Vesware (R) Veshtzee Version 3.0 12/19/2003: Multi Player Yahtzee game for .NET. by Ves Sladin www.vesware.com bozjidar@comcast.net Standard Yahtzee rules apply to play, including bonus Yahtzee. See the scoring section later in this document for details on bonus Yahtzee specifics. System Requirements: .NET Framework Version 1.1 or higher. (If you don't have it you can download the latest version from Microsoft) Windows XP or later (but it should work on Win9x also) A description of the game and how to play it is included here. Images will be posted on my web site. ******** What's New ********* The game is entirely redone from the last version (2.0): - The "Max" column which showed the maximum possible score on any line has been replaced by a "Worth" column which now shows you what you're current dice are worth if scored on different lines. If you score a roll on any other line besides those that have a "Worth", it will be a zero. - The "Pick Up" function of the roll button has been removed. Now you just click the roll button and the dice automatically pick themselves up. - The "Score Selected Row" button has been added and is now used to confirm the score. You don't use the keyboard "Enter" key as before. Actually, I wanted to make it so that all you had to do was double-click on the cell you want to score, but Microsoft makes this very difficult. So, you get a button for now. - A seperate window is provided which displays players and their scores. It can be made visible or hidden. That window will also display high scores for all players on record when you want to see them. - You now have control over game delay. A delay has always been there to allow each person to see their scored card before it switches to the next player. If you turn delay off then the game will move faster. ********** Known Bugs ***************** You can blame this one on Microsoft since it's their grid component. Sometimes when you click on the Score line for Yahtzee the cell does not highlight (show a gray square indicating you've selected it for scoring). However, don't let that fool you, if you click "Score Selected Row" the line will score properly. ******** How to Play - Short Instructions ************ Click File, New Game. Add/Delete players from the player list. Select the palyers that will be playing. Click Done. Click the Roll Button to roll the dice. Maximum three rolls per turn. Click on any dice to save it. When you're done rolling, score by clicking in the 'Actual' column, next to the line you want to score. Dice will automatically clear and the scorecard will flip to the next player if there is more than one. ********* How to Play - Long Instructions ************* When the game starts up the window will be blank except for the buttons and some background. ** Starting a New Game ** Click on the Game menu and choose the 'New Game' option. ** Players Dialog ** The Players dialog allows you to completely manage your player list and select the players for the current game. Also, the players shown in the list will have their high scores saved; as long as they remain in the list. Add Name To Available Players List - Adds the name typed into the box, directly above, into the Available Players List directly below. Once a name is in the Available Players List it will be there every time you open the game and the players high score will be tracked. Player Selection - To select the players for the current game use the standard Click/Ctrl-Click/Shift-Click key and mouse combinations. All names highlighted will be in the game. Play With Selected - Click this button when you're finished with the Players dialog and/or are ready to start the game. If you make no selection, the game will not start. Delete Selected - Clicking this button will erase the selected players from the List, including any record of their high score. Cancel - Leave the window without starting a game. **********Active Game Windows *********** There are four areas on the screen to be aware of: - Roll Button and Counter - Score Button - Dice - Scorecard - Player Score Viewer Roll Button and Counter - This is the button at the bottom left area on the screen. To roll the dice you click on it. It will show you which roll you're about to take, and will disable when you have to score (after 3rd roll). After the third roll it will show the message "Must Score" and will not allow you to continue rolling until you've scored a line. Score Selected Row Button - Scoreing requires two steps, first you click on the Score column in the row you want to score and then you click the "Score Selected Row Button" Dice - Five dice will display when you click the Roll Button. They can be moved back and forth between the 'Rolled' column and 'Saved' column by clicking on the die. What ever dice are not in the 'Saved' column will be picked up and re-rolled on the next roll. Scorecard - The scorecard has three columns and a player display The current player is displayed at the very top. The three Columns are: Score Line - Shows the possible dice combinations, and which rows are the subtotals and totals. Worth - Shows the value of the current roll for all lines where you will get something other than a zero. The worth will be shown whether you've already scored that line or not. Score - The column where you click to select the line you will score and where your score will be displayed. Scores window - A window which can be visible or hidden and shows either all the current players in the game and their current scores, or shows the high scores of all the players on file. The high scores will display until the next time a player scores a line. Then the window will again show the current game scores. ** Scoring a Line ** Assuming you've rolled three times and/or you have a dice combination you want to score, first click in the Score column of the line you want to score and then click "Score Selected Row". A score will be entered in that box. If that line was worth nothing than you get 0. After you score a line and the score is displayed, the screen will automatically switch to the next player; after a brief delay. The delay can be shorter or longer depending on your choice A note regarding Veshtzee (Yahtzee, Five of a kind). The first Veshtzee is scored in the normal way. When scoring a second or greater Veshtzee it will score it's self. Your job is to decide what else you want to score. You can score any of the lines in the lower part of the scorecard (starting with three of a kind and below). Also, you can score any of the top six lines, as long as your Veshtzee matches the line you're scoring. For example, if you rolled five two's, then it would be valid for you to score the two's line. You can't score any of the other lines in the top section. And you can never rescore a line you already scored. What happens if you have a second or greater Vehstzee and you have no other lines you can score? For example, you rolled five sixes, but your sixes line is already scored. Your only option is to proceed with the game, so just click on any scoring cell and click "Score Selected Row". The line you clicked on will not be effected. Only the Veshtzee line will score. ** Menu Options ** The main menu has the following options: Game, New Game - Starts a new game. Game, Exit - Exits game. All information for a partially finished game is lost. Sound - Toggles sound off and on. Scores, Visible - Makes the score display window visible hides it. Scores, Show Highs - Shows high scores of all players on file Available any time after a game is started. Help, About - Standard About dialog. Delay - Toggles the delay logic. When toggled On, there is a build in delay during a roll and before score card switches from one player to the next. Coming Improvements Well, for this version I though I was going to have some cool 3D dice. But, .NET being new and all I didn't want to take that on just now. My next goal will be to create a version of this game that can be played across the internet. It will be a major undertaking for me but it should be fun. The 3D thing will wait a while. If you have suggestions or comments, they are always welcome. Just send me an email to bozjidar@comcast.net. Please contact me if you do find a bug. Shareware This software is shareware. If you find it enjoyable, and are willing to pitch in some money toward further development, send me an email. I'll send you my address and you can send me a check for $10. How's that? Also, I'll put your email on my mailing list and automatically send you revisions. You can't beat that for $10.. can you? I do also have a Paypal account under user "bozjidar". So, feel free to make donations there also. If you make copies and pass them along, please keep this file along with the others. Revision Record Version 1.0 11/14/01 Initial Release Version 1.1 11/29/01 Added color to score boxes and background. Changed dice so they move home automatically after scoring. Made the game multiplayer; also added Current Player and All Player Scores Version 2.0 6/1/02 Complete redesign of game. Added sound, real looking dice, and the ability to automatically save all players high scores. Version 3.0 12/20/2003 .NET Version. Completely redone.