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[32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m
Version 1.7g
by Xavier Egusquiza
October 1993
[1m[4mCopyright Notice[0m
[32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m is "mailware". This means that users of the program
are under obligation to send me a mail, by post or e-mail, that
they are using my program. This is because I want to know if
someone is using my Public Domain software and if it makes sense
to develope new software and to update the old one.
SO PLEASE WRITE! (see address below).
If you want to include [32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0minto your PD-series,please send
me one copy of the disk that contains my program (more disks
from your series are welcome).
[1m[4mThe Program[0m
[32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0mis an Amiga version of the classic board game with the
same name. The program is fully multitasking so that you can
play while you work. It is also completely moused with extensive
use of Intuition environment.
[32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m was fully written in C, compiled and tested on a 3Mb
Amiga 500 with hard disk, and the software used was Lattice C,
DPaint III,Cygnus Ed and some other utilities.
[1m[4mGetting Started[0m
To run the program, double click on the [32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m icon. The
game may also be started from the CLI by typing "Parcheese".
Be sure the graphic file is in the same directory as the
executable code so that the program can find it.
After loading you must tell the computer who is going to be
playing. You choose the players using the program menu. The
players type can be human or one of the three levels of computer
player. So you can select any combination, ranging from two to
four players, and from an all humans game to an all computers
one, with any colours you choose.
Once you have selected the players,you have only to select Start
Game from the Project menu.
[1m[4mUsing the program[0m
Using [32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m is very easy. As told before, you can always
control the program with the mouse. To move a piece under human
control,you must place the mouse pointer over it and double click.
During the game, you can change the kind of players too. You must
also pay attention on the title bar. It tells you who is going to
move and indicates any special situation of the game.In [32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m
the computer always rolls the dice.
Once the game has started, you can leave it by selecting the End
Game option from the Project menu. Then you can start a new game
or quit the program. On the other side, when the game is over, a
requester asks you if you wish to quit the game.
[1m[4mMenu Options[0m
In [32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m,there are three menus,with the following options:
Project menu:
Start Game: Starts a new game.
Quick Start: Starts a game with a man in play for each
player.
End Game : Ends the current game.
About : Informs you on the program and the author.
Load Game : Loads a previously saved game.
Save Game : Saves a game in any moment of the play.
Quit : Exits inmediately [32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m.
Players menu:
There are one option for each colour. Each option has got
four suboptions corresponding to the four types of players. They
are these:
Human Player: Set this one to control the player.
The computer can play for several opponents with 3 levels:
Level 1 : This is an entry level.
Level 2 : Sets a computer level a bit easier than the
third level but the computer plays inmediately.
Level 3 : This is the challeging level. The computer
plays deeper combining logic and strategy.
With this level the computer takes longer to
respond, depending also on the players number.
A special case occurs when the player's going
to move 2 or more successive times,for example,
with a six. Then the computer evaluates this
different situation and takes 2 or 3 times
longer than usual to move.
Special menu:
There are four options:
Continous Play: With this option activated,the game doesn't
stop except when the program prompts to select
a man.
Game Speed : It allows to adjust the delay time to read
game information and to select options from the
menu. This is done by means of a potenciometer
which ranges from 0 to 20 seconds.
A 0,or so,delay in an all computer players game
is not recommended because there isn't enough
time to select menu options.
Statistics: A window will appear with statistics about all
the competitors in play. It will display four
columns :
"Advanced squares": This one indicates you who
leads the game.The program counts the advanced
squares of all pieces for each player.
"Own taken men" : It tells you how many pieces
of yours have been taken by your opponents
until now.
"Opponents taken men" : This one shows you how
many men have been taken by you.
"Dice pts. per turn": Here, [32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0maverages
all dice points you've rolled until now.
Warning: If you rolls a 6 and plays again, the
program counts them as an unique roll. For
example,if you,at the first move,roll a 6 and
then a 5,the computer will display 11 and not
5.5 (11/2).
Undo : This option allows you to change a move you've
just made.This option is only available before
the next go.
In a computer player move, this choice is left
as a repeat option and for flexibility to the
user.
[1m[4mThe Rules[0m
[32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m's rules are exactly the same as in the classic board
game. The aim of the game is to get all of your markers safely
around the board to your home base. Besides,there are some other
important subjects :
Movement rules:
You can't go across a square with two markers placed on it,
whatever their colours may be.The only exception occurs with the
initial square, explained later.
If your man lands on one of your opponent pieces, then it must
return back to the beginning and you move 20 points. The unique
squares where markers can't be taken are the ones with a circle
on it. There you must form a blocked square with your opponent.
In case you can't make any movement, whatever you roll, then you
must pass and the turn skips to the next player.
Other rules in [32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m :
Rolling a 6 : Like many board games, a 6 allows you to roll the
dice again. But be careful! at the third 6 your last moved man
must go back to th beginning and starts again.
There are two exceptions for this :
- When the most recently moved man is on one of your last
coloured squares,near your base,
- or when you can't make any move.
If some of your pieces is blocking a square and you rolls a 6,
you're forced to move it. On the other side, if you haven't got
any man at the beginning, you advance seven squares instead of
six.
Rolling a 5: If you've got some piece at home and your initial
square is unoccupied, you must place one in this square. In
[32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m the program makes this for you.
When your initial square is blocked (two men on it) :
- If it contains one opposing piece, then you take it.
- If it is occupied by two opposing men, you'll take the last
arrived to this square.
Bonus points : Two bonus points in [32m[3m[1mPARCHEESE [31m[0m:
- Each opposing man you've taken gives you twenty points.
- You get 10 points for each own piece that arrives to the end.
[1m[4mThe End[0m
Send disks, comments, etc to
Xavier Egusquiza
Paseo Pujadas,29,At.4a
08018 BARCELONA (SPAIN)
E-Mail address : FidoNet @ 2:343/119.14
Amiganet @ 39:190/1.14
Enjoy the game!