The Arcade Companion 1/The Arcade Companion 1.iso/pcgammon/pcgammon.hlp

Text File | 1992-06-14 | 15.6 KB | 406 lines

Introduction:

  PC-Gammon IV has an easy to use menu system.
  At the bottom right portion of the  screen you will see  the
  menu area. To select a menu item, you may either type the first
  character of the menu item (i.e. "F" for Forfeit), or click the
  mouse cursor (if you have a mouse) on the desired menu item.

  Options:

  Selecting the Options entry from the main menu will display
  the options menu consisting of the following (a detailed
  description of the options is at the end of this file) :

    Load/Save       : Load a previously saved game or
                      Save a game in progress.

    Modem Play      : Allows you to play PC-Gammon over a
                      modem with another PC-Gammon user.

    Score History   : Select player/View score history

    Print Screen    : Provides a graphics or asicc dump of
                      the screen to an IBM PC Graphics
                      printer/HP Laserjet or compatible.

    Defaults        : Allows you to set the default options
                      Which control the action of the game.

    Tournament      : Allows you to play a "Point" base
                      multi-game tournament against the
                      the computer or modem opponent.

    Game Log        : Writes a log of all moves to the disk.

    Edit Game       : Displays the game edit menu (see below).


Main Menu Commands:

  Redraw:

    If for any reason the board display should become corrupted
    the XDraw command will redraw the board for you.

  Double:

    The Double command is used to double the stakes of the game.
    Initially neither player owns the doubling cube, and it's value
    is set to 1, it appears in the middle of the board. You may
    offer a double when you think it is to your advantage, the
    computer will offer a double when it thinks it is to its'
    advantage. Either  player may offer to double when the doubling
    cube is unowned. As soon as one player offers to double the player
    who accepts the double gets possession of the cube and then only
    he may double (the cube changes color to the color of the player).
    If either player refuses the double, that player forfeits the game.
    If a double is refused, the computer will allow you to play out
    the game if so desired. The score is updated at the time the
    double is refused, and playing out the game will not affect
    score keeping.

    During modem play the computer will offer your double to the
    other player. It is then up to the other player to accept or
    refuse the double. There is no play out option during modem
    play.

  Pass:

    If you can't play (i.e. you're on the bar and can't get off, etc.),
    this command will skip the remainder of your turn and the computer
    will play. The computer will not allow you to pass if you have a
    valid move.

  Backup:

    Allows you to backup to the beginning of your move. For instance
    if you rolled a 6,1 and you played the six, and then decided you
    could have made a better move, use the B command to back-up to
    the beginning of your roll. The program also asks you if you are
    sure at the end of each move. If you respond negatively, your
    move will be backed up.

  Forfeit:

    If you clearly see you are losing and you don't want to hear
    the snide remarks the computer makes when it wins, type the "F"
    key and the computer will, at it's option, either accept your
    forfeit, or refuse the forfeit (if it thinks it can get a
    gammon, etc). If the computer accepts your forfeit it will
    be scored as a loss for you. During modem play the computer
    will offer your forfeit to the other player, it is then up
    to the other player to accept or refuse your forfeit.


  Help:

    Selecting help will display this help file on your screen.

  Quit:

    When dinners ready or you simply can't tolerate any more
    backgammon, type the Q key and the game will return you to DOS.

    During modem play, the computer will inform the other player that
    you are quitting and then hangup the phone before exiting to DOS.


Playing PC-Gammon

     (Please Note: The bar is designated as point #0)

  Rolling the Dice:

    The space bar is used to roll the dice. When it's your turn to
    move, hit the space bar to roll the dice. You can't roll the
    dice more than once per move. The dice are rolled at the
    beginning of each game to see who goes first (yours is the
    left die). The player that wins that roll must use the roll
    as shown. Additionally if the first roll is a double, the
    doubling cube is incremented to 2 (provided auto doubles are
    enabled), and you roll again to see who goes first.

    Mouse Users may roll the dice by clicking the left mouse button
    anywhere on the playing board or in the dice area when it is
    their turn to roll the dice.


Moving Your Men:

  Keyboard Users:

    To move a man type an "M". A form will appear near the bottom
    of the screen. Enter the location you wish to move from and
    the value of the dice you wish to use separated by a comma,
    (e.g entering a "12,5", would move your man from the 12 slot
    5 spaces). The bar is designated as slot 0. Press enter to
    complete the move or the ESC key to cancel a move.

  Mouse Users:

    To move a man simply click the mouse cursor on the man you
    wish to move, a dot will appear in the center of the man to
    indicated it has been selected. Then click the mouse cursor
    on the appropriate slot you wish to move to. To deselect a
    man (i.e. you changed you mind and don't wish to move
    the man you selected), simply click the mouse cursor on the
    selected man a second time (The dot will disappear).
    Alternately, after you have selected the man you wish to move
    you may click on the dice you wish to use for the move and
    the man selected will be moved the appropriate number of spaces.
    If you attempt an illegal move the computer will notify you with
    an appropriate message.

    Multiple-Move: You may move a man more than one dice at a time,
    for instance if you rolled a 5 and an 3, you could move one man
    eight spaces by selecting the destination slot as 8 from the
    origin slot. However either the 5 or the 3 move must be a
    legal move for that man.

    AutoMove : If you have only one dice left the computer will
    automatically move the man you click, you do not have to select
    a destination slot. You can turn AutoMove off by starting the
    game with the "X" parameter (see parameters above);



Bearing Off:

  Keyboard Users:

    Bearing off men is the same as moving them, simply select
    the man you wish to bear off followed by the dice value you
    wish to use to move the man.

  Mouse Users:

    There are two ways you can bear off using the mouse. In both
    ways select the man you wish to bear off by clicking the mouse
    cursor on that man, then you may either click the mouse cursor
    on the die you wish to use to bear the man off with, or you may
    click the mouse cursor in the "OFF" area.


The Options Menu:

  Load/Save:

    Selecting the "Load/Save" button from the options menu will
    cause the program to ask you if you wish to Load or Save
    a game.

    Load Game:

      Selecting the Load Game option will bring up a directory of
      previously saved games. Use the arrow keys to select the game
      you wish to load and press enter, or mouse users can click
      on the file name they wish to load to highlight it and then
      click again to enter it.

    Save Game:

      Allows you to save a game in progress. Simply enter an eight
      character name you wish to save the game under. File names must
      conform to normal DOS file naming conventions and must not contain
      a file extension. Examples:

           Legal Names  : MYGAME
                          MY_GAME
                          GAME001

           Illegal Names: MY.GAM          (Has File Extension)
                          MY?GAME         (Illegal "?")
                          TOOLONGNAME     (Name Too Long)
                          SAVE GAME       (Name Has a Space)


  Score History:

    PC-Gammon will maintain a score history for as many players
    as you wish.  If there are no players in the score history file,
    the program will prompt you to enter you name, enter your
    name (up to 15 characters) and press enter when done, press
    the ESC key to disable score keeping.


    When one or more players is already in the history file then
    the names of the players will appear on the screen with an
    optional scroll bar. (depending on how many players are in the
    history file). Use the arrow keys to highlight your name and
    press enter or mouse users can click the mouse cursor on their
    name to highlight it and then click a second time to select it.

    To enter the name of a new user press "N" or click the mouse
    cursor on the "NEW" button, then enter the name as described above.

    Press "C" or click the mouse cursor on the Cancel button to
    disable the score history.

    Player selection may be done at any time, and the games score is
    not actually updated until the end of the game.

    The score history display consists of five pairs of numbers, each
    pair shows the number of wins for "You vs. Computer" as follows:

      Tourn  : Number of tournaments won
      Games  : Number of games won (not counting doubles, etc).
      Wins   : Points won for straight wins.
      Gams   : Points won for Gammons.
      Bkgs   : Points won for Backgammons.

    The final number in brackets ('[]') is points per game
    won average, a negative number indicates you are ahead
    in points per game, and a positive number indicates the
    computer is ahead in points per game.

    All score history numbers are cumulative.


  Print Screen:

    Select this option item to get a graphics dump of the screen to an
    IBM Graphics Printer or HPLJ II. The default color scheme provided
    with the game will produce an acceptable output. Should you change
    the color scheme the printout may not be as readable. Be sure you
    invoke the game with the 'L' command line parameter if you have
    an HP Laserjet. Also, your laser jet must have at least 1MB of
    ram to get a full graphics print.

  Defaults:

    Selecting this option will bring up the default settings
    selection screen, see "Default Settings" below.

  Tournament:

    Selecting the "Tournament" button will let you play a tournament
    against the computer. A tournament is played for a specified
    number of points (not games). Enter the number of points
    for the tournament desired. The Score box will show the
    total tournament points and points earned by each player
    until the end of the tournament.

  Game Log:

    This feature will keep a log on the disk for each game played.
    The log will include the players name, the date and time of the
    start of the game, and each move made by both players.
    (Available in registered version only!)

  Edit Game:

    Selecting this option will bring up the game edit menu.


The "Default Settings"

  Auto Roll:

    Selecting this menu item will turn computer dice rolls on and off.
    When on (the startup default), the computer will generate all
    dice rolls. When turned off, you will be prompted to enter the
    dice rolls for both yourself and the computer. This mode is
    made available for those who prefer to roll real dice.

  Auto Dble:

    This menu item allows you to select whether or not the doubling
    cube will automatically be doubled on the opening roll,
    if the opening roll is doubles.

  Auto Move:

    This menu item will turn "Auto Moves" on or off. See
    "Moving/Playing" above for more information on Auto Moves.

  Sound:

    This menu item will turn the sound on or off (i.e. dice
    rolling, etc.

  Printer:

    This menu item defines the printer type connected to your computer.
    PC-Gammon supports either the IBM-PC Graphics Printer (or
    compatible), or the HP Laserjet series (or compatible).


  Motion & Delay T (Animation Control):

    PC-Gammon animates the motion of the men (i.e. it slides them
    across the screen) when they are moved. These two parameters
    control the speed and distance at which they are moved. The
    default values are Delay Time = 25 and Motion Increment = 50,
    if you find the men move to slow or fast, you may increment
    or decrement these values to suit your needs.


The "Edit Menu"

  When the game edit mode is first entered, the status of the player,
  dice and cube will be displayed in the message area (e.g. "Dice Rolled,
  Player = White, Cube=4, held by Black").

  Keyboard users:

    The following commands may be selected from the Edit menu:

    "S"  :    Save Game - Allows you to save the game as you
              have edited it. (see save game instructions in
              options menu).

    "M"  :    place Men - Allows you to place men on the board, the
              program will redraw the board, and place all the men in the
              bear-off trays, it will then prompt you to enter the number
              of men on each slot. To place White men on a slot enter a
              positive number (e.g. 2), to place black men on a slot
              enter a negative number (e.g. -3).

    "P"  :    Player - Allows you to define whose turn it is, the program
              will  prompt you to enter a player, enter 'W' for white,
              or 'B' for black.

    "I"  :    Init Board - Places all the men in the bear off trays,
              this command is only of use to users with a mouse.

    "C"  :    Cube - Allows you to set the value for the cube. The program
              will ask you to enter a value for the cube (i.e. 1,2,4,8,
              16,32,64,128,256, or 512), if a valid value greater
              than 1 is entered the program will ask you to identify
              the player who owns the cube (enter a 'W' for white, or
              'B' for black);

    "D"  :    Dice - Allows you to enter the values for the dice,
              enter a positive value for an unused dice, and a
              negative value for a used die, if entering doubles you
              must enter 4 dice values.

    "R"  :    Rolled - Turns on or off the "dice rolled" flag.

    "F"  :    Finished - signals you done editing and wish to play the
              game as you just set it up.





  Mouse Users:

    Men  :    To move a man simply click the mouse cursor on the man
              and then drop it where you want it to be.

    Dice :    Click the left mouse button on a die to increase it's
              value, click the right mouse button on a die to indicated
              it has been used or unused.

    Cube :    Click the left mouse button on the doubling cube to
              increment it's value. Click the right mouse button on
              the cube to change the owner (white/black).

    Player:   Click the right mouse button on any man to indicated
              that color is the current player.

    Other:    Mouse users may of course click on any edit menu button
              to invoke that feature as described above.