The Best of Select: Games 3/cd.iso/os2/dunches2/dunchess.hlp

OS/2 Help File | 1993-03-16 | 28KB | 363 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Rules of Dungeon Chess ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<==  double click for "General" Menu

Dungeon Chess is played on an 8x8 grid. Two teams face each other at opposite
ends of a dungeon. Destroy the opposition before it destroys you. You have 16
weapons:  8 circs, 2 arcs, 2 trigs,  2 rects, and 2 stars. Rooms are only
visible when weapons have access to them. Rooms that cannot be moved into
cannot be seen.

Points are scored but it is the team that destroys the other that wins. Points
are used as a barometer only. Think of it as "collecting gold." You can collect
a lot. That is good.  But, lose your life and it's gone.

The movement of the weapons is similar to chess. There is no "castling" and no
"checkmate."  Circs move like kings,  one room in any direction. Arcs move like
knights,  over two and up one,  down one and over two, etc. Trigs move like
bishops.  If a trig is the last weapon,  it gains the power to also move like a
circ. Rects move like rooks,  stars like queens.

Circs have a power similar to pawns in chess,  called "morphing." To gain this
power a circ must traverse the entire length of the dungeon and reach the enemy
home row.  A circ that does this is protected from harm.  It cannot be attacked
and it blocks access to that room by the enemy.  It can, at your command,
become any weapon of your choice.  Once morphed,  the circ becomes that new
weapon and cannot again become a circ.  Also,  once morphed, the new weapon
again becomes subject to attack.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. General Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for "New Game" help...

The General menu allows you to start games,  set visual conditions, and set
RADAR options.  These functions are simple point and click. New games are
initiated in an "Empty" or "Populated" dungeon.  There are two levels of visual
effects:  "Master," and "GrandMaster."  The "Master" level is the dungeon in
daytime.  The "GrandMaster" level is the dungeon at night.  RADAR can be used
not at all, just for you, or for both sides. The "General" menu has the
following commands:

New Game       Start Dungeon Chess

Dungeon        Visual Parameters

RADAR          Weapon Status


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. New Game ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for "Dungeon Colors" help...

When you choose "New Game,"  another menu appears which allows you to start
with an "Empty" or a "Populated" dungeon.  With "Empty,"  all weapons are in
reserve.  You get to pick the time and place to bring your weapons into the
game.  With "Populated,"  the weapons are loaded for you similar to traditional
chess:  circs in front,  heavy weapons in the rear.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Dungeon Colors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for "RADAR" help...

You can choose from two color schemes according to the degree of perceptive
difficulty: "Master"  and "GrandMaster." Master level is analogous to being in
the dungeon in the daytime. The rooms are brighter, making it easier to see in
the dungeon. GrandMaster level is more like night fighting.  The rooms are
black as coal.  It takes much greater concentration to "perceive" the dungeon
in darkness.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. RADAR ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for "Weapons" help...

RADAR is the ability to "see" the status of weapons.  The status is kept for
"active" weapons, and those "in reserve." RADAR can be off; you then have to
remember the status yourself.  RADAR can be set to "HOME." In home mode,  your
status is shown to you,  but you cannot see the status of your enemy. With
"Full RADAR,"  you can see status of both teams.

The RADAR grid consists of two sets of five numbers. The first set of five
numbers indicates the "active" weapons  The second is for "reserve" weapons.
Reserves are brought into the dungeon via the weapon buttons. At that time
"reserves" RADAR decreases its count and the "active" RADAR is increased.  When
a weapon is destroyed,  the "active" count decreases.

The left side RADAR is for your team.  The right side RADAR is the enemy.

The RADAR grid looks like this:

<<== Circs ==>>

<<== Arcs  ==>>

<<== Trigs ==>>

<<== Rects ==>>

<<== Stars ==>>


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Weapons ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for more about weapons.

The Weapons consist of five types that differ in their range of movement and
relative worth. Reserve weapons are accessed via a set of buttons (miniatures
of each weapon) to the left of the dungeon. When you click one,  the button
lights to show you have selected it. You can then click on any available room
in your home row.  The room will also light up.  Choose "Official" from the top
menu or use the mouse to double click the room in the home row.  The reserve
weapon is activated.  When all reserves for a button have been brought in, the
weapon button disappears.

Circ           The point spreads.

Arc            The center meets the edge.

Trig           The diagonal flows.

Rect           The line forms.

Star           The best is the rest.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Circ ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for next help...

The Circ is the first weapon.  It can move one room at a time in any direction.
Alone a circ is weak,  but grouped together they are quite formidable.  The
circ has a special power that it and only it has:  the power of the "Morph."
Get a circ onto the home row of your enemy.  The circ becomes safe from attack.
It blocks the enemy from that room.  And,  it can become any other weapon,  by
your command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Arc ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for next help...

The Arc is the second weapon.  It can move from the center of a circle,  out to
the edge.  The arc can jump other weapons to get to the edge.  Arcs are
especially good at threatening stars because an arc in position to take a star
can't be seen by that star.  On the other hand,  just about everything
threatens arcs;  they see where they are going,  and from whence they come, but
nothing in between.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Trig ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for next help...

The Trig is the third weapon.  It can move on diagonals only. There are two
mutually exclusive sets of diagonals in the dungeon (even/odd).  A trig that is
in the "odd zone" has no access to the "even zone."  There is one condition
when a trig is able to access both zones.  If the last weapon left is a trig,
it gains the ability to move like a circ. That way it can defend itself in the
whole dungeon,  moving like a trig, or like a circ to get to the other zone.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10. Rect ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for next help...

The Rect is the fourth weapon.  It can move in a straight line, forward,
backward,  and side to side. Rects are blind to diagonals. They cannot jump
over other weapons,  but if the path is clear, they can get from one side of
the dungeon to the other in a single move.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11. Star ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for next help...

The Star is the fifth weapon.  It has the power of all the other weapons
combined,  except the arc.  Stars can move straight,  or on diagonals.  Stars
can move great distances,  like trigs and rects, or short distances like circs.
They cannot jump over other weapons like arcs do.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12. Morph Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for next help...

<== double click for more on circs...

Morphing is a power available only to circs.  Usually the morph menu is not
active and cannot be selected.  If a circ is brought onto the enemy home row,
it acquires the power to polymorph.  The circ goes into static hybernation. It
loses the power to move (or see) sideways. It gains a protective shell and
cannot be harmed by the enemy,  nor can the enemy move into that room while the
circ is in hybernation. Acquiring polymorph capability earns you 8 points.

At your command the circ in hybernation can be morphed into any other weapon:
Arc,  Trig,  Rect,  or Star.  This is done by selecting the circ with the mouse
and using the morph menu.  When a circ is selected (and only when it is
selected) the morph menu activates.  When the circ is morphed you receive 8
times the value of the weapon the circ becomes Choose an arc, earn 16 points.
Choose a star,  earn 40. Remember a morph is safe only while hybernating.  All
other weapons, including a circ just morphed,  are vulnerable to attack.

Morphing does not count as a move.  You still get your turn after the morph.
You can move the morphed weapon but you don't have to move it. You can move any
other active weapon.  You can bring a reserve weapon in if one is available.
Just remember that the new weapon is no longer safe from attack.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13. Official Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for "UnMove" help...

Official is used to make a move permanent.  Once a weapon is brought out of
reserve (with the Weapon Button),  it can be moved only by its direct
manipulation.

The "Official" process is: (using left mouse button)

 1) select weapon (either active or reserve) with mouse;

    (Weapon shows with yellow highlight)

 2) select destination room with mouse;

    (Room shows with green highlight)

 3) select "Official."

The "Official" sequence has a short-cut method.  Steps 1 and 2 are the same,
but instead of selecting "Official" from the menu,  destination room is "double
clicked" with the left mouse button.  The double click has the same affect as
clicking "Official" on the menu.

The selecting of weapons and destination rooms is indicated by a ribbon of
highlight color which surrounds the room(s) selected.  The selection order is
important. The weapon MUST be selected before the destination.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14. UnMove Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for rules...

UnMove "undoes" a partial move.  Should the sequence of selecting a weapon and
then selecting a room to move into become out-of-sync, use the "UnMove" menu to
clear everything and start the whole move over.

UnMove works only for partial moves.  Once a move is "official" there is no
turning back.  Likewise,  once a circ is morphed it cannot be returned to its
original state as a circ. Again,  unmove clears partial moves only where the
official sequence has not yet been completed.

The "Official" process is: (using left mouse button)

 1) select weapon (either active or reserve) with mouse ;

    (Weapon shows with yellow highlight)

 2) select destination room with mouse;

    (Room shows with green highlight)

 3) select "Official."

The "Official" sequence has a short-cut method.  Steps 1 and 2 are the same,
but instead of selecting "Official" from the menu,  destination room is "double
clicked" with the left mouse button.  The double click has the same affect as
clicking "Official" on the menu.

The selecting of weapons and destination rooms is indicated by a ribbon of
highlight color which surrounds the room(s) selected.  The selection order is
important. The weapon MUST be selected before the destination. If something
goes wrong with the sequence "UnMove" lets you start over.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 15. Help Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click icon for help...

The help menu has selections of both a general nature and selections specific
to Dungeon Chess (i.e. Rules).  It is recommended that the index be used for
the easiest access to specific help information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 16. Index ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click icon for help...

The index allows you to jump to specific areas of help. For Dungeon Chess,  the
index is recommended for reaching the various help topics directly.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 17. Extended Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click for rules...

<== double click for moves...

<== double click for weapons...

<== double click for "Morph" help...

Specific to Dungeon Chess are many topics that are covered.  Use the help
index,  or double click the icon(s) above for a sequential tour of help topics.
Each time an icon for Dungeon Chess is double clicked, the next leg of the tour
will display.  You can end help at any time, and return to the game,  by double
clicking in the top left corner of the help window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 18. Using Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click icon for help...

This choice provides standard explanations of the help functions as they
pertain to all OS/2 programs that use standard help. There is nothing specific
to Dungeon Chess to be found.  If you are not familiar with OS/2 help features,
choose this item for a tutorial.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 19. Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click icon for help...

Dungeon Chess does not make use of the keyboard except where a menu choice can
be reached or selected with a letter.  In these cases,  the letter which
invokes the choice is underlined.

Move the focus to the top level menu by pressing F10. From there type the
appropriate letter from the keyboard and the menu choice is invoked.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20. About ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

<== double click icon for help...

(C) Copyright  1991, 1993  Craig M. Seavey

All rights are reserved.

In addition to this version which is 1 player only,  there is a network
version.  ChessNet is a 16 bit C program which runs in OS/2 1.2 or better.  As
it is tightly coupled to Comm. Mgr.,  it will only run with OS/2 EE or Extended
Services (which is why this version was created!) If you have a network,
ChessNet supports NetBIOS,  APPC, and IEEE 802.2.

To become an official user of Dungeon Chess contact:

Craig M. Seavey

(Compuserve ID = 75450,451)

12440 SW 186 St., Miami, Fl., 33177


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 21. Dungeon Chess info ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialog displays the copyright notice.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 22. OK ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The OK button closes dialogs.