# mahjongg.info
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# Help file for XView mahjongg.
# Created:  9/9/91 by S.K. Tazuma
# $Header: /home/sirius/skt/cmds/src/sun/mj/RCS/mahjongg.info,v 2.4 91/12/20 14:31:16 skt Exp $
#
# line of '#'s below represents the maximum width
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:help
1.  Introduction

This is a solitaire version of the Mahjongg game.
The object is to remove all the tiles from the
board.  This is accomplished by selecting and
removing matching pairs of tiles.

The board consists of 5 layers of tiles, arranged
in a pyramid.  You are looking down at the
pyramid.  The top of the pyramid is located near
the center of the window.  Many of the tiles that
appear on the board are covering hidden tiles
that will be revealed when the covering tile
is removed.

2.  Selecting Tiles

The left mouse button is used to select tiles.
A tile will be high-lighted when you successfully
select it.  Not every visible tile can be
selected.  A playable tile is defined as a
tile that has its entire top surface free (not
covered), and either its left or right side free
(no tile adjacent to that side).

Note:  You can de-select a selected (and
high-lighted) tile by attempting to select
it again.

3.  Matching Pairs of Tiles

After selecting one tile, the next step is to
select a matching tile.  This requires you to
find and select (with the left mouse button)
another tile that is part of the same group
as the first tile.  There are 4 tiles in each
group.  In all tile groups except two, the 4
tiles in the group are identical in appearance.

The two exceptions are:  the 4 seasons
(Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn) and the 4
types of plants (Bamboo, Chyrsanthemum, Orchid,
Plum).  Within these two groups of tiles, any
one tile will match any other.  For example,
Winter will match Spring or Summer or Autumn.

4.  Completing the Move

After selecting the second tile in a matched
pair, you will be prompted for confirmation of
the move.  A message indicating what you are to
do next will be shown in the control area of
the game's display window.

The message will be shown with 3 options in
square brackets ([]).  Pressing the left mouse
button will select the left-most choice,
the middle button will select the middle
choice, and the right button will select the
right-most choice.  For example, when shown:
	[Y] [NEXT] [N]
a left mouse button will select Y(es), the
middle button will select the NEXT response,
and the right button will select the N(o)
response.  The Y response will confirm the
move and both high-lighted tiles will be
removed.  The N response will cancel the
move and the high-lighted tiles will be
un-high-lighted.  See "Getting Help ..."
below for information on the NEXT response.

5.  Getting Help During Play

There are two ways to get help.  If you select
the HELP button, you are shown one or more
possible moves, if any.  If no moves are shown,
you'll see the message:  No more moves,
and essentially the game is over (you can use
UNDO to backtrack, or select AGAIN or NEW to
begin a new game).

Another way to get help is after selecting one
tile (or two tiles, but not yet having confirmed
the move).  Pressing the middle mouse button at
this point starts a search for a tile matching
the first tile selected, and if found, the
matching tile will be high-lighted and you will
be allowed to remove the pair of tiles if you
wish (by pressing the left mouse button), or
continue the search for another match (by
pressing the middle mouse button), or cancel
the entire move (by pressing the right button).

6.  Winning the Game

You win the game when you remove all the tiles
from the board.
#
:tiles_remaining
This area shows the number of tiles remaining in
the board.  It begins at 144 and counts down to 0.
#
:board_number
This input area allows you to specify
a particular board number to use.
#
:help_button
The HELP button shows some possible moves to
make.  If you press HELP and no moves are
shown, then you can't continue on with the
current board.  In other words, you've lost
the current game.

When in HELP mode, the cursor will change
shape, and a prompt will appear in the
message area below the row of buttons.  The
prompt will ask you to hit the left
mouse button to indicate a Yes answer to
the question (which will continue the help
mode), and the right mouse button will
indicate a No answer (end of help mode).
#
:again_button
The AGAIN button re-starts the game using
the same board you started with.
#
:new_button
The NEW button re-starts the game using
a new board, randomly chosen.
#
:undo_button
The UNDO button puts back the tiles from
the previous move.  You can undo a game
all the way back to the beginning.
#
:quit_button
The QUIT button exits the game immediately
without requesting confirmation.
#
:message_area
This message area will provide feedback to
you at various times while playing the game.
Watch this area especially for instructions
on which mouse buttons to press.
#
:message_panel
This is the control area for the mahjongg
game.  You can obtain more specific help on
various items in this area by pointing the
mouse cursor at the item and then requesting
help again.

If you request help when the mouse cursor is
in the game board area below, a detailed
description of the game will be provided.
#
:credits
The original SunView version of this game was
developed in 1988 by Mark A. Holm and others.
Although the developers of the SunView version
were not directly involved in developing this
XView version, much of the SunView code, and all
of the icons, were re-used in building this
program.  The XView port was completed in 1991 by
Stan K. Tazuma.  Release 2.0 is the first public
distribution of the XView version.
