[pbmserv] New game: Curio

[Cameron Browne <cameron.browne@btinternet.com>]

Hi,

A new game Curio has been added to the server. Players move their 
pieces but don't discover their true value until making a capture.

PBeM help page: http://www.gamerz.net/pbmserv/curio.html

Police believe that Curio is the handiwork of the Tavener & Browne 
Gang, who continue to evade authorities and terrorise South West London.

Please challenge either of the suspected perpetrators to a game:

  curio challenge <you> mrraow
  curio challenge <you> camb

Cameron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Help for the Game of Curio

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

     curio challenge [-base=number] [-rows=number] [-cols=number] userid1
   userid2

   starts a new game for two players.

   The -base parameter specifies the number of unique digits to play with
   (default 4).
   The -rows parameter specifies the length of the board (default 5).
   The -cols parameter specifies the width of the board (default 5).

  Introduction

   Curio is a curious game for curious cats; players see one side of their
   pieces and only get to see the other side following capture.

  Rules

   Equipment: Two players, Light and Dark, each have ten pieces with 
two unique
   numbers on front and back in the range 1 to 4. Each player 
therefore has the
   following pieces: 11, 12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 24, 33, 34, 44.

   Start: Players place their ten pieces on the two closest rows of the 5x5
   board such that the largest number on each piece faces towards them. Each
   player then shuffles the opponent's pieces (piece placement and shuffling
   are done randomly on the server). The following example shows a typical
   board setup from the Light player's perspective.

                   ,---,   ,---,   ,---,   ,---,   ,---,
                  +---+|  +---+|  +---+|  +---+|  +---+|
                  |:1:||--|:3:||--|:1:||--|:2:||--|:1:||--+
             5  ,---,:|/,---,:|/,---,:|/,---,:|/,---,:|/ /
               +---+|-++---+|-++---+|-++---+|-++---+|-+ /   5
               |:2:||--|:1:||--|:2:||--|:4:||--|:3:||--+
          4   /|:::|/ /|:::|/ /|:::|/ /|:::|/ /|:::|/ /
             / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ /   4
            +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
       3  ,---,   ,---,   ,---,   ,---,   ,---,    /
         +---+|  +---+|  +---+|  +---+|  +---+|   /   3
         | 4 ||--| 4 ||--| 2 ||--| 2 ||--| 3 ||--+
    2  ,---, |/,---, |/,---, |/,---, |/,---, |/ /
      +---+|-++---+|-++---+|-++---+|-++---+|-+ /   2
      | 4 ||--| 4 ||--| 1 ||--| 3 ||--| 3 ||--+
 1   /|   |/ /|   |/ /|   |/ /|   |/ /|   |/ /
    / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ /   1
   +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

      a       b       c       d       e

   Play: Players take turns moving one of their pieces in a straight unimpeded
   line, orthogonally or horizontally, a distance not exceeding the piece's
   visible  number. The piece may land on an enemy piece of less or equal
   visible value to capture it by replacement, following which the capturing
   pieces is turned around.

   For example, here is what the above board might look like after Light has
   moved the 2 piece at d2 to capture Dark's 1 piece at b4:

                   ,---,   ,---,   ,---,   ,---,   ,---,
                  +---+|  +---+|  +---+|  +---+|  +---+|
                  |:1:||--|:3:||--|:1:||--|:2:||--|:1:||--+
             5  ,---,:|/,---,:|/,---,:|/,---,:|/,---,:|/ /
               +---+|-++---+|-++---+|-++---+|-++---+|-+ /   5
               |:2:||--| 3 ||--|:2:||--|:4:||--|:3:||--+
          4   /|:::|/ /|   |/ /|:::|/ /|:::|/ /|:::|/ /
             / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ /   4
            +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
       3  ,---,   ,---,   ,---,    /      ,---,    /
         +---+|  +---+|  +---+|   /      +---+|   /   3
         | 4 ||--| 4 ||--| 2 ||--+------+| 3 ||--+
    2  ,---, |/,---, |/,---, |/,---,   ,---, |/ /
      +---+|-++---+|-++---+|-++---+|  +---+|-+ /   2
      | 4 ||--| 4 ||--| 1 ||--| 3 ||--| 3 ||--+
 1   /|   |/ /|   |/ /|   |/ /|   |/ /|   |/ /
    / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ / +---+ /   1
   +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

      a       b       c       d       e

   Note that the 2 piece was turned around following the capture to reveal a 3
   on the other side - both players now know that this is a 23 piece.

   Aim: A player wins by capturing all of the opponent's royal pieces, which
   are those pieces containing the highest number 4.

   If a situation develops in which no further captures are possible 
(e.g. each
   player only has one piece each left) then the game is drawn.

Strategy and Tactics

   Initially move pieces less distance than their range limit in order to hide
   their true value from the opponent.

Test Options

   The -num_pieces parameter specifies the total number of pieces for each
   player (must be a multuiple of the base's triangular number).
   The -turn option specifies that pieces turn on capture (default).
   The -no_turn option specifies that pieces do not turn on capture.
   The  -limit option specifies that pieces can only move as far as their
   visible value (default ).
   The -no_limit option specifies that pieces have no range limit.
   The -face_large option specifies that pieces are placed with the largest
   number facing the player (default).
   The -face_small option specifies that pieces are placed with the smallest
   number facing the player.
   The -face_random option specifies that pieces are placed facing either way
   randomly.
   The -capture_lt option specifies that pieces can capture enemy pieces of
   lesser visible value.
   The -capture_le option specifies that pieces can capture enemy pieces of
   lesser or equal visible value (default).
   The -capture_gt option specifies that pieces can capture enemy pieces of
   greater visible value.
   The -capture_ge option specifies that pieces can capture enemy pieces of
   greater or equal visibly value.
   The -capture_lt_total option specifies that pieces can capture enemy pieces
   of lesser total value counting all numbers.
   The -capture_le_total option specifies that pieces can capture enemy pieces
   of lesser or equal total value counting all numbers.
   The -capture_gt_total option specifies that pieces can capture enemy pieces
   of greater total value counting all numbers.
   The -capture_ge_total option specifies that pieces can capture enemy pieces
   of greater or equal total value counting all numbers.
   The -capture_any option specifies that piece can capture any enemy piece.

Syntax

   Move the piece at d2 to d4:
     curio move board# userid password d2-b4

  History

   Curio rules by Stephen Tavener and Cameron Browne, copyright (c) Cyberite
   Ltd 2008.

   Implementation and Help file by Cameron Browne, October 2008.