for a
- short game.
-
- 6. How do I play Bangkok on the Psion S3a?
-
- Start the program.
-
- In the first dialog box, define the number of players (up to 5),
- whether or not the S3a is to play too (if the S3a plays, it is
- always last and has the name "S3a"), whether or not you want to
- use sound, and what End Score is to define the end of the game.
-
- If you use sound but turn the Psion sound off in the system
- menu, the game will play rather hectically because the .WAV
- files are not played, leaving out pauses. You can delete or
- rename the .WVE files to save space if (when) you get tired of
- hearing the sound.
-
- In the second dialog box you enter the names of the players and
- press Enter.
-
- The screen is then set up and the dice are rolled for the first
- player. On the right you see the scoring area, where the dice
- are moved to. The current acccumulated score is shown in the
- black box at the bottom of the scoring area. The name of the
- player currently playing is show in bold italics, while the
- other players' names are shown in normal print.
-
- Now you use the left-arrow, right-arrow, space (to re-roll the
- dice) and Enter (to move a die to the scoring area) keys to
- play. You must pick at least one die after rolling; if no 6s are
- shown, pick the highest and roll again. If 6s are shown, take
- them all (one after another via arrow keys and Enter) and then
- re-roll. When only one or two dice remain, you will have to risk
- other choices.
-
- When you move the last die to the scoring area, the program
- examines the score and either:
-
- - Adds the difference to 30 to your score, if you are below
- or equal to thirty, or
- - Plays the bonus for you with the value you exceeded 30 by.
- At the end of the bonus round, your bonus value will be
- added to the scores of all other players.
-
- The bonus is played automatically by the program, as well as is
- the entire playing operation when it is the S3a's turn.
-
- When the S3a loses, he doesn't pay for the beer, so someone else
- will have to cover for him.
-
- Have Fun. The program is Freeware and intended to be enjoyed by
- all.
-
- PS
- Just realised there is a bug in the program when Esc is pressed
- to abort during playing..it asks about twenty times. Will try to
- fix as soon as possible.
-