The Egg Carton Game
Version 1.0
Programmed by
Paul Talbot
Background
The Egg Carton Game is based on a game I learned from a friend back
in junior high. We played the game with 36 marbles and an empty egg
carton. Now that I'm an adult and don't have any marbles (I must have 11411s1823l
lost them <g>), I decided to write this program to simulate playing The
Egg Carton game.
Rules of the Game
Initial Board Position
The initial board position consists of three marbles in each of the
twelve slots of the egg carton. (Having no artistic talent whatsoever,
in Version 1.0 I have indicated the presence of marbles numerically
rather than pictorially.)
Objective
The object of the game is to clear all marbles from your side of
the egg carton. The first of the two players to do so is the winner.
Moving Rules
The first player selects a slot on his side of the egg carton from
which to move. All the marbles from that slot are removed, then
distributed one at a time to each subsequent slot (moving in a counter-
clockwise direction). One marble must be dropped into each slot (as far
as they will go), whether or not there are already marbles in the slot,
and regardless of whether the slot is your own or your opponent's.
However, when making the turn from one side of the board to the other,
one marble must also be dropped "off the board" (out of the egg carton).
On screen, the two slots that look like end zones of a football field
are "off the board." (Note: the number of marbles accumulated in each
"end zone" is absolutely irrelevant in determining the winner. The only
thing that matters is clearing all marbles from your side of the board.)
The point at which the marbles from the selected slot "run out" is
critical to determining what happens next.
A) If the last marble from the initial slot is dropped off the board
(either end), the player must again select a slot on his side of the
board from which to move.
B) If the last marble is dropped into a slot that already had one or
more marbles in it, all the marbles from that slot (including the one
just dropped there) are removed and distributed counter-clockwise from
that point.
C) If the last slot into which a marble is dropped was EMPTY when
reached, the player's turn is over and the opponent's turn begins.
Example:
(N) (M) (L) (K) (J) (I)
| 4 | 2 | 1 | | 6 | 1 |
|-------- ----- ------ --|
| 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | | 1 |
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
If Player 1 choses to move from slot B, the 3 marbles in slot B are
distributed one each to slots C, D, and E, leaving them with 5, 2 and 1
marble(s), respectively. Because the last marble was dropped in an
empty slot, Player 1's turn would be over.
If Player 1 instead chose to move from slot C, 3 marbles would be
distributed to slots D, E, F and the final marble would be dropped off
the board. Player 1 must then select another slot from which to move.
If Player 1 chooses to move from slot A, the seven marbles are
distributed one each to slots B through F (5 slots), the sixth marble is
dropped off the board, and the seventh is dropped in the first slot on
Player 2's side of the board, slot I. Player 1 would then pick up the 2
marbles in slot I, drop one in slot J and the other in slot K, at which
point his turn ends (because slot K was empty).
In the computerized version of The Egg Carton Game, the program
takes care of making all the marble moves for you. You just have to
pick the slot from which you want to make your move. Several features
built into the program help you follow the action. Speed delays (see
Speed Options, below) allow you to watch each marble "drop" into its
designated slot. When the all-important last marble drops, the slot it
landed in momentarily flashes on screen. The program will then continue
the move from that point, or display an instruction as to what happens
next according to the rules described above.
How to Make your Move
Mouse: Click on the slot from which you wish to move.
Keyboard: Use the Alt-Key combination just outside the slot from which
you wish to move.
Game Options
Select 1 Player mode to play against the computer. (Version 1.0 of
The Egg Carton Game only offers a Novice computer opponent.)
Select 2 Player mode to play against another person.
Speed Options
Use the speed options to adjust the speed at which the game plays
on your computer. If you are not already familiar with the Egg Carton
Game, a slow speed setting will make it easier for you to follow what is
happening as the computer moves the marbles. As you grow more familiar
with how the moves are made, adjust the game to play faster. (In
Version 1.0 you will have to reset your custom speed settings each time
you exit and reload the game.)
Requirements
The Egg Carton Game was written in Visual Basic*. Therefore, it
will only run under Windows* 3.0 or later, and you must have VBRUN100.DLL
(available on most major bulletin boards) installed either in a
directory on your PATH, in your Windows directory (usually C:\WINDOWS),
or in your Windows system directory (usually C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM).
To be able to read this file online, set the "Directory at Startup"
(in Win 3.0) or the "Working Directory" (in Win 3.1) to the directory in
which you install this program and this file.
*Visual Basic and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
|
