4-7-11

    4-7-11.PRG   v.1.03
                        =====================

                 Copyright  EasyPill Software 1992

      4_7_11.PRG is SHAREWARE and may be distributed freely provided that
the associated READ_ME file is kept intact. Registered users will also
receive a program which will allow them to design their own set of person-
alised cards, PLUS THE REAL BONUS, a Desk accessory version. The D.A is
accessible from within any GEM application (any program that uses menus). 
See SHAREWARE section for details.

     4_7_11 runs in Medium and High resolution, Low res isn't really up to
the job. The standard (.PRG), and Desk Acc (.ACC) versions are almost
identical, any differences will be noted in the text.

A WALK THROUGH THE MENUS
========================
                        
Title   -  Menu items         
        
Desk       Info ...     Just that.

           Desk Accs    Only the .PRG version of course. In the .ACC
                        version any other D.A.s can be reached by clicking
                        on Exit. See Quit below

                        --------------------
Games      Four         The four card game, also known as Russian patience

           Seven        The seven card game, the one everyone knows

           Eleven       You guessed it, the twelve card game, also
                        known as casting out elevens.

           Redeal       Allows you to retry the previous game. 
                        (Depends on scoring system).

           Quit         Return to desktop.

                        In the .ACC version this is labled Exit. You
                        can never really quit a D.A. but you can close
                        it down and re-open it whenever you please. The 
                        state of the game will be exactly as you left it.  

                        --------------------  

           The items in the next menu only refer to the 7-card game

Options    Auto finish  Move cards to their piles at end of game

           Auto turn    Turn cards as they become exposed

           Partial      Allows parts of runs to be moved. Also allows
                        cards to be moved from the piles back on to the
                        table. (Depends on scoring system).

           3 card draw  Allows cards to be drawn in singles or threes.

                   
     
Play       Pull down    Allows the use of normal or pull down menus.
                        Pull down menus are slightly harder to get used to
                        but interfere less. Click and hold down over the
                        menu title, move pointer to highlight the required
                        item, release button to select. (Available in .ACC
                        version only).

           Scoring      Selects the scoring system,either Vegas or Simple.

           Clear score  Just that.

           Go back      Undoes the previous move. (Depends on scoring
                        system).

                        --------------------        

HOW TO PLAY
===========

   NOTE.  The Aces always count low (value 1). This applies to all games.

The 4-card game.
                  The aim here is to finish with just the four Kings left
on the table.Cards are dealt four at a time, one to each column. Play
depends on the four cards at the bottom of each column. A card can be
removed (by clicking) if it has a lower value and is the same suite as one
of the others. Any empty column can be filled by moving a card from the
bottom of another.When no more cards can be removed four more cards are
dealt (Click on the pack). A bonus of 20 points is available if four cards
of the same value are exposed and a bonus of 52 if the game works out.
"Go back" is always available for those with itchy mouse fingers, but
there is a points penalty.

The 7-card game.
                  The aim here is to remove all the cards to four piles,
according to suite. There are many ways of playing this game, what some
people consider quite legal others will say is blatant cheating. The
scoring system that you choose, and the options selected, will determine
what you can get away with.
      The principle behind the scoring systems is this : If you have set
Vegas you will not be allowed to use any option or "Go back" that gives
you an advantage or lets you have a peek.For example there is no "Go back"
if 'Auto turn' is selected, no part moves or redeals, and no changing from
triple to single draw in the middle of a game.

Simple scoring lets you get away with whatever you can.
        
                                                                             
The 11-card game.
                 The aim here is to remove all the cards. Twelve piles of
four cards are laid out, leaving four cards spare. Cards can then be
removed in pairs if they add up to 11. Cards are selected by clicking and
can then be removed by either double clicking on one of them, or using the
O.K box. As well as pairs, a Jack, Queen and King can also be removed in
the same way. Any piles that become vacant can be filled from the spares.

In the Simple scoring system you will get a visual guide to how many cards
remain in each pile.
 

SCORING
=======

               You can select either 'Vegas' or 'Simple'

VEGAS   scoring is cumulative and you pay 52 points for each deck you use.
SIMPLE  scoring is reset to zero each game and the decks are free.

Each game keeps its own record of the scoring system in use, so you can 
play 7-card with Vegas and 11-card with simple, for example.
  
You earn points for removing cards as follows :

               4 card       1 point
               7 card       5 points
              11 card       1 point

Penalty points for using Go back are the same but note the extra penalty
for cards that are put back after they have already scored.


KEYBOARD ENTRIES
===============

               4-7-11 is unashamedly mouse based. If ever you need an
excuse,it's an excellent mouse trainer and just the thing to try out a new
mouse accelerator. There are, however, a couple of features left over from
the development stages that are useful.
Press Alternate and S to save a particular deck to memory, it can then
be replayed or issued as a challenge by pressing Alternate and R
Rigged decks are available for all three games at start up, but anything
you have saved yourself will be lost after a reset.

A WORD ABOUT MEMORY
===================
                   4_7_11 is full screen and graphics intensive so it uses
quite a lot of memory. This is no problem with the .PRG version, but if
you can't spare about 190K for the .ACC version you should disable it by
renaming to 4_7_11.ACX
                   520 users will probably be o.k, it all depends on what
else you want to run at the same time.

WHAT PROBLEM ?
==============

P. I was using the control panel to change the colours and suddenly it
just disappeared.
A. Although it dosn't look like it,4_7_11 is actually running in a window,
what's happened is that you have clicked on this window and brought it
back to the top, thus covering up the control panel. Re-open the control
panel(from the Desk menu) and make sure you don't click outside of it
until you are finished. It is wise to close such windows properly after
use rather than just leaving them buried. See below.  

P. The menus stopped working in the .ACC version.
A. Make sure you have not selected Pull down from the Play menu. Click and
hold down over "Play". Is there a tick against Pull down ?


P. I can't select the "Partial" option.
A. Certain options are only available if the Simple scoring system is
selected first.

The only real problems that I know of are occasional screen glitches when 
dragging as Basic tries to keep up with the screen refresh, and problems
in some word processors with cursors and mouse holes when returning from
the Desk Acc. (Scroll it off and scroll it back to remove).


A WORD ABOUT SPEED
==================

                 As mentioned above, don't leave too many D.A.s buried
under the top one, as this will slow down the mouse response. You may find
that mouse clicks take longer to register.

                 Only one set of data is used for the cards. This is held
in medium resolution format and converted 'on the fly' if the program is
run in monochrome. This gives a slightly more leisurely feel in High res,
but it saves on memory and avoids keeping RSC files on the same disc. This
might not be so apparent to Blitter users. For the same reason monochrome
graphics don't do full justice to the resolution available.


SHAREWARE
=========
           4-7-11 is SHAREWARE and contributions are invited. A Tenner
sounds reasonable, but a Fiver would do. As an incentive you will receive
by return the most excellent Desk Accessory version, and a program that
will allow you to design your own pack of cards, plus anything else that
might have been developed in the meantime.

          Available from     
                           EasyPill Software
                           20 Hawkesworth House
                           Cavendish Road
                           LONDON SW4 8NA

          Feedback, bugs and news of incompatibilities always welcome.
If you have a favourite type of patience you would like to see incorpor-
ated let me know and I'll see what can be done.

           4-7-11 is written entirely in GFA Basic 3.5


                   Best regards     John Phillips.