shogivar-data 1.55b-1 / usr / share / games / shogivar / General.rul

"  ===================================================================
			Introduction                           
  ===================================================================
 
  The 'Shogi Variants' program has been designed as an aid to assist the 
  beginner in learning and playing the many ancient variations of the
  Japanese member of the Chess family. These Japanese games range from
  the largest, and most innovative and challenging interpretations of the
  Chess theme right through to perhaps the smallest non-trivial chess
  variant in existence.

  The program is based primarily on the rules leaflets published by 
  Mr G F Hodges, of PO Box 77, Bromley, Kent, UK.

  In addition to the leaflets, Mr Hodges also has available sets and 
  literature on 'Shogi' and its variants. These can still be ordered
  through e-mailing his widow Angela at george.hodges@talk21.com .

  The variants 'Sho Shogi' and 'Heian Shogi' are reconstructions of
  historical precursors of the Modern game, and are based on an article
  by John Fairbairn in Shogi magazine (Issue 27), Sept '80.

  The implementation of 'Micro-Shogi' is based on descriptions provided
  to NOST in 1996 by Kerry Handscomb, of Vancouver.

  The rules for 'Whale Shogi' and 'Yari Shogi' are those given by David
  Pritchard in his 'Encyclopedia of Chess Variants'.     

  Thanks go to all those who have provided comments/suggestions in 
  relation to the program, including George Hodges, David Willey, 
  Colin Adams, John Kewley, Randy Andrews, Victor Contoski, John Lawson,
  Dave Oliphant, Rikard Nordgren and Benjamin Good.

  ===================================================================
		Playing 'Shogi Variants'
  ===================================================================

  The pieces in 'Shogi' are wedge-shaped and are not distinguished by
  colour. Although the pieces are of uniform colour the first player is
  still conventionally referred to as 'Black' and the second player as
  'White'. Ownership of the pieces is indicated by the direction in which
  they face, with a player's pieces always pointing towards the opponent.     

  'Black' plays from the ranks at the bottom of the screen towards the top,
  and 'White' (not surprisingly) from the top to the bottom (this can be 
  reversed using the 'Rotate Board' option in the Set-up menu). 'Black' makes
  the first move on the board unless 'White' has given a handicap, in which
  case 'Black's' removal of the handicap pieces represents the opening move.

  Use the Left mouse button to select and move pieces. When a piece is 
  selected its name is shown in 'blue' in a box near the bottom left of the
  screen. If the Right mouse button is pressed instead the promoted state
  of the piece (if any) is shown in 'green'.

  The rules for the individual variants can be found under 'Rules' in the
  Help menu (or by pressing F3). Diagrams giving the moves of the pieces
  are provided under 'Piece Help' in the Help menu (or by pressing F4).

  The last move made in the game is shown (in 'black') in a box near the
  bottom right of the screen.

  For games in which captured pieces can be returned to play, the pieces a
  player has 'in-hand' are shown at the sides of the board. The pieces 
  'Black' has captured are at the right and 'White's' captives at the left.
  A player can select an 'in-hand' piece and return it to play in preference
  to moving a piece on the board.
 
  The program will stop a game on checkmate of a King, Crown Prince (or
  whatever). Completed games can be saved and reviewed. The program does
  not yet recognise checkmate in the variants Tenjiku Shogi, Maka-Dai-Dai
  Shogi or Tai Shogi.

  There is a computer opponent available for all variants except Tenjiku
  Shogi. In the case of the games from Chu Shogi and larger only the 
  weakest level of play is currently available.

  The option of playing any of the variants with an alternate An-nan
  (Korean) ruleset will be added in the next version of 'Shogi Variants'.
  Under these rules a piece (including the King) may move as any of the
  pieces protecting it. 
 
  ===================================================================
                         Taking Back and Replaying Moves
  ===================================================================

  - Pressing CTRL B (or selecting the 'Take Back' menu option) at any 
    time during play will take back the last move made by the player AND
    the last computer move (if there is a computer opponent). 

  - Pressing the DELETE key during play will take back the last move
    made by EITHER the computer OR the player. If after taking back a move
    it is the computer's turn, the = key must be pressed to continue 
    the game.

  - Pressing the INSERT key during play will replay the last move that has
    been taken back of EITHER the computer OR the player. If after 
    replaying the move it is the computer's turn, the PAUSE key must be
    pressed to continue the game. The replay option may also be selected
    by pressing CTRL R or by using the 'Replay' menu option.

  - Pressing the SHIFT and DELETE keys together will take back all moves
    that have been made in the game. This is also available using the
    'Take Back All' menu option.

  - Pressing the SHIFT and INSERT keys simultaneously will take the game
    forward through any taken back moves to the last move made in the game.
    This is also available using the 'Replay All' menu option.

  The CTRL B option is primarily designed for a player who wishes to amend
  their last move. The other options are for analysing game positions and 
  previously saved games.     
    

  ===================================================================
                           Visual Aids for Game Play
  ===================================================================

  - Pressing the Left button on a piece will show its legal moves as
    solid circles, or as an outline only if it is the other player's
    move.

  - Pressing the Right Button on a piece or vacant square will show those 
    pieces protecting or threatening that square (White pieces are shown 
    with White squares, and Black pieces are shown in 'Black'). 

  - Pressing the Left Button on a vacant square will show the influence or 
    threats on all squares of the board:- 

        - White squares are those influenced by White only. 
        - Black squares are those influenced by the Black player.
        - Grey squares are influenced by both players.
        - Blue squares indicate a threatened and unprotected piece.
          (ie: a piece left 'en prise')
        - Red squares show that a piece is in 'check'.  

  - Pressing the Space Bar at any time during play will cause the last
    moved piece to 'flash' for several seconds to help with its 
    identification.

  - Pressing the tilde '~' key will show the influence and threats of all
    pieces on the board. It is the same as pressing the Left Mouse button on
    an empty square except that the influence and threats continue to be
    shown until another key is pressed or a mouse button is pressed. This 
    option is also available even if the Show Influences/Threats menu item is
    set to OFF.
 
  ===================================================================     
			The Menu Options
  ===================================================================

  			Game Menu  (F10)
  			==================

  New (Ctrl N)
  ---------------
  Commence a new game (of the current variant).


  Load (Ctrl L)
  ----------------
  Load a previously saved game (of any variant).


  Save (Ctrl S)
  ----------------
  Save the current game.


  Change (Ctrl C)
  ------------------
  Commence a new game of another variant.


  Quit (Ctrl Q)
  -----------------
  Exit the program.


			  Moves Menu
			  ============

  Show Legal On/Off
  ----------------------
  Toggles the display of legal moves when a piece is selected.
  (Also controls the display of influences & threats)


  Show Influences/Threats (Ctrl I) or (Ctrl J)
  -------------------------------------------------
  Toggles the display of Influences & Threats (only). 


  Flash Last Move
  -------------------
  Toggles the option to have the last moved piece 'flash' for several
  seconds at the completion of the computer's move.
  

  Force Move (Ctrl F)
  -----------------------
  Force the computer to make the best move it has found.
  (* Not Yet Implemented *)


  Take Back (Ctrl B)
  -----------------------
  Take back the last move made by the player (and the last computer
  move if there is a computer opponent).


  Take Back All (Shift Del)
  --------------------------------
  Take back all moves made in current game.


  Replay (Ctrl R)
  ----------------------
  Replay the last move that was taken back. 


  Replay All (Shift Ins)
  ----------------------
  Take the game forward through any previously taken back moves 
  directly to the last move made. 

  
  Suggest Move (Ctrl M)
  ---------------------------
  Have the computer to suggest a move.


  Evaluate (Ctrl E)
  ------------------------
  Toggle move evaluation on and off


  Print Moves (Ctrl P)
  -------------------------
  Print a record of all moves made in the current game. The output is
  appended to the fixed file printed_scores.txt in the current directory.


  Create Text Score (Ctrl T)
  -----------------------------------
  Dump a record of the moves made in the current game to a text file. 
  

  Create Text Diagram (Ctrl Y) or (Ctrl Z)
  -----------------------------------------------
  Save the current board position as a text file in one of two formats.  


			  Set-Up Menu
			  =============

  Player/Computer Options
  -------------------------------
  Select which side(s) if any will be played by the computer.
 

  Rotate Board (Ctrl W)
  -------------------------
  Rotate the view of the board.


  Switch Sides (Ctrl X) 
  -------------------------
  Change the side of the computer player (Note: This option can be used at 
  the start of a game to make the computer play White instead of Black)  


  Notation  On/Off
  -----------------------
  Toggle the Board Notation on and off.


  Clocks  On/Off
  -----------------------
  Toggle the Game Clocks on and off.


  Auto-Promotion On/Off (Ctrl A)
  --------------------------
  Toggle the option to have pieces promote automatically as the default.
  (Not available in all variants)


  Set-Up Position
  --------------------
  The menu choices of 'Clear Board','Add Pieces','Remove Pieces','Move
  Pieces' and 'Next Turn' may be used to set-up any position on the board
  (including positions that would be impossible in normal play).  

  
  Set Handicap (Ctrl H)
  ---------------------------
  Remove some White Pieces as a handicap (This option is only available
  before the first move has been made).


  Pieces  (International/Japanese)
  ----------------------------------------------
  (* Not Yet Implemented *)


  Lion Hawk 
  ------------
  Select from 2 alternative versions of the 'Lion Hawk' 
  (Tenjiku Shogi only).

  
  Teaching King  
  ------------------
  Select from 2 alternative versions of the 'Teaching King'. 
  (Tai Shogi and Maka-Dai-Dai Shogi only)



			  Help Menu
			  ===========

  About (F1)
  -------------
  Basic Version & Copyright Info.


  General (F2)
  ---------------
  You're reading it!


  Rules (F3)
  -------------
  The rules of the variant currently being played.


  Piece Help (F4)
  -------------------
  Diagrams showing the powers of movement of all pieces in the
  variant currently being played."