PentaDice



A Game of Strategy, Skill and Luck for the Newton OS

Table of Contents



1	Welcome and Registration



1.1		About PentaDice	

1.2		Registering PentaDice	

1.3		Contacting Stand Alone, Inc.	

1.3.1		Email	

1.3.2		Phone	

1.3.3		Regular Mail	

1.3.4		World Wide Web	



2		Installation	

	

3		Set Up

3.1		Setting up a New Game

3.2		Playing the Game

3.2.1		Beginning the Game

3.2.2		Rolling the Dice

3.2.3		Placing Your Roll on the Score Sheet



4		Scoring in PentaDice

4.1		Upper Section	

4.1.1		Ones	

4.1.2		Twos	

4.1.3		Threes	

4.1.4		Fours	

4.1.5		Fives	

4.1.6		Sixes	

4.1.7		Upper Bonus	

4.2		Lower Section	

4.2.1		Three of a Kind	

4.2.2		Four of a Kind	

4.2.3		Full House	 

4.2.4		Small Straight	

4.2.5		Large Straight	

4.2.6		Five of a Kind	

4.2.7		Bonus Five	

4.2.8		Chance	



5	Winning and Other Important Things

	

5.1		Wining the Game	

5.2		Odds and Ends	

5.2.1		Prefs	

5.2.2		High Scores	



1	Welcome and Registration



1.1	About PentaDice



Welcome to PentaDice, a game of strategy, skill, and luck for the Newton. Up to

four players can play in a game, and up to three of those can be controlled by

the Newton. You play by trying to get the highest scoring combinations of dice

rolls to beat your opponents.



Included in this archive are the following packages:



PentaDice.pkg This is the software package that you need to install on

your Newton



PentaDice.pdf This is the usersU manual for PentaDice.



PentaDice.txt Another manual, this time in text format. Use the pdf manual if at

all possible, as it has layout and graphics that cannot be included in the text

file. The pdf manual is viewed using Adobe( Acrobat Reader(,

which may be obtained free of charge at www.adobe.com.



SAStuff.txt A list of all of the software available from Stand Alone Inc.



SA reg.pkg Install this package to 	register your software.



1.2	Registering PentaDice



The PentaDice Demo will work for a 30 day trial period. At the end of the 30

Days, it will stop working. To avert this tragedy, you will need to get in touch

with Stand Alone to register your software. You can register with us by several

different methods.



You will need to include the following information, no matter how you choose to

register. Most importantly, you need to include your name EXACTLY as it is

entered in your Newton, including spaces. We use this to generate your password,

so it must be precise. You will need to specify which programs you wish to

register, and include payment for each of them. We accept Visa, Mastercard, and

American Express. If you are using normal mail, you can send us a check as well.

Make sure to include your card number, the expiration date, and what type of card

you are using. You also need to give us a way to get in touch with you. Email is

the preferred way, followed by your address and phone number. An Email address is

not strictly necessary, but it results in much faster service.



For instant gratification, register by phone, and pay using Visa or Mastercard.

To do so, call (773) 477-2492 and we will give you a password right over the

phone.



Alternatively, you can send us a check to the address below.



You can also Email us one of several ways. The application has a Register section

under the  button. Tap on that to open up a registration slip. If you fill out

that slip, and have an Email client on your Newton, it will automatically Email

us and we will send you a registration code. You could also just Email us the

relevant information from your Newton or a desktop machine, and weUll send you a

code. If you are registering through Compuserve, use, GO SWREG.



Once you register, you will receive a password from us. You can install this

password one of two ways. There is an option to Enter Password under the  menu.

Tap on it to bring up a screen that has a space to enter the password.

Alternatively, just install the SA Register package enclosed in the PentaDice

archive. Select RPentaDiceS from the pop-up menu at the top, and enter the

password. You should get a message confirming the password. Afterwards, you may

remove the SAS Register application from you Newton.



1.3	Contacting Stand Alone Inc.



There are several ways to get in touch with us here at Stand Alone, Inc.  Email

is the preferred form of communication, but whatever works for you is fine. If

you have any questions, comments, suggestions or compliments, please don't

hesitate to contact us through any of the methods listed below.



1.3.1	Email: 

internet: 		info@standalone.com 

AOL: 			Std Alone

CompuServe:		76342,3057



1.3.2	Phone: 

Voice: 			(773) 477-2492 

Fax:			(773) 477-2579



1.3.3	Regular Mail: 

Stand Alone 3171 N. Hudson, Suite 1 

Chicago, IL, 60657 

USA



1.3.4	World Wide Web: 

http://www.standalone.com 



2	Installation



The first thing that you need to do to get your software up and running is to

install it on your Newton. To do this, you need to have Newton Backup Utility, or

Newton Connection Utilities, set up to talk to your Newton. If you have problems

with this part of the installation, please contact  consult the documentation

that came with your Newton. Once Newton Backup Utility is set up, just follow the

steps listed below to for each of the packages you wish to install.



1. Open the Newton Backup Utility , or Newton Connection Utilities  on your

Desktop machine.



2. On your Newton, go to the Extras Drawer and tap the Connection icon .



3. Once the Newton Backup Utility has loaded on your desktop machine, make sure

your cables are connected and tap the  button on your Newton.



4. For each of the packages you wish to install, do the following:



% Tap the Install Package button in the Newton Backup Utility



% Go to the folder where your packages are, and select the desired package.



% Click on the RInstallS button



3		Set-up



To begin a game of PentaDice, go to the PentaDice icon in the Extras Drawer and

tap on it. When tapped, it launches, and the opening screen will appears.





To begin a new game, you just need to tap the New button.



3.1	Setting-up a New Game



When you tap on the New Button, the set-up screen appears. The set-up screen has

the names of all of the people playing.



Player 1Us information is taken from the Owner Info of the Newton. PentaDice

starts with only Player 1 playing. To include another player you need to write a

player name into the line. For each player that you include, you need to decide

if they will be played by a human, or the Newton. Just check the box under the

player number if you want them to be a Newton player. The computer controls any

player designated as a Newton player.  Any player with a name entered is included

in the game. To remove a player from the game, delete their name. When you have

set the number of players and if they are human or Newton controlled, just tap

the Play button to begin the game. To close the window without making any

changes, just tap the   button.



3.2	Playing the Game



Once you have set the number of players and returned to the main screen, itUs

time to begin the game.



3.2.1	Beginning a Turn 

To begin your turn, tap the Roll button. The computer

players roll automatically, so you donUt need to worry about them.



3.2.2	Rolling the Dice 

Tapping the Roll button rolls the set of five dice.

Each turn you have three chances to get the best combination of numbers. After

you have rolled the dice, tap on the dice that you wish to re-roll. These dice

become highlighted. When you have made your choice, tap the re-roll button. You

may do this twice each turn. There is also an option in Prefs that will allow you

to make the tapped dice the ones that you keep, rather then re-roll. You may

decide to place the roll at any time, and do not need to take any of your

re-rolls.





3.2.3	Placing Your Roll on the Score Sheet. 

When satisfied with  your roll, or

after the third roll in a single turn, you  need to decide how to score the roll.

To do so, just tap on the space on the score sheet where you wish to place your

roll. Your roll is then scored, and the total is entered into the sheet.



4	Scoring in PentaDice.



Each player has fourteen spaces on the score sheet to

enter a roll. Not so coincidentally, each game lasts for fourteen turns, and ends

when each player has filled every space on there score sheet. Each turn, you must

enter your roll into a space on the score sheet. You cannot skip a turn and if

the roll is inappropriate for the space, for example placing a roll of 1, 1, 3,

4, 5 in the twos slot, the roll is scored as zero. The Newton tabulates the score

in the scoring rows, and no value can be entered by the player.



The scoring of each slot is listed below.



4.1	Upper Section



The upper section has seven parts, listed from one to six, with a space for an

Upper bonus. You can only enter rolls into the first six lines. The top section

is scored as follows.



4.1.1	Ones 

You get one point for each one that is included in the roll,

scoring between 0-5 points



4.1.2	Twos 

You receive two points for each two in the roll, scoring between

0-10 points



4.1.3	Threes 

Here you receive three points for each three in the roll, scoring

between 0-15 points.



4.1.4	Fours 

Four points are received for each four included in the roll,

scoring between 0-20 points.



4.1.5	Fives 

Five points are received for each five in the roll, scoring

between 0-25 points.



4.1.6	Sixes 

Six points are scored for each six in the roll, scoring between

0-30 points.



4.1.7	Upper bonus 

You receive the upper bonus for having an upper total of

greater than 62 points. This point total can be achieved through any combination

of points in the upper section, and is worth 35 points.



4.2	Lower Section



In the lower section of PentaDice, you receive points for having combinations of

dice. The eight slots to place rolls are detailed below.



4.2.1	3 of a Kind 

To receive points for this place, you must have three of the

same number on your selection of dice. You receive points equal to the total of

all of the dice combined, for a point range of 5-30. 1,1,2,4,5 would get 0 points

because it only has two 1Us, while 1,1,1,4,6 would be scored in 3 of a kind and

receive 13 points. 1,1,1,1,1 would also be allowed, but would only be scored for

5 points. In most cases, there are better places to place this roll.



4.2.2	4 of a Kind 

This is much like 3 of a kind, but it requires four of the

same number in your roll. The scoring is nearly the same as for 3 of a kind, with

a range of 5-30 points. 1,1,1,4,6 would receive 0 points because it only has

three 1Us,  while 1,1,1,1,6 would get 10 points, and 1,1,1,1,1 would get 5.



4.2.3	Full House 

This space is based on a poker hand, and you need to have 3

of one number and 2 of another on the dice. For example, 1,1,1,3,3 would be a

scoring roll, as would 3,3,3,6,6. In all cases, a Full House is worth 25 points.



4.2.4	Small Straight 

A small straight requires that four or more of the dice

in a roll be in consecutive order. 1,2,3,4,6 and 2,3,4,5,4 count as small

straights, but 1,2,3,5,6 does not. A small straight is always worth 30 points.



4.2.5	Large Straight 

A Large Straight requires that all of the dice in a roll

be in consecutive order. 2,3,4,5,6 would be a legal Large Straight. Large

Straights are worth 40 points.



4.2.6	5 of a Kind 

5 of a Kind requires all of the dice in a roll to be the

same. 4,4,4,4,4 is considered a 5 of a Kind. 5 of a kind is worth 50 points.



4.2.7	Bonus 5 

This space is the same as 5 of a kind, and is worth 100 points.

It is only counted if 5 of a kind has already been scored.



4.2.8	Chance 

This roll adds up the value of all of the dice in a roll, and

scores their total. Chance is worth between 5-30 points.



5	Winning and Other Important Things



5.1	Winning the Game



When fourteen turns have passed, and a roll has been entered into each space on

the score sheet, the games ends. The person with the most total points is the

winner.



5.2	Odds and Ends



The i button contains a number of extra features for PentaDice.



5.2.1	Prefs 

Prefs has two ways to customize PentaDice





5.2.2	The first option is to set how long the computer playerUs dice are

shown. For a fast game, set it for a shorter time. To view the computerUs dice

and re-rolls, set it for a longer time.



5.2.3	Customizing re-rolls 

Normally, when you are re-rolling dice, the dice

you tap and highlight are the ones that are re-rolled. However, you have the

option of having the dice you highlight be the ones that are saved rather then

re-rolled. To set whichever you prefer, just tap on your selection.



5.2.4	High Scores 

If you go to High Scores under the  menu, it will show you a

list of the highest scoring games ever. Just for the sake of information, a

perfect game of PentaDice has a score of 475.