Copyright: ® 1994 By Randy Rasa & Todd Svec


FoxFire 13 Help Contents
FoxFire 13 for Windows, Version 1.00

FoxFire 13 is a solitaire card game for Microsoft Windows version 3.x or later.  It requires skill, luck, and a good bit of strategy.

Introduction

How To Play The Game (Rules)

Menu Commands

Statistics

Strategy

Sounds

Revision History

How To Contact The Authors

How To Register

If you enjoy this game, please support it!

FoxFire 13 is Copyright 1994 by Randy Rasa and Todd Svec. All Rights Reserved.


Introduction

If you're a solitaire buf, FoxFire 13 should seem familiar.  It shares much in common with many of the traditional solitaire card games you know and love, but it is an entirely new game -- easy to play, difficult to win, and addictive to the point of distraction.

If you're not a solitaire buf ... well, you soon will be!

As in any game, you may have difficulty winning the first few times you play.  But stick to it, and you'll get better!  Once you get the hang of things, you'll win twenty or thirty percent of the time with ease.

Click on the items below for more introductory material:

A Word From Todd

A Word From Randy

Requirements

Legalese

Credits

There's also a DOS version of FoxFire 13 available for play on older machines or laptops.  It has a smooth and elegant GUI, support for multiple players, and SoundBlaster sound.  Requires EGA or VGA and a mouse.  Call FoxFire BBS for the latest version!


A Word From Todd:

FoxFire 13 is a simple card game, made up while on a long plane flight over the Colorado Rockies! It's easy to learn and easy to play. Randy Rasa was gracious enough to put together my ideas into computer format! This program is a joint venture and was written to help support my BBS, FoxFire, which has been online since April 1988 at (913)722-6577 or (913)722-3321.

Todd Svec

Sysop of FoxFire BBS


A Word From Randy:

For those of you familiar with my other shareware games (Solitaire Suite, Simple Pleasures, and Four Seasons), I think this game is a worthy addition.  I want to thank Todd for dreaming this up, and I hope everyone enjoys playing it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Randy Rasa


FoxFire 13 Requirements and Limitations

Since FoxFire 13 is written with Visual Basic version 2.00, it requires the VBRUN200.DLL run-time library. In order to keep the file size as small as possible, this file may not have been distributed with this program.  The file is available on most BBS's and online services, or should be available from wherever you obtained this software.

This program requires Windows 3.0 or later, and was written for Windows 3.1.  It has also been tested under OS/2 2.1.

To utilize FoxFire 13's multimedia sound, a sound card (or Microsoft's speaker driver) is required.  In addition, Windows 3.1 or later, or Windows 3.0 with the multimedia extensions, is required.

This program requires at least two, and preferably four or more, megabytes of RAM.

This program requires at least 640x480x16 video capability

Only one instance of FoxFire 13 may be run at one time.


FoxFire 13 is shareware!

It is NOT freeware.  It is NOT public domain!

As such, you can play it, copy it, and give it away as you wish.  In fact, you are encouraged to distribute the program to friends, family, and strangers alike.  This includes distribution via electronic bulletin board systems (BBS), user's groups, CD-ROMs, and disk-distribution services. All that we ask is that the package remains unaltered and complete. Refer to the VENDOR.TXT file for detailed distribution information.

Standard Limited Warranty: This software is sold "as is", without any warranty as to performance or any other warranties whether expressed or implied.  Because of the vast number of possible hardware and software environments in which this software may be used, no warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered.  The user assumes the entire risk of using this program.  Any liability of the author will be limited to product replacement or the refund of the registration fee.


Credits:

Concept:	Todd Svec

Programming:	Randy Rasa

Beta Testers:	Tom Frye, Bill Gee, J.J. Julian

FoxFire 13 for Windows was written with Visual Basic for Windows, and uses the QCARD.DLL library from Stephen Murphy (CompuServe ID 70661,2461).  This help file was written using RTFGEN, a freeware utility from Dave Baldwin (CompuServe ID 76327,53). Many thanks to Stephen and Dave for great pieces of work -- this program wouldn't have been nearly as good without ya!


How To Play FoxFire 13

The game of FoxFire 13 is begun by dealing four cards in a row, forming the tableau.  The object of the game is to remove pairs of cards that add up to 13, or a single card with a value of 13 (i.e. a king).  Cards are removed regardless of suit, and once removed, are discarded.  Only the top card of each tableau pile is available for play. Valid card combinations are:

To remove cards, click the left mouse button on a card, and drag it to its partner (or, in the case of a king, simply click on the card). If a space in the tableau is created, you may move the top card of any pile to the empty space.

If easy mode is enabled, you can create pairs from the top two cards of a given pile.  For example, in the following pile you could remove the nine of spades and the four of hearts:

If you can remove all the cards, you win!


FoxFire 13 Menu Commands

Game Menu

New Hand

Same Hand

Session Stats ...

Clear Statistics

Exit

Options Menu

Move Alert

Easy Mode

Sound

Card Back

Help Menu

Contents

About ...

Register ...


FoxFire 13 Statistics

FoxFire 13 keeps track of a number of game statistics.  These stats can provide you with feedback as to how well you are playing, and give you an incentive for improvement.

If you're the kind of person who just wants to play, and doesn't care about "the numbers" ... well, just ignore them.  Statistics are entirely optional.

The game keeps track of the following statistics:

Number of Games Played

Number of Games Won

Average Score

You can also view your session stats by clicking on the word "Statistics" in the score box, or by selecting the "Session Stats ..." item in the "Game" menu.  This provides you with data on how well you've played during the current session (i.e. the current program run).

In case you're wondering, Randy's current stats as of this writing are:

Games Played = 400

Games Won = 126 (31.50%)

Average Score = 36.78

(Todd is too humble to divulge his stats ... <grin>).

For hints on improving your score, refer to the strategy section.


FoxFire 13 Strategy

Strategy: Win the game and get as high a score as possible (duh).

Actually, this game require a good deal of strategy to win consistently.  You'll need to pay attention to the flow of the cards, noticing what cards have been played (and inferring what cards remain in the deck).  Pay special attention to spaces in the tableau -- careful management of these is essential to winning!  Sometimes it's best to fill spaces as soon as possible, other times you might try working to keep a space open as long as possible.

The Undo capability in FoxFire 13 offers vast opportunities for what some would call cheating, but what we prefer to think of as "score maximization" <wink>.  Being able to undo moves is most useful when there's at least one tableau space open.  You can re-arrange the cards to take advantage of subsequent deals and card movements.  Experiment!


FoxFire 13 Sounds

FoxFire 13 has the ability to play various sounds in response to your actions.  This requires Windows 3.1 (or Windows 3.0 with the multimedia extensions) and a Windows-compatible sound board (or the Microsoft speaker driver, which produces rather poor sound, but does work ...).

FoxFire 13 uses the following sound files:

FF13_1.WAV 	"Card" sound

FF13_2.WAV 	"Win" sound

FF13_3.WAV 	"Error" sound

FF13_4.WAV 	"Undo" sound

FF13_5.WAV 	"Lose" sound

If you don't have a way to play sounds on your computer, you may delete these files to save disk space.

Each sound may be individually enabled, disabled, or tested in the "Sound" dialog box. If you don't like one of the sounds, you may delete it, or replace it with one of your own (using File Magager or the like).  To do this, simply rename the WAV file you wish to use to the appropriate name above.

Registration Bonus!

When you register FoxFire 13, you will receive more sounds to use with the game.  These sounds will be automatically recognized by FoxFire 13, and will play sequentially or at random to provide a bit of aural variety.


FoxFire 13 Revision History

1.00      07/01/94

Initial public release.


How To Contact The Authors

Your comments, criticisms, suggestions (and of course, registrations) are always welcome.  If you think of something that would make the game better, we'd like to hear it!

This program has been thoroughly tested and debugged, but with the wide range of hardware and software that Windows supports, problems are always possible. If you're having any difficulties with this game, please let us know about it, and we'll do our very best to help. Please describe the problem in as much detail as you can, and include information about your computer's configuration.

You may reach the authors at the:

FoxFire BBS

913-722-6577 or 913-722-3321

The latest version of the game is always available on this bulletin board.  You can leave a message to "Toto" (Todd Svec), or "Randy Rasa", and we'll get right back to you.  Also, check the BBS.LST file for more BBS's where we can be found.

If you have access to the Internet, you can contact Randy Rasa at randy.rasa@colossus.cld9.com

Finally, you may contact us via mail at:

Todd Svec

5040 Dearborn

Mission, KS 66202-1752

Phone support is not available at this time.


How To Register
How To Register FoxFire 13

FoxFire 13 is shareware.  You may freely evaluate it for a reasonable period (30 days).  If you continue to use it beyond the evaluation period, you need to register it.

Registration is only $10 and gets you the following benefits:

The latest version of FoxFire 13 for Windows on the diskette of your choice (5.25" or 3.50").

A registration code good for all future updates of FoxFire 13 for Windows.  This code will allow you to convert current and future shareware versions to registered versions, getting rid of the opening reminder screen in the process.

More Sounds!  You will receive extra sounds to use with FoxFire 13.  These sounds will be automatically recognized and used by the registered version of FoxFire 13.

You support the shareware concept that made this game possible.

An opportunity to receive a CD-ROM chock-full of shareware from JCSM.  If you'd like to receive a registration bonus certificate, check the option on the registration form.

The registration code is good for all future updates of this program. Unlike some commercial apps, you are not stuck in an endless cycle of expensive upgrades.  With FoxFire 13, you register once, and that's it. What this essentially means is: Free Updates!

There are three ways to print a registration form:

1.	Select the Print Registration Form button from the Registration dialog.

2.	Open the FF13.FRM file (included with this program) with Window's Notepad, and print it from there.

3.	From the DOS command line type "COPY FF13.FRM PRN".

Once the registration form is printed, simply fill it out (be sure to select a disk size!) and send it to the address listed on the form, along with a check, money order, or cash.  Expect your disk in two to three weeks.  Orders are usually shipped within two weeks of receipt of order.

Remember, shareware is user-supported software.  If you use it, please register.

Your support is appreciated!


About
About Box

This dialog box is displayed each time you run the program (in the shareware version) or if you select the "Help-About ..." menu item. Once you have registered, received your code, and entered it, this box will no longer be displayed automatically each time you run the program.

You can click on the Register ... button to enter your registration code or to print a registration form.


Registration Dialog

Here's where you enter the registration code you will receive as a registered user of FoxFire 13.  Once you enter the correct code, you need never see the shareware reminder screen again.

You can also click on the "Print Registration Form" button to print out a convenient form that you may fill out and send in to register FoxFire 13.


Select this to abandon the current hand (thus losing the game) and deal a new hand in its place.


Select this to abandon the current hand (thus losing the game) and redeal it, giving you another shot at winning it.


Pretty self-explanatory -- select this to exit the program.  If a game is in progress (i.e. the score is greater than zero), stats will be tallied and saved to disk.


Select this (or press the F1 key) to view this help file.


The undo command allows you to "take back" up to five moves. Any card movement, whether from the deck or tableau, may be undone.

At its simplest, the undo capability is an "oops, I didn't mean to do that" mechanism that lets you recover from mistakes, but it can also be used as a way to test out different strategies and card combinations.


 The JCSM Shareware Collection is published three times a year on CD-ROM.  The certificate entitles you to purchase one issue of the collection for only $9.95 (US) plus shipping and handling.  The most recent issue as of this writing contained a huge assortment of shareware programs for DOS, Windows, OS/2, and Windows NT on a double CD-ROM (two disks containing over 3800 programs!).  This issue sold for $23.95 (+S&H).

You'll save more than it costs to register FoxFire 13!

The certificate is valid until June 30, 1995.


Selecting this menu item, or clicking on the word "Statistics" in the score box, will bring up a window showing your "session statistics". These are the stats that you've accumulated during a single gaming session, and are reset each time you run the program.


This menu item allows you to reset your statistics (games played, games won, average score, etc.).


 If Move Alert is enabled, a flashing "Move Alert" message will be displayed whenever any cards may be removed from the tableau.  If you find this helpful, leave it enabled.  If you find it annoying or distracting, disable the option.

This menu item will be checked if it is enabled, or un-checked if it is disabled.


Easy Mode refers to the ability to remove cards that are stacked one atop the other.  If this option is enabled, only the bottom card of each tableau pile is available for play.  If easy mode is enabled, you can create pairs from the top two cards of a given pile.  For example, in the following pile you could remove the nine of spades and the four of hearts:

This menu item will be checked if it is enabled, or un-checked if it is disabled.


This dialog allows you to select from six different card backs, according to your tastes.