The MAX Games

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ The MAX Games / NEWSOFTMAX.iso / DAT / LHE / RULES.ASC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1993-05-17 | 13.1 KB | 346 lines

<FONT:TRIPLEX,3,2,3,2> <CENTER> LHEX-I'-CON <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> Rules of Play <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> <CENTER> PROLOGUE Our story begins to unfold as two or more contestants prepare to engage in a battle of wits to become the master of a high strategy word game. Each opponent is faced with the situation of strategically placing letters to form words which may be straight, staggered, reversed, or upside down on the hexagons of the Lhex-i'-con game board. At the end of each player's turn, the point value accumulated for the word played is added to the player's score. The compensations are greater for those who are proficient in mastering the ultimate goal - The Lhex-i'-con Trap! Who will achieve the number one position, proving themselves the supreme Lhexicologist? It is up to you to write the ending to this strategic encounter. <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> CHAPTER 1 - THE OBJECTIVE <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> <CENTER> TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST SCORE AT THE END OF THE GAME. <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> CHAPTER 2 Rules of play <CENTER> I <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> Play is started in this one player version by placing the first word over the center hexagon. The word may be played in any direction as long as the letters used are in sequence and used only once. Please see the following diagram. <DIAGRAM:1> <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> II <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> The word score is limited to the total of all the letter values in the word played (small hexagons beneath each letter denotes the value of that letter). Scoring each play is limited to the value of the first word announced (ONE WORD ONLY). After the play has been completed, player will receive new letters from the automatic letter bank which will show up on screen once the word has been accepted and scored. <DIAGRAM:2> <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> III <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> Each play is completed when the player announces his word and score. Letters may not be repositioned or played again once the word has been announced and accepted without challenge. To challenge any word played, a player must do so after the word has been announced. If the player refuses to withdraw the word in question, then the challenge must be verified by whatever resource material mutually agreed upon at the beginning of the game. If the challenger successfully verifies the accusation, the accused player then withdraws his letters and forfeits his turn and accumulates no points. However, if the word challenged is ruled to be legal, then the challenger loses his next turn. <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> IV <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> For this single player version, the player continues to play words until the game letter bank is exhausted. Each time the player then adds one or more letters to existing words to form one new word. The letters may be played in any direction as long as the rules of contact are observed. ALL PREVIOUSLY PLAYED LETTERS TOUCHING NEWLY PLACED LETTERS ARE TO BE USED IN THE WORD. Those letters not touching the newly placed letters may also be utilized in the formation of the new word, as long as all letters are in sequence and used only once. <DIAGRAM:3> Diagram 3, CORRECT The letters R, U, E and L have been added to the C, in "CODED" to form the new word "CRUEL." The score for 'CRUEL" is 9 pts. <PAGE> <CENTER> Diagram 4, INCORRECT <DIAGRAM:4> In this play the newly placed letter L in "CRUEL" touches both the letters C and the letter O of the word "CODED", but does not utilize the letter O in the formation of the new word. Therefore the play is ruled illegal. <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> V - The Trap Bonus <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> Bonus points are scored when a player encloses any number of empty hexes with a word. This is called the "Lhexicon trap". The bonus is (3) three points for each empty hex inside the trap, added to your word score. The edge of the board is never considered part of a trap. <DIAGRAM:5> <CENTER> Diagram 5, CLOSING THE TRAP The new word "LEVELED" has been played. The letters E, V, E, L and E have been added to the letter L of "CRUEL" and the letter D of our opening word "CODED". The Score for this play is nine points for the word, plus 12 (4x3) bonus points for the trap, a total of 12 points. <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> VI <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> Trap Splitting Bonus- Trap splitting is any word played inside an already existing trap creating two separate traps. The newly created word plus 3 points for every unoccupied hexagon in both traps created by the split, will be added to the score. <DIAGRAM:6> <CENTER> Diagram 6, CORRECT The letters C and D have been added to the letters O, D, E and L to form the new word "CODDLE". The score accumulated will be nine points for the word plus 9 (3x3) additional bonus points for both traps created by the split. The total score for the play is 18 points. <PAGE> <CENTER> Diagram 7, INCORRECT <DIAGRAM:7> The letters P and A have been added to the existing letters L, E, D, E and D to form the new word "PLEADED". The accumulated score would be 10 points for the word only. No bonus points are scored because the trap was never split. The play is valid since all letters which P and A touch are used. <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> VII <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> Lhexicon blank tokens may be used as any letter desired (including "Q" as well as "Qu"). Once a player states which letter the blank represents, it remains that letter for the rest of the game, and may not be moved. This rule also provides for a player that has a letter represented on the board by a blank, they may forfeit his or her turn to substitute the letter and pick up the blank. Both blanks may be picked up at the same time, should the player have both the required letters. The score value for a blank token is zero "0". <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> VIII <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> Players may forfeit their turn to exchange any or all of his letters for new ones. To do so, player selects the discard option from the options menu, and the letters are automatically taken from the player bank, and replaced with new letters from the lhexicon letter bank. In case of insufficient tokens remaining in the Lhexicon letter bank, the exchange is always limited to the actual number of letters remaining. <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> IX <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> Any word is acceptable so long as it can be found in a standard English dictionary; including foreign words, plurals, verbs tenses, etc.. Exceptions are proper nouns, prefixes and suffixes standing alone, and words requiring a hyphen or an apostrophe. <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> X <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> Players are limited to a (3) three minute time limit per turn, for official competitions. <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> EPILOGUE <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> The game ends when all letters have been drawn and one player has run out of tokens. <PAGE> <FONT:TRIPLEX,1,1,1,1> <CENTER> LHEX-I'-CON OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS <FONT:TRIPLEX,9,16,9,16> The Lhex-i'-con game utilizes mouse control which is very simple and easy to use. Each player's turn is divided up into 5 phases: Idle, Moving, In Progress, Marking, and Scoring. These operating instructions are organized by phase. <PAGE> <CENTER> THE IDLE PHASE At the beginning of each player's turn the game is in the IDLE phase. While in this phase you may pick up any letter out of your word bank. Should you choose to discard all of your tokens at this time you may do so by indicating the discard button and clicking your mouse once, this will automatically replace all of your letters in your word bank. Once you have chosen this option you forfeit the remainder of your turn. Once you put a letter in play you are no longer in the IDLE phase and may not discard any letters from your letter bank. To put a letter in play - move the mouse pointer over the desired piece, press and hold the left mouse button. The piece will automatically change color. You are automatically advanced to the moving phase. To Discard player bank - move the mouse pointer over the 'DISCARD' button in the menu area on the left side of the playing screen. Press the left mouse button. All letters in the player bank are replaced with new letters from the Lhexicon letter bank. The discarded letters are returned to the Lhexicon letter bank. To Quit - place mouse pointer over the 'QUIT' button in the menu area. Press and release the left mouse button. The game terminates, and returns to the LHEXICON main menu. <PAGE> <CENTER> MOVING STATE Once in the moving phase, you may set playing piece down anywhere on the playing surface, or back in your player bank. The player automatically advances to the IN PROGRESS phase. To play a letter - place letter over desired hexagon on the playing surface, then release the left mouse button. This advances the play to the IN PROGRESS phase. The color of the played piece changes to indicate that it was moved during this phase and is part of a word in progress. <PAGE> <CENTER> IN PROGRESS PHASE During the IN PROGRESS phase you may continue your word play by picking up another letter from your letter bank, or you may reposition any piece previously played during this player turn. Once you have completed your word by placing all the necessary letters needed for the play, you are then ready to mark your letters for scoring purposes and may advance to the MARKING phase. Pick up piece from letter bank - move the mouse pointer over desired letter in the player bank, press and hold the left mouse button. The piece changes color and the phase changes to moving. Repositioning a piece - Move the mouse pointer over the letter on the board that you wish to move, then press the and hold the left mouse button. The piece changes color and the phase changes to moving. Note that only pieces played by you during the current player turn may be moved. You will not be able to move any other pieces. Advancing to the marking phase - press and release right mouse button. <PAGE> <CENTER> MARKING PHASE In the MARKING phase you mark the letters that form your word. You must mark them in the order that the word is spelled. After marking, your may advance to the SCORING phase. To Mark a Piece - place the mouse pointer over the letter you wish to mark. Then press and release the left mouse button. The letter appears to the right side of the Lhexicon game board, as part of the word in play and the marked piece changes color. To Unmark a Piece - place the mouse pointer over the previously marked piece. Then press and release the left mouse button. The letter is removed from the word on the right side of the game board, and the piece changes back to its the color it had at the start of the marking phase. Scoring Phase - when the player finishes marking the pieces for the word, and is satisfied with the word as it appears on the right of the board, press and release the right mouse button to advance to the scoring phase. <PAGE> <CENTER> SCORING PHASE During the SCORING phase the system verifies that the word satisfies all placement and usage rules. If it does, the word is scored, otherwise you are returned to the MARKING phase to try again. After successfully scoring, the next player begins play. <PAGE> When all pieces have been drawn from the Lhexicon letter bank, the first player to use his remaining tokens terminates the game. The winner is the player with the highest accumulated point total. When the game is finished press the <ESC> key to return to the Lhexicon main menu. One final note: at any time during play the current game may be aborted by pressing the <ESC> key. The game terminates and returns to the Lhexicon main menu.