CARD GUPPIES
Version 2.2
from the original game by Doug Peterson
for TBBS/TDBS Multi-line Information Systems
another quality product from
fSoft
&
Gary W. Funk
Copyright 1989 by Gary W. Funk
All Rights Reserved
WARRANTY
CARD GUPPIES is manufactured by fSoft and is distributed on an "AS IS"
basis only, without warranty. We have made every effort to provide you
with error-free software.
License Agreement
CARD GUPPIES for TBBS/TDBS is not sold. It is licensed to you for use
under the following license terms and conditions.
CARD GUPPIES for TBBS/TDBS is a commercial software product licensed for
use and not for sale. Installation and use of this product constitutes
your acceptance of the following end-user license agreement.
Single CPU License. As the original purchaser, you are licensed to
install and operate CARD GUPPIES on a single computer. You may use CARD
GUPPIES on any computer capable of running it so long as it is not
installed on more than one computer at a time.
Backup Copies. You may make as many backup copies of CARD GUPPIES and
the associated files as required to avoid loss. You are responsible for
all backup copies you make, and you must assure these copies are not
used on other computers.
Software Modification. Provided menu source files may be modified for
your individual system. You may not make any modifications or changes to
the CARD GUPPIES program. This includes but is not limited to
disassembly and reverse engineering of the software and the associated
databases.
Limitation of Liability. In no case shall fSoft, Gary W. Funk, or any
distributor of this software program be liable for any damages, real or
incidental, arising from use of this program. This license constitutes
the entire agreement between you and fSoft.
Software Support
Support for CARD GUPPIES may be obtained by calling 501-442-0800 (voice)
between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm Central time. You may also obtain
support and by calling the fSoft Support BBS at 501-444-8080 (9600 baud
HST). We urge you to use this system to contact us for assistance and
error reporting. Fully registered users (non-demo and GamePak versions)
will be able to download new versions of the game.
Features of CARD GUPPIES
CARD GUPPIES is the first full feature game written to run under
TBBS/TDBS. It offers the following:
ANSI support for color and cursor control.
ASCII support for users who cannot handle ANSI & IBM Graphics.
Sysop configurable for total plays per day.
Sysop configurable for total plays per month.
Top Ten Players file for current month.
Top Ten Players file for previous month.
Top Players file for each month.
Player selectable ANSI and IBM Graphics independent of USERLOG
settings.
Full Screen game editor.
Sysop can edit and add help files with the editor.
Fast playing and simple but will supply hours of fun.
Introduction to CARD GUPPIES
CARD GUPPIES is for use only on The Bread Board System (TBBS)
Information Manager and The Data Base System (TDBS) Expansion Module
from eSoft by Philip L. Becker. TDBS allocates the maximum amount of
memory it will require and CARD GUPPIES operates within that memory.
CARD GUPPIES is a simple game based on a simple premise. It provides a
delightfully light, mindless diversion to your world-weary system
callers while requiring but a few minutes to play. Scores are
accumulated in a database on a monthly basis allowing callers to compete
day-by-day over a period of time to see who is in fact the Head Guppy.
CARD GUPPIES is small, easy to install, and provides that little
something extra to mark your system as a well thought out contender in
the increasingly competitive world of on-line services.
CARD GUPPIES is a simple card game. The object is to guess whether the
next card in series is higher or lower than the one displayed.
CARD GUPPIES allows the maximum number of simultaneous on-line players
as the TBBS/TDBS system is capable of supporting. An editor that allows
you to set game defaults, edit players, and write the current high score
file is also included.
CARD GUPPIES was originally developed as a game by Doug Peterson in
September 1987. This implementation has been developed by fSoft and Gary
W. Funk with Doug Peterson's permission.
Installation of CARD GUPPIES
To install CARD GUPPIES on your system, use the following steps.
1. If you do not have a sub-directory for games, create one. At the DOS
prompt of your C drive, type:
MD \GAME
2. Copy the files from your CARD GUPPIES disk to the game sub-directory
on your hard drive.
3. Edit the file GUPPIES.SDL (see section on Using GUPPIES.SDL) or
create your own menu using MEDIT or SDL. It will need the following
5 items:
A> Play Card Guppies
KEY=A TYPE=200 Opt Data=[path]\GUPPIES/Q
E> Edit Player Data
KEY=E TYPE=200 Opt Data=[path]\GUPPIES/Q && /E
1> High Scores This month
KEY=1 TYPE=1 Opt Data=[path]\GUPPIES.TXT
2> High Scores Last Month
KEY=2 TYPE=1 Opt Data=[path]\GUPPIEL.TXT
3> Top Players
KEY=3 TYPE=1 Opt Data=[path]\GUPPIEH.TXT
Note: Set the privilege and A flags as needed and edit [path] to your
drive and path.
4. Edit an existing menu to call the CARD GUPPIES menu.
5. Start up your bbs and log on. Go to the CARD GUPPIES menu and run the
CARD GUPPIES EDITOR. This will set up the databases and create the
index files needed.
6. Select Set Game Defaults and change the defaults as needed. (See Set
Game Defaults section under The Function of GUPPIES Editor)
7. Exit the CARD GUPPIES Editor.
8. Run CARD GUPPIES and have fun. And try not to keep yourself to high
on the Top Ten list each month.
Playing CARD GUPPIES
The first time you call each month, your name is added to the database.
You start with the amount of money defined as Start Money in the editor.
The default is $20. You then try to build your account and stay at the
top.
The game begins by dealing three rows of cards. The bottom two rows have
six cards and the top row has three cards. The cards on the far left of
the grid are Change cards and are explained under the Change command.
The first card on the bottom row will be turned face up and you will see
the prompt:
Command or Bet -=>
You may bet as little as $1 or as much as is in your account. Enter the
amount of your bet and press return. You will then be prompted:
Is it [H]igher or [L]ower?
You now have to decide if the next card up will be higher [H], or lower
[L] than the current card showing.
If your guess is correct, the amount of your bet will be added to your
total. If you guessed wrong, the amount of your bet will be
deducted from your total.
For every $10,000,000 you have above $11,000,000 you will be given 1
bank and that money deducted from your account. Banks will added to your
total at the end of the game, but you may not bet with them.
The game continues until you have reached the top row or you lose all of
your money. When you reach top row you are on the last card and must bet
at least half of your account.
If the Joker should happen to come up as you are playing, or when you
Change a card, you will see the prompt:
What is the Joker Card?
You now have to guess the value of the card under the Joker. You do so
by typing the number of a number card or T for Ten, J for Jack, Q for
Queen, K for King, and A for Ace. If you happen to guess correctly (Fat
Jack says fat chance) you will be awarded $1,000,000 more than the
current player. This will place you as the Top player.
If you are currently the top player, you will win your bet and the
$1,000,000.
However, if you guess wrong, you lose any bet, and then one half of your
remaining account including any banks you may have received during the
current game and the current game ends.
During the first play of the next month, the player with the highest
total of banks and money is the top player for the month just ended.
This players name and total will be added to the Top Players file and
listed as top player for the month just ended. The Top Ten Players for
last month is also updated and all players are deleted. The game then
starts over and each player heads for the top.
There are four commands that are used in the game. They and are as
follows:
Change - If the current up card is one you don't want to bet on, you may
change it. The card that is face down on the far left of the grid will
replace the current face up card. You may only change one card per row.
Redraw - Use this command if you want to redraw the screen. This would
be done because of line noise or for any reason you may want to.
Help - This will display the on-line help while playing the game.
Quit - This command will end the game. However, if you do before the
game is finished, you will lose any money you may have won. You will end
the game with the lowest amount you have had during the current game.
So, quitting a game because you just lost $9,999,000 will not work.
The Function of GUPPIES EDITOR
The maintenance editor of GUPPIES has two functions. It is used to set up
the game and build the index files needed. And it allows the sysop to
edit the player data, game defaults, help files, and write the current
Top Ten Players file.
Here is a list of the main menu options to the editor:
[V]eiw/Edit Player Data
[S]et Game Defaults
[E]dit Help Files
[W]rite Score File
Here are the options and the functions that may be preformed under each
option:
View/Edit Player Data
This section allows you to view and edit player data. Records are
displayed in order of ranking with the top player as the first record
displayed.
The following commands are available in this area:
Cursor-up - This will show the previous or last record.
Cursor-down - This will display the next record. You may also use the
space key for this command.
Edit - This will allow you to edit the fields for the player displayed.
The total will be recalculated if you change the money or banks.
Delete - This will delete the record if it is not deleted or undelete it
if it is deleted. A record which is marked deleted, is not removed from
the database. The player may continue to play but his score will not be
written to the Top Ten score file.
Goto - This allows you to "Go to" a specific database entry.
Search - This will let you do a selective search by the players name or
a portion of the name.
Esc - This will return you to the main GUPED menu.
Set Game Defaults
Start Money -This is the amount new players or players with no money
will start the game with. Don't set this too high as it will make
getting rich too easy.
# of Plays per Month - This is the maximum number of times a player may
play in any one month. The default of 0 means no monthly limit.
# of Plays per Day - This is the maximum number of times a player may
play in any one day. Setting this to 0 means no daily limit.
Cumulative Play - If this is set to Y and the # of Plays per Day is set
greater than 0, the player will be allowed to play the # of Plays per
Day times the number of days since the last play. If # of Plays per Day
is set at 1, a player that plays for the first time on the 10th of the
month will be allowed to play 10 times on the current day. Leaving this
set to N limits the plays as set per day and/or per month.
WARNING: Setting the Plays per Day to 0 and Plays per Month to 0 lets
the player have unlimited plays. Setting Plays per Month to 30 and Plays
per Day to 5 will let a player play all of his game for that month in 6
days.
Edit Help Files
The help files are stored as memo fields and are displayed at the
players screen width. To edit these file, use the built in memo editor
in TDBS. You may also add you own help files.
Write Score File
This command will rewrite the Top Ten Players file for the current
month. Use this if you have change the money or banks of any player.
Using GUPPIES.SDL
This file is a sample menu for use with SDL, the TBBS menu compiler. It
is configured for the sub-directory C:\GAME.
Edit GUPPIES.SDL to indicate the drive/path containing the CARD GUPPIES
files. A macro is provided at the beginning of the file with the
statement:
GamePath = C:\GAME\
Change C:\GAME\ to your drive path if necessary.
Edit MACRO: Sysop to match your sysop access parameters. This controls
access to the CARD GUPPIES editor menu entry. Ensure that only those
with Sysop access may edit CARD GUPPIES player records.
Compile the edited GUPPIES.SDL file using the SDL compiler.
SDL GUPPIES
This will produce the file MENUGUPY.CTL. You may now continue with step
4.
CARD GUPPIES diskette contents
The CARD GUPPIES diskette contains the following files:
GUPPIES.SDL Modifiable SDL menu source code
GUPPIES.TPG CARD GUPPIES token program
GUPPIES.NEW User database
GUPPIESH.NEW High Scorers database
GUPHELP.DBF Help database
GUPHELP.DBT Help memos
Suggestions for using CARD GUPPIES
You can introduce an element of inspired competition by offering a
premium to the monthly high scorer. This could be a free subscription to
a computer-related magazine such as BoardWatch Magazine. You could also
offer additional credits or time on your system, or a coffee cup with
your system logo.
Experience has shown that cash awards of $1,000 to $10,000 for each
monthly winner and a cash award of $1000,000 for the player of the year
can also have some peripheral effect on the competitive nature of the
game.