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[pbmserv] New Game: Warp and Weft
Hey, folks.
Thanks to the delightfully fast coding of Cameron, and a bout
of late-night pondering (albeit not necessarily in that order),
Richard's pbmserv now sports another new game, Warp and Weft.
Before you ask--yes, it's a connection game. But I think you'll
find it rather different than your standard connection fare, with
a little more tension. Not to mention a very pretty board. :)
The rules file is at:
http://gamerz.net/pbmserv/warpandweft.html
and is copied below for your convenience.
I'd love to play you in a game or two! Feel free to challenge
me:
WarpAndWeft challenge phil YOURID
WarpAndWeft challenge YOURID phil
Let me know what you think. (Other than, "Oh, crap, not another
connection game!" I've heard that one plenty, thanks. :)
===
Help for the Game of Warp and Weft
Introduction
Welcome to the network Warp and Weft server. The challenge command is described
here. Other commands are the same as for all pbmserv games.
WarpAndWeft challenge [-size=number] [-compact] userid1 userid2
starts a new game between userid1 and userid2.
The -size parameter sets the number of same-direction threads along an edge of
the board. The default size is 4; valid values range from 2 to 6.
The -compact parameter changes the board display from the standard form to a
more compact (but therefore more cluttered) representation; this is useful for
5x5 and 6x6 boards, which otherwise go past the 80-column "limit."
Rules
The default Warp and Weft board is as follows:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
| | | | | | | |
| +-----------| +-----------| +-----------| +-----------+
15 | | | | | | | | | 15
| |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+
14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14
+-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| |
13 | | | | | | | | | 13
+---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |
12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12
| +-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---+
11 | | | | | | | | | 11
| |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+
10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10
+-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| |
9 | | | | | | | | | 9
+---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |
8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8
| +-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---+
7 | | | | | | | | | 7
| |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+
6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6
+-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| |
5 | | | | | | | | | 5
+---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |
4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4
| +-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---+
3 | | | | | | | | | 3
| |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+ |---+-------+
2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2
+-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| +-------+---| |
1 | | | | | | | | | 1
+-----------+ |-----------+ |-----------+ |-----------+ |
| | | | | | | |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O
Two players, Warp and Weft (or Vert and Horz), alternate turns. On their turn,
they can either place a piece on the board (based on their current state) or use
the turn to switch between the two states.
The states are as follows:
* Threads: A Threading player can play on any unclaimed Thread that runs in
their direction. The Threads are the long rectangular pieces on the board.
* Patches: A Patching player can play on any unclaimed Patch that is
adjacent to a Thread they control. The Patches are the squares between the Threads.
A sample section of the board is shown below.
Patch
+---+----
| | |
+-------+---| +
| | | Warp (Vert)
+-----------+ | Thread
Weft (Horz)| |
Thread +---+
The first player to connect their two sides of the board with a continuous chain
of Threads and Patches is the winner. Alternatively, the first player who has no
valid play is the loser.
The second player may utilize the swap rule if they so desire.
Move Syntax
Warp (Vert) moves first. Both players start in the "Threads" state. The move
syntax is:
WarpAndWeft move boardnum userid password coord
where coord is an unoccupied Thread or Patch in the form L11, or
WarpAndWeft move boardnum userid password threads
WarpAndWeft move boardnum userid password patches
where threads or patches is the state into which the player wishes to switch.
WarpAndWeft swap boardnum userid password
will allow the second player to swap positions with the first player; this can
only be done as the second move of the game.
History
Warp and Weft appeared full-formed in Phil Bordelon's head one night in August
2004 as he tried to go to sleep after staring at the weave-like board shown
above for a couple of hours. Mad typing ensued.
The Warp and Weft board is topologically (and therefore connectively) equivalent
to the 4.8.8 octagons-and-squares tiling; the implied directionality of the
"Threads" is (topologically) purely aesthetic.
Endnotes
Implementation by Cameron Browne, August 2004. Help file by Phil Bordelon,
August 2004.