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[pbmserv] New game: Hexma
Hi,
A new game Hexma has been added to the server. This is a simple connection
game for two or three players based on Chinese Checkers. It should appeal
to those who like Chinese Checkers, those who like Hex, or those who just
like random genre crossovers.
hexma challenge camb your_name
hexma challenge camb your_name third_player_name
camb
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Help For the Game Of Hexma
Introduction
Welcome to the network Hexma server. The Hexma challenge command is
described here. Other commands are the same as for all pbmserv games.
hexma challenge userid1 userid2 [userid3]
Starts a new game between userid1 and userid2 (and optionally userid3
for a three-player game).
Rules
Hexma is a connection race game played like Chinese Checkers, except
that each player starts with 13 pieces and the goal is to connect
opposite sides of the board.
Each player starts with their 13 pieces set out as follows:
x .
x x . .
x x x . . .
x x x x . . . .
. . . . . x x x . . . . . x x x x . . . . . y y y y
. . . . . . . . . . . . x x x x . . . . y y y y
. . . . . . . . . . . x x x . . . . . y y y
. . . . . . . . . . x x . . . . . . y y
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . o o o . . . . . . . . . . o o o . . . . .
o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o
o o o o
o o
Two-player version Three-player version
Players alternate taking turns. Each turn the current player must move
one of their pieces either:
1) To an adjacent empty point, or
2) In a series of hops over single pieces of any colour.
For instance, the piece labelled 'a' below can move to any of the
empty points marked '*'. The piece labelled 'b' has no legal moves at
this stage.
b
x x
x x x
. x x x
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . * . . . * . . .
. . . . x . . x . . .
. . . . * x * . . .
. . . o . . x . .
. . . * . . . * . .
. . . . o . . . . . .
. . . . . * . . . . . .
. . . . * o . o o . . . .
a * o o
* o o
o o
o
Aim: A player wins by completing a chain of their pieces between their
home and away board edges.
The diagram below shows the home edge '-' and away edge '+' for player
O. In the two-player version player X also attempts to connect these
two edges, but in the three-player game each player's home and away
edges are different (a player's away edge is always opposite their
home edge).
+
+ +
+ . +
+ . . +
+ + + + + . . . + + + + +
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
- - - - - . . . - - - - -
- . . -
- . -
- -
-
Notes
The following board shows a three-player game won by Y, who has
completed a chain of 'y' pieces between their home and away edges.
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxy
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
1 . 1
2 . . Y's home 2
3 . . . | 3
4 . . . . V 4
5 . . . x . y y y y . . . . 5
6 . . . x y o . . . . . . 6
7 . . o y x o . . . . . 7
8 . . y y x x . . . . 8
9 y y o y o x o . . 9
10 . . o x o y . o . . 10
11 . . x y x o . o . . . 11
12 . . . x . . . x . . . . 12
13 . . . . . . o . x . . . . 13
14 . . . . 14
15 . . o 15
16 . . 16
17 . 17
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxy
The square board labelling is different to the labelling system used
for the server's verion of ChineseCheckers, but was found to be easier
to use.
It is possible for an obstructionist player to form their pieces into
a blockade that spans the board, making it impossible for their
opponent to win the game. However it's believed that clever play can
always defeat such attempts to kill the game, and that there is no
need for a complicating rule to stop this happening.
Syntax
O moves first, then X, then Y. The move syntax is:
chameleon move board# userid password from-to
where "from" and "to" are the board points that the piece moves from
and to (eg q11-k13 is a valid move involving two hops on the above
board). There is no need to specify the intermediate landing points in
a series of hops, however perverse players may do so if they wish to.
References and History
Hexma was invented by Cameron Browne in November 2003.
The game's original name (Chinese Hex) sounded a little dodgy, so the
name Hexma was coined instead. This still embodies the two driving
forces behind the game, even if it does sound a bit like an unpleasant
skin condition.
Implementation and help file by Cameron Browne, November 2003.