ArcMind, The Code Breaking Game
by Paolo Stra

This is a multi-tasking code breaking game. The rules are quite simple: you have to work out a combination of colours thought up by the computer. At each of your attempts the Archimedes will give you a little information depending on your guess: the number of right colours in the correct position (represented by a black colour) and the number of right colours in the wrong position (a white colour). In the meantime you can let the computer solve your puzzle.

Features include the following:

- The Arc's and Player's games are independent

- It is possible to choose the difficulty level for each player. Selecting the code length (from 3 to 5) and the number of colours (from 5 to 10) you can get a wide range of code combinations (from 125 to 100,000)

- A scoreboard can be displayed which reports, for both players, the number of games played, the number of games solved and the average number of tries per game

- It is possible to save and load the whole game situation (including the score)

- The Archimedes thinks in the background


PLAYING THE GAME
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Click on the 'New' icon to start the game. You have to think of a code before you can start the game in which the Archimedes guesses - you don't have to enter it onto the bottom of the board, but it makes it easier to reply to the computer.

A click on one of the icons on the right hand side of the window selects that colour.

Clicking Select on a large hole puts the selected colour into that hole. Clicking Adjust deletes the colour from the hole.

Clicking Select on a small hole toggles the colour between black and white colour. Clicking Adjust deletes the colour from the hole.

Click on the 'Ok' icon to confirm your guess.

To clear the game, click on the 'Clr' icon.


MENU ITEMS
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The menu items are as follows:

Info gives the usual information box.
Reset resets the game, the level and the score.
Save allows the game state to be saved.
Quit quits the application

Score displays the score in a dialogue box.
Back sends the game back to the Arc's last attempt to enable you to correct your reply.
Resign ends the player's game and displays the secret code.
Arc sets the skill level for the Archimedes.
Player sets the skill level for you.


For those interested in C, the source code has been saved as !ArcMind.C_Source.
