[pbmserv] New game: Dragons

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

Hi,

A new game Dragons has been added to the server. This is a tile 
placement game in which players build snake-like dragons in an effort 
to form a closed loop.

Official rules: http://www.cameronius.com/games/dragons/
PBeM help page: http://www.gamerz.net/pbmserv/dragons.html
Graphic Web UI: http://www.gamerz.net/pbmserv/List.php?Dragons

Dragons is *much* better played on the graphical web UI!

I'm keen to test this one as much as possible, so please challenge me:

 dragons challenge <you> camb

Cameron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Help for the Game of Dragons

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

     dragons challenge [-num_tiles=n] [-tantrix] userid1 userid2

   Starts a new game for two players.

   The -num_tiles option specifies the available number of tiles (default 50).
   The -tantrix option specifies that Tantrix scoring (explained below) is
   used.

  Introduction

   Dragons is a tile placement game in which players strive to complete
   sinuous loops of their colour.

   Note: Games are much easier to visualise using the graphical web UI.

  Rules

   Tiles: Two players, O and X, share a common pool of hexagonal 
Dragons tiles.
   Each  tile  shows shoulders on the front and tails on the back in both
   players' colours.

      .-o-.        .-o-.
     ooooooo      xxxxxxx
    (       )    (       )
     xxxxxxx      ooooooo
      `-x-'        `-x-'

   Start: The game starts with a sinlge tile in the centre of the 
playing area.
   Players then take turns adding a tile of their choice adjacent to at least
   one existing tile, such that edge colours match.

   Auto Moves: If a tile placement creates a gap at which only tile rotation
   matches, then that tile is automatically placed there; this will occur for
   any gap with three closed sides. Each auto move may trigger further auto
   moves. For example, move a shown below creates an auto move b.

                                 .-x-.                        .-x-.
                                xxxx oo                      xxxx oo
      .-o-.   a            .-o-' x   o )                .-o-' x   o )
     xxxxxxx              xxxxxxxx oooo                xxxxxxxx oooo
    (       )            (       .-o-'                (         o (
     ooooooo              ooooooo          ---->       ooooooooooooo
      ) x (                ) x (   b                    ) x         )
     xxxxxxx              xxxxxxx                      xxxxxxxxxxxxx
    (       )            (       )                    (       .-x-'
     ooooooo              ooooooo                      ooooooo
      `-o-'                `-o-'                        `-o-'

     Position               Move                        Auto move

   A player's move consists of their initial tile placement in addition to all
   subsequent auto moves. All possible auto moves must be made each turn.

   Gap Moves: The current player must fill a gap with three closed 
sides if any
   exist (these will only occur if the three closed sides are alternating
   colours). For example, the current player must play at g in the position
   shown:

            .-x-.
           xxxx oo
      .-x-' x   o )
     oo xxxxx oooo
    ( o    x .-o-'
     oooo xx
      ) o (   g
     xx oooo
    ( x   o )
     xxxx oo
      `-x-'

   Aim: Players win by forming a loop of their colour that passes through six
   or more tiles.

   If a move completes winning loops for both players, then the longest loop
   wins. If both loops are the same length or neither player wins before the
   tiles run out then the game is drawn.

   Remember that the win test is not made each turn until all auto moves have
   been made!

  Variants

   Tantrix Scoring: Each dragon scores 1 pt per hole, doubled if the dragon is
   closed. The winner is the player with the highest scoring dragon after all
   tiles (default 40) have been played.

Syntax

   The following command plays tile rotation 'd' at position 3, in addition to
   any resulting auto moves:

     dragons move <game#> <userid> <passwd> d3

Test Options

   The following hidden options are available for testing:

   -start_joint: Start with a joint tile.
   -start_tip: Start with a tip tile.
   -num_eyes=n: Dragons must have at least n eyes to be considered complete.
   -end_first: End the game when the first dragon of any colour or size is
   completed.
   -end_single: End the game as soon as a move completes dragon(s) for one
   player but not the other.
   -end_most: End the game when a players completes a dragon with more eyes
   than any enemy dragon.
   -all_out_most_eyes:  Game  continues until the tiles run out, then the
   completed dragon with the most eyes wins.
   -tie_none: Game is drawn when the tiles run out.
   -tie_largest_wins: Game is won by the owner of the largest completed dragon
   when the tiles run out.
   -tie_largest_loses: Game is lost by the owner of the largest completed
   dragon when the tiles run out.
   -cross: Uses the new tile set with joined tails.
   -tails: Uses the old tile set with disjoint tails.
   -must_complete: Gaps with three sides must be completed immediately.
   -may_complete: Gaps with three sides need not be completed immediately.
   -loop_closed: Win by forming a closed dragon with a loop more 
complex than a
   circular eye (crossed tiles only).
   -long_loop: Win by forming a loop longer than four tiles (crossed tiles
   only).

  History

   Dragons tiles and rules by Cameron Browne and copyright (c) Cyberite Ltd
   2009.

   Graphical web interface: http://www.gamerz.net/pbmserv/List.php?Dragons

   More details are available at the official Dragons page.

   Implementation and Help file by Cameron Browne, January 2009.