From 475811c6e90f8a2918eb1e7dcf92547bcf685dc4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Björn Stenberg Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 14:03:55 +0000 Subject: Added missing othelo.txt git-svn-id: svn://svn.rockbox.org/rockbox/trunk@3817 a1c6a512-1295-4272-9138-f99709370657 --- apps/plugins/othelo.txt | 163 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 163 insertions(+) create mode 100644 apps/plugins/othelo.txt (limited to 'apps') diff --git a/apps/plugins/othelo.txt b/apps/plugins/othelo.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..bf82e05eb9 --- /dev/null +++ b/apps/plugins/othelo.txt @@ -0,0 +1,163 @@ +Introduction to Othelo +====================== + +Othelo 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". + +The objective is to 'capture' more squares of the board than your opponent. + +Each 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. + +An opponents square may be captured by placing your pieces either side of it. +Either vertically, horizontally or diagonally. + +The rules are mind-numbingly simple ...but, like Chess, the strategy for +regular success is far from obvious. + +Further guidance on playing can be found at: +http://home.nc.rr.com/othello/strategy/midgame/ +...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. + + +Controls +======== + +Othelo can be found under games->othelo from the Rockbox main menu. + +At any time during play: +F1 will change the player and dreamer for the BLACK opponent +F2 will change the player and dreamer for the WHITE opponent +F3 will terminate the current game +OFF will switch off the Othelo game. When Othelo is restarted from the menu, + play will start with a new board. +ON will suspend the current Othelo game. When Othelo is restarted from the + menu, play will continue from where it left off. + +Either 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. + + +Computer Advice +=============== + +When a Human is playing, he may select any of the AI Bots to offer advice (it +is described as the Computer "dreaming" for you). + +The default advice/help level is 0 (zero) ...no advice +Bot 1 help will simply highlight all possible valid moves +Bot 2 will advise you which moves would steal the most pieces per turn +Bot 3 will offer even deeper insights about strategic positioning +Bot 4 hasn't been written yet ...watch this space + +In 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. + + +AI Opponents +=========== + +There 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. + +It can be interesting to set both opponents to Computer mode and watch them +play against each other. + + +Navigation +========== + +During the turn of a Human, the up, down, left and right cursor keys navigate +the board highlight in a suspiciously expected manner 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. + +Button repeat _is_ enabled for navigation. + +The 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. + + +Display +======= + +The main board is that great big grid thing taking up most of the screen. + +Above F1 and F2, on the bottom line of the screen, is the identity of each +player. Such as: +"O:C-1" ...this means that, the player represented by the "O" graphic is a + [C]omputer and is controlled by AI Bot #1 +"O:H-2" ...this means that, the player represented by the "O" graphic is a + [H]uman player, and has AI Bot #0 dreaming for him +etc. + +The 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 :) + +During 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. + + +Source Code +=========== + +The source code is scruffy, but well documented. + + +Future Development +================== + +Better 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. + +Remote control support. Save wear and tear on your Jukebox keys - that really +weren't designed with games players in mind. + +Tidy code to conform to whatever complaints I get about it. + + +Coding standards, bugs'n'stuff +============================== + +Remember, 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. + +On 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" + + +Greetz +====== + +mk, pajaco, Hardeep, DevZer0, jzoss, LinusN + + +Author +====== + +BlueChip +Yep, the lot - and right chuffed with miself too :) + -- cgit v1.2.3