                           Wimp Chess
                           ==========

Wimp Chess is an imlementation of chess for the Archimedes. Running under the
Acorn Wimp environment. It provides a good standard of play and can be
completely controlled by using the mouse. 

The rest of this file, decribes how to play Wimp Chess.

To start Wimp Chess, either boot this disc using SHIFT BREAK or mount the disc
and type at the * prompt !chess.chess. If your desktop supports it, you can
also double click on the !chess icon.

After starting the program, you will be offered the oportunity to set the
number of moves and time allowed for them. This allows you to control the 
level of the game the computer plays. It also controls how fast the computer
plays. Notice that this is the total time for all the moves not the time for
each individual move. For the moment, you may like to click on OK.
This will cause the board to be set up and the game to begin with you playing
'white' and the Archimedes playing 'black'. On the screen, the white side is
represented by red pieces. You move by clicking on the piece to move
(making it invert in colour) and then clicking on the square you want to move
to. You will notice a message on the icon bar at the bottom of the screen,
which states who is to play next and how much time is available to play in.
Following this procedure, you should be able to play a game of chess. However,
Wimp Chess has many more features described below.

The Icon Bar
============
At the bottom of the screen, is an 'icon bar' with a number of icons on it.
These are from left to right;

Get
===
Clicking on this will pop up the file selector and allow you to load a 
game that you have previously saved with the 'Put' option.

Put
===
Clicking on this will pop up the file selector and allow you to save the
current game and state of play to disc.

Edit
====
Selecting this icon, puts you into 'edit mode'. Here, you can move pieces
around the board using the usual click to pick up and click to place method.
When in edit mode, the edit icon will be inverted. To leave edit mode click
on the edit icon a second time. To remove a piece, move it onto itself.

Hint (question mark)
====
Clicking on this, will show the computers idea of a good move for you.

List Game (printer icon)
=========
This lists the current game to a file 'game_lst' in directory $.chess.games.
This is an ASCII file which you can *type or send to your printer.

Examine Disc (floppy disc icon)
============
This pops up the file selector, and allows you to move around the disc.

Set Colours (artists palette)
===========
This pops up the usual Archie wimp palette which you can use to adjust the
colours in the program to your own personal taste. An option on the chess
menue described later, will let you save these colours to disk.

MOS Command (*)
===========
Selecting this, shells out to the operating system * prompt. You can enter
* commands and then return to chess by hitting Escape or pressing return
without entering anything.

STOP
====
This lets you leave the program.


Clicking anywhere over the main game board with the middle (menu) button
of the mouse, will bring up the Wimp Chess menu. This has several options
which you select in the usual way. They are as follows;

Switch Sides
============
Allows you to swop sides with the Computer.

Computer is White
=================
Lets you make the computer play 'white'.

Computer is Black
=================
Lets you make the computer play 'black'.

Reverse
=======
Lets you reverse the board.

ARC 'v' ARC
===========
This allows you to make the computer play itself. Notice that it may spend some
time thinking in this mode.

Randomise
=========
When selected, a random element will be added to moves.

Easy
====
In easy mode, the computer does not think whilst you do. When not in easy
mode, it does.

Undo
====
Undoes the last move on the board.

Level
=====
Allows you to readjust the level of play, as at the start of the game.

Depth
=====
Allows you to set the maximum search depth for the program in the pop up
menu box to the right.

Beep
====
Controls whether the computer beeps when it has finished thinking.

New
===
Commences a new game.

Save
====
Saves the current setup of chess in the file chess.setup.setup. This includes
the current palette as well as other settings like 'Beep'.

Keyboard
========
The most important key on the keyboard, is the Escape key. If you hit it
whilst it is your turn to play, you will be offered the oportunity to stop
the chess program. Just as if you clicked on the Stop icon. On the other hand,
if you hit it whilst the computer is thinking, it will stop its deliberations
and make a move. Otherwise, you will only need the keyboard to enter filenames
into the file selector. In the file selector, you can select files by double
clicking on them. Directories including the parent and root, are also selected
by double clicking. 


Notes
=====
To run Wimp Chess, you must have the Window Manager module installed. You can
check if this is present by doing '*mod.' if it isn't shown, then reinstall it
using '*rmreinit wind.'. Wimp Chess runs in mode 12, so you must have a screen
size of at least 80K. You can find out the current screen size by doing '*st.'
If the value shown is zero or greater than or equal to 10, everything is fine.
Otherwise, you must do '*conf.scr.10' then do a CTRL Break. 

It is also possible to run Wimp Chess, by '*mou.'nting  this disc and then 
typing *!chess.chess. Alternatively, you can run Wimp Chess from the desktop
by double clicking on the file icon '!Boot'.

Once started, Wimp Chess finds its' resources by using the variable Chess$Path
this is set by the !Run obey file if you double click on !Chess alternatively,
it defaults to "!Chess" e.g. if you just boot the disc. If you want to install
Chess on a hard disc, this information will be of use to you.

Release 1.00 October 1988.
Fixed problem loading opening book
Release 1.01 November 1988
Tweeked for RISCOS
Release 1.02 December 1988


(c) David Pilling 1988

Wimp Chess, is based on the program CHESS by
Stuart Cracraft and John Stanback.
COPYING of this disc for profit, is strictly forbidden.


======
If you have any comments, suggestions, bug reports or complaints or would
like further copies of this disc or details of the many other discs available
for the Archimedes, please write to;

David Pilling
P.O. Box 22,
Thornton Cleveleys,
Blackpool.
FY5 1LR.
United Kingdom.

From time to time enhanced versions of discs will appear. You can upgrade
your copy to the latest one by sending a blank disc with return postage to
the above address.
