For BEST performance, run from a hard-drive!!!, and you should also have the Geneva font!!!
Other than a friendly reminder to register this program, this is a FULL-FEATURED shareware version!! Many months of coding and testing have gone into this version. If there is enough registered support, then additional features will be added, like playing two spots ( see below about spots ), a Help menu, double exposure option, and many others ( I will be more than glad to accept suggestions from you! ). You will also receive a free update on the next version ( you can also obtain the latest release from you local shareware distributor ). If you use it for more than 15 days, and like it, please send $15.00 U.S. dollars to:
Bryan Arntson
408 Barbara Lane
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Include your name, address, phone number ( optional ), type of computer, and any suggestions. It might be helpful to just print the registration form out ( which is under the FILE menu while Awesome Black Jack is running ). If you find any bugs, or would like to make a comment or suggestion, you can also send them to the above address, or e-mail me at:
python@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
BRYANJHU@aol.com
If I find enough support for this version, I might be persuaded to write an Awesome Craps game... Anyone interested?
Awesome Black Jack v1.6 has been tested on a Macintosh IIsi, LC, Quadra 840av, Quadra 800, IIcx & IIfx. If you have a computer not listed here ( and you probably do ), chances are it will work, but let me know if it does or doesn't, and I'll try to fix it ( be specific about the problem if it doesn't work ).
Some things you might want to know
There are two spots in this game. A computer player plays the right spot, and you play the left spot! This is just to add a little excitement to the game. You are NOT playing against the computer player. You only play against the dealer. Think of the computer player as a friend sitting at the table with you. He has no effect on your hand. Future versions may allow you to play the right spot, or both spots ( but I need registered support for this! ).
Object of black jack: The object of black jack is to get as close to a total of 21 without going over. Cards 2-9 simply count as 2-9 points ( i.e. if you have a 2 and 3, your current sum is 5 ). The 10 card and all face cards are worth ten points, and the Ace is worth either one or eleven points ( whichever is in you favor ).
Placing a bet: To place a bet, either click in your spot, or use the command-b combination ( just pressing 'b' also works ). Clicking on a chip will add the amount selected to your previous bet total, and then click OK (You can bet your whole pot if you wish by clicking on MAX. BET ). If you messed up, just click CLEAR BET, and start over again. You don't need to place a bet at the beginning of every hand. The dealer assumes the amount of your last bet.
Insurance: Insurance is only offered by the dealer when his face up card is showing an Ace. You can bet up to 1/2 your original bet, but you can bet less ( this table is a minimum $10 table. If half your bet is less than $10, then the dealer automatically deducts half your bet ). Most players agree that insurance is a bad bet.
Surrender: Surrender is an option to literally give up your hand. The dealer will return to you 1/2 your bet, and you lose the other half. If the dealer has black jack, you loose all of your bet, even if you surrender. Some players surrender when you have a 15 or 16, and the dealer is showing a 10 or Ace. You can only surrender before making any other actions.
Split: If your first two cards are of the same value, you may "split". What that means is that you get an additional hand. For instance, if you had two 8's, and split, one hand would become an 8 plus another card, and your second hand would become 8 plus another card. Splitting Aces allows only one additional card per ace.
Double: You can only double before you are dealt another card. When you double, you only get ONE more card, and you turn is over. Your bet is also doubled, so don't go doubling on a 4! Many players double when your total is 11.
Hit: This simply gives you one additional card. You may continue hitting, or stand. After hitting, you may no longer take insurance, or surrender, or split.
Stand: When your happy with your hand, stand. The dealer will then try to beat you.
Deal: When your ready for a new hand, select deal. The dealer will deal out a new set of cards.
Menu Items
File
Print Registration Form: This menu item prints out a registration form for Awesome Black Jack. Just fill in the BRIEF information, and mail to me! Thank-you!
Quit: This will exit the program, and return you to the Finder.
Table
Place Bet: See Placing a Bet above. Pressing the letter 'B' does the same.
Switch Tables: If your luck is running low, switch tables, your luck may get better.
Black Jack Stats: This gives just some rudimentary information, such as card count, position in deck, hands won and BlackJacks.
Action
See above for description of items.
Action Window: Instead of pressing the keyboard commands, or using the menu, you may click buttons in a window instead. All of the options available in the menu are available here too.
Distribution
This program may be distributed freely, as long as the documentation and program are distributed together and unaltered.
Disclaimer ( you knew there would be one )
The software is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Bryan Arntson does not warrant, guarantee, or make any representations regarding the use, or the results of the use of the software in terms of correctness, accuracy, reliability, currentness, or otherwise. The entire risk as to the results and performance of the software is assumed by you. If the software is defective, you, and not Bryan Arntson, assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair or correction.
Neither Bryan Arntson nor anyone else who has been involved with the creation, production, or delivery of this product shall be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages even if Bryan Arntson has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Release Notes
Version 1.1 - Released Feb. 26, 1994
First public release of Awesome BlackJack.
Version 1.2-1.4 - Unreleased
Major revisions were made in these versions. No public release was made.
Version 1.5 - Released Mar. 16, 1994
Your pot/bet is saved when you quit the game, thus enabling you to come back later and win/lose some more.
The place-bet dialog now contains a "maximum bet" button, in addition to a default button for betting. The place-bet dialog also contains your current pot.
You may now switch tables ( using command-t ) if you feel that the shoe is giving you too much bad luck.
Many minor bugs corrected. For those of you who ran this program in any color depth greater than 8 ( 256 colors ), you probably noticed a double image. This problem has been fixed, in that you are not allowed to run the program in any color depth other than 8 ( set your monitor to 256 colors! ).
Sound distortion has been corrected. In some computers, the procedure ended prematurely ( due to the speed of the computers ), causing the sounds to be relocated while the sounds were still executing. This caused a "screech". The problem has been corrected.
There is now a pot/bet window. You can drag it wherever you wish. If you don't see it on the screen, press command-m, or look under the table menu for pot/bet, and it will do the same thing.
After a split, the computer re-displays both hands on the screen. Now you can see both hands at the same time!
The dealer will ask you for insurance when an ace is showing.
The dealer will no longer hit for himself if both computer player and yourself have busted.
Version 1.6 - Released April 5, 1994
This release corrects a counting bug in the split routine ( this rarely happens, and only with recieving aces in a split ).
The pot/bet has been moved back to the main window. They are now located at the bottom of the table.
The action window buttons are now located at the bottom of the screen. The action window no longer obscures part of the screen.
