Flippit

1992 · MS-DOS · Jim Arnold

A 1992 MS-DOS game by Jim Arnold. The readme: FLIPPIT (C) 1992 J.Arnold. All rights reserved. Conditions : As author of FLIPPIT I wish FLIPPIT to be in the Public Domain. You are free to copy this program, give it to your friends, upload it to bulletin boards or otherwise dispose of it PROVIDED YOU MAKE NO CHARGE OTHER THAN THE REASONABLE COST OF COPYING, POSTAGE, OR COST OF THE MEDIA IN WHICH IT IS DISTRIBUTED. You don't owe me a penny for the program. FLIPPIT.EXE MUST NOT BE DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT THIS DOCUMENT FILE. The game : FLIPPIT is played on a board of 64 squares, each player starts with two counters on the board, these are already placed on the board for you by the computer. You have the yellow pieces and the computer has the red counters. The object of the game is to have more of your pieces on the board than the computer when the game is over. The game is over when neither side can make a move, one side has no pieces left or the board is full. Legal moves are those which trap the opponent's piece(s) between two of the players pieces in any direction. Example: You have 'X' the computer has 'O' to represent pieces of each colour. board before your move: O O O O X O O O O O O O O X O O X you move: X O O O O X O O O O O O O O X O O X board as a result of your move: X X X X X X O X O O O O O O X O O X you have captured FIVE of your opponent's pieces, four horizontally and one diagonally. REMEMBER a move is illegal unless you can capture at least one of your opponent's pieces. Features: The game starts with the sound OFF and you to move, if you want the sound ON point at 'Sound' with the mouse and click the left button. If you don't want to go first then click on 'Pass', you will also have to click on 'Pass' if at some stage during the game you cannot make a legal move. To make a move, point to the centre of the square you wish to move into and press the left mouse button. If you attempt to make an illegal move the computer squawks unpleasantly - EVEN IF THE SOUND IS TOGGLED OFF. If the computer cannot make a legal move a similar unpleasant noise is made and the turn is passed to you. The scores are permanently displayed on the screen. If you want to start a new game, old game finished or not, on your turn click onto 'New'. To end the game and return to DOS, on your turn, click on 'Quit'. The Program: FLIPPIT is written in Borland's TURBO PASCAL V6.0 and uses a three ply search for the computer's move. This means that the computer considers each legal move, your best response to that move and then it's response to your move. No pruning is performed on the search but certain squares are given higher values until the last few moves when the computer attempts to maximise it's pieces, until then it has mainly been playing for position and ownership of key squares. If anyone out there is interested I can supply the source code on either 3.5 in disk or as hard copy you are then free to modify, improve or otherwise tinker with the program AS LONG AS IT IS NOT DONE ON A COMMERCIAL BASIS. The Mouse Unit will also be provided and you are free to use this in you own programs. The cost of either the hard copy or the disk is œ5.00 to cover media, postage etc. I have only a CGA monitor so I'm afraid those of you with expensive monitors will have to put up with the chunky graphics. I can be reached most evenings on 0203 413764 between 19.00 and 20.30. Please do not ring at any other time. Jim Arnold.