Connecting to the server
Follow these steps to connect to the server.
- Open the client
- You will see a dialog asking you if you wish to accept a
certificate. You need to accept it for the client to function. (since
it needs to open a socket to the server)
- Enter the actual server name instead of localhost. (Leave the
field saying 2400 alone.)
- Click on Connect.
- Enter your Login and Password and click
Login. If you do not have a login, you can use one of the guest
accounts. Use Guest1 or Guest2 or Guest3... as
login (capitalized G) and none as password.
The client
Fields
Here is a description of what each field does:
- Console: Type commands to be sent directly to the server. (type
Commands at the console to get a list of the available commands
and Help < command name > to get help on the specific command.
- Answer: Type answers/solutions in here when you are in a game.
- Send: Send something for every other player to see.
- Say: Send something for everyone in your current game to see.
Note: You can press Alt+c to get to the console, Alt+a
to get to the answer field and Alt+s to get to the send
field.
Buttons
Here is a description of what the buttons do:
- Connect/Disconnect: Connect to the server if you are
not. Disconnect from the server if you are connected.
- Options: Opens a new window to change your options or
options of the client (see Options)
- Create game: Opens a new window. Used for Creating a new game. The default values are the
ones in your Options.
- Game List: Opens a new window with the current games.
- Player List: Opens a new window with the currently online
players.
- Messages: See the list of messages that other players have
left.
- Post: Post a message for other players to see with the
Message button.
- Leave: Leave the game you are in.(only available if you are
in a game)
- Ready: Says that you are ready for the next round of the
game to start.
Options
Here is a list of options available. Note that there are 4 tabs
(Client, Game, Player and Keys). However, only the
Client tab is available when you are not connected to the
server. Also, all options are saved on the server except for those in
the Client tab which must be reset every time.
Client
Set options for the clients (these need to be reset every time the
client is reloaded).
- Font size: Change the font size of the main text window or game
window. Note that only new messages will have the new text size.
- Display server ok messages: Use only for debugging
purposes. The server usually sends an ok message to acknowledge the
receipt of a valid command.
- Display commands to server: Display the text sent from the
Console to the server in the main text window.
- Auto Ready: Automatically click Ready between rounds
of a game (immediately after the previous round ends).
Game
Set values for the default game created. See Creating a game.
Player
Set player options.
- Ans mode: The answering mode that you will use in a
game. All examples are given assuming that you are using the default
Keys and playing a game of Basic 24.
- 0=Single Digit Reverse Polish Notation: See wikipedia
for full description. For example, given
1,2,3,5, you could write 52+1+3* or 12+35+* or
521++3* as a correct answer. Note that only number between 1
and 10 can be entered in this notation (write 0 for 10).
- 1=Full Expression Write down the exact expression that
gives the answer.
For example, given 1,2,3,5, you could write
(1+2)*(3+5) or 3*(5+2+1) as a correct answer.
- 2=Multi Digit Reverse Polish Notation: This is the same as
single digit reverse polish notation except that everything (numbers
and operators) must be separated by a separator (default is .).
For example, given 10,2,3,5, you could write 3.5.-.10.2.+.* as a
correct answer.
- 24=Intermediate Results Notation: Combine two numbers (using
some operator) to make a number x. Replace those two numbers by
x. Combine 2 of the 3 remaining numbers to make a number
y (and replace). Combine the last 2 numbers to make 24 (or
whatever the target number is). In this notation, you would write
x.y where . is the separator.
For example, given 1,2,3,5, you could write
3.8 (to mean 1+2=3,3+5=8,3*8=24) or 7.8 (to mean
5+2=7,1+7=8,3*8=24) as a correct answer.
Note that if there are n cards, you will always write n-1
intermediate numbers in this notation. Also note that the order does
matter (in the example, 8.7 is incorrect).
- Display notices: Display server notices about things that
are not immediately relevant to you (eg: other players creating games,
other players leaving and joining the server).
Keys
Change the default symbols used to give an answer. Reverse sub refers
to reverse subtraction (ie:a_b=b-a) and reverse div refers to reverse
division (ie:a\b=b/a). These are mostly useful for reverse polish
notation.
Note that the separator (default .) is used to separate elements
(numbers or operators) within a single answer. If you are playing a
game with multiple sets, answers to different sets must be separated
by space (" ").
Creating a game
To create a game, click on the Create game button. A window
will appear where you can select the variant of the game to be
created. Then click Ok to create the game. Here are what the
entries in the window mean: