Naughts and Crosses was written on an Amiga 2000 with 4 Megs. of memory. Programing was done with Amos1.36 and then compiled. It SHOULD run on any Amiga computer. TABLE OF CONTENTS ================= Introduction Why Write It? How to Play Credits An Introduction to Naughts and Crosses. --------------------------------------- As from now on, I shall refer to Naughts and Crosses, as n&c. I'm sure just about every one in the world knows the game of n&c, it was one of the first games I learned as a kid. Off course, way back then it was played on a piece of paper using just a pencil, (no computers in those days). You would play against a friend or family member. The first thing to do was to draw two vertical parallel lines a character apart, then two horizontal lines the same. ie: ___|___|___ ___|___|___ | | One person would use an 'X' and the other a 'O', you would then take it in turn to start playing. The first to get three of their characters in a row, either vertically, horizontally or diagonally, was the winner. ie: _X_|_O_|___ ___|_X_|_O_ O | | X 'X' wins. The idea is to block the opponent from getting three in a row. If the game plays out with No winner, it is a Drawn game, (No points). It was a good game for a child and as I have said, only needed a piece of paper and a pencil. Why Computerize Naughts and Crosses. ------------------------------------ In this computerized game of n&c the opponent (that is YOU), plays the computer. It is funny, but a lot of people get the impression that a computer is very smart, very clever how they beat you at games, (as with the game of Chess), and how fast they are. As any computer programer will tell you, they are ONLY fast, and have no more intelligence, no more cleverness than the writer of the program can give it. How do you write into a program the intelligence and knowledge of a human being. How do you make your computer as shrewd, as cunning and as ruthless as homo sapiens, (sounds dramatic dosn't it). Answer, damned if I know! I was programing a game called 'Draughts', my first try at a game against a computer, (a game much more simple than Chess, but it uses the same board), and I was getting nowhere. I decided to try something simpler still, hence I wrote n&c. Much easier, and I now have a good logical base to work from. I could have made n&c even harder to win, but the game is really for pre teenagers, so have left it at that. Much more could have been put into the game but, I was really only looking for a pattern to be used for this so called 'artificial intelligence'. The title packed picture is designed for a 320x200, 32 colour Lores screen. This will allow the program to run on both, NTSC and PAL mode formats. I am now back re-working 'Draughts', and it should be finished soon. How To Play The Game. --------------------- Amiga has a few words to say, so please have your volume at hearing level. Who Starts play is purely Random, the more games played the closer to an even percentage you will get. You are always 'X', just wait your turn and then Click on the square you wish to take. It is very simple, after a while you will learn to hold, (computer first move) to a Drawn Game, then (you first move), to win all the time. Needless to say, for another game just Click Mouse Button on 'New Game', or 'Quit' if you wish finish playing. As I have already said, it's a simple game, nothing flashy, but it should keep the young one's amused for a while. Credits. -------- I had no assistants in writing this game, so must take full blame for any Bugs that are in it. The game is Freeware, if for some reason you wish to contact me, my name and address are below. Thomas F. Powell Sorry, only Snail Mail 33 Homer Ave Croydon Date: 20-04-96 Victoria 3136 Australia Phone: 03 9723 1423