Manual
From CookieCraft
Contents |
Running the game
Starting the client
Starting the applet in the browser
The simplest way to start Cookie Craft is navigating your browser to www.cookie-craft.de and to click an the screenshot. After loading the 400kB Java applet you get to the login tab. If not, maybe you can find advices in the FAQ
Starting the installed application
If you have downloaded and installed Cookie Craft, you can start the game over Start menu.
| Windows | Start->Programs->Cookie Craft->Cookie Craft |
|---|---|
| Linux | Start->Games->Cookie Craft |
If this does not work, there is also the possibility to start the game over console/DOS prompt.
| Windows | Start->Programs->Run and enter cmd.
|
|---|---|
| Linux | start a console |
In the console/DOS prompt enter the following:
cd [Cookie Craft installation directory] java -jar cookie-craft.jar
A small window will appear which lets you select where to play. Click on "Play on internet" to connect to the online game server.
Login / user registration
The login tab gives you the choice to login as a registered user or to login as guest. Registered users can score points in direct competition with other registered people.
As a guest, you don't need to register but you can't earn (or loose) any points.
Registration
Click on Register to get to the registration form. Choose a user name, a password and type in your email address to which the activation code will be sent and submit with Register. Insert the activation code in the field (on the Account tab) to activate your account.
The password will be stored md5-hashed, which means that it can't be read by anyone.
Creating a new game
The Play tab has a list with all available games on the left side and a list with all currently running games on the right side. To start a new game, select a game type in the left list, enter a name for the game if you want and click Create game. Have a look at the Playing section for more information.
If you want to join an existing game, click the Refresh list button to retreive a list with all running games. Select the one you want on the right list and press the Join button.
Note: The list of running games does not reload automatically.
Playing on local network (LAN)
Starting the server
The official server runs at server.cookie-craft.de on port 12345, where the official highscore is managed. However, you can host your own games on your own Cookie Craft server. For that, you need to install Cookie Craft and choose one of these options after starting the game: dieser Optionen wählen:
- Play local or on LAN (starts a server)
- Starts a local server and the Cookie Craft application, which automatically connects to the local server. Closing the application will shutdown the server, too.
- Start server
- Starts solely a local server. You can see an icon in the system tray when the server is running. By clicking on this icon you can shutdown the server.
The benefit of an own server is an own user management and an own highscore, which you can reset ad libitum.
Starting the client
If you want to play Cookie Craft in the local network without connecting to the official server, you have to start your own server. It will do if only one player start the server and the others will connect to it by clicking on Connect to LAN server after starting the application. After this they have to replace localhost by the IP of the server and click the OK button.
Playing
Game window
- progress bar which indicates the remaining time for your move
- button to start the game or finish your move
- button to offer a draw
- player list; form: score: name (highscore, rank in highscore)
- spectator list
- the game field
- all chat messages are listet here
- here you can write a chat message
- click this button to send a chat message
In the top left of the game window there is the list of players which are currently in the game. A row is marked by empty if this slot is still free. The game can only start if all slots are taken by players. Wait until other people have joined the game and the empty entries have changed to their username. Secondary you can do more important things like observing the player list to see when someone has joined. Once a player enters your game, you should hear a sound if play sound when player joined is activated.
Under the player list you can find the spectator list. If you don't want to play, just want to watch, you can double-click on the spectator list to become a spectator. A turning to a player is only possible if there are free slots (empty) in the player list. Become a player by double-clicking on empty.
The rest of the right side is the chat. There you can see all messages written since you are in the game. You can send a message by writing your text into the box under the message list and clicking on Send or pressing Enter.
Playing the game
If the player list has no "empty" entries any more, click the "Start" button to start the game. Your entry in the player list gets a green background, which means that you are ready. Once all players clicked start (and are green in the list), the game begins. The progress bar at the top left begins to run and it shows you the remaining time for the move.
The game is round based. Every player can move (define direction and strength of the motion) all his pieces once per round. You can move a piece by putting the mouse cursor over the piece, clicking the left mouse button and holding it while dragging the mouse. The arrow shows you the direction and strength. Release the mouse button when you have chosen the desired movement and move your other pieces in an analogous manner. The longer the arrow the faster the piece will be. If you are ready, click on the Go button to abbreviate wait time.
During moving the progress bar is filling up. If it is full, you cannot move any more. So the simulation starts and your actions and those of the other players will be simulated. After simulation has finished, the progress bar will be resetted and you can move the pieces again.
The game ends according to the game type (e.g. ball in goal). You can find more information at the particular game type.
Keyboard shortcuts
The game can be controlled with the keyboard in general. To make sure the keys work, set the focus on the game field by clicking on it.
Shortcuts:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| R | Toggle the Ready button |
| Enter or A | Activate the Go button |
| Ctrl + [0-9] | Store the current motions (arrows) as shortcut |
| [0-9] | Load the motion shortcut |
| Tab | Switch through the single cookie balls |
| Up/Down | Increase/decrease the speed of the selected cookie |
| Left/Right | Turn motion direction angle left/right |
| Shift + Up/Down | Exact increase/decrease of the speed of the selected cookie |
| Shift + Left/Right | Exact turn of the motion direction |
Game types
- 1 Player
- 2 Players
- 3 Players
- Others
Scoring system and highscore
Jeder registrierte Nutzer erhält zu Beginn 1500 Punkte. Aus diesen Punkten läßt sich auch der Rang in der Highscore ableiten. Ihre Punkte sowie Ihren Rang können Sie entweder im Spielfenster rechts oben oder in der gesammten Highscore im Highscore-Reiter einsehen. Gäste haben keine Punkte, können auch keine gewinnen oder verlieren.
Gewinnen Sie als registrierter Nutzer ein Spiel, so bekommen Sie von den registrierten Verlierern Punkte. Verlieren Sie, so geben Sie an den Gewinner Punkte ab, sofern dieser registriert ist.
Haben Sie beispielsweise PaintballFast zu dritt gegen einen Gast und einen registrierten Nutzer gespielt, so erhalten Sie im Falle eines Sieges, nur Punkte von dem registrierten Nutzers. Gewinnt der registrierte Nutzer, so bekommt dieser von ihnen Punkte. Gewinnt jedoch der Gast, behält jeder seine Punkte. Wären alle 3 Spieler registriert, so würde der Gewinner von beiden Verlieren Punkte bekommen.
Das Punktesystem soll dabei möglichst fair zu sein. So bekommt ein guter Spieler (mit vielen Punkten), wenn er gegen einen schlechten Spieler (mit wenigen Punkten) spielt, für einen Sieg relativ wenige Punkte, bei einer Niederlage verliert er aber relativ viele Punkte. Bei ungefähr gleicher Punktzahl der Spieler sind die Gewinnchancen und Verlustrisiken bieder Spieler auch gleich hoch. Für einen Sieg gibt es dann 8 Punkte vom Gegner, bei einer Niederlage 8 Punkte zum Gegner. Je größer die Punktdifferenz der Spieler ist, desto größer ist der Unterschied zu den 8 Punkten.
Here you can find the detailed odds and loss risks:
| Points of player 2 - Points of player 1 | Points if player 1 wins | Points if player 2 wins |
|---|---|---|
| -∞ bis -1600 | 1 | 15 |
| -1599 bis -800 | 2 | 14 |
| -799 bis -400 | 3 | 13 |
| -399 bis -200 | 4 | 12 |
| -199 bis -100 | 5 | 11 |
| -99 bis -50 | 6 | 10 |
| -49 bis -25 | 7 | 9 |
| -24 bis 24 | 8 | 8 |
| 25 bis 49 | 9 | 7 |
| 50 bis 99 | 10 | 6 |
| 100 bis 199 | 11 | 5 |
| 200 bis 399 | 12 | 4 |
| 400 bis 799 | 13 | 3 |
| 800 bis 1599 | 14 | 2 |
| 1600 bis ∞ | 15 | 1 |
