Xr0w - a simple and challenging board game.

 
 
 

MIDP Mini Edition

(for J2ME MIDP compatible devices, especially with limited amount of memory)

User Manual

 
 



Version 1.1.1,   22 July 2002

(C) 2002,  Michael Glickman palmcrust@yahoo.com

Content:

About this release

Game Description

Playing The Game

Using Phone Keys
]
Using Operation Keys

Using CommandButtons

Alternative Set

Special Functions

Application Properties

Support

About this release.

Originally the game was released for Palm  handheld computers and available from  Xr0w PalmOS site.

This manual refers a MIDP Mini edtion designed for J2ME MIDP compatible devices (mainly mobile phones).
The code for this  release fits into 30K RAM, and can be used on devices like Nokia 6310 with limited number of memory.

Xr0w MIDP Mini was designed to suit any J2ME MIDP device. It supports Nokia sound, if available.

Game Description

One plays X, another Y.  A player who succeeds in making a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row of 5 consecutive pieces wins. The game ends with a draw, if the board is nearly full, so that neither of players can complete a row.

For the current release the board size is selected to fit the screen, but not more than 12 rows or columns.

The application keeps complete move history for the current game, therefore you can take back unlimited number of moves and replay previously taken back moves, however once you've made a move, you can't replay.

The application stores game statistics. It  provides a range of options to suit your preferences.
 

Playing the Game

Use phone keys or operation buttons (Up, Down, Left, Right, Fire) to locate the marker (a black spot) at the place where you want to put your next piece and enter  GO.

Using  Phone Keys

The use of phone keys is given by the following diagram:
 
Main set
 1
Marker Up-Left
 2
 Marker Up
3
Marker Up-Right
4
Marker Left
5
GO
6
Marker Right
7
Marker Down-Left
8
Marker Down
9
Marker Down-Right
*
Take Back last move
0 
Alternative Set
(see below)
#
Replay last move

At start of the game,  star (*) key can be used as an escape for  Special functions.
 

Using  Operation Buttons


These  buttons simply duplicate functions above. You might find them move convenient to opearate.
 
LEFT Marker Left UP Marker Up
RIGHT Marker Right DOWN Marker Down
FIRE Go

If  LEFT and  RIGHT  are not present, you can use 0 UP  and  0 DOWN (press and release 0,  then press UP or DOWN), but probably phone keys are more convenient in this case.
 

Using Command Buttons.

The commands are:
 
New Game Start a new game. Current game (if active) is discarded
Exit Terminate the application

Alternative Set

Key 0  is used for selecting an alternative set of fuctions. After you press and release 0, you will see  +  sign  on the status bar (located to the right from play board), as an indication that the following key will be interpreted according to the alternative set.  The alternative set includes Jump actions, where you move about half of board size in appropriate direction,  as well as  game options explained below.
 
Alternative set  (0+ ...)
 1
Jump Up-Left 
 2
 Jump Up 
3
Jump Up-Right 
4
Jump Left
5
Switch Sides
6
Jump Right 
7
Jump Down-Left
8
Jump Down
9
Jump Down-Right 
*
Change Computer skill (*)
0
<not used>
#
Toggle Auto-Feed(*)

Computer skill  - how strong is your opponent:  N - novice,  A - average (default),  B - bright. The fist computer skill letter is shown on the status bar.

Auto-feed:  If auto-feed is ON (default), take back and replay actions apply to both players. In case auto-feed is OFF, only single ply is taken back each time, that, as a matter of fact, allows you forcing a particular move for the computer.  There could be other reasons why you may dislike auto-feed.  Letter F on the status bar indicates that Auto-Feed is ON.

Game options (switching sides, computer skill and auto-feed) are effective for all following games (even after the application restarts) untill changed.

Special Functions

These functions are available before anu human move is made (i.e right after the application starts, or New Game is entered).
If special function is allowed,  after pressing * (STAR) key  you can see  * on the status bar. After that, you can enter one of the options:
 
Special functions  (*+ ...)
 1
Display statistics.
 2
Suspend / resume statistics.
3
After game statistics show/hide 
4
<reserved>
5
Display About page
6
<reserved> 
7
<reserved>
8
<reserved>
9
<reserved> 
*
<not used>
0
<not used >
#
Clear statistics

Comments.
 
Display statistics Statistics includes number of game won by human and computer and number of draws. Use *1 to show statistic page right now. 
Suspend/resume statistics Statistics can be temporarily suspended, so that game results are not counted. Use *2 to suspend or resume statistics
After game statistics show/hide By default statistic page is shown each time after game end, If this annoys you, you can disable (and later re-enable) that using  *3.
Clear statistics At last, you can set all statistics to zero using *#. Be careful, you can't undo this operation.

Application Properties (in JAD file)

The following application properties can be specified in JAD file:
 
Property: value Description
Sound-Support: nokia  Use Nokia sound if available
Sound-Support: std  Never attempt using Nokia sound system. 
Highlight-Last: yes Highlight both last moved cells, even if different from the current one
Highlight-Last: no Treat last moved cells as all others.
 

Support

The latest release of is available from https://palmcrust.tripod.com/Xr0w/Xr0w_j2me.html
The author can be contacted at palmcrust@yahoo.com  (Michael Glickman)