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- Product: Tamper
-
- Tamper is a game of investment strategy. Any number of players from one
- to four may play. Throughout the game, various companies form on the
- Tamper game board. Players, in an effort to accumulate wealth, take
- turns buying and selling stock in these companies. A player who makes
- wise investment decisions, correctly anticipating events of the game,
- will get rich quickly. The first player who attains a net worth of
- $100,000 or more wins the game.
-
-
- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
- * *
- * PLAYING THE GAME *
- * *
- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
-
-
- Each player begins the game with $5,000 in cash. At the start of the
- game, the game board is empty and no companies are active. Throughout
- the game, new companies form and attempt to secure a safe position on
- the game board. In time, certain companies grow and prosper, while
- others struggle and fail. Meanwhile, players buy and sell stock in the
- various companies, attempting to increase their net worth as quickly as
- possible.
-
- Each round of play consists of the computer (or a player) selecting one
- particular square on the game board, followed by each player taking a
- turn to act. This process continues until the game ends.
-
- The selection of a particular square can be thought of as an infusion of
- money into the game. The money is put into the game at the selected
- location on the game board. The selected square is referred to as the
- "infused" square for that round.
-
- Four distinct possibilities exist regarding the infused square: either
- the square is (1) empty and not adjacent to any company, (2) already
- occupied by a company, (3) empty and adjacent to one company, or (4)
- empty and adjacent to more than one company.
-
- If the infused square is empty and not adjacent to any company, a new
- company forms. The new company is assigned a unique set of
- characteristics and begins its life on the game board at the selected
- location. A maximum of seven companies may be active on the board at
- one time. In other words, if seven companies are already active, an
- empty, isolated square may not be infused that round.
-
- If the infused square is already occupied by an active company, the
- company makes dividend payments to all current stockholders.
- Essentially, the company passes the infused money on directly to its
- investors. The company may also award a majority-holder bonus at this
- time, paid to the player holding the most stock in the company.
-
- If the infused square is empty and lies adjacent to an active company,
- the company expands into the selected location. In effect, the company
- uses the infused capital to grow. The company takes over the new
- location, growing one square larger in size, and increasing its stock
- value accordingly.
-
- Finally, if the infused square is empty and lies adja- cent to two or
- more companies, the companies merge. The largest, most powerful company
- takes over the smaller, weaker company(s). Stock from the defunct
- company(s) is converted into stock belonging to the company taking over.
- Players automatically trade in old stock for new stock at the ratio of
- three to one.
-
- Once a company reaches a specified number of squares in size, it becomes
- secure on the game board. A secure company can never be taken over by
- another larger company. Spaces on the board which lie adjacent to two
- secure companies can never be infused.
-
- After each infusion, players are given the opportunity to alter their
- stock holdings or Tamper with the game board. A steady rotation
- determines the order in which players take their turns. Each round, the
- player acts first who is the next player in order, after the player who
- acted first the previous round. The remaining players act in turn after
- that.
-
- Each player, in his or her turn, is presented with a menu of four
- options: BUY, SELL, TAMPER or PASS.
-
- A player wanting to purchase stock selects BUY. The player may buy any
- available stock at the full-value price, provided he or she has
- sufficient cash to make the purchase. A $95 transaction fee is added to
- the total cost of each purchase. If the player cannot afford the
- purchase, the transaction is not allowed.
-
- A player selects SELL to sell any stock he or she owns. The player will
- be paid the current buy-back price, which is usually less than the full
- value. A $95 transaction fee is deducted from the payment received by
- the player selling the stock.
-
- The third option available to each player is TAMPER. A Tamper is the
- process by which a player selects the square that will be infused during
- the next round of play. This option affords each player an opportunity
- to "tamper" with the normal random flow of the game. Through use of the
- Tamper, a player can influence the events set to occur. Each player is
- allowed a total of three Tampers per game. A nominal fee is charged for
- each Tamper used.
-
- The fourth and final option available to the player is PASS. A player
- selects PASS when he or she has completed all desired activity for that
- round. Play then continues to the next player or the next round.
-
- There are two ways in which a player's worth increases: (1) by
- dividend/bonus payments, which increase a player's amount of cash, or
- (2) by stock appreciations, which increase the value of a player's stock
- holdings without adding to his or her immediate cash. Players try to
- adjust their stock holdings so that their investments are likely to
- produce the greatest payback. Players making sound investments see
- their net worth grow.
-
- When a player reaches $100,000 in net worth, the game ends immediately
- and the player is declared the winner. If the game lasts 300 rounds
- without any player reaching $100,000, the game is declared a draw and no
- player wins. As soon as the game ends, no further action on the game is
- permitted.
-
-
- Registration BENEFITS...
-
- When you become a registered user of Tamper, you receive several benefits.
- The first thing that happens is that VORCO TECHNOLOGIES sends you the latest
- version of the Tamper program. This version may include some or all of the
- following enhancements:
-
- - The option to play the computer as an opponent.
- - A custom-designed pop-up calculator, usable during play.
- - An adjustable timer option, to limit the duration of turns.
- - Full Sound Blaster(tm) and Adlib(tm) sound board support.
- - A "what-if" feature, to "look-ahead" when Tampering.
- - History file management, to move games between files.
- - The capability to play an opponent via modem or cable.
- - and lots more!
-
- The more time that has elapsed since the date of this program version, the
- more likely it is that these enhancements have already been implemented. It
- is entirely possible that, as you read this, a program version with all the
- above features, and more, has already been released. And of course, the
- registered version of the program contains none of the annoying message
- screens that pop up during the game and remind you to register.
- In addition to the latest program version, other benefits you receive by
- registering include:
-
- - A high quality, professionally-printed manual.
- - Free lifetime telephone technical support.
- - Free upgrades as they become available.
- - Eligibility to compete in all contests.
- - Future newsletters and announcements.
- - A lifetime, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee.
- - The good feeling that comes with being honest and ethical.
- - Our enduring respect and good will toward you as a customer.
-
- As of this writing, VORCO TECHNOLOGIES is sponsoring a contest for the best
- score--that is, the player with the least number of rounds to win a game of
- Tamper. First prize is a new 486 computer system. Runner-up prizes will also
- be awarded. In order to compete in this contest, you absolutely MUST be a
- registered user of Tamper. You do not need to have played the winning game on
- a registered version of the program, but you, yourself, must be registered to
- enter. When you register, you will be sent full details on how to enter this
- contest. (A file named CONTEST.DOC is included with this version of Tamper.
- Check this file for more information about the contest.)