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1Introduction to Othelo 1Introduction to Othelo
2====================== 2======================
3 3
4Othelo is based on a popular board game. This is by no means the first 4Othelo is based on a popular board game. This is by no means the first computer port of this game - the most famous port I can name was "Reversi".
5computer port of this game - the most famous port I can name was "Reversi".
6 5
7The objective is to 'capture' more squares of the board than your opponent. 6The objective is to 'capture' more squares of the board than your opponent.
8 7
9Each turn you claim a single, previously unclaimed, square of the board. But 8Each turn you claim a single, previously unclaimed, square of the board. But EVERY move MUST result in the taking of at least one of your opponents squares.
10EVERY move MUST result in the taking of at least one of your opponents
11squares.
12 9
13An opponents square may be captured by placing your pieces either side of it. 10An opponents square is captured by placing your pieces either side of it. Either vertically, horizontally or diagonally.
14Either vertically, horizontally or diagonally.
15 11
16The rules are mind-numbingly simple ...but, like Chess, the strategy for 12The rules are mind-numbingly simple ...but, like Chess, the strategy for regular success is far from obvious.
17regular success is far from obvious.
18 13
19Further guidance on playing can be found at: 14Further guidance on playing can be found at:
20http://home.nc.rr.com/othello/strategy/midgame/ 15http://home.nc.rr.com/othello/strategy/midgame/
21...although I would like to add that all of the AI Bots (Computer opponents) 16...although I would like to add that all of the AI Bots (Computer opponents) (currently three thereof) were written by yours truly without reference to these type of guides :-)
22(currently three thereof) were written by yours truly without reference to
23these type of guides.
24 17
25 18
26Controls 19Controls
@@ -37,16 +30,15 @@ OFF will switch off the Othelo game. When Othelo is restarted from the menu,
37ON will suspend the current Othelo game. When Othelo is restarted from the 30ON will suspend the current Othelo game. When Othelo is restarted from the
38 menu, play will continue from where it left off. 31 menu, play will continue from where it left off.
39 32
40Either player may be a Human or Computer, and this may be changed at any time 33Either player may be a Human or Computer, and this may be changed at any time during play with F1 and F2. The current choice is indicated by an H or C above the respective F1 and F2 buttons on the Jukebox.
41during play with F1 and F2. The current choice is indicated by an H or C 34
42above the respective F1 and F2 buttons on the Jukebox. 35NOTE: The "suspend" function relied on an 'undocumented' feature which is no longer prevelant under the new "plugin" system. Therefore it needs to be re-implemented as "save progress to file." There are a number of reasons why this has not been implemented - if there is any demand for it, it will be added.
43 36
44 37
45Computer Advice 38Computer Advice
46=============== 39===============
47 40
48When a Human is playing, he may select any of the AI Bots to offer advice (it 41When a Human is playing, he may select any of the AI Bots to offer advice (it is described as the Computer "dreaming" for you).
49is described as the Computer "dreaming" for you).
50 42
51The default advice/help level is 0 (zero) ...no advice 43The default advice/help level is 0 (zero) ...no advice
52Bot 1 help will simply highlight all possible valid moves 44Bot 1 help will simply highlight all possible valid moves
@@ -54,37 +46,25 @@ Bot 2 will advise you which moves would steal the most pieces per turn
54Bot 3 will offer even deeper insights about strategic positioning 46Bot 3 will offer even deeper insights about strategic positioning
55Bot 4 hasn't been written yet ...watch this space 47Bot 4 hasn't been written yet ...watch this space
56 48
57In each case a 'valid' move is displayed as a dot in the centre of the square 49In each case a 'valid' move is displayed as a dot in the centre of the square and a 'choice' move is highlighted with a cross.
58and a 'choice' move is highlighted with a cross.
59 50
60 51
61AI Opponents 52AI Opponents
62=========== 53============
63 54
64There are currently three AI opponents C-1, C-2 and C-3 respectively. Each 55There are currently three AI opponents C-1, C-2 and C-3 respectively. Each has it's own style of play. Losing against one of the opponents does not necessarily mean that you will lose against another.
65has it's own style of play. Losing against one of the opponents does not
66necessarily mean that you will lose against another.
67 56
68It can be interesting to set both opponents to Computer mode and watch them 57It can be interesting to set both opponents to Computer mode and watch them play against each other.
69play against each other.
70 58
71 59
72Navigation 60Navigation
73========== 61==========
74 62
75During the turn of a Human, the up, down, left and right cursor keys navigate 63During the turn of a Human, the up, down, left and right cursor keys navigate the board highlight in a suspiciously expected manner to the chosen square. When the cursor is highlighting the square you wish to play in, press PLAY. If you have chosen an invalid move, the board will flash and you will be expected to try again.
76the board highlight in a suspiciously expected manner the chosen square. When
77the cursor is highlighting the square you wish to play in, press PLAY. If you
78have chosen an invalid move, the board will flash and you will be expected to
79try again.
80 64
81Button repeat _is_ enabled for navigation. 65Button repeat _is_ enabled for navigation.
82 66
83The AI opponents will pause slightly before making their move, to allow you to 67The AI opponents will pause slightly before making their move, to allow you to see the result of your move. If you wish to force the Computer opponent to wait longer before playing, you may keep PLAY depressed ("keep your finger on the piece you just played") and the Computer will make his move immediately you remove your finger from the keypad.
84see the result of your move. If you wish to force the Computer opponent to
85wait longer before playing, you may keep PLAY depressed ("keep your finger on
86the piece you just played") and the Computer will make his move immediately
87you remove your finger from the keypad.
88 68
89 69
90Display 70Display
@@ -92,67 +72,44 @@ Display
92 72
93The main board is that great big grid thing taking up most of the screen. 73The main board is that great big grid thing taking up most of the screen.
94 74
95Above F1 and F2, on the bottom line of the screen, is the identity of each 75Above F1 and F2, on the bottom line of the screen, is the identity of each player. Such as:
96player. Such as:
97"O:C-1" ...this means that, the player represented by the "O" graphic is a 76"O:C-1" ...this means that, the player represented by the "O" graphic is a
98 [C]omputer and is controlled by AI Bot #1 77 [C]omputer and is controlled by AI Bot #1
99"O:H-2" ...this means that, the player represented by the "O" graphic is a 78"O:H-2" ...this means that, the player represented by the "O" graphic is a
100 [H]uman player, and has AI Bot #0 dreaming for him 79 [H]uman player, and has AI Bot #2 dreaming for him
101etc. 80etc.
102 81
103The scores are shown toward the bottom right of the screen and the current 82The scores are shown toward the bottom right of the screen and the current player has a small arrow (->) next to his name, indicating that he should hurry up and actually make a move, today preferably ...although if the music does run out, you can always use the ON button to suspend the game while you go and queue up some more :) ...or not if you are using the current plugin version :(
104player has a small arrow (->) next to his name, indicating that he should
105hurry up and actually make a move, today preferably ...although if the music
106does run out, you can always use the ON button to suspend the game while you
107go and queue up some more :)
108 83
109During play the rest of the screen (the big lump on the right at the top) will 84During play the rest of the screen (the big lump on the right at the top) will show a pointless graphic to make the screen look pretty. When the game is quit or finished naturally, this area will display the identity of the winner, and a secret "end of play" message.
110show a pointless graphic to make the screen look pretty. When the game is
111quit or finished naturally, this area will display the identity of the winner,
112and a secret "end of play" message.
113 85
114 86
115Source Code 87Source Code
116=========== 88===========
117 89
118The source code is scruffy, but well documented. 90The source code is scruffy, but well documented. For the plugin system all headers files were included into the main source code and erased to conform to the new coding standard.
119 91
120 92
121Future Development 93Future Development
122================== 94==================
123 95
124Better AI Bots. A perfect AI Bot is easy and you can add tolerances to it 96Better AI Bots. A perfect AI Bot is easy and you can add tolerances to it from there (to dumb it down a bit) ...the dilemma is the vast quantity of RAM required to run it. So the Bots really need to be strategy and not logic based.
125from there (to dumb it down a bit) ...the dilemma is the vast quantity of RAM
126required to run it. So the Bots really need to be strategy and not logic
127based.
128 97
129Remote control support. Save wear and tear on your Jukebox keys - that really 98Remote control support. Save wear and tear on your Jukebox keys - that really weren't designed with games players in mind.
130weren't designed with games players in mind.
131
132Tidy code to conform to whatever complaints I get about it.
133 99
134 100
135Coding standards, bugs'n'stuff 101Coding standards, bugs'n'stuff
136============================== 102==============================
137 103
138Remember, if you don't like the code ...throw it away and never look at it 104Remember, if you don't like the code ...throw it away and never look at it again! ...Please do not tell me, I don't care. Any complaint requiring a response should be written on the back of notes valued at five thousand shiny new pennies of the British realm. ;)
139again! ...Please do not tell me, I don't care. Any complaint requiring a
140response should be written on the back of notes valued at five thousand shiny
141new pennies of the British realm.
142 105
143On the other hand, I love getting compliments, I am pleased to hear about bugs 106On the other hand, I love getting compliments, I am pleased to hear about bugs I can fix - although they don't tend to happen too often in my code ...go on then, find one! If you can think of any clever short cuts I have missed or fancy your hand at writing the next AI Bot - gimme a shout and I will explain all there is to know about possibility lists, and perhaps even answer such questions as "why is there only one equals sign in this IF statement" and "why are there lines of code with question marks in them"
144I can fix - although they don't tend to happen too often in my code ...go on
145then find one! If you can think of any clever short cuts I have missed or
146fancy your hand at writing the next AI Bot - gimme a shout and I will explain
147all there is to know about possibility lists, and perhaps even answer such
148questions as "why is there only one equals sign in this IF statement" and "why
149are there lines of code with question marks in them"
150 107
151 108
152Greetz 109Greetz
153====== 110======
154 111
155mk, pajaco, Hardeep, DevZer0, jzoss, LinusN 112mk, pajaco, DevZer0, jzoss, LinusN, Zagor, Cyborg, Lord Grumble
156 113
157 114
158Author 115Author
@@ -161,3 +118,5 @@ Author
161BlueChip 118BlueChip
162Yep, the lot - and right chuffed with miself too :) 119Yep, the lot - and right chuffed with miself too :)
163 120
121
122-- othelo.txt - EOF \ No newline at end of file