banner_gamerz.gif (6081 bytes)

Help For Scribe

Introduction

Welcome to the network Scribe server. The rules of Scribe are below. The Scribe "challenge" command is described here. Other commands are the same for all pbmserv games.

scribe challenge [-super] userid1 userid2
Start a new game between the named players.
-[super] instantiates the "super glyph" variant. The "majority" version is the default.

Scribe Rules

(Copyright (c) 2007 Mark Steere <mark@marksteeregames.com>)



Author's Note

Feel free to distribute this document.


Introduction

The Scribe board is comprised of nine mini grids which together form one super grid as shown in Figure 1.

        A B C   D E F   G H I 

    1   . . .   . . .   . . .   1 
    2   . . .   . . .   . . .   2 
    3   . . .   . . .   . . .   3    

    4   . . .   . . .   . . .   4 
    5   . . .   . . .   . . .   5 
    6   . . .   . . .   . . .   6 

    7   . . .   . . .   . . .   7 
    8   . . .   . . .   . . .   8 
    9   . . .   . . .   . . .   9 

        A B C   D E F   G H I 

      Figure 1 -- Scribe Board

The 19 glyphs of Scribe are listed in Figure 2.
                              
                                   *
       *         * *     * * *     * * *     
    Single     Double    Line      Pipe  

                         * * *       *
     * * *       * *       *       * * *
       *         * *       *         *
    Squat-T    4-Block     T       Cross

               * * *         *         *
     * * *       * *     * * *     *   *
     * * *         *     *   *     * * *
    6-Block    Bomber    Chair       J

       * *       *       *   *     *   *
     *   *     * * *     * * *     *   *
     * * *     * * *     *   *     * * *
    Earring    House       H         U

     * * *     * * *     * * *
     * * *     *   *     * * *
     *   *     * * *     * * *
    Ottoman      O      9-Block

         Figure 2 -- Scribe Glyphs

Draws cannot occur in Scribe. Mark Steere invented Scribe on October 1, 2006.

Basic Moves

The two players, “X” and “O”, take turns claiming points, one point per turn, until the entire super grid is filled. Players are not allowed to pass on their turn. On your first turn, you can claim any point on the super grid.

The mini grid of your last move is treated as a map. The point you last claimed points to the mini grid in which you must make your next move. For example, it’s X’s turn in Figure 3a. Since his last move was in the lower left corner of a mini grid, he must make his next move somewhere in the lower left mini grid as shown in Figure 3b. O's next move is shown in Figure 3c. If your last move points to a completely filled mini grid, you can make your next move anywhere in the super grid.


        A B C   D E F   G H I 

    1   . . .   . . .   . . .   1 
    2   . . .   . . .   . . .   2 
    3   . . .   . . .   . . .   3 

    4   . . .   . . .   . O .   4 
    5   . . .   . . .   . . .   5 
    6   . . .   X . .   . . .   6 

    7   . . .   . . .   . . .   7 
    8   . . .   . . .   . . .   8 
    9   . . .   . . .   . . .   9 

        A B C   D E F   G H I 

      Figure 3a -- X's turn.


        A B C   D E F   G H I 

    1   . . .   . . .   . . .   1 
    2   . . .   . . .   . . .   2 
    3   . . .   . . .   . . .   3 

    4   . . .   . . .   . O .   4 
    5   . . .   . . .   . . .   5 
    6   . . .   x . .   . . .   6 

    7   . . .   . . .   . . .   7 
    8   . . X   . . .   . . .   8 
    9   . . .   . . .   . . .   9 

        A B C   D E F   G H I 

      Figure 3b -- X claims point on mapped grid.


        A B C   D E F   G H I 

    1   . . .   . . .   . . .   1 
    2   . . .   . O .   . . .   2 
    3   . . .   . . .   . . .   3 

    4   . . .   . . .   . o .   4 
    5   . . .   . . .   . . .   5 
    6   . . .   x . .   . . .   6 

    7   . . .   . . .   . . .   7 
    8   . . X   . . .   . . .   8 
    9   . . .   . . .   . . .   9 

        A B C   D E F   G H I 

 Figure 3c -- O claims point on mapped grid.

X's most recent move is shown by a capital X. All previous moves are indicated by lowercase x's. Likewise for O.

Object Of The Game

Each glyph is worth the number of dots that compose it. For example the J is worth six points. A glyph also represents its own mirror image and rotations. See Figure 4.

        *     *         * * *
    *   *     *   *     *
    * * *     * * *     * *

 Figure 4 -- Glyphs equivalent to rotations, mirrors.

Glyphs appearing as a subset of a larger group don’t count. So for example O can’t claim the Double in Figure 5, and X can’t claim the Pipe in Figure 8.

When a mini grid is completely filled, the glyph points are tallied and the high score wins. For example, in Figure 5 X has four Singles and O has two Singles. With a score of 4-2, X is the winner.


    x o x      x x o      x x o      o o o
    o x o      o x o      x x x      x x o
    o o x      o x o      x x o      x x x 

   Fig. 5     Fig. 6     Fig. 7     Fig. 8
    X = 4      X = 4      X = 7      X = 0
    O = 2      O = 5      O = 2      O = 4

Majority Version: Whoever wins the majority of the nine mini grids wins overall.

Super Glyph Version: Players form super glyphs on the super grid with their winning mini grids. The super glyph score determines the winner.

 

apac
he_pb.gif (2326 bytes)