FIBS INTRO

Commands and short-cuts in FIBS/W

Denne side på dansk...

FIBS/W stands for the First International Backgammon Server in the World...
FIBS/W is used by users from the whole world, and provides the game of backgammon, which is played like a large tournament, in which the stakes are rating-points. Besides the game, which is played by the common international BackGammon rules, it's possible to "talk" to the other users, about BackGammon and whatever else.

Here is a list of some of the commands, which is usefulwhen playing BackGammon with FIBS/W. Far from all the commands are described here, but with this selection you should be able to manage. If you want further information, try typing the "help" command or ask some of the players in FIBS/W. They are usually very helpful.


Connect procedure
Chat commands
Between-Game comm.
In-Game commands
Barin's homepage

General comm.
Toggle commands
Show commands
A bit of ethics...
Back to Babel


Connect:

You log in to FIBS/W by choosing "Connect" in the "Communication"-menu, or simply by hitting the "lightning"-button in the toolbar. When you are about to play BackGammon with FIBS/W, you have to log in, using a username and a password.

The first time you enter FIBS/W, you have to use the username "guest", and afterwards you will be guided as to how to get your own username and password. If you don't have your own username yet, you must type "name <Name>", where you will be prompted to enter your username. It is easy for all, if you choose a short name, which can be easily recognized. Remember, that the system is case-sensitive, and the username you type here, MUST be typed in as exactly the same, every time you or another player uses it. Then, you must enter a password - twice actually - just to be sure, that it isn't misspelled. Remember your username and your password - they can't be retrieved again, if you forget them! It is free to get a username for FIBS/W - except the time you spend at the computer.

If you are a beginner, it is a good idea to type : "help beginner". By doing this you will get a brief introduction to the program. "help rules" describes the noble rules of BackGammon, if you feel that it is necessary to read them - either to learn the rules or maybe just to refreshen them.

To the top...



Chat commands:
shout <Message> :
"Shout" to all the players, who can "hear" shouts. (This option can be toggled on/off - see also Toggle commands.)
tell <Name> <Message> :
Gives a message to a particular player. This command can be abbreviated to "t", when you are in a hurry.
kibitz <Message> :
Give a message to your opponent, as well as the watchers. This command can be abbreviated to "k".
say <Message> :
Same as "kibitz", except that the watchers can not hear this message. This command can be abbreviated to "s".
whisper <Besked> :
Gives a message to all players, who are watching a game, without the players being able to hear it. This command can be abbreviated to "wh".

To the top...



Between-Game commands:
watch <Name> :
Become a watcher of another players match.
unwatch :
The opposite of "watch". You cease to watch a game.
invite <Name> <N> :
Invite a player to a player to a match for "N" points. You must state a matchlength (points), unless you will continue a previously saved game.
join <Name> :
When you want to play with someone, who invited you to a game.
bye :
Logs out of the program without warning.
wave :
Wave 1. time : You wave nicely goodbye to the other players.
Wave 2. time : You wave again, and log out automatically.
It is nice and polite to wait for a moment, waving the second time, just to give the other players a chance to give you a message - eg. when to play the next time etc.

 To the top...



In-Game commandoer:
roll :
Throw the die. ("Jacta est alea" for the classically educated)
move :
moves your pieces. In the graphical environment this command is very seldom used. Instead, you simply drag the pieces around the board with the mouse.
Move 13-14 7-12 \
Move 13 14 7 12 . \ Will all move a pice from 13 to 14 and from
13-14 7-12 . . . . . ./ 7 to 12
13 14 7 12 . . . . . ./
Obviously, you don't have to type "move", to move a piece.
Are you on the bar, you use "bar". Eg. "bar 22"
When you move a piece out, you use "off". Eg. "4 off"
double :
Offer your opponent the double-cube.
accept :
Accept the Double-cube.
reject :
Reject the Double-cube.
resign <n> :
Resigns the game and loses "n" points.
board :
Draws and updates the board. This command can be abbreviated to "b".
Once in an while, FIBS/W experiences problems updating the board after a move. If this happens you can type "board" or simply "b", to update the board. If nothing else works use the command "move" instead of dragging the pieces around the board to go on.
pip :
Calculates both players pipcounts (The number you should roll with the die, to move all your peces out). (This option can be toggled on/off. See also .


 To the top...



General commands:
who :
Makes a list of all players who are logged on.
who ready :
Makes a list of all players who doesn't play and are ready to be invited.
who <Name> :
Gives a short description of a particular player.
whois <Name> :
Gives a full description af a particular player.
ratings :
Makes a list of the top 20 players (sorted after ranking points), as well as your own rating.
(You have to have a certain experience, to get your own rating. Until then, you just see the top 20.)
For the lazy people : "rat" is as good as ratings.

 To the top...



Toggle:
There is a set of commands, which all begins with "toggle". They are all used to set or disable a certain function. "toggle" must allways be followedby a parameter, which indicates which function, to be altered. "toggle" can be abbreviated to "to".

Here are some of the "toggle"-commands, which are good to know to get going...

toggle
ready :
You are ready to invite or to be invited to a game..
greedy :
The program will take pieces out for you, if "greedy" is toggled on.
double :
The program will not ask you, if you want to double before each roll.
silent :
You will not see, what the other players "shout"'s to each other.
notify :
You will not be told, when players logs in or out.
allowpip :
Either the player (you) nor your opponent will be able to use the "pip"-commandoen to calculate your pip-counts.

 To the top...



Show:
show
watchers :
Gives a list of all, who watches another players game.
games :
Gives a list of all active games.
saved :
Gives a list of saved games. An asterisk with the name, means that the player is logged on.


To the top...




At the end... As a new player, you will be given a rating-count of 1500.00. You play for rating- points in all games. If you want to see, how the rating-points are calculated, just type "toggle ratings", whereafter the calculations will be printed after each match.

As in the real life, BackGammon-players on the Internet are men and women of honour. Therefore it is incredibly bad taste to disconnect from a game, just because you are in a loosing position. If you feel bad about loosing, just don't play, or choose easier opponents. The players rating- points are on the list, and as you are able to select your opponents - simply invite the players with the lowest rating-points.
You should allways play a game to the end, and don't leave in the middle of a game. Remember that you are playing here using the Café's username and address, and we risk to be banned from FIBS/W if they experience too much trouble comming from here. Therefore you should speak nice and polite to your opponent and to all the players or don't play.

Make it easier for your fellow players on the net. If you are going for the bathroom or go for a cup of coffee or maybe a soft drink, write a message to your opponent. There is hardly nothing as irritating as to sit and wait in vain for your opponent to move.


Have pleasure playing FIBS/W

Comments can be sent to :
MM : barin@babel.dk

To the top...