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The game on the Internet is a wonderful opportunity to meet Awale players from all over the world.
Here are the available features :
        - Search for other Awale players on the Internet.
        - Talk to these players, consult their rating points, challenge them or accept their challenges.
        - Play an Awale game "live" with another player through the Internet.
 

Question : What's the Internet ?

The Internet is a wide interconnection of information exchange computer networks that covers the whole world. Anybody can connect to it : it only requires a computer, a modem and a phone line.
The Internet services are free : the Internet is a wide exchange community where anybody brings what he wants and takes what he's interested in.
 

Question : How to connect ?

To access the Internet, you need : a computer, a modem, a phone line and ... a phone number to call. This number is the one of a "Provider", i.e. a company which rents the communication between you and the Internet.
 

Question : How much does it cost ?

A provider services renting varies from 10 to 40 $ a month, without taking in account the price of a local phone call. You can connect to anywhere in the world (Paris, London, Moscow, Los Angeles...) for the same price.

Question : Do I have to install other software than Awale to connect ?

You just need to connect first to your provider. To do this, you must launch a little piece of software that dials up the number and establishes the connection. This software is called Winsock. Once launched, any Internet-dedicated program have access to what it needs.
If you already use such a software (for example Netscape), it means that your system is correctly installed : Awale should run without problem.
 

Question : What may I begin with ?

If you read these lines, it means that Awale is correctly installed on your computer.
Open the Internet menu and choose the Internet setup option.
A box opens, enter :
        - Your name (i.e. "John Doe"). The other players will see who you are.
        - Your password (for example "mypassword").
        - Your country (for example : "US/California"). The other players will know where you are from, and then they will try to talk to you in English.
        - Your proxy : if you connect the Interenet by a proxy, enter its address. For example 195.245.587.254:70
       - You can also enter a sentence into the "Automatic introduction message" zone. This message will be seen by all the other challengers.
You can now validate this box and try to connect : Internet menu, "Play on the Internet " sub-menu.
Awale automatically tries to connect to the Internet, using the parameters you chose.
        - If the connection successfully establishes, then we can continue...

Question : I'm connected, but I can't see anybody. What may I do ?

 Come to the following appointment : every sunday, from 16 o'clock GMT (i.e 17:00 in France, 11:00 AM for the U.S. east Coast, 8:00 AM for the West coast) for the weekly Awale big challenge.
 

Question : How to consult the International rating ?

Internet Menu> Go to the Hall of Fame. This page is updated every minute.
 

Question : What mean the informations I see in the opponent selection box ?

If you can see this box, it means that you're successfully connected to a network.
The most interesting part of the box is the central list which shows the names of the players connected on the same network as you are.
After the player's name, you see :
        - the player's country
       - the rule he plays (you can only challenge players who play the same rule as yours)
        - the player's rating. This rating informs you about the level of the player. Each time you lose a game, you gives some points to your opponents. At each victory, it's the contrary.
Remark : if you play with an unregistered version of Awale, your rating won't excess 200.

You can type a text line on the keyboard and send it, the message is public : all the players who aren't playing will see your message.
If a player challenges you, his name and rating appears on the center of the box, as well as two buttons :
         - Accept, to accept the challenge,
         - Decline, to decline it.
To challenge somebody, click on his name in the list, and validate the "Challenge" button. Then, you just have to wait the player to accept or decline your challenge.
As soon as a challenge is accepted, the box automatically closes and you switch in game mode. The first player to start is chosen randomly. You can type a message on the keyboard and send it to your opponent at any moment. In this phase, the message is private, i.e. invisible for the other players.
 

Question : What means the player's name color ?

If the player's name is written in italic, it means that he is busy playing.
If the player's name is written in bold, it means that he is free.
If the player's name is written in blue, it means that he is still free but he challenged us and he's waiting for our answer.
If the player's name is written in red, it means that he is still free but we challenged him, and we're waiting for his answer.
If the player's name is written in green, it means that he accepted our challenge.
 

Question : If I disconnect during a game, what happens ?

Your opponent wins the played points...
Try to avoid this !
 

Question : If I install Awale again, do I keep my rating points ?

Of course.
 

Question : How can I be sure that my opponent didn't fiddle with his rating points ?

Try it and see what happens...
 

Question : How many points can be won after a game ?

It depends on the rating points of the two opponents.
If you win :
- against an opponent far better rated than you,
        100 points are transfered from his score to yours.
- against an opponent of the same level than you,
        about 50 points are transfered from his score to yours.
- against an opponent very low-rated,
        only 4 points are transfered from his score to yours.
 

Question : What's the difference between a "public" and a "private" message ?

From the opponent selection box, you don't yet play against somebody else, the message you send is received by all the people who don't play : it's a public message.
When you're busy playing, the message you send is only seen by your opponent. It's a private message.
In front of each message, the name of the player who sent it is always displayed.

Question : I connected because I had an appointment with a friend, but he's already playing with somebody else. I'd want to advise him that I'm here. What can I do ?

Two players playing together don't receive the public messages from the group. However, it's possible to send a private message to somebody : in the list of the connected player, double-click on a name. An information box opens : type your message and click "Send". It will be received by the selected player only.
 
 

Question : I'm busy playing, but I want to see what happens on the forum (or to answer a private message). How can I do?

You just have to go back to the opponent selection box by using the "Contact other players " option of the Internet menu.

Question : A game is in progress between two other players, how can I follow it "live" ?

Consult the informations about one of the players by double-clicking on his name. The playboard state is displayed at the bottom of the box.
 

Question : All this stuff is great, but how does it work ?

If you're interested in the method we used to play through the Internet, we'll answer with great pleasure to your questions and remarks by-mail.

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