300 Favorite Games/300GAMES.iso/311/wordgame.txt

Text File | 1996-07-21 | 18KB | 466 lines

Copyright

TLC WordGame version 3.2 is Copyright (C) 1993-96 Terry Conkright. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.

Quickly

TLC Word Game is a Windows 3.x program that has 3 games in one.  The
first is something like Scrabble and something like Upwords -- but a lot
different than either.  The second is a word search.  The third is anagame.
The game comes with a 26000 word English dictionary. There are 16 different
sets of rules for play that the user selects.  Registration is $10.00.
Registered users  may purchase an enhanced Engligh, French, Norwegian,
Dutch, German, or Italian dictionary at $5 each. (Only the French dictionary
has accented characters).

WINDOWS VERSION
To install the program Double-Click on SetUp.Exe from the File Manager.
The program requires the following files:
[Unique]
TlcDic.DLL, WWrdGame.DLL, Anagram.DLL, WordGame.Exe, WordGame.Hlp,
English.Lex, WordGame.Txt,

[Shared]
VBRun300.DLL, ThreeD.VBX

[Installation only]
SetUp.Exe,  Install.Exe, Setup.Lst,  SetUpKit.DLL, Ver.DLL


This progam may be distributed freely when distributed for free
in its complete uninstalled form. Except that the files named WordGame.LIC
and WordGame.Lic_ must not be distributed.

Association of Shareware Professional (ASP) Vendors, BBS's and clubs may
charge a nominal distribution fee. Non-ASP distributors, BBS's, and clubs
must secure specific permission prior to distribution.  Individuals may
distribute without asking permission if no fees are charged.

General

This disk contains a suite of word games.   There is one
for Windows and a different set for DOS.  All three Windows
programs are contained in the same executable file.  Each of
the games for DOS, however, are in separate executable
programs.  Install the Windows version by running Setup from
File Manager. To install the DOS version, run DosSetup from
the DOS prompt.  The following documentation is applicable
to both version.  Differences are noted where differences
exits.

The first game, "Good, Better, Best", is something like scrabble
 and something like upwords but a lot different. The
user select from a set of three skill levels and a set of 16
different build rules.

The second game, "Word Search", is a typical word search
type of program where the user can chose the board size.

The third, "Anagame", provides a set of 5 to 9 letters; the
user then makes as many words of those letters as (s)he can.

These three programs use the same dictionary.

DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT

Users of TLC Word Game must accept this disclaimer of
warranty: "TLC Word Game is supplied as is.  The author
disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including,
without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of
fitness for any purpose.   The author assumes no liability
result from the use of TLC Word Game."


Main Window of Good, Better, Best

The main window displays the game board, the player's active
tiles, status of scores, tiles, and time; it also provides
the menu functions necessary to navigate around in the game.
The first text line under the menu bar shows whose turn it
is.  It also shows if the computer has passed its turn or
built a word.  If the computer built a word, that word is
displayed in the text line -- Capital letters indicate
letters that were already on the board.

When it is the player's turn to move, the player can build a
word from his active tiles by dragging the tiles onto the
proper square or by selecting the square and typing the
letter associated with the tile. After the word has been
built, the player then must select the DONE option in the
menu or press the RETURN (ENTER) key.  If the word is
accepted, it will be scored. If the word is not accepted,
the program will return the tiles to the active tile bar and
post a message.  If you are sure that your selection was a
correct word, add your word to the dictionary.  Move the
tiles into place and again select DONE. If you realize that
you have made a mistake prior to selecting DONE, you may
select UNDO to undo the previous play. If you can not find a
word, you may pass your turn with or without an exchange of
tiles.

If you do not like a word that the computer used you can
remove it from the dictionary.  This will prevent the
computer from using the word again, but you can not disallow
a word once it is used.

Setup Options

To change the game option configuration, select ALT FN from
the Main Window.  This option can only be selected when it
is your turn to play. The following items can be changed for
Good, Better, Best.  The other games disable the options
that are not appropriate for the game.  The speed at which
the computer plays is dependent upon the computer
characteristics and the amount of work that it is asked to
do.  Start with low settings for Hand Size, Board Size and
level of play.  If your computer handles the play fast
enough to suit you increase the parameters slowly.

Skill Level

The computer attempts to play at 3 discrete skill levels.
The Good level will search its memory until it finds a word
that will be slightly better than the players current score.
It will only use the specified time or less. The Better
level will always use the allotted time and will find the
best word that it can in that amount of time. The Best level
will find the best possible word and can not be limited by
time.


First Move

At the beginning of each session the player always has the
First Move.  If you want to let the computer move first, use
the menu item ALT FP to pass your turn.  If you want to play
a series of games, you may set the "First Move" option for
the current session.  You may chose to move first every
time, have the computer move first every time, or let the
choice be randomly selected.

Rules of the Game

The human and computer play in turn.  Play consists of
building a word or combination of words.  Each letter has a
specific value.(See Scoring)

Count

The total score for a play is the sum of the value of each
letter that is used in a new word created. Any word that is
different than it was a the beginning of the play has each
of its letters counted in the total score.  Note: if the Dup
flag is on, a new letter is not the same characters as the
letter that it replaced. The game is over when neither
player can create a new word.

You can change the way a word can be built by setting any
combination of four flags: Wrap, Stack, Groups, and
Duplicates.

Words wrap on the board

This option allows a play to continue from the right side of
the board to the left, or to continue from the bottom of the
board to the top.


Stacking the Tiles

This option allows a player to change a tile that is already
on the board.   A player could change a word from RIGHT to
LIGHT by placing an "L" over the "R".  Any number of tiles
can be changed on the same play.  You could change HAS to
THE.  None of the original tiles need remain.  Letters can
only be played in one direction (Left to Right or Top to
Bottom) in any single turn.


Multiple groups of words

This option allows a word to be formed that is completely
disjointed from any other word or group of words currently
on the board.  A new word can be formed that is not part of
a previous word.


Duplicate letters

This option allows a play to replace a letter in a word with
the same letter.  You could put a new T on top of an old T.
The new T is a new letter and any word that used that letter
is a different word.  All new words count in the score.


Font Size  (Fixed size for DOS)

The size of the font determines the size of the window
display.  The larger fonts can not be used with large boards
and low resolution screens.  For example, a board width of
20 is the max board size if a font size of 8.25 is selected
on a 1024 X768 display and 5 is max board size for a font
size of 18.  The selected font size takes precedence and
causes the board size to be diminished. Font sizes may be
8.25, 9.75, 12, 13.5, or 18. Font size of 12 is default.

DOS font size is fixed which yield a max board width of 11
for EGA and 16 for VGA.

Hand Size

The hand size is the number of letters or tiles that are on
the players' active board at one time.  The smaller the hand
size the  faster the computer can play.  The hand size is
not allowed to be larger than the board size.


Time Limit

The amount of time allowed for the player and computer to
make a move can be set in one minute intervals from 1 to 15
minutes.  A time setting of 0 minutes means that there is no
time limit.  Skill level "Best" will not allow a time limit
to be set. (Windows Version)

Board Size

The board size is variable from 8 x 8 to 20 x 20 but must
always be square.  (DOS Version has a smaller max -
dependent on VGA vs EGA). The smaller the board size the
faster the computer can play.  If you select a large board
size and a large font, the font takes precedence and will
reduce the board size as necessary to fit on the screen.


Player's Name

The player may enter a name in the Player Name text box.
This name is used in the main window to identify Tiles,
Score, and specify whose turn it is to play.  Any name of up
to 20 characters may be entered.

Choosing a lexicon

The English dictionary that comes with the word game
program is English.Lex.  Users may purchase a more extensive
English dictionary.  English.Lex has approximately 26000
words.  The expanded English dictionary contains in excess
of 70000 words.  The French.Lex dictionary contains
approximately 54000 words. Users may purchase additional
languages for 5 dollars per language. Available dictionaries
are German, Dutch, Italian, and Norwegian (accent marks
included only in French dictionaries).


Number of Tiles

The number of tiles or letters available in the game can be
selected from the options.  When a player discards tiles,
the tiles are gone from the current game, they can not be
reused later.  When the tiles are used, the game is over.


Save, Cancel, Default, Restore

The Save and Cancel options terminate the "Set options
session". Only the Save option uses the current options in
future games. The Cancel and Restore options reset the
options to the values found in the current INI file. The
Default option resets the options to the values that were
originally available.

DOS version has only Save and Cancel options.

Display of Score

The score will be indicated or the score board as the
previous accumulated score and the new score.  For example:
0 + 5 will be displayed in the score rectangle after the
first word is created with a score of 5.  If the next word
scored 10, then 5 + 10 will be displayed.

Selecting a menu item

This can be accomplished by pressing the ALT key and the key
in the menu name that is underlined or by clicking the left
mouse button on the menu name.


Proper Square

Words can be built from left to right or top to bottom.
Words must be built in a linear sequence.  A new word may
contain letters from words that are already on the board,
but each new letter must be placed on the board in the
sequential order that the letter appears in the word.

Dragging a Letter

The "dragging" process requires you to place the mouse
cursor over the desired tile, click and hold the left mouse
button, move the mouse (thus dragging the letter) to the
desired board position, and then release the mouse button.
The board position that will be used is the one that has the
focus box (a dotted line around the square).


Menu Item Help

The help menu can be used to access:

Help on Help -- a file provided by Microsoft to teach people
how to use a help file.  (Windows Only)
About -- a copyright notice.
Rules -- access to quick review of the way the game is
played.
Score -- a table showing how each character is scored.


How to Count the score
    A 1    B 2    C 2    D 2    E 1    F 3    G 3   H 3
    I 2    J 4    K 3    L 1    M 2    N 1    O 2   P 4
    Q 4    R 1    S 1    T 1    U 3    V 4    W 4    X 4
    Y 3    Z 4

Each of the following characters are worth:
             1 Point   -- A, E, L, N, R, S, T
             2 Points --  B, C, D, I, M, O
             3 Points --  F, G, H, K, U, Y
             4 Points --  J, P, Q, V, W, X, Z


The availability of a letter is inversely proportional to
the value.  There are 4 chances in 10 of getting a 1 point
character, 3 in 10 for 2 point characters, 2 in 10 for 3
point characters and 1 chance in 10 for a 4 point character.
The probability of getting an specific letter is roughly
based on the distribution of letters in English words.


Each letter that constitutes a part of each new word causes
all of the letters in the new words to contribute to the
score. Rules determine the way each word can be built.


Menu Item Beep (Windows only)

Beep -- Turns on/off the beep used to signal the end of the
computers play or 15 sec left of the player.


Menu Item Dictionary

Dictionary -- Provides access to the window that allows you
to modify the usable word list.


Menu Item Exchange

Exchange -- Toggles the option for a player to exchange
tiles rather than playing.  If the menu item is checked, the
exchange option is on and a player must then click on the
tiles that are to be discarded.  When all desired tiles have
been selected, chose done to continue play.


Menu Item Load

Load -- Allows a player to reload a saved game and continue
play of that game.


Menu Item New

New -- Allows a player to start a new game with new options.
The new options are saved for later.


Menu Item Pass Turn

Pass -- A player can pass  the turn without discarding tiles
any time desired.  It is important to note that if the
computer then passes the game is over.


Menu Item Save Game

Save -- The game can be saved in its current state.  That
game is then terminated but can be restarted by selecting
the Load option.

Menu Item Exit

Exit -- Terminates the program.


Menu Item Undo

Undo -- Each time undo is select the prior letter played is
removed.  Nothing happens if no letter has been played since
the last time "Done" was selected.


Menu Item Done

Done -- Indicates the player has finished the turn and is
ready for the computer to play.  This option is used
following a play or an exchange.

Modifying the Lexicon

The lexicon can be modified by adding and or deleting words.
Select ALT FD from the main menu.  The window allows you to
search the lexicon for a word, if it is present then you may
delete the word, if the word is not in the lexicon then you
may add it.  The command buttons are only active when the
command is allowed.  Since you can not add or delete a word
until it has been found, initially only the find and cancel
buttons are active.  The cancel button is always accessible
from the ESCAPE key.  The most likely command button is
"Default" and can be activated by pressing the RETURN key.
Once in the lexicon modification window, you stay in the
window until the ESCAPE key or cancel button is pressed.


Main Window of Word Search

The main window displays the game board, status of scores,
words left, and time; it also provides the menu functions
necessary to navigate around in the game.  A second window
which shows the words to be found is displayed to the left.
Select one of the words by clicking on the first letter of
the word and then clicking on the last letter of the word.
If you do not have a mouse, move the highlight using the
arrow keys to the first letter and select ALT+B; move the
highlight to the last character and select ALT+D.  (DOS
version uses Space Bar to signal the beginning and ending of
a word.)

The word is accepted if it is in the word list and it will
be scored by adding its length to the current score.



Main Window of Anagram

The main window displays the game board, status of score,
words possible, and time; it also provides the menu
functions necessary to navigate around in the game. Type a
word into the text box and press return.  If the word is in
the dictionary and uses the available letters the word is
added to the list of good words.  If the word is already in
the list, the computer will BEEP.  If the word is not in the
dictionary or if it uses letters which are not in the
selection, a message will be posted to this effect.

Words can be made from only the letters shown in the
selected list.  If only 1 L appears in the list then only
one L can be used in a word.  When you have done as many as
you can, press ALT+D. (DOS Press ALT+FD).

The final score is based on the number of words available,
the number found, and the time required to find them.