Stone Towers by Legion Software Alliance
[Do not use proportional fonts to see this file.]
Stone Towers gameplay rules are very, very simple.
Don't think chess rules are simple. Don't think
tennis rules are simple. Stone Towers are simple
as Thromulus was. And even more. Why?
There is only one think to remember, other is
the business of your computer. And the think is
STRONGEST WINS!
**********************************************************************
STONE TOWERS - Rules of gameplay:
1) Stone Towers is a two player game.
-------------------------------------
It means there should be two persons
to play it, like tennis or chess.
If you play chess, then you can be
white or black. If you play Stone Towers,
than you can be red or blue.
Of course, if you are alone, computer
can be used as second player. Two player
mode is much better because computer is
not very strong opponent.
2) Stone Towers is a turn-based game.
-------------------------------------
It means first player makes first turn,
then second player (human or computer)
makes his turn, then again first player...
Game ends after selected number of turns.
3) Who wins the game?
---------------------
After selected number of turns game ends.
Then the number of squares each player
occupied is calculated and the winner is...
THE PLAYER WITH GREATER EMPIRE
It means player who occupied more squares.
At this point you should ask HOW to occupy
some squares, but there is one important
think to know first. The castles.
4) Do you wish to build a castle?
---------------------------------
4.1 Building new castle
If it's your turn and you wish to build
new castle, simply move the mouse pointer
to empty square and click it. New castle
will be there!
Each castle has 4 neigbourhood squares (of
course if it does not stay on the border
of the playfield). To the north, to the south,
to the west and to the east. If these squares
are empty, then they become your land.
Single flag marks your land.
If you wish to build new castle, then you can
do it on the empty square OR on your flag marked
empty square. You are not allowed to build
castles on enemy teritory.
4.2 Fortifying the castle
Small castle can be fortified. If it's your turn,
simply move mouse pointer to castle you wish
to fortify and click it. Each castle upgrade is
marked with one more flag.
Strongest castle has three flags. There is no
possibility to fortify it more.
5) Each castle has zones of influence
-------------------------------------
Adjacent squares (west,east,nort,south) are
influenced by castle. Stronger castle makes
stronger influence.
Two flag castle has two times stronger influence
on adjacent squares. Three flag castle has three
times stronger influence on adjacent squares.
Each square is under influence of adjacent
squares. Influences of adjacent squares are
counted after each turn and square is given to
the player with greater influence on it.
If both players have equal influence on the
square, then this square remains in hands of
player who had it before.
How the influence counts?
-------------------------
Influence points:
Empty square 0
Empty square & flag 0 (opponent may not build here)
Castle (1 flag ) 1
Castle (2 flags) 2
Castle (3 flags) 3
Let's try to count influence on central field:
+---------------------+---------------------+--------------------+
| Square A | Square B | Square C |
| | | |
| Blue castle 1 flag | Red castle 1 flags | Red castle 1 flag |
+---------------------+---------------------+--------------------+
| Square D | Square E | Square F |
| | | |
| Blue flag | Red flag | Red castle 1 flag |
+---------------------+---------------------+--------------------+
| Square G | Square H | Square I |
| | | |
| Blue castle 1 flag | Blue castle 2 flags | Blue flag |
+---------------------+---------------------+--------------------+
We are counting influence on square E:
Adjacent squares to square E are squares B,F,H,D. Other
squares have no influence on square E.
RED PLAYER INFLUENCE on square E:
from square E: 0 points
from square B: 1 point
from square F: 1 point
------------------------
total: 2 points
BLUE PLAYER INFLUENCE on square E:
from square H: 2 points
from square D: 0 points
------------------------
total: 2 points
Both players have equal influence on square E.
Square E was owned by red player, so the square
is in red player ownership.
====================================================
Let us consider now is blue turn.
If the Blue will build new castle on square D,
OR if the Blue will fortify the square H, then
Blue makes one point more influence on square E
and gains this square. Red installations are removed
and square is marked with blue flag.
How to destroy enemy castle:
+---------------------+---------------------+--------------------+
| Square A | Square B | Square C |
| | | |
| Blue castle 1 flag | Red castle 1 flags | Red castle 1 flag |
+---------------------+---------------------+--------------------+
| Square D | Square E | Square F |
| | | |
| Blue castle 1 flag | Red castle 1 flag | Red castle 1 flag |
+---------------------+---------------------+--------------------+
| Square G | Square H | Square I |
| | | |
| Blue castle 1 flag | Blue castle 2 flags | Blue flag |
+---------------------+---------------------+--------------------+
We are counting influence on square E:
Adjacent squares to square E are squares B,F,H,D. Other
squares have no influence on square E.
RED PLAYER INFLUENCE on square E:
from square E: 1 point
from square B: 1 point
from square F: 1 point
------------------------
total: 3 points
BLUE PLAYER INFLUENCE on square E:
from square H: 2 points
from square D: 1 points
------------------------
total: 3 points
Both players have equal influence on square E.
Square E was owned by red player, so the square
is in red player ownership.
====================================================
Let us consider now is blue turn.
If the Blue will fortify castle on square D,
OR if the Blue will fortify the square H, then
Blue makes one point more influence on square E
and gains this square. Red installations are removed
and square is marked with blue flag.
Red castle may not be on the blue square, so it is
destroyed.
Keep in mind that castles influences one another.
Destroying one of them could break the balance of
power and some other castles may fall down. If your
opponent is not very handy, it is possible to do
something like "domino effect" and to ruin two,
three (and even more) his castles in single turn!
6) ENJOY!
---------
All the boring influence math makes computer for you,
so here it is only to understand rules. You and your
friend (if any) enjoy the game and have lot of fun.
Try different strategies, depending on number of
turns. Number of turns is affecting not only time
spent with one game. Number of turns is important
factor you should consider planning your strategy.
a) Short game, low number of turns
You should try to occupy as much squares as
possible, and do it as soon as possible. There
is no reason to build some defence barriers
because there almost will not be time to fortify
and attack enemy positions.
b) Long game, high number of turns
This game requests new strategy. If you want to
win, then you MUST build large empire with weakly
guarded interior, but heavily fortified borders.
Weak castles in interior lowers the time to build
large empire. Remember that enemy is not allowed
to build his castles on your land, so weakly defended
interior of empire is OK, if you are guarding borders.
The best borders for your empire are natural borders
(borders and edges of the playfield), because you
need not to guard them.
Build strong castles on unnatural borders of your empire.
Specially pay attention to any edge in your borders,
you should build there groups of castles supporting
one another to avoid destroying it by enemy
as shown in section 5.
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The game is freeware. Make as much copies as you want,
give it to anybody you want. You have permission to
upload it or send it anywhere you want. Someone makes
freeware or shareware collections on CDs to sell it and
I say YES, do it as long as people want to buy it!
Roman 'Virgo' Zezulak
zezulak@student.fsid.cvut.cz
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