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Advanced Tic-Tac-Toe v1.15

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<Advanded Tic-Tac-Toe>

Let's Play!

Advanced Tic-Tac-Toe is a strategy and critical thinking game that can be played with up to 12 people. If you know traditional X's and O's you are off to a great start, and if not you can catch on fast!

This map has an option for a shot clock that allows for more fast paced game play should that be desired. If enabled if players do not make a move in time their turn will be completed randomly.

It will automatically restart after each game, and a scoreboard tracks each players number of wins.

Average single game length ranges from 5 to 15 minutes.

Lastly, the map also has a built in spectator option which allows players to watch and sit out for a game.

Game Play

Screenshots

Changelog

Credits

Authors Notes



So what's different??

For starters rather than the game board being 2 sets of parallel lines bisecting each other. Players vote upon the size and shape. The standard shape is a grid, but there are 5 other potential shapes.

Standard Shape:
The board is a grid with size ranging from 3 by 3 to 9 by 9.

In All Other Shapes:
The board come in two sizes, small and large. Average number of unclaimed markers that comprise board for small is 20, and large is 50.

The various sizes of boards mean that each turn you have a lot of choices of where to move (anywhere from 9 to 81). In addition as the board grows the potential number of places to build markers also increases.

Instead of the goal being to get 3 in a row it is 4.

There is a mechanic called Encapsulation. Read about this special case below.

There is an option for a shot clock to increase the pace of the game.

Rather than X's and O's, a claimed marker is represented with assorted Warcraft III heroes!

How to Play:
The game begins with a random person being selected to go first, after which the next person is decided in ascending player number order.

Players will each take turns. A turn consists of first claiming a marker and then expanding the board by building a marker.

Recall the goal is to connect four claimed markers either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Each turn a player gets to expand the board by building ALONG a side of any existing marker. (i.e. not diagonally, a newly built marker must touch a side, not just a vertex.) (The map will not allow players to build illegally).

Key Words:
Unclaimed Markers: They collectively make up the game board (grid). Each turn a player must build one.
Claimed Markers: They are markers that have been claimed by a player, connecting four results in a win. A player is able to claim at least one marker a turn.
Empty Spaces: They are patches of grass that do not contain either an unclaimed or claimed marker, these are relevant in encapsulation.


Encapsulation: (The part that makes it "Advanced") :p
If upon building a marker, an empty space is surrounded on all SIDES by a marker then the building player will instantly be given a claimed marker at that empty space. If you still are unclear take a look at this picture:

[0] are unclaimed markers
[x] are claimed markers
[_] are empty spaces

Image a board state
[0][0][0] -> [0][0][0] -> [0][0][0]
[0][_][0] -> [0][_][0] -> [0][x][0]
[0][_][0] -> [0][0][0] -> [0][0][0]

In the first image there are two empty spaces, in the 2nd image a player has built an unclaimed marker in the middle of the third row, this encloses the empty space on all four sides, when this happens in the 3rd image, the empty space becomes a claimed marker for that player.

This allows for players to effectively be able to claim at most 3 spots on in a single turn.

116672-bd3c14c2e3330d63248c010bd2103028.png

116673-996dff3f1b2b2d3472075c06efd1e312.png

116674-bd3cce1dcb3705a88a9be33c2189de54.png

116675-8bb8a92ecdba481459fee7f6ebc2fc1d.png

[2016-09-24] v1.11: Uploaded.
[2016-09-26] v1.12: Added more clear directions. Added recommendations for all game types.
[2016-10-7] v1.13: Corrected Build Marker icon appearing as passive.
[2016-10-10] v1.14: Added a sound for a player when his/her turn starts, or will end soon. (Toggle-able)
Fixed minor "gold" turn counter error not always displaying the correct turns on win. (The text message was always correct.)
[2016-10-10] v1.14b: Fixed a problem with the sound toggle, and some text with it.
[2016-10-29] v1.15: Made initial turn selection more consistently random.
Fixed many fringe cases where messages would be improperly cleared.
Added unit specific sounds when someone wins.
Units in the winning chain of 4 now play an animation in addition to turning black.
Changed hotkey of Build Marker to "B"
Added 5 new board shapes: Rectangle, Diamond, Plus Sign, "X", "Z".


Resources:
PurgeandFire: Dialog Wrapper Snippet
Bribe: Table
Vexorian: SimError
Special Mentions:
Wietlol: for guidance on coding win detection and help on creating different board shapes
Dr Super Good: for guidance on how to go about detecting wins
GhostWolf: for guidance and help on creating different board shapes

So the concept initially was created in one of my college math classes. We were tasked with adding a slight tweak to a basic game to make it more interesting. It turns out regular tic-tac-toe cannot be lost if both players are playing optimally. So my group decided we would try to create a few additional rules to make it harder to play optimally and hopefully make the game winnable.

In a one on one scenario it is difficult, because if players are not playing optimally, it is very unforgiving.

With 3 or more players, the dynamic is different. It is interesting because while it gets harder because the board state can change so wildly between each time a player gets to take their turn, the ability to play optimally also becomes more difficult. If optimal plays are missed a player will win by having more ways to win than there are other players to block the win. If players misread the board this effect is also likely to happen.

Playing optimally is not easy, claiming is often straightforward as you are trying to connect a chain of four markers together. However, building is more tricky because it requires thinking about how other players might use the unclaimed marker. The future value of an unclaimed marker in a particular spot might be great, but if it means allowing the next player to win right away...the value of not building there trumps any future gain. It is a difficult balancing act and considering closely the repercussions of each claimed spot and built marker is crucial.

This is my first map I have posted to hive, and the first map I tried to do almost exclusively in JASS. Please comment and let me know what you think!

The map is unprotected, feel free to look at the code.

Hope you enjoy it.

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Advanced Tic-Tac-Toe v1.15 (Map)

Level 23
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
Messages
1,783
A mini-game based on tic-tac-toe, 4 in a row to win as opposed to 3.
There's not much to comment on the gameplay of this map, as it is exactly what it says on the tin.
It is a game type that requires no amount of map polish and frankly the current level of that is already above and beyond what is needed.
You don't need a nice looking board; but hey, Ill take it.

Rules are explained clearly, the display of game elements is very neat.
Having a in-game restart was a really nice quality of life feature.

TLDR Version
- Tic-tac-toe with modified rules
- Map is well polished
~ Map Approved
 
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