This is the Read Me file which is included with Solito Deluxe 2.02 in html format.

Contents

Welcome to Solito Deluxe!

Solito Deluxe is a Newton version of four popular Solitaire games. With Solito Deluxe, you can play Klondike, Canfield, Pyramid and Aces, each with different playing options. See the end of this file for instructions on how to play.

Solito Deluxe is Shareware and costs $15. It will run for two weeks before expiring. To register call Tactile Systems, Inc. at 303-841-1114 or mail $15 to:

Tactile Systems, Inc.
19970 Latigo Lane
Parker, CO 80134

I know, Solito Deluxe used to be free, but times change! If you are using version prior to 2.02, you should still pay the shareware fee, or perhaps $10 if you like, isn't it worth it?

You can contact us at info@tactile.com or you can visit the Solito Deluxe web page at http://rainbow.rmi.net/~rbruce/tactile/solito.html

This is version 2.1 and seems stable, but if you find any bugs, please report them to info@tactile.com. If you have any suggestions on anything, we'll be more than happy to read them and try to implement them as well (when time permits and if shareware fees start pouring in ;-) ).

Features:

Installing Solito Deluxe

When you install Solito Deluxe on your Newton, You have the option of installing the Help File (SoloHelpII) and Extra Decks (Classic, Clear, Intricate, or Solo 1.41) as well. These take up a little more RAM, but they're worth it! You may also install these packages on an external storage card, even if Solito is in your Newton's internal storage memory. SoloHelpII, and the Extra Decks appear in the Extensions folder of the Extras Drawer.

Decompressing Solito Deluxe

If you are using a Mac, simply decompress the enclosed files with a Stuffit compatible decompressor.

If you are using a PC, you might need to de-binhex the file first (depending on where you got it). There is a program called BINHEX that will do that for you. Then you will need UNSTUFF (make sure you have the latest version) to unstuff the files. Both of these programs are available almost everywhere, but if you can't find them let me know. Once this is done, you'll have all the files you need and you can then install them (using the Windows Connection Kit).

Game rules

You probably know how to play some form of solitaire, and the specific rules for each game follows this topic, but here are a few pointers for general operations.

 

Klondike Rules

There are three components to the game: the Deck, the four Foundations and the seven Columns.

Place cards in descending order and alternating suites ( i.e. 10 of Hearts, 9 of Spades, etc.) down the columns, the King being the highest value and the only card allowed in an empty column.

Aces can go to the Foundations at the top. You then build the Foundations in ascending order of the same suite.

Canfield Rules

Canfield is similar to Klondike, except the Foundation card is selected at random. When you build the Foundations, you start with the randomly selected value, build up to the King, then you continue with the Ace, and so on. When building the columns, you go down from the card which comes just before the Foundation card (it becomes the highest value card) and build down to the Ace which is then followed by the King.

This game adds a fourth component: the Stock. Only Cards from the Stock go to empty columns until it becomes empty, at which time you can use cards from the Deck to fill these empty columns.

Pyramid Rules

Pyramid is very simple to play, but very hard to finish (the reward is good though). The goal is to combine cards whose values total 13 i.e. 6 & 7, 8 & 5, single King, etc. Simply tap on the cards each in turn to select a pair.

You go through the Deck once, one card at a time. When playing the 2 card game, the previously dealt card is fed to a second pile from which you may also combine cards. This option makes the game somewhat easierÉ

Aces Rules

Cards are dealt 4 at a time. Remove all the lowest cards of the same suite by tapping on them. Aces have the highest value. For example, if you deal the following cards:

8 (Clubs) 3 (Harts) 10 (Clubs) 4 (Clubs)

You may remove the 4 and 8 of clubs as they are lower than the 10 of clubs.

Either only aces or any card may be played in an empty column (see prefs).

You must end up with only aces on top, and all cards must be played. It's even better to end up with only the four aces and no other cards underneath.

Using the small icons

The scoring system

Scoring is based on Luck Points. For every game you play, you lose a little bit of points, but when you win you get a bunch of points. The harder the settings, the more points you get. Win twice in a row and get extra points! Bring your luck to 100% and see what happens! By the way, the Joker card is good luck too!

How to improve your luck

Use harder settings and don't cheat.

Hint: flipping 1 card an unlimited number of times is not very good for your luck.

Using the same deck twice might be fun, but you'll loose a few luck points!

Winning twice in a row is considered the luckiest thing of all!

Seeing a joker card is also lucky!

If you win an average number of games, your luck will stay pretty much the same (it might improve a bit), if you win more than the average person, your luck will increase, now this is based on the statistics I (with the help of my beta testers) managed to compile by playing many games, over time, future versions of the game will be more fair, especially if you let me know how many games you've played, which settings you used and how many you've won. Send me mail!

Removing Solito Deluxe

If you ever decide to remove Solito Deluxe (why would you?) you might want to be aware of two things. Solito creates some preferences in your Newton's memory, they are small, but they are there. When you delete (or scrub) Solito Deluxe you will get an alert asking you if you want to remove the preferences from your Newton.

Changing your Preferences

Tap the "i" button and select "Prefs".

Displaying the Welcome screen

So you like the Welcome screen eh? But you decided you didn't want to see it anymore? And now you want to see it again? Well fear no more! You can display it again by choosing "Show Welcome screen" in the Preferences.

History of changes

Changes in 2.1

Changes in 2.02

Changes in 2.01

Changes in 2.0

Changes in 1.63

Changes in 1.62

Changes in 1.61

Changes in 1.6

Changes in 1.5

Changes in 1.1

Solito Deluxe is distributed as a stuffit file. If you do not have the decompressor for this file format, you can download it from Aladdin System's web page and other sources. Updates are available on the Solito Deluxe home page at http://rainbow.rmi.net/~rbruce/tactile/solito.html

Here a couple of things you should know:

Solito Deluxe takes up quite a bit of RAM (about 140K), especially if you have the Help book and the Extra Deck designs installed (SoloHelpII (19K), Classic (10K), Clear (8K), Intircate (11k) and Solo 1.41 (7k) ). If this is too much for you, find a copy of Solito 1.41 (regular version with Klondike only) which takes up less RAM (58K) and which also comes with Solito Lite , a lighter (35K) version that supports all the same rules, but without the gadgets. Both of these are free.

Feedback

Send Registration fee ($15), comments/suggestions/bug reports to:

Tactile Systems, Inc.
Internet: info@tactile.com
19970 Latigo Lane
Parker, CO 80134

Or call:

303-841-1114

Thanks to Scott Leapman, Matthiew Dixon Cowles and Jeremy Wyld for beta testing! And to Scott Fringer for helping out with DOS compression stuff.

Cheating

Playing a card from the Deck or Stock to the Columns, then moving it to another column (Klondike & Canfield), moving a card from the Foundations back into play or changing the number of cards flipped half way through the gameÉ

Although these moves are not valid (and illegal!), the game lets you play them anyway, but beware you may feel guilty after cheating this way (and your luck points may decrease slightly in some cases)!