Kings Columns Version 1.0 By: Nils Larson 1215 Henderson Ave #1 Sunnyvale, CA 94086 System Requirements IBM PC or compatible computer with 100K of free RAM, 80X24 column monitor. Optional: Microsoft or compatible mouse, Color monitor, Printer. Files: KC.EXE - program; SCORES.LOG - program generated score file; KC.TXT - this text Overview Kings columns is a solitaire card game requiring a little strategy and planning. The cards are shuffled and laid out face up on a playing surface four rows deep by fourteen columns wide. No cards occupy column "B" at the start of the game. The object of the game is to rearrange the cards in ascending order within their own suits. Thus if the player is successful, all four aces will be in column "A" with their respected suits lined up ending with the king in column "M". The four intentional spaces left in column "B" allow the player to get started. The rules are simple and straightforward: 1. Cards may only be moved to one of the four open spaces on the board. 2. Only Aces may be placed in column "A". 3. A card may be placed in any open space provided that the card to the left of the open space directly precedes the moving card in its suit (i.e. the 9 of clubs may be placed in an open space only if the 8 of clubs occupies the immediate space to the left). 4. No cards may be placed to the right of a King. Version 1.0 Features Several features are provided for the enjoyment of the user. Up to nine players may play against each other and/or against the computer. A score sheet is displayed at the end of each round that shows the current game score and the accumulated scores for all rounds played. This allows the players to play a multi round "match". A high score hall of fame is provided that displays the all time top 15 scores. An optional printout may be obtained for the hall of fame. The sound feature may be turned on and off. The program fully supports the use of a Microsoft or compatible mouse. Starting the program Type KC at the DOS prompt. The program will start by displaying an animated startup screen. The user(s) will be prompted with the following questions: How Many To Play(1-9)? Respond by pressing a key between 1 and 9. Enter Player #1's Name : Respond by typing a name up to 12 characters | then press Enter. | V Enter Player #X's Name: Continue Entering names of the players. Can I play too? The computer asks if it may play. Answer by pressing "Y" or "N". Same cards for each player? The computer asks this when there is more than one person playing. Answer by pressing "Y" if everyone is to play with the same deal or "N" if each person gets a new shuffle. The screen will blank and a new one will appear with all of the cards laid out in a finished pattern. This is what the board should look like when the game is completed successfully. This is the Options/Setup screen. The numbers 1 to 4 that are listed down the left side of the screen are row labels. The letters A to N across the top are column labels. There is also a command bar listed across the bottom of the screen. The program always shows the available commands across the bottom of the screen. Any currently listed command may be executed except when the computer is waiting for a response to a question. The following describes each available command: F1 - Help Pressing the F1 key displays a help/options screen. This screen shows all of the available commands and changeable system options. Pressing "S" while in this screen toggles the sound on and off. Pressing "P" toggles the printer from Full graphics to Alphanumerics and back. If your printer is capable of printing the extended ASCII character set then leave this setting at "Character Graphics". A good rule of thumb is that most dot matrix printers that emulate an IBM Graphics printer will print the graphics set. An Epson printer running in Epson mode will print italic characters in place of the extended ASCII set. If you are unsure, leave the setting in Graphics. Change the setting if the printer prints junk. Pressing "R" displays a brief set of rules and describes how the game is scored. F2 - Play Game Pressing the F2 key tells the computer to shuffle the cards and start a game. See "Playing a game" for a full description of how to play the game. F3 - Change Players Pressing F3 causes the computer to go through the start up questions listed above. This allows the number and names of the players to be changed without having to restart the program. F10 - Quit Pressing the F10 key ends the program and returns you to DOS. Playing a game Press F2 from the Options/Setup screen. The computer will then shuffle, clear the screen and deal the cards onto the board. This is the playscreen. A new menu bar will appear with the play commands: 1-4=row Pressing a number from 1 to 4 will select a row to move a card from/to. A-N=column Pressing a letter from A to N will select a column to move a card from/to. =quit Pressing the Esc key ends the current players round. This key is used only to terminate a round early. The computer knows when no more moves can be made and will end a players round. X=cancel command Pressing "X" will cancel any move commands currently displayed on the screen. This is useful if you have made a typing error or change your mind about the card that you want to move. Note: once a card is moved it cannot be moved back, that's cheating! F1 - Help Displays the help screen listed above. The screen also displays some other useful information. A running tally of the current game score is listed in the upper right hand corner of the screen. The score will change as the player makes moves. The first six characters of the current players' name is listed directly below the score. The space above the command line displays messages from the computer. The first message that appears is "Move From (row,col): ,". This is the computer asking for a row, column or menu command. Choose a card to move by typing its corresponding row and column location. The message display will show the location you typed and will highlite the card to be moved. The computer will then add "Move To(row,col): ,". Type in the row and column location of where you want to move the card. The computer will then move the card if it is a legal entry or will display an error message if not. Continue playing until no more cards can be moved. The computer will display your score automatically and prompt for the next player or to show the score sheet. Using a Microsoft compatible mouse All commands except for entering the number of players and their names are supported by the mouse. Just position the cursor over the menu or highlited item and click the left mouse button. Moving the cards is as simple as pointing the mouse at the card to move, pressing and releasing the left button, and pointing to where the card shall move and pressing the left button again. Cancel a move in progress by positioning the cursor over the "X = Cancel" portion of the menu bar and pressing the left mouse button. The printer emulation and sound functions can also be controlled with the mouse. Select the help command by pressing F1 or clicking on the "Help" command to get the help screen. Click on the highlited words to toggle those functions. Scoring The maximum possible score is 100 points per round. One point is awarded for each card found in series with another card in its suit, i.e one point is scored if the 9 of clubs is lined up on the right side of the 8 of clubs. The first card in the row does not score a point, it takes at least two cards to score. An Ace moved to column "A" scores one point. Any card placed after the Ace in order will score double. This means that if an Ace of diamonds is placed in column "A" and the player manages to line up the 2,3, and 4 of diamonds directly behind it, seven points are scored (one point for the ace and two points for each of the three cards lined up behind). Tips on Strategy It pays to try to get the Aces to column "A". Try to plan several moves ahead to see what the consequences are for moving a particular card. Try to manipulate the cards into positions that will work to your advantage. Avoid stacking all of the face cards up in one area. How smart is the computer anyway? The computer is not really that smart. It will typically score around 40 points on the average. It just looks to see which move has the best long term benefits. It is not smart with the face cards. Disclaimer/Warranty This software is provided free to the user. The author cannot assume any liability for damages or lost files caused by the use or misuse of this product. The recommended contribution/registration entitles the user of this software to free support including one year of updates from the date of registration. For a period of 90 days, any update disk received by the user that proves defective in materials and /or workmanship will be replaced free of charge. Please include a full description of any problem with your correspondence. Any suggestions, comments, criticisms are welcome. Please direct all correspondence to the address listed on the first page of this manual. Please let us know so that we may improve this product in the future. Enjoy and good luck! Copyright Notice This software may be copied and distributed freely so long as the distributor does not request compensation for his effort. Any unauthorized mass reproduction and or distribution is prohibited without written consent from the author. Microsoft is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation, IBM is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.