Copyright: Dubbel v1.0  Copyright (c) Bytes Control


Preference

Status Bar

This option displays or hides the status bar

Beep on Error

This option turns sound on or off

Auto-deal on Start

With this option checked, a new game is automatically dealt on start-up.

Note: This option is overridden if the player starts the game using a filename from the command-line to restore a saved game.

Timed Game

This option turns the timer on or off

Note: Since timed games have a different scoring method, a whole new is dealt.

Choose OK to save changes made and exit, Cancel to discard all changes made and exit, and Help to get to this help screen


How to Play Dubbel

The object of this game is to remove all cards from the playing area.

Refer to the game rules and the following instructions to play Dubbel successfully.

To Start a New Game

From the Game menu, choose Deal, or press F2

To Move a Card

Click with the left mouse button on the desired card, and drag it to the new position.

Note: To move a single card to a suit stack,  double-click with the left mouse button  on the card.

To Turn Over a Blind Card

Click once with the left mouse button on the blind card to turn it over.

To Move a Set of Cards

Click with the left mouse button on the uppermost card of the set, and drag the set to the new position.

To Deal the Next Set of Cards

Click with the left mouse button on the card selection button at the upper right corner of the playing area, or press the Space Bar key.

To Undo the Last Movement

From the Game menu, choose Undo, or press the Backspace key.

To Play Dubbel with the Keyboard

Use the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to jump from one card stack to another including the suit stacks.

Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to move from card to another within one card stack.

Use the TAB key to switch between the suit stacks and the card stacks below.

Use the ENTER key to select/release a card or a set of cards.


Other Menu Commands
The Other Menu Commands

Deck

Choose this option to change the current card design.

Preference

Choose this option to change a number of settings which control the way Dubbel runs.

Remove

This option removes cards(if possible, all cards) from the playing area.

The cards are removed, starting with the left-most stack and ending with the right-most stack. Cards are picked for removal only if they can be placed on their corresponding suit stacks. If the program is unable to remove any cards from one stack, it proceeds to the next stack. This cycle is repeated 10 times before the program gives up trying. Ideally, a player should place the cards in a way that they can be removed easily in one batch.

Note: This option is available only when no more cards can be selected onto the playing area, and its sole purpose is to save the time involved moving cards from the playing area to the suit stacks.


Change Card Designs

To Change a Current Card Design...

1.  Pull down the Other menu and choose  Deck...

2.  Select a card design by either double-clicking with the left mouse button on the desired card design or click once on the card design then choose the OK button.

Note: Card designs can be changed at anytime during the game.


Rules of the Game

*   Only cards numbered 13, either by themselves or as the bottom-most card of a set, can be placed on an empty card stack location.

*   You can build card stacks with cards of the same colors and with cards of the two preset colors.

Note: the preset colors are red with green, and blue with pink.

*   A card can be moved if it is the top-most card of a card stack.

*   A set of cards can be moved only and only if the cards appear in descending order, with the bottom-most card of the set being the highest numbered of the whole set, and with the correct color combination.

*   You can undo a card movement if only one card was moved among the ten card stacks, with the exception of a card moved to a suit stack or any card numbered 13 moved to an empty card stack location.


Overview

Dubbel is another challenging solitaire game. The object is to remove all cards from the playing area in as little time and with the fewest movements possible.

The game area is divided up into three sections: eight suit stacks located across the top of the game area, ten stacks of cards right below the eight suit stacks and a card selection button on the far right side of the suit stacks in the form of the current card design.

On the first deal, 30 cards are randomly selected from 104 (two decks) shuffled cards and spread onto the playing area in ten stacks. Each stack then contains three cards, from which two cards are blind and the third card open. The open card lies on top of the two blind cards.

Each deck is composed of four unique colors, namely red, green, blue, and pink. Apart from building card stacks with cards of matching colors, card stacks can also be built with cards of two preset colors. The card colors that can be mixed are red with green and blue with pink.

Shown below are all the possible color combinations that can be used to build a card stack.

A player moves a card(or a set of cards) to another card stack, to either access other cards or to build a card stack for removal. When a player is unable to make another move, a new set of cards can be selected onto the playing area by using the card selection button. The selected cards are then placed on top of the last cards of each card stack.

After all cards have been removed from the playing area, a final score is determined from the player's performance. A place in the Hall of Fame is reserved for all players who do well in their timed game scoring.

The game requires a splash of luck and quick thinking, including careful and skillful movements of cards since the strict rules may impair your chances to remove all cards from the playing area, thus limiting your chances to win the game.

Good luck and have fun.


Index
Dubbel

A solitaire game that combines both skill and luck.

Overview

Rules of the Game

How to Play Dubbel

Scoring

Hints & Tips

Registration

Commands

Game Menu Commands

Other Menu Commands

Keyboard Commands


Game Menu Commands
The Game Menu Commands

Deal

Choose this to deal a new game of Dubbel. The F2 key can also be used.

Restore

Choose this option to restore saved game.

Save

Choose this option to save a game. Filenames must have .DBL extension.

Undo

This option undoes the last movement made with a single card.

Refer to Rules of the Game for more information.

Pause/Resume

This option pauses and/or resumes a game. The F3 key can also be used.

High Score

Use this option to display Hall of Fame.

To erase(reset) all high scores, choose the Erase button on the High Score dialog box.

Exit

End the game and exit Dubbel


Keyboard Commands

Alt-X	-  Exit Dubbel

F1	-  Access the Help System

F2	-  Deal a new Game

F3	-  Pause or Resume a Game

F10	-  Remove all possible cards from the table

Space	-  Deal next set of cards

Backspace	-  Undo last move


Scoring

Time and card movements are key factors in the scoring process.

The Player Gets...

*  10 points for every blind card turned over.

*   One point for removing a card from the playing area

The Player is Penalized...

*  On the 51th card moved, one point is deducted from the score for every 10 seconds elapsed thereafter.

Compensation for Playing a Timed Game...

A bonus is added to the final score as a complement to the player's efforts. The bonus is based on the

player's time/movements performance (see table below).

Moves	Time	Points

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

< 50	N/A	1000
< 100	N/A	150
< 150	N/A	50
else	N/A	10
N/A	< 300	1000
N/A	< 400	750
N/A	< 500	500
N/A	< 600	250
N/A	< 700	125
N/A	else	50


Registration

If you enjoy playing Dubbel, register your copy by sending US $10.00 to

Norman Martina

PH40 - 25 Bamburgh Circle

Scarborough, Ontario

Canada   M1W 3W2

Compuserve: 73551,1344

Registered users get...

*  Two free updates.

*  Ability to change the background color.

*  More animated card designs

The Future...

I'm currently working on a version that will allow users to create their own card designs or animation bitmaps and integrate them into the game.

And last but not least, I like to get bug reports, your comments and/or suggestions to enhance this game.

Enjoy!!


A place where the 10 best players appear with their respective high scores.


Hints & Tips

*    Plan your card movements ahead of time.

*    Try to turn over as many blind cards as early as possible.

*    Avoid unnecessary moves.

*    Pause and take a break.

*    Before you save a game, Pause it. This suspends the timer and saves you some seconds you'll need to save the game.

*    Avoid piling up cards that can be moved up to a suit stack.