copyright 1999-2003 WhitehorseGames. All rights reserved. Whitehorse, WhitehorseGames and the Whitehorse logo are trademarks of WhitehorseGames. Published by Astraware Ltd. - www.astraware.com
All rights reserved.

Introduction

Ignite your Palm with the full colour bundle of Checkers, Chess aand Backgammon.

How To Install

Use an extractor program such as WinZip on the PC or Stuffit Expander (on the Mac) to get at the ChromaGames files. Install the game by double-clicking the .prc file, which opens the Palm Install Tool program.

Use the HotSync button as usual to install the game onto your handheld. If you have a handheld with an expansion card, you can then move the game over to it. Do this before you register the game!

Now run ChromaGames and tap the screen to play the game!

If you've got any queries about ChromaGames or the registration process, first check out our knowledge base on our website (you must be connected to the internet to access this). If this doesn't help, get in touch with us at support@astraware.com. If you've got any questions (or suggestions, we love those) about the game itself, please get in touch with us at the email address at the top of this page.

How to Play Chess

Objective:

The goal in chess is to checkmate the opponent's king. Check occurs whenever a king is threatened with capture. The threatened player must remove this check condition, by moving the king, capturing the attacking piece, or blocking the attack with an interposing piece. If the threatened player is unable to do so, checkmate has occurred and the attacking player wins. If a player is not in check but has no legal move available, a stalemate (draw, or tie) occurs.

Pieces and Movement:

All pieces except the knight may not move into or through squares containing friendly pieces. All pieces except the knight may only move into a square containing an enemy piece when performing a capture. All pieces except the pawn move in the same directions in capture and non-capture moves. Note ChromaGames automatically highlights the valid destination squares for the selected piece, making it easy to learn the movements of the different pieces.

Hint: if you find you are unable to move any of your pieces, your king is probably in check. In this case the only valid moves are those which will eliminate the check condition. You DO have a valid move; otherwise ChromaGames would have already informed you of your defeat!

King:

The king may move and capture 1 square in any direction: horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. It may move 2 squares left or right when castling with a rook (see below).

Queen:

The queen may move and capture any number of squares in any direction: horizontally, vertically, and diagonally.

Rook:

The rook may move and capture any number of squares horizontally and vertically.

Bishop:

The bishop may move and capture any number of squares diagonally. Knight: The knight move and capture is unique. It may move over intervening friendly and enemy pieces. Its move is shaped like an L: one square horizontal and 2 squares vertical, or two squares horizontal and one square vertical.

Pawn:

The pawn's move is different from its capture. The pawn normally moves one square forward. It captures diagonally forward (left and right). A pawn that has never moved may move forward one or two squares. If it moves two, it may be en-passant captured by an opposing pawn which it passes. In any other case, the pawn may move only one square. A pawn that reaches the opposite end of the board must be promoted to another piece type: usually queen is chosen, but all types are available except king and pawn.

Castling:

Castling is a special maneuver performed by the king and rook. If neither has moved yet in the game, all squares between them are empty, and the king and the squares through which it moves are not in check, then the king may move two squares toward the rook. To perform a castle move the king two squares toward the chosen rook. The rook will automatically be placed on the other side of the king (toward the center of the row).

How To Play Checkers

Rules of Checkers

Objective:

The goal in checkers is to place the opponent in a position from which he has no valid move. This is done by capturing or blocking all the opponent's pieces. A draw or tie occurs when neither player is able to force a win.

Pieces and Movement:

There are two types of pieces in checkers: normal men and kings. Men move one square diagonally forward into unoccupied squares. They may capture opposing pieces by jumping diagonally forward over them, landing in an unoccupied square on the far side. A piece must take a jump if it is available, and must continue jumping until all jumps are exhausted. When jumps in more than one direction are available the player may freely choose any jump path. A man who reaches the far side of the board stops movement and becomes a king. Kings may move and jump diagonally forward and backward. Note ChromaGames automatically highlights the valid destination squares for the selected piece.

Hint: if you find you are unable to move any of your pieces, you probably have a jump available. Remember, you must take a jump if it is available.

How to Play Backgammon

Rules of Backgammon

Objective:

The goal in backgammon is to remove all of one's own pieces from the board before the opponent does the same.

The Board:

The board contains twenty-four positions (or points), a center bar, and an off-board region (seen on the far left of the screen). The upper half of the board is the white board and the lower half is the black board. The left half of the board is the home or inner board. The right half of the board is the outer board.

Pieces and Movement:

Dice govern the movement of pieces. The value on each die is used to move a chosen piece the indicated number of points in the appropriate direction: clockwise for black, and counterclockwise for white. Each die may be used to move a different piece. If possible, both die values must be used. If only one value can be used the higher die value must be used. When doubles are rolled, each die value is used twice, for a total of four moves in the turn. A destination point may contain a maximum of one opposing piece. That opposing piece is "hit" and removed to the center bar. Points containing more than one opposing piece may not be occupied. Note ChromaGames automatically highlights the valid destination points for the selected piece.

Hint: if you find you are unable to move many of your pieces, you probably have a piece on the center bar (see next rule).

Center Bar:

The center bar contains pieces of both sides that have been hit. Each player must move all his pieces from the center bar back to the board before any other pieces are moved. Pieces removed from the center bar enter the board in the opponent's home board. If there is no valid move for the piece(s) on the center bar (due to filled points on the opponent's home board) the turn is forfeited.

Bearing Off:

When a player's pieces are all in his own home board, he may remove them from the game. To remove a piece the player must use the die roll to move the piece one space beyond the last point on the board. When a die roll is higher than may be used by any piece, the piece furthest from the edge of the board is removed.

Gammon and Backgammon:

A normal win in backgammon is worth one point. If a player removes all pieces from the board without their opponent removing any pieces, the winner has achieved a Gammon worth two points. If the opponent has a piece on the bar or in the winner's side of the board, the winner has achieved a Backgammon worth three points.

Doubling Cube:

The stakes in a backgammon game begin at one point. Either player may initially propose doubling the stakes to two points, by tapping the doubling cube. The opponent must accept the doubling or resign (lose). Once a player has doubled , he may not double again until the opponent has doubled. The values on the doubling cube are 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64. For scoring purposes, this value is multiplied by two or three in the case of a Gammon or Backgammon.

Registering

In Demo form, you can play 10 games of ChromaGames for free, as you decide whether you like it or not. After these games are up, the program will display a short message reminding you to register each time you play!

If you beam a demo to someone else, and they also like the game, then they can register it either by purchasing a copy from a local store or by purchasing online.

Registering Online:

For those that like the speed and convenience of buying via the internet, when you register for the game, you'll get a code which will unlock the game and remain valid for future upgrades. Go to the web page at http://www.astraware.com/palm/chromagames/ for more details.

You'll need to know your HotSync ID which you can find by running ChromaGames, opening into the menus, and selecting the 'Register...' option. Your HotSync ID will be filled in for you below.

When you register, Astraware will generate a key based on your ID, which will normally be sent out by email within 48 hours of you registering. When you receive your key, go to the same register option, and enter the key into the space provided.

Astraware Products

You can find out about Astraware and the product range we have for mobile platforms by visiting our website at www.astraware.com.
Here are our top products at time of writing:

Release Revision History!

• Fixed crash involving bringing pieces back onto board while bearing off in Checkers
• Fixed game becoming non-responsive where the player moved one of two pieces on the bar back into play, knocking an opponents piece onto the bar
• Added alert when the rule requiring you to play both dice is triggered
• Various other minor bug fixes

Release 1.7 : 12th December, 2003

• Fixed crash bug and numerous other problems on Palm OS 5.2 devices
• Compiled all versions into single PRC file!
• New and improved enhanced sounds
• Added score tracking system - keep track of your games against the computer!
• Fixed crash when promotion of a Pawn resulted in checkmate
• Fixed crash on promotion of normal checkers piece to queen piece

Release 1.43 : 6th February, 2003

• Minor bug fixes and improvements

Release 1.4f2 : 31st January, 2003

• First Public Release

Feedback

If you've got suggestions about how to improve Astraware ChromaGames, or with reports of any problems you've had, then please contact us!

ChromaGames enquiries/feedback: chroma@astraware.com
Registration problems: registrations@astraware.com
General Astraware enquiries: feedback@astraware.com  

Contributors

Whitehorse
Programming: Bill Mitchell
Articifical Intelligence: Eric Rollins
Graphics: Lefty Kognozzle

Astraware
Programming: Ray Seys
Graphics: Stov Thorley

Many thanks go to the beta testing team!

Software License Agreement

1. Grant Of License
   This License permits you to use ChromaGames on any single computer, provided the software is installed on only one handheld device at any time.

2. Copyright
   The software is owned by Astraware Limited and is protected by United Kingdom copyright laws, international treaty provisions, and all other applicable national laws. You may not modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, dissasemble or otherwise attempt to discover the code and algorithms of the software.

3. Other Restrictions
   You may not rent or lease the software, but you may transfer your rights under this license agreement on a permanent basis provided you transfer all copies of the software and all written materials and the recipient agrees to the terms of this license.

4. No Warranty
   The software is delivered as is and Astraware Limited makes no warranty as to its use or performance. Astraware Limited does not, and cannot warrant the performance or results you may obtain by using the Software or its documentation. Astraware Limited makes no warranties, express or implied, as to noninfringement of third party rights, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. In no event will Astraware Limited be liable to you for any consequential, incidental or special damages, or for any claim by any third party.

Legal

Astraware Limited takes no responsibility for any adverse effect that this software could cause to your machine or the data on it: backup important data before using ChromaGames. ChromaGames is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. ChromaGames is licensed, not sold.

You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble this software.

Astraware’s and its suppliers’ entire liability and your exclusive remedy shall be, at Astraware’s option, either (a) return of the price paid, if any, or (b) replacement of the product that does not meet the warranty and which is returned to Astraware with a copy of your receipt. This warranty is void if failure of the product has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication. Any replacement software product will be warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or thirty (30) days, whichever is longer. These remedies are not available without proof of purchase from an authorized source.

Written permission must be obtained before distribution of this game, either in demo form or full form, through any online or offline methods. You may link to the product specific page, but not directly to the files (as these will change and as the programs are updated) 

copyright 1999-2003 WhitehorseGames. All rights reserved. Whitehorse, WhitehorseGames and the Whitehorse logo are trademarks of WhitehorseGames. Published by Astraware Ltd. - www.astraware.com.

Astraware and the planet logo are trademarks of Astraware Limited All rights reserved.