was8bit 2021-12-09 05:29 (Edited)
Its TIGERS (you) vs. JACKALS (computer)
Who will win?
RULES OF PLAY.....
1) ROLL: must move # rolled, forward or backward
2) SWAP: land on an unprotected player
3) PROTECT: 2 same pieces side by side OR in a circle space, protects from swap**
4) BLOCK: 3 same pieces side by side, blocks enemy movement, protects from swap**
5) RETURN: land on X square, return to beginning
6) EXIT: land on EXIT (last square) by exact count, the FIRST gets a 3pnt bonus
... ( in champs mode, when you get all 5 exited, you get a point for each opponents piece not yet exited, then you play another game)
** all in the same row (top or middle or bottom)
TURN: Use (B) to roll. Use L/R to select piece. U/D sets direction. Then (A) moves if move is valid.
PASS: if you cannot play, or otherwise wish to pass your turn, hit (PAUSE)... this gives the computer 2 extra turns (plus their normal turn)
RACE TYPES:
1) QUICKY (first to exit a piece)
2) SINGLE (first to exit all 5 pieces)
3) CHAMPS (first to get 7 points)
was8bit 2021-12-09 06:52 (Edited)
CREDIT:
Book of Games by Jack Botermans by Sterling Publishing
Game SENET found in Pharaohs pyamid tombs
Rules as reconstructed from Egyptian documents as researched by:
archeologist Gustave Jequier
archeoligist Edgar B. Pusch
I changed lion to tiger, and other little tweaks...
I did try to simulate the same odds of the roll based on the description of the original pieces used to create the roll... here is a probability chart of what you can roll...
ROLL# ... ODDS
#6 ... 1/16
#4 ... 1/16
#3 ... 1/4
#2 ... 3/8
#1 ... 1/4
These odds are additionally slightly skewed as they are built using 4 "uneven sticks" with a 0 or 1 result, and 1's are lightly more likely than 0's... so rolling a #4 is slightly more likely than rolling a #6, and rolling a #3 is slightly more likely than rolling a #1
was8bit 2021-12-10 09:37 (Edited)
I probably ought to add 3 race options... 1) QUICK RACE 2) FULL RACE 3) CHAMPIONSHIP RACE
QUICK would be whoever exits one piece first wins
FULL would be, when one race is over, whoever has the most points wins
CHAMPIONSHIP, whoever scores 16 points first wins...
This offers 3 different lengths of game, as well as 3 different ways to win :)
Could also add a SCORES screen, showing how many times player or computer has won different kinds of games....
CubicleHead 2021-12-10 13:53
This is looking very cool
I think it would be nice to have 3 different modes
was8bit 2021-12-10 17:11
Thanky :)
was8bit 2021-12-11 12:43 (Edited)
Now, i have to program the ability to PASS one's turn, giving the other player 2 turns... i am thinking of using the PAUSE button for this, to avoid accidentally passing your turn...
BGelais 2021-12-13 17:01
Very nice and a bit addictive game. :) Maybe I should do an Apple II style remix of this one.
was8bit 2021-12-13 18:09 (Edited)
Thanky :)
You're welcome to remix anything i have :)
For this one, i want to add 3 game modes, as well as a title/ highscore screen and add a game saver (the championship one could take as many as 6 games to finish)
Yes, i admit, my graphic skills are abit lacking, for sure ;)
BGelais 2021-12-13 18:15
maybe more put my arcade meat on it, keeping the SFII font you used (thanks), attract mode, at least i changed it to black bg stule with grass on board. Game modes are a good challenge to :).
was8bit 2021-12-13 18:19 (Edited)
Ah, my style was thinking of a race inside a pyramid, with hyrogliphics on the walls ;)
The game was supposed to emulate what happens to the pharohs spirit after they die, their soul had to fight and outwit their way to a better afterlife... i kinda kept mine as just a race game though... i think this game gave birth to other games like backgammon and other games where you try to move all your pieces around the board and then home..
This game with these rules has some neat dynamics to it... that is why i wanted to make it into a playable game here :)
BGelais 2021-12-13 18:21
oh! I see. :)
was8bit 2021-12-13 18:33
My animals are rather ... “rough” .... ;)
was8bit 2021-12-14 16:13
Ive simplified the rules, removing the restriction for exiting.. one can now exit anytime.. that and with making the computer player more aggresive makes the game move much faster now :)
BGelais 2021-12-14 17:26
I Will let you finish your game as you want and see after that what i should remix, tough. :) The game becomes very cool at least.
was8bit 2021-12-14 17:35
Cool :)
was8bit 2021-12-15 01:59
I have not completely tested the GAME SAVE yet.. preliminary tests look good...
was8bit 2021-12-20 05:54
Ok, i believe everything is working now :)
Some tips for each game mode...
QUICKY game: rush your lead piece towards the finish line
SINGLE game: organize your pieces in blocking pairs
CHAMPS game: use QUICKY strategy to get the 3pnt bonus, then use SINGLE strategy to try to win the board for a few more points...
EXITING strategy: as 1 is not very common, try to avoid the square next to the exit... you can remain in the protected squares to block the computer.
PASSING strategy: sometimes making the computer take 3 turns in a row is good if you are blocking, can force the computer to move backwards
