OPTIONS

The game interface offers numerous facilities to the players.

In the Game Management option or Game Controls on the created table there are four buttons. The first and the last one are used to switch between the interface panels. The question mark moves a player to the help file and clicking X makes the player leave the game.

There are two dots on the right.

The upper dot shows the state of server connection:

Clicking the lower dot will disconnect and reconnect to the server. It is useful when problems with connection or breaking the connection occur.

At the top of the window there are also buttons referring to the chat look, table settings and filters:

TIPS

To facilitate the service and to make the interface more intelligible the so-called TIPS have been introduced. They are small descriptive windows which are displayed when the cursor is moved to some elements in the interface, e.g. a player's nick in the player's list, table parameters setting indicator, etc.

CREATING A TABLE

All the table preferences one wishes to create are set here.

A player can choose between three different table settings:

In order to change the setting of the created table, it is necessary to click the Public table option once; it will change the status into Private table. Another click changes the setting into Challenge table, and another one restores the Public table.

If the results of the games played at the table are supposed to influence the players' rating, mark the Rated Game. Otherwise it is a parlor game whose result influences the statistics only but does not change the rating.

Selecting the Rating limit option enables players to define the range of the rating of the opponents they wish to play with.

Time/move is the number of seconds a player is offered to consider one move. If the time is over and the player does not make a move, the computer will make a move automatically. It is also possible to set the Time Increase for each movement that follows.

Time/round is the number of minutes a player is offered to play the whole round. If the time is over, the player cannot make a move and loses the game.

If a player does not want any company while playing, the option No Watchers can be set.

Escape=Pause - players can use this option to pause the game and save the result when e.g. one of the players is disconnected from the game. Also, when the game is being played, the window which allows a player to select the time of pausing the game is displayed after the pause has been clicked. The precise description is to be found below at the SafeGame module.

In Table settings players may also select the option of Private chat (whether it will be possible to chat with a selected person, invisible for other players at the table).

In addition, while creating a table, players decide which extra game options are to be switched on. The following options can be selected:

Capturing – moving a piece onto the square where there is an opponent’s piece moves it back to the starting area (home);

Safe squares – pieces standing on these squares cannot be captured;

Pair punishment – rolling three doubles in one turn (the same number of spots on both dice) brings the piece home.

Pass allowed – it is possible for a player to pass a move;

Blocking – moving two player’s pieces onto one square forms a Blocking, which cannot be passed by any pieces (including the player’s ones);

Team play – in case of 4 people playing the game it is possible to create 2 teams, 2 people in each;

LOCAL SETTINGS

It is also possible to select Simple interface (the graphics with fewer colors).

The Clockwise moves option switches between the alternative directions of moving on the board.

Auto end moves - switching on this option means that when it is not possible to make a move (blocking), the move is automatically ended. Otherwise, the round end should be clicked.

If a player wishes no invitations to the table from other players, he can set the No invitations option. In that case all invitations will be rejected automatically.

Switching on and off the Audio Alert option means switching on and off the sound while playing.

GAME INTERFACE

A player can select the game interface size choosing between a small and a big table.

SAFEGAME

The game is equipped with a new mechanism, the so-called SafeGame. The operation of this option includes:

1.    Searching

If a player is disconnected during the game, he has 5 minutes to return to the table. The counter is displayed for the opponents and the countdown starts.

When a player is logging on to any room, the window with the information that the game is started in room …… at the table …… is displayed. If the player accepts the offer to return to the table, he returns to the game. Otherwise it is regarded as an escape.

2.    Saving the game

If the option Escape=Pause is switched on in the table settings, the game will not be stopped but paused when one of the players is disconnected from the game. The current game situation will be saved in the game server.

3.    Pausing the game

If the opponents wish to pause the game for some time and continue it later, the Pause Game option in the Game Controls is set. The player asking for a pause can choose between the definite pausing time (the possibility of setting the number of minutes) and pausing for an indefinite space of time. Having paused the game, the information to the players and the Continue button which resumes the game are displayed. In case of the limited pause time, the game will be resumed after that time. If the game was paused for indefinite time, each player can leave the table. The game is not paused then but it is saved at the server like in case of Escape=Pause.

4.    Resuming the game

If players with an unfinished game sit at the table, the suggestion to resume the game will be displayed. If accepted, the game will start where it was paused. If rejected, the game will remain saved at the server until a new game is started by the players.

THE LIST OF ROOMS AND PLAYERS

There is a list of rooms here among which a player can switch the main chat just clicking the room. If a player is already playing at any table, the game remains in the room where it was started.

On the right of the room name there are two numbers, e.g. 98/15. The first one marks the number of players in the room and the second one the number of tables. If there is an asterisk in at the numbers, it means that the room has an admin. It is possible to create the definite number of tables in each room. If the number of tables in the room is equal to this number, the room name is displayed in grey.

The room list includes the public rooms exclusively. The league and private rooms are not included.

When a player's nick is double-clicked, the precise information about him is displayed:

Double-clicking the right mouse button a player's name enters the nick into the chat line.