[pbmserv] New game: Time Vectors

[Cameron Browne <cameronb@optusnet.com.au>]

Hi,

Time Vectors has been added to the server. This is a 4-in-a-row game with 
an interesting 4th dimensional aspect: http://www.jdbgames.com/tv/index.htm

Cameron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Help For the Game Of Time Vectors

Introduction

   Welcome to the network Time Vectors server. The Time Vectors challenge
   command is described here. Other commands are the same as for all
   pbmserv games.

       timevectors challenge userid1 userid2

   Starts a new game between userid1 and userid2.

Rules

   Two players, X and O, take turns placing a piece of their colour on an
   empty board point. Note that the board is divided into four 4x4x4
   quadrants. A player wins by creating a vector of four of their pieces
   in a row within a quadrant. The following example shows a number of
   winning vectors for both X and O (this will not happen during an
   actual game - at most one player can win):

                 A  B  C  D      E  F  G  H

            8   x  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   8
           7   .  x  .  .     .  .  .  .   7
          6   .  .  x  .     .  .  .  .   6
         5   .  .  .  x     .  .  .  .   5
                                              Level S
       4   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   4
      3   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   3
     2   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  o   2
    1   x  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   1

            8   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   8
           7   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   7
          6   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   6
         5   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   5
                                              Level R
       4   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   4
      3   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   3
     2   .  .  .  .     .  .  o  .   2
    1   .  x  .  .     .  .  .  .   1

            8   .  .  .  .     o  o  o  o   8
           7   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   7
          6   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   6
         5   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   5
                                              Level Q
       4   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   4
      3   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   3
     2   .  .  .  .     .  o  .  .   2
    1   .  .  x  .     .  .  .  .   1

            8   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   8
           7   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   7
          6   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   6
         5   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   5
                                              Level P
       4   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   4
      3   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   3
     2   .  .  .  .     o  .  .  .   2
    1   .  .  .  x     .  .  .  .   1

       A  B  C  D     E  F  G  H

   In addition, a player can win by creating a 4-in-a-row vector that
   visits each quadrant in clockwise or anticlockwise order. These are
   called "4th dimension" vectors and can be quite tricky to spot! The
   following example shows winning 4th dimension vectors for both X and
   O:

                 A  B  C  D     E  F  G  H

            8   x  .  .  .     x  .  .  .   8
           7   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   7
          6   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   6
         5   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   5
                                              Level S
       4   x  .  .  .     x  .  .  .   4
      3   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   3
     2   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  o   2
    1   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   1

            8   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   8
           7   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   7
          6   .  .  .  .     .  .  o  .   6
         5   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   5
                                              Level R
       4   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   4
      3   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   3
     2   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   2
    1   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   1

            8   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   8
           7   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   7
          6   .  o  .  .     .  .  .  .   6
         5   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   5
                                              Level Q
       4   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   4
      3   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   3
     2   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   2
    1   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   1

            8   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   8
           7   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   7
          6   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   6
         5   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   5
                                              Level P
       4   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   4
      3   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   3
     2   o  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   2
    1   .  .  .  .     .  .  .  .   1

       A  B  C  D     E  F  G  H

   A more detailed explanation of winning vectors can be found in the
   official Time Vectors manual.

Syntax

   X moves first. The move syntax is:

       timevectors move board# userid password coord

   Where "coord" specifies an empty board point in the form A3Q.

References and History

   Time Vectors rules and board design by J. David Barnhart (c) 1986, who
   gave his permission for this implementation.
   Time Vectors is manufactured by JDB Games.

   Implementation and help file by Cameron Browne, January 2005.