************************ HINTS GALORE!!!! ************************************* This month's hint section will feature some favorites from a Door World reader in Rhode Island. Thanks Larry for your contribution to the success of Door World. ************ FOOD FIGHT v 4.5.6 ************ TO SYSOPS: ========== 1. Games where recommended scores of +/- 5000 are used, starting money of $20 (allowing players to ook for money on their first visit), allow players to rob one another AND the bank, allow users to save via the ATM, only kicking players off for 5 days when they ill themselves, and only allowing 1 play per day, all contribute to make for a fun game that should last a couple of months (provided there is no hanky-panky). 2. If you occasionally look at your SYSOP.LOG file and see any players who are robbing another person's SAVING ACCOUNT, then it's a pretty good bet that either (1) it's one person with multiple accounts on your board, or (2), two or more players are playing as a team. You may wish to set forth a warning or you may overlook it depending on your point of view. This type of activity will probably shorten the length of the game from what you might ordinarily expect. TO PLAYERS: =========== Note: Try to obtain a copy of FFUSER.TXT from your BBS. It's a User Guide and will acquaint you with the rules and some decent tips. If it's not available, either download FFIGHT45.ZIP (or 44.ZIP) as it contains a copy of FFUSER (and some other goodies). If you know how to read a file within a ZIP file on-line, then you save yourself a download. HOW TO WIN HONESTLY: ==================== First select "E" from the main menu to "examine configuration". That way you see how the Sysop has the game set up and you don't get taken by surprise later (like if 365 days are set if you kill yourself or if the Sysop has altered the food percentages). It seems almost impossible to win this game without an ATM account. It only takes either $50 or 30 pieces of food, PLUS a $5 fee. If your BBS gives you $55 or more when you start, then you can just open one right away. The most common "gift" amount when you start playing is $20. First thing you want to do is ook for Money and pick #6 (In your pockets). You'll get another $20 (no more and no less). Then o to the Store and buy 30 of the $1 items. Then use the ATM and open an account with food (you could also deposit the remaining $5 if you're frugal, but if you're lucky, you could win more than five bucks at the lottery). The quickest way to win big is to rob the bank TWICE - that's tough but honest. Always ook for money first then use the ATM to deposit it. You not only save the dough but also establish that the bank is open that day (and hopefully, will remain open). If it isn't open, just throw some food at somebody, iew the scores, and leave. If your board allows more than one play per day, you could quickly sign off FF then back on and try to open your account again (that works). If you DO open your ATM account, then next try to "Rob the bank or another player". This presents another menu and pick "C" to rob the Bank Vault. Lots of bad things can happen but that's how you do it (and you can win up to $1500). If you win, put it in the bank till your money grows to $2300 or so. If your board allows more than one log-in per day, you could try again later but somebody ELSE has to TRY to rob the bank before it'll let YOU try again. If you get a LARGE NEGATIVE SCORE and decide to kill yourself, first go to the bank and take a loan out for $500 AND withdraw all your money and food (but you must keep $25 in). Buy 500 of the $1 items as you get the best bang for the buck (75% hit rate and three points for each dollar that hits the target). Then go blast all the players you want to using the "500 pieces" loop until you're broke. Finally you ill yourself. You're out for 5 days but that's better than trying to come back from -1652 points or whatever. My experience has been to see those players who throw food at others get dumped upon themselves so the best policy is to keep a low profile (in my first win I stayed at 0 until I had enough to win as I never threw food at anyone until the last day). It's more fun to throw food at peo- ple but the players at the top are the most popular targets. If you're lucky, you'll eventually get $2300 and not have a negative score. Once this happens withdraw all your assets and o to the store and buy 500 of the $1 items. Then go ight another player and dump all your stuff at someone at the bottom (these guys generally do not have protection). Just repeat this loop in lots of 500 and you'll win. ~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~ MINOR TIPS: =========== - Most of the routines in Food Fight are just random calculations and I have never come up with any pattern. Playing the same selection on four different boards produced different results each time. - There does seem to be some advantage in the lottery to buying one ticket at a time and playing 1111, 2222, 3333, etc. One board I play allows 1000 tickets a day... buying a block and playing 100 each round pays pretty big bucks as a rule. - When you rob the bank there is a 10% chance on each second being counted that the fuse will go out. If you get down to 0 seconds, there is a 50% chance of success or failure. If you fail, you may loose any number of points, or you may be "killed" (for a few days). If this happens and you have a loan, it's still due when you come back. If you pick ill yourself from the main menu, your loan is forgiven. - When you attempt to steal money from another player, always pick less than 50% of his cash remaining to improve odds. If you loose, you get penalized 2 points for each dollar you tried to steal. If you try to steal FOOD, the penalty is randomly generated (you can loose 300 points trying to steal 4 tomatoes). If you must leave money un- deposited in your account, buy food as it's tougher to steal. - Michael Wilson is the author of Food Fight. He is also the Sysop on a BBS called "The Village" (San Jose, CA) where you could call and check out his board (408-229-0706). þ