From c90c389a8a8d9d8661e9772ec4144c5cf2039f23 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: toma Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:56:58 +0000 Subject: Copy the KDE 3.5 branch to branches/trinity for new KDE 3.5 features. BUG:215923 git-svn-id: svn://anonsvn.kde.org/home/kde/branches/trinity/kdegames@1054174 283d02a7-25f6-0310-bc7c-ecb5cbfe19da --- doc/kbackgammon/index.docbook | 622 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 622 insertions(+) create mode 100644 doc/kbackgammon/index.docbook (limited to 'doc/kbackgammon/index.docbook') diff --git a/doc/kbackgammon/index.docbook b/doc/kbackgammon/index.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d8dfe39d --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kbackgammon/index.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,622 @@ + + + + + +]> + + + + +The &kbackgammon; Handbook + + + +Jens +Hoefkens +
&Jens.Hoefkens.mail;
 + + + +Bo +Thorsen +
&Bo.Thorsen.mail;
 +Developer + + + + + +19992000 +&Jens.Hoefkens; + + +&FDLNotice; + +2005-12-22 +2.6.0 + + +&kbackgammon; is a graphical backgammon program for &kde;. It +supports backgammon games with other players, games against computer +engines like &GNU; bg and even on-line games +on the First Internet Backgammon +Server. + + + +KDE +game +backgammon +FIBS +gnubg + + + + + +Introduction + +&kbackgammon; is a graphical backgammon program. The objective +of backgammon is to move your checkers off the board before your +opponent does. While the rules of backgammon are moderately difficult +(the most difficult part apparently being the initial positioning of +the checkers), this document does not try to teach these rules: please +refer to the Web, a book, or (probably best) a friend for this. + +&kbackgammon; offers you a graphical backgammon board that can +be used almost entirely by using the mouse (although textual commands +are also available and it should be possible to play backgammon +without the mouse, too). Therefore, &kbackgammon; is easy to use and +allows you to concentrate on the important aspects of playing +backgammon. + +In order to play backgammon, you usually need an +opponent. &kbackgammon; offers you to play against hundreds of +different opponents of various strength on the First Internet Backgammon +Server. If you prefer, you may also use the Offline Engine which allows you to +play against yourself or friends that are with you at your +computer. + +In the near future &kbackgammon; will allow you to play against +&GNU; Backgammon, which is a +powerful backgammon program that usually runs without a graphical +frontend. It plays on FIBS with a rating of about +2000 (which is quite high). + +Additionally, plans are on the way that will allow games over +the Internet between two &kbackgammon; programs (and their respective +users). Finally, the architecture of &kbackgammon; is quite open and +it is possible to include support for other engines easily (if you are +interested in this, please contact the author). + + + + +How to use the Board + +&kbackgammon; is centered around a graphical backgammon +board. This board consists of the checkers, the dice, and the +cube. All these game elements can be conveniently manipulated with the +mouse. + +The following image shows a typical game situation with the +white player moving from 1 to 24 and the black player moving from 24 +to 1. Currently, the white player owns the cube and has just rolled 3 +and 4. + + +The backgammon board + + + + + +The Board + + + + +If it is their turn, players can roll the dice by double +clicking on the squares representing the dice or by using the +corresponding menu entry or toolbar icon (if the toolbar is visible +and rolling has been included in the toolbar). + +If they own the cube, players can double the cube by either +double clicking on the square representing the cube or by using the +corresponding menu entry or toolbar icon (if the toolbar is visible +and the cube has been included in the toolbar). + +If it is their turn to move, players can move checkers by +clicking on them and moving the mouse pointer to the desired location +(while holding the mouse button continuously pressed). This is called +dragging the checker. Depending on the selection made in the current +engine's configuration, the move will be finished once +the maximum number of checkers has been moved (this may be anywhere +between 1 and 4 checkers, although it will usually be 2 +checkers). + +In addition to dragging the checkers, the board offers a feature +called short move feature. If this has been +enabled in the board's configuration menu, checkers can be moved by +simply clicking on them. The board will then automatically make the +shortest move possible away from the current field. If the short move +feature is enabled, it may be set to +single or double click. This option is very useful for users of +touchpads that are sometimes difficult to use for dragging. + +Finally, the board has a certain smartness: it will only accept +moves that are allowed (based on the current dice). While the offline engine allows this to be +switched off (for the Edit Mode), this is usually +very helpful for unexperienced users (and advanced players will +probably never notice this). This feature can also be used to cancel a +move in progress: just drop it over an illegal field. + + + + +Backgammon Engines + +&kbackgammon; is built around the backgammon board, which +doesn't know anything about how to play backgammon. The whole +infrastructure (rolling the dice, &etc;) that allows backgammon games +is handled by backgammon engines. + + +The Offline Engine + +The offline engine Open Board allows you to play against yourself, or +probably more fun, another person sitting with you. + + + + +The <acronym>FIBS</acronym> Engine + +FIBS is the First Internet Backgammon +Server, a 24-hour international online community of backgammon +players of all ages and experience from Beginner to Experts. + +As well as playing the game, FIBS allows you +to save games, chat with other players, and has a complex rating +system. + +There is also a large website well worth some of your +time, if you are a backgammon fan. + + + + +The &GNU; Backgammon Engine + +The GNUbg engine does not yet exist (although it already has an +entry in the Engine menu). Therefore, the +remainder of this section should be taken with a grain of salt. + +Use of the GNUbg engine requires a working installation of the +actual GNUbg program. &kbackgammon; then starts GNUbg in the +background and communicates with it. All this is transparent to the +user (&ie; it is hidden from the user) and all interaction with GNUbg +is through the &GUI; elements of &kbackgammon;. + +If there are other enhancements that can help using GNUbg from +&kbackgammon;, please contact the author of &kbackgammon; (or better: +send a patch). Some of the more advanced features will probably be +position analysis and save/restore functions. However, playing is the +most pressing issue. + +The one thing that will never happen is a combination of the +GNUbg and the FIBS engine! Using computer programs +to enhance user ratings is cheating! + + + + + + +Game options + +The options to &kbackgammon; are set by selecting +Settings Configure &kbackgammon;... + from the menubar. This will bring up a dialog +box. + + + + +Menu Reference/Keyboard Shortcuts + +The following sections briefly describe each menubar option. + + +<guimenu>Game</guimenu> Menu + + + + + +&Ctrl;N + +Game +New + + +Start a new game. This item opens a dialog to enter the nicknames of both players. + + + + + + +&Ctrl;P + +Game +Print... + + +Print a picture of the board. + + + + + + +&Ctrl;Q + +Game +Quit + + +Quit and close &kbackgammon; + + + + + + + +<guimenu>Move</guimenu> Menu + + + + + +&Ctrl;Z + + +Move +Undo + + + +Undo the last move you made. + + + + + + +&Ctrl;&Shift;Z + +Move +Redo + + +If you have previously undone a move, you can redo it +here. + + + + + +Move +Redisplay + +Redraw the board. + + + + + +&Ctrl;R + + +Move +Roll Dice + + +As you may expect, roll the dice. + + + + + +Move +End Turn + + +Let the other player know you have finished +moving. + + + + + +Move +Double Cube + + +Offer the opponent player during the course of a game +(just before you roll the dice) to continue the game at twice the current stakes. +If the opponent rejects this offer, you win the game. + + + + + + +Move +Engine + + + +Choose from the various game engines (Open Board, FIBS, GNU Backgammon, Next Generation) here. + + + + + + + + +<guimenu>Command</guimenu> Menu + +This menu has different items depending on the chosen game engine. + +Open Board engine + + + +Command +New Game + + +Start a new game. This item opens a dialog to enter the nicknames of both players. + + + + + +Command +Edit Mode + + + +In this mode the board accepts moves that are not allowed +(based on the current dice). + + + + + +Command +Swap Colors + + + +Swap the colors of the checkers between player 1 and player 2. + + + + + + + + + +<guimenu>Settings</guimenu> Menu + + + + + +&Ctrl;M + + +Settings +Show Menubar + + +Toggle on and off the menubar. + + + + + +Settings +Toolbars +Main (&kbackgammon;) + +Toggle the Main Toolbar + + + + +Settings +Toolbars +Command Characters (&kbackgammon;) + +Toggle the Command Toolbar + + + + +Settings +Show Statusbar + + +Toggle on and off the statusbar. + + + + + +Settings +Save Settings + + + +Saves the current settings to become the default for &kbackgammon;. + + + + + +Settings +Configure Shortcuts... + +Opens a dialog for changing the key bindings. +Using this option you can change the standard key shortcut for &kbackgammon;'s commands +or create new ones. + + + + +Settings +Configure Toolbars... + +Opens a dialog for configuring the toolbar. You +can add and remove toolbuttons for &kbackgammon;'s commands with this +option. + + + + +Settings +Configure &kbackgammon;... + +Opens a dialog for changing some options for +&kbackgammon;. + + + + + + + + +<guimenu>Help</guimenu> Menu + +&kbackgammon; has a standard &kde; Help as described +below, with one addition: + + + +Help +Backgammon on the Web + + +Opens the websites of FIBS Home, Backgammon Rules, or &kbackgammon; in &konqueror;. + + + + +The standard &kde; Help entries are: + +&help.menu.documentation; + + + +Default Shortcuts + +The following tables show you the default shortcuts of +&kbackgammon;. + + +Key bindings + +Key ComboAction + +&Ctrl;NNew Game +&Ctrl;RRoll Dice +&Ctrl;PPrint Game +&Ctrl;QQuit &kbackgammon; +F1Help Contents +&Shift;F1What's This? Help +&Ctrl;MShow Menubar +&Ctrl;ZUndo move +&Ctrl;&Shift;ZRedo previously undone move + + +
+ +These shortcuts can be changed by selecting +Settings Configure +Shortcuts from the menubar. + + + + + + +Credits and License + +&kbackgammon; + +Program copyright 1999-2000 &Jens.Hoefkens; +&Jens.Hoefkens.mail; + +Documentation copyright 2000 &Jens.Hoefkens; +&Jens.Hoefkens.mail; + + + +&underFDL; +&underGPL; + + + + +Installation + + +How to obtain &kbackgammon; + +&install.intro.documentation; + +The home page of &kbackgammon; is located at http://backgammon.sourceforge.net. +It will usually contain the most up-to-date information the program +available. + + + + +Compilation and Installation + +&install.compile.documentation; + + + + + + + + + -- cgit v1.2.1