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DRAUGHTS AND REVERSI

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only And ADFS 1D00 Disc

Game Type : Graphical Draughts And Reversi Simulations

Author : Nick Pelling

Standalone Release(s) : 1984: DRAUGHTS AND REVERSI, Acornsoft, £9.95

Compilation Release(s) : None

Stated compatibility : Electron

Actual compatibility : Electron, BBC B, B+ and Master 128

Supplier : ACORNSOFT, 4A Market Hill, CAMBRIDGE CB2 3NJ.

Tel: (01223) 316039

Disc compatibility : ADFS 1D00, CDFS 1D00, DFS 1D00

Instructions

"DRAUGHTS : The traditional game has been faithfully reproduced on screen for you to try your hand at playing the computer. Pieces are promoted to Kings on reaching the opponent's end of the board, and the computer will make sure you follow the rules, insisting that you make all possible jumps or suffer the consequences - the computer has the option of 'huffing' the offending piece.

REVERSI : In this board game you play the computer, the aim of the game being to capture as many of your opponent's pieces as possible. (Reversi is also known as Othello.)

This game is fully compatible with either keyboard or joysticks."

DRAUGHTS

Rules of the game

Play is on an 8 by 8 grid of squares. Moves can either be made at the keyboard, or you can use joysticks - keyboard and joystick controls are described in the next section.

In this game, each player aims to remove the other's pieces from the board, and the game is won when pieces of only one colour remain.

a. Draughts can be moved diagonally over the squares of the same colour. In each player's turn one piece can be moved. Normally a piece may only be moved on square at a time.

b. Initially pieces must only move forwards, but once a piece has reached the opponent's edge of the board that piece becomes a 'King' which can move backwards as well.

c. If a diagonal move is obstructed by your opponent's piece, but an empty square lies beyond the obstructing piece then you can (in fact, you must!) leapfrog the piece, and thereby 'take' it; ie you move two squares and the piece you jump over is removed from the board.

d. If you have just taken an opponent's piece but from your new position it is possible to jump over yet another piece, you must do this as well. Hence in a single turn, you could end up moving four squares and removing two pieces or moving six squares and removing three pieces etc.

e. If you can make a jump, then you must choose to move the piece that can jump, and move it until no further jumps can be made. Otherwise your opponent has the following options:

a) insist you make a given jump

b) ignore the fact

c) 'Huff' a piece that could jump (ie remove it from the board)

Playing The Game

Once the game is loaded into the computer, you are asked to select a skill level. Input a number between 1 and 8 and then press <RETURN>. Level 1 is the simplest level, in which the computer replies to your moves almost immediately. Playing on level 8, however, the time taken for the computer to respond is far longer ie several minutes.

Next you will be asked whether or not you want to go first. If you say 'Yes' ('Y' will do) followed by <RETURN> then you are automatically 'red' and the computer plays the white pieces. If you choose not to go first then you play white so that whoever goes first plays the red pieces.

Your Move

If you are using keyboard controls...

The computer will prompt you first for the piece to be moved; if you have chosen to move first then you will see the first prompt at the bottom of the screen:

Move from

Here you must specify the square you wish to move from.

Choose a piece that can move forwards (diagonally) and type in its row number followed by its column number: for example in the picture, to move the white piece marked you would type in the row number, and then the column number as the two-digit number:

and press <RETURN>.

You are now prompted for the destination square with:

Move to

Enter the row and column number for your destination square as a two-digit number, and then press <RETURN>, and this will complete the move.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 _|r|_|r|_|r|_|r|

2 r|_|r|_|r|_|r|_|

3 _|_|_|_|_|r|_|_|

4 w|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

5 _|_|_|_|_|r|_|_| r = Red piece

6 w|_|_|_|_|_|w|_| w = White piece

7 _|_|_|_|_|w|_|w| R = Red King

8 R|_|w|_|w|_|w|_| W = White King

My move is from 36 to 45

and I huff the piece at 67

In the picture, the only possible move for the piece at 61 is to square 52.

If you specify a piece that cannot move (if it is in the back row, for example, since a piece cannot jump over another of the same colour) or if you specify an impossible destination, then it will simply wait for you to try again.

If you have joystick controls...

1. move the cursor to the square you wish to move from

2. press the fire button

3. move the cursor to the square you wish to move to

4. press the fire button to complete the move

In both cases, if you are in a situation where you can jump over more than one of your opponent's pieces, enter the co-ordinates for one jump at a time. You will be prompted to enter the second or subsequent part of the move after the previous part has been displayed on the screen.

Undoing A Move

If you change your mind half-way through a move or after you have completed a move, and want to 'Undo' the move, type the letter "U". By the time you do this, the computer may have already moved as well; in this case its move is Undone also.

The Computer's Move

The computer prints its intended move on the screen in the usual notation (ie rown and column numbers) but waits for you to press <RETURN> before entering the move on the board. So, in the picture, the computer is waiting for the player to press <RETURN> before completing its move.

Ending A Game

If both red and white pieces remain, but neither can 'take' the opponent's piece(s) then you may wish to escape from the game by pressing ESCAPE.

Use the command "Q" to Quit the program.

REVERSI

Rules of the game

Play is on an 8 by 8 grid of squares. Each player takes it in turn to place a piece on an empty square with the following restrictions:

a. Initially, you must fill the centre four squares.

b. When these are filled you can only play by making a least one capture, otherwise you must pass.

c. Captures are made by placing your piece so that it is at one end of a line (possibly diagonal) of the opponent's pieces, with another piece of yours already at the other end, or in the middle somewhere. The opponent's pieces in the captured line, between your pieces, then become yours and so change colour.

d. The game ends when nobody can place a piece (usually when the board is full). The winner is the one who has the most pieces at this point.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 _|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| ME 3

2 _|_|_|_|_|W|_|_| YOU 12

3 _|_|_|_|W|_|_|_|

4 _|_|_|W|B|W|_|_|

5 _|_|_|B|W|_|_|_|

6 _|W|W|W|W|W|_|_|

7 _|_|_|_|B|_|W|_| B = Black piece

8 _|_|_|_|_|_|_|W| W = White piece

My move is 76.

Here, if it is Black's turn to play, and Black plays at square 76, he captures one of White's pieces, in square 65.

Playing The Game

Once the game loaded, you are asked if you want instructions. These give a summary of how to play the game. Press either "Y" for Yes or "N" for No followed by <RETURN>.

You are then asked to set the 'display delay'. When a move is made, the computer will display the piece on the board as a square so you can see which was the last move made. After a certain length of time this piece will change to a circle like all the other pieces on the board. The time taken is determined by the display delay. A good value to use is 5000. Enter the number you require followed by <RETURN>.

Next the computer asks whether or not you want to go first. Enter "Y" or "N" followed by <RETURN>.

Finally you have to enter the skill level you require. You have the choice of nine levels, one being the simplest and nine the most difficult.

The computer always plays the dark pieces.

Your Move

If you have chosen to move first you will see the first prompt at the bottom of the screen.

Your move

If you are using keyboard controls...

Enter your proposed move as a two-digit number - row first and then column - and then press <RETURN>.

If you have joystick controls...

If joysticks are connected use the joystick to move the cursor to the square you wish to fill, and then confirm the move by pressing the fire button.

In either case, if you need to pass, type the letter "P".

Having Selected A Move

If it is not possible for you to place a piece in the square you have chosen then the computer will wait for you to try again. If your move is allowed then a small coloured square will be shown in the square you have chosen to indicate the current move. THis will then turn into a proper piece after a certain length of time which is determined by the value for the 'display delay' entered previously.

Use "U" to Undo a move. If the computer has completed a move since your last move, this will be Undone as well.

The Computer's Move

The computer prints its intended move on the screen in the usual notation (ie row and column numbers) but waits for you to press <RETURN> before completing the move.

Leaving The Game

Pressing "Q" will quit the current game. You will then be given the option of starting another game or leaving the program.

If you choose to start a new game then the computer will retain the value of the 'display delay' you selected initially and will just ask if you wish to go first and which skill level you require.

Should you wish to select a new value for the 'display delay' or see the instructions again, press ESCAPE. This will start a new session.

Instructions' Source : DRAUGHTS AND REVERSI (Acornsoft) Back Inlay and Booklet

Review (ELBUG)

There is good value for money here, since you get two games in this package for the price of one.

The board and pieces are well displayed, giving a 3D effect to the pieces. Both games offer a series of different playing levels but although the computer takes but a few seconds to make its move at the lowest level, at the other extreme you may have to wait up to 45 minutes!

Moves are entered in a co-ordinate form. This pack and the Acornsoft's CHESS pack are good packs to buy if you are fed up with the usual "seek-'em and splat-'em" types of games and want something to get your brain into. Rating: ****

Philip Le Grand, ELBUG 1. 1

Review (Electron User)

You get two games for the price of one in this package. The first is DRAUGHTS, where you play the Electron at the age-old game or, if you're like me, the Electron plays with you! You have the choice of eight different levels of play and I can't beat the beast at the easiest level. And it's no use trying to cheat - it won't let me. The Electron knows all the rules and won't allow an illegal move. In fact, if you give it half a chance it will 'huff' you!

It's a lovely version of the game. You play on a tastefully coloured board, using the keyboard or joysticks to make your move. Simple to learn and fun to play, it's easy to get carried away and forget that you've got another game on the tape...and the other game is even better.

REVERSI is an old logic game played on an eight by eight grid of squares between two opponents. Once again, it's you playing against the Electron. The aim is to trap its pieces between two of yours and so turn them into your colour. The winner is the one with the most pieces when no more moves can be made. It's a classic game, can be learnt in a couple of minutes, but takes a lifetime to master. And your ever-faithful Electron will be there waiting to give you practice.

You have the choice of nine levels of difficulty and can use either the keyboard or joysticks. The display makes full use of the Electron's graphics and you can even "take back" any moves that you regret.

All in all, it's a great little package. Each game by itself is good value. Together they're a bargain.

Nigel Peters, ELECTRON USER 1. 1