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[pbmserv] New game: Savoya
- To: pbmserv-users@gamerz.net
- Subject: [pbmserv] New game: Savoya
- From: Cameron Browne <cameron.browne@btinternet.com>
- Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2006 09:32:15 +0000
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Hi,
A new game Savoya has been added to the server. This is a larger
version of Savoy for up to four players. The rules are appended below.
Official page: http://members.optusnet.com.au/helen.gilbert/savoy/savoy-1.htm
PBeM help page: http://www.gamerz.net/pbmserv/savoya.html
Please help me test it! Challenge camb:
savoya challenge [yourname] camb
savoya challenge [yourname] [yourname] camb
savoya challenge [yourname] [yourname] [yourname] camb
Cameron
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Help for the Game of Savoya
Introduction
Welcome to the network Savoya server. The challenge command is
described here. Other commands are the same as for all pbmserv games.
savoya challenge [-stack=number] [-even=number] [-step=number]
userid1 userid2 [userid3 [userid4]]
starts a new game for two, three or four players.
The -stack parameter specifies the number of pieces to start with,
stacked on the cell farthest from the pieces' home (default -stack=9).
The -even parameter specifies the number of pieces to start with,
distributed evenly across the home area farthest from the pieces'
home.
The -step parameter specifies the number of pieces to start with,
distributed in steps within the home area farthest from the pieces'
home.
Rules
Savoya is a race game for two players, similar to Plakoto (a
Backgammon variant) played upon two interwoven figure-of-eight paths.
It is a more advanced version of Savoy.
Equipment: Six pieces of each colour and two six-sided dice. The three
end cells in each direction are the home of those pieces travelling in
that direction.
Two Player Version: One player (Horz) owns the Left (L) and Right (R)
pieces. The other player (Vert) owns the Top (T) and bottom (B)
pieces.
Three and Four Player Versions: Each player own one set of pieces in
this order: Right (R), Left (L), Top(T) and Bottom(B). The piece names
describe their main direction of travel.
Aim: The game is won by the first player to get all of their pieces
home.
Start: Players start with their pieces stacked across the board from
their home, as shown below. Players roll a die each to determine order
of play. The player with the highest roll uses that die for the
opening move, thereafter all players roll two dice per move.
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o
+-BB-+
15 | BB |
| BB | T=90 15
+ . .+
14 | | +-------+-------+
| | / . . . \ 14
+ . .+ / . . . \
13 | | / +----+----+ \
| | | / \ \ 13
+-------+-----+----+----+ . .+------+ \ |
12 / . . . . | | . \ + . .+ 12
/ . . . . | | . \ | |
/ +----+-----+----+----+ . .+---+ | | |
11 + / | | | | \ | | | R=90 11
/ . / | | | | | | | |
/ . / +------+ . .+----+----+----+ . .+----+----+----+----+-LL-+
| + / . | | . . | | . . . . LL 10
10 | | / . | | . . | | . . . . LL |
| | | +---+ . .+----+----+----+ . .+----+----+----+----+----+
| + | / | | | | | | | |
9 \ . \_ | | | | | | | | | | 9
+ --+ . .+----+----+----+ . .+----+----+----+ . .+-----_
\ | | . . | | . . | | \
8 \_ | | . . | | . . | | \ 8
-----+ . .+----+----+----+ . .+----+----+----+ . .+--_ +
| | | | | | | | | | \ . \ 7
7 | | | | | | | | / | + |
+-RR-+----+----+----+----+ . .+----+----+----+ . .+---+ | | |
| RR . . . . | | . . | | . / | | 6
6| RR . . . . | | . . | | . / + |
+----+----+----+----+----+ . .+----+----+----+ . .+------+ / . /
| | | | | | | | / . / 5
L=90 | | | \ | | | | / +
5 | | | +---+ . .+----+----+-----+----+ /
| | \ . | | . . . . / 4
4 + . .+ \ . | | . . . . /
| \ +------+ . .+----+----+-----+-------+
\ \ / | | |
3 \ +----+----+ / | | 3
\ . . . / + . .+
2 \ . . . / | |
+-------+-------+ | | B=90 2
+ TT.+
1 | TT |
| TT | 1
+----+
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o
Movement: Each turn, the current player must move one or more of their
pieces according to the dice pips shown. A double entitles the player
to use twice the number of pips.
Pieces must move the number of pips shown in any direction allowed by
the cell in which they start the move. Pieces on crossings may move in
any of four directions, while pieces on all other cells may only move
in either of two directions, as shown below.
| |
+-------+----+----+----+--
/ . . . . .
/ . <----R----> . .
/ +----+----+----+----+--
+ / | |
/ . / | |
/ + + . .+
| / | |
| | | ^ |
--+----+----+----+----+----+ | .+----+--
. . . . . | | | .
. . . . . <----R----> .
--+----+----+----+----+----+ | .+----+--
| | | | |
| | | v |
+ . .+ + . .+
| | | |
Once a direction is chosen, the piece must follow the path
continuously throughout its move; it may not make sharp turns mid-way
through the move even if it steps onto a crossing. If a piece can
reach the same cell via a different number of steps depending which
direction it takes, the player may choose whichever direction they
prefer.
The move may be made by a single piece or split among more than one
piece. The maximum number of pips must be used each turn, unless the
game is won mid-way through a move. Pieces may not step off the end of
the board, and a move must change the board state: a piece cannot
simply swap positions with another piece or circle back to the cell
from which it started its move.
Capture: If the piece lands on a single differently coloured piece,
then the singleton is pinned until the player moves off it, as per
Plakoto. No piece may land on any stack owned by a differently
coloured piece. Note that in the two-player version this means that
pieces may be pinned by friendly pieces going in the opposite
direction, for instance an R piece may pin an L piece even though both
belong to Horz.
Pieces may stack on same-coloured pieces to any height.
A player who cannot move is forced to pass until they can move again.
There is no voluntary passing.
Notes
Simply stepping forwards each turn will traverse the full path and
take a long time to get pieces home. Instead, crossings allow
shortcuts that can bypass segments of the path.
Crossings are also strong cells to occupy as they threaten four lines
of attack at once. Creating blocks on crossings is usually a good
play, and conversely leaving singleton pieces on crossings can be
dangerous as this gives the opponent the greatest chance of pinning
them.
Beware of bounce-back in which a single remaining piece close to home
is forced to move a long way backwards if both dice overshoot the home
area.
The fact that pieces cannot turn corners during a move means that any
piece releasing a pin will be threatened by the released piece next
turn, unless it lands on a safe stack.
The first player only gets one die for the opening move to reduce any
first move advantage. In fact, an opening roll of 5 can be a bad start
in Savoya, and an opening roll of 3 can be a bad start in Savoy if the
opponent is lucky enough to roll a double 6 next turn.
Savoya is at heart a non-linear version of Plakoto. The smaller
version of Savoy provides a gentle introduction to this concept, while
Savoya provides scope for more complex battles to occur.
Syntax
The move syntax is:
savoya move board# userid password a6-c6
savoya move board# userid password a6-c6,g6-h6
savoya move board# userid password 3xg10-j10,e6-b6
History
Savoy and Savoya board designs and rules copyright (c) Cameron Browne
2006.
The game is called Savoya as the figure-of-eight knot is also known as
the savoy knot. It was originally called Genuflect as the paths cross
themselves repeatedly.
The official Savoy/Savoya page can be found at
http://members.optusnet.com.au/helen.gilbert/savoy/savoy-1.htm.