Woodruff wrote: ↑05 April 2020, 12:23
Hi everybody, dear Toc(k) players
I made some major changes to the game recently, involving new variants. Some of you have already figured out and asked some questions I answered when I could.
Now that the changes are complete, I wanted to detail in details the new variants (and also these which were already implemented) so that you know how they work exactly and how to set the table options accordingly.
First, on table creation, I remember the two important settings:
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Game type: Free-for-all / Team game
When you choose team game (2 vs 2 or 2 vs 2 vs 2) new options appear which enable you to set the teams. Default is random. Note: the team games options are still selectable with the wrong number of players so that not to jam the interface. However, is the option is still on with the wrong number of players, it would be free-for-all by default.
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Use variants? Yes / No
If you choose no, the game is played without any variant. Report to the section "How to play" to see what the base rules are. However, choosing yes is not enough. You now have to select which variats you want to add among the options which now appear. All variants are compatible with each other. This two-step system has been chosen in order not to spam the interface to new-commers who should start with basics.
All options for variant default on base game, so if you just choose "yes" for the option "Use variants?" and change nothing else before launching, you still have the base game without variants. For each drop-down list, variant options are marked with a * symbol between brackets.
Now, here's the list of the variants in order with complete explanation. In bold the title above the drop-down list and in italic the option to choose for that variant.
You are free to copy/paste that to feed the game wiki if you like (and correct my rusty english at the same time
)
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Start configuration: Fast start: one pawn in play
You start with a pawn already in play on the starting of your color. The other three pawns are still to be put in play later using an Ace or a King.
This pawn is a blocker while it does moves from its field, as if it was freshly put in play.
This option is useful to shorten the game a bit and to soften luck at start
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Charity mode: 1 turn without playing (aggressive)
This variant brings a potential compensation for a player who spent 1 whole round without playing, which can give another chance to an unlucky player.
This is the situation where the player had to discard each card of their hand one-by-one.
A counter in the player panel indicates all player status for that matter (the one illustrated with an arrow and a trash icon).
In that case, the player has to demand a card he wishes from opponents in the beginning of the next round, after each player see their hand and before the exchange for team games. This is called a charity turn.
To do so, he must call any value (numerical or figure). All eligible opponents beginning by the left of the demanding player now must say one-by-one if they own the demanded card or not, until the card is found or all involved nopponents have been interrogated.
An opponent is eligible only if he could play at least one card during the last round. If he is not (and so is eligible to demand a card in this variation), he must not answer.
In team game, the teammate is never eligible and must not answer too.
In this BGA adaptation, the answering is managed automatically by the system.
-If one eligible opponent holds the card in their hand, the answering turn stops. The demanding player must now select a card in their own hand to exchange with the card is demanded. This card remain secret for the other players.
-If no eligible opponent has the card, nothing else happens; the demanding player have just missed the opportunity.
Note 1: if the answering opponents holds several copies of the demanding card, he just gives one which is randomly selected by the system.
Note 2: if there is no eligible opponents at this moments, the player misses the opportunity and does not call any card. If it is not the case, demanding a card is
mandatory.
Note 3: if there are several eligible player to demand a card, their charity turns are processed in the round order beginning with the firstmost.
Note 4: When you play with a variant for the effect of the 5, playing a 5 to move another player pawn (see variants for 5) is considered the same as discarding so you may still be eligible to demand a card.
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Charity mode: 2 turns without playing (moderate)
This is the same as the previous variant but now a player gets a charity turn only if he spend two
consecutive turns without playing.
The eligible opponents are still those who could play at least once during the previous round (their counter must show zero).
The counter in the player panel helps to keep track. It resets to zero immediately when the player effectively plays or after all charity turns if he had one, successful or not.
The counter also resets even if the player got a avorted charity turn because there was no eligible opponent.
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Charity mode: 3 turns without playing (moderate)
Same as before but with three consecutive turns.
So this would occur even more rarely than with 2 turns and have less impact on the game.
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Effect of the Ace: Put a pawn in play or 1 or 11 forward
Self-explanatory. With an Ace you get a third option to move forward by eleven. So sheltering 11 fields ahead an opponent pieces is no longer a viable strategy.
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Effect of the 5: 5 forward, other player pawns only
Without variant, the 5 is not a special card. With that option it can be used to move other player pawns by 5, but it is no longer usable on their own pawns.
A blocking pawn on its starting field can be targetted to force it to free the other pawns behind it.
It can be used to force an opponent to miss their home entrance too.
It is possible to make that pawn eat another if it lands on it directly.
In a team game, it can be used to move the pawns of the teammate. But when one play with the pawns of their teammate after he managed to enter their four own, it cannot be used anymore on these pawns, only on opponents'.
It is possible to use it to make a pawn enter its home.
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Effect of the 5: 5 forward, all player pawn including own
Same as before but now it is possible to move any possible pawn including their own.
Any pawn (allied of foe) that can be move legally by 5 can be chosen.
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Effect of the 7: 1 to 7, no split, eating on the way
With this variant, it is no longer possible to move several pawns with one 7. Instead, the chosen pawn can be moved 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 fields forward. It still eats any pawn on the way.
This variant makes the entrance in home easier when one have no other pawn in play. However tidying one's home can now take more turns.
This can also speed up the last phase of the game, easing the entrance of the last pawn.
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Effect of the Ten: 10 forward, no discard
With this variant, the 10 becomes a normal card. It looses its discard effect whether it is played or discarded.
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Effect of the Jack: usable on own starting pawn? Yes
With this variant it is now possible to select one freshly put-in-play pawn for the swap, without having to move it from its starting field first.
It is still not possible to select an other blocking pawn though.
An opponent swapped pawn that land on that starting field that way is now threatened if it is not move just after that.
That's it for the available options. I don't plan to implement any other at this moment because now you can see it has plenty already; adding more could question the game integrity since two different sets of options could lead to very different games and it would be necessary to take time to see which options are there to understand how to play. Players could simply be lost.
Note that there might be new bugs because of the update. If it happens on a turn-by-turn game and is not prevent you from finishing the game, just ignore: this is probably due to a wrong update on this particular tables (which unfortunately happens more often due to the servers overloading). But if you can't make your move please report.
You can still PM Een and Sourisdudesert to cancel any penalty because of a bug.
Also note that there are problems with the internationalisation (translation) system, not related to the game itself. I am waiting for the admins to look at it. In the meantimes, there may be missing translations, sorry for that.
Thank you all and have fun with Toc! (with or without variants
)
Take care,
Woodruff
