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- QUINTA - Version 3.0
- ====================
- QUINTA is a game that runs on IBM and IBM-compatible computers. It
- requires a mouse and an EGA or VGA display. QUINTA is similar to
- Go-Moku, GO and the board game PENTE (registered trademark of Parker
- Brothers).
-
- Rules of Play
- ==============
- The game is actually quite simple to play. There are two players who
- alternate placing their "stones" on the board. There are three modes:
- a) two players, b) one player against the computer and c) computer
- against computer. There are two ways to win. First, you may win by
- placing five or more of your stones in a straight row. The row may be
- horizontal, vertical or diagonal. (Like winning at Tick Tack Toe but
- with five pieces instead of three.) Second, you may win by capturing
- five of your opponent's pairs of stones. You capture a pair by
- enclosing them with two of your stones, one at each end. You may
- capture more than one pair with a single move. Always make your
- first move in the middle of the board as indicated by the mark.
- That's all there is to it. Of course you must defend yourself from
- being attacked in the same way.
-
- Getting Started
- ============
- The only file you will need is QUINTA.EXE. The game is started by
- entering QUINTA at the DOS prompt. To install the program on your
- hard disk place the diskette in the drive and enter A:INSTALL
- substituting the name of your floppy drove for A: when needed.
- INSTALL will copy the program to your C: drive into a dirctory
- called QUINTA. If you do not want to use the C: drive add the
- letter of the desired drive (no colon) after the INSTALL command.
- So if you want to install on drive D: and your floppy is in drive B:
- you would enter B:INSTALL D at the DOS prompt. To run the program
- change to the QUINTA directory and enter QUINTA.
-
- Operation
- =========
- Remember, you must have your mouse driver loaded. The default mode
- is "1 Player". In this mode the player plays against the computer.
- By pressing the mouse button in the PLAYER box you may cycle
- through 0, 1 or 2 Players. When 0 Players is selected the computer
- will play both sides and the RUN, HALT and STEP boxes are available
- to control automatic play. When 2 Players are selected two people
- play against each other. The stone at the top center of the board
- changes color, showing whose turn it is.
-
- In 1 Player mode (you against the computer) you go first. If you want
- the computer to go first just place your piece off to the side.
-
- You may turn the SOUND on and off. You may select the Novice or
- Advanced SKILL level. Take back a move at any time by selecting
- BACKUP.
-
- To place a stone just point to the intersection and press any of the
- mouse buttons.
-
- When a pair has been surrounded it will be moved to the stack at
- the side of the board where you can keep track of the score.
- When five-in-a-row is found or five pairs of one color have
- been removed the game is over.
-
- You may switch between 0, 1 and 2 Players during the course of a game.
- This will let you see what the computer's move would be under certain
- circumstances. You may set up a situation in the 2 Player mode then
- switch to 0 Players and select STEP to see the computer's next move.
-
- A note about taking back moves: the computer makes some randomized moves
- especially early in the game. This prevents repeating the same game
- each time. When a randomized move is taken back and another is made
- in its place the computer may not repeat the identical move. So taking
- back and then stepping forward may not always duplicate the same sequence.
-
- Each time the computer makes a move, a phrase appears above the board
- at the right. This phrase shows the tactic used for its previous
- move.
-
- Strategy
- ========
- The computer has been taught fifteen different tactics. They are
- rank ordered in importance. The computer starts with the most important
- and searches for the situation calling for that particular tactic. If
- the situation exists, the appropriate move is made. If not, it works
- its way down the list of tactics until a move is required. The last
- tactic is to make a random move which is always done if no previous
- move has been made. The tactics are a combination of defensive and
- offensive moves. The rank ordering for some is fairly obvious but
- becomes somewhat arbitrary as you approach the end of the list.
-
- The computer does not "look ahead" to plan its strategy though it does
- employ a few subtleties when set to Advanced SKILL. Strategies that
- are unique to Advanced SKILL are shown with "(ADV)" below. If it
- can block a row by placing a stone in more than one position it will
- try to use the position where it will not be captured on the next move.
-
- If it can block a row by removing one of the opposing stones as part
- of a pair, it will do that in preference to placing a stone at the end
- of the chain. It will not make a random move where it can be
- immediately captured.
-
- Terminology
- ===========
- The fifteen tactics are explained below but it is necessary to
- understand some terminology.
-
- Open Row - A row of stones with open positions at both ends.
-
- Closed Row - A row of stones with an opposing stone at one end.
-
- Split Row - A row of stones in a straight line including an empty
- space. This has the potential to become a long row if the space
- is filled with a stone of the same color.
-
- To Block - Placing a stone at the end of an opponents row.
-
- To Extend - Lengthening a row by placing a stone of the same color at
- the end.
-
- There are a few basics to understand about the game strategy. If a
- player gets an open four, (four in a row, open at both ends) then he
- will win on the next move unless one of the stones can be captured.
- If the opponent blocks one end of the open four, the player can form
- five-in-a-row by placing his stone at the other end. Since this is
- true, if a player has an open three, it must be blocked or it may be
- made into an open four on the next move, leading to a win. Similarly,
- a split three or a split four is equally dangerous and must be blocked.
-
- It is desirable to place a stone that forms two rows (of three or
- four) simultaneously. The opponent will only be able to deal with one
- threat at a time. The computer does not recognize this strategy and
- so can be beaten with its use. Sometimes the computer's move creates
- this double threat and you will be beaten but it was not intentional.
-
- The Fifteen Tactics
- ====================
-
- 1. MAKE 5 - This is the highest priority tactic for obvious reasons.
- It makes the game-winning move by extending a row of four to five
- (or more).
-
- 2. BLOCK 4 - This is the defensive counterpart to tactic 1.
- It blocks a row of four to prevent the opposing win. If the
- opposing row of four is closed, the block will succeed. If it is
- open, the opposing player will win on the next move unless a piece
- in the row can be captured.
-
- 3. EXTEND SPLIT 3 - An offensive move that tries to create a winning
- row of five stones from a split row of 3.
-
- 4. BLOCK SPLIT 4 - The defensive counterpart to tactic 3. Tries to
- block creation of a long row. It will block by removing a stone if
- it can (ADV).
-
- 5. BLOCK SPLIT 3 - The defensive counterpart to tactic 3.
-
- 6. EXTEND OPEN 3 - An offensive tactic to lengthen an open row of
- three. It will try to choose an end where it will not be captured
- on the next turn (ADV).
-
- 7. BLOCK OPEN 3 - The defensive counterpart to tactic 6. It will
- try to break up the open three by taking a pair if that is
- possible (ADV) and will try to choose an end where it will not be
- captured on the next turn (ADV).
-
- 8. TAKE 2 - This tactic will capture an opponents pair. It will do
- so even if the placed stone can be captured on the next move.
-
- 9. EXTEND CLOSED 2 - This is the defensive counterpart to tactic 8.
- It tries to prevent a closed pair from being captured. It does
- so even if the placed stone can be captured on the next move.
-
- 10. EXTEND OPEN 2 - An offensive move to lengthen an open two. It
- will only extend the row if the placed stone can not be captured
- on the next move (ADV).
-
- 11. BLOCK OPEN 2 - A defensive move to prevent an open two from
- being lengthened. It will only place the stone if it can not be
- captured on the next move. (ADV)
-
- 12. BLOCK CLOSED 3 - (ADV) A defensive move to prevent the lengthening
- of a closed three. It will try to remove on of the stones first.
- It will only place the stone if it can not be captured on the next move.
-
- 13. EXTEND CLOSED 3 - (ADV) The offensive counterpart to tactic 12.
- It will only place the stone if it can not be captured on the next move.
-
- 14. BLOCK SPLIT 2 - A defensive move to prevent the lengthening
- of an open split two. It will only place the stone if it can not be
- captured on the next move. (ADV)
-
- 15. RANDOM - When all other tactics are not required this move will place
- a stone in a pseudo position. It will not place a stone where
- it can be captured on the next move. The search begins at the center
- and spirals outward. There is a random factor applied to the first
- several moves to give variety to the computer's games.
-
- Shareware
- =========
- This program is being distributed under the Shareware concept. The Shareware
- version is limited to 30 moves. Otherwise it is identical to the full
- version. If you have received the Shareware version you may obtain the full
- version by sending $12.00 to Pennant Enterprises.
-
- Pennant Enterprises
- 25 Shadow Lane
- Great Neck, NY 11021
-
- Les Penner
- (516) 466-5509
- (516 466-5574
-
- Send any comments and suggestion to the above address or to
- Compuserve 75236,1572.
-
-