It generally takes a few trays to a game or two for
players to stop playing Scrabble on the board and start
playing WildWords. WildWords is much more about the
struggle to use all seven tiles as often as possible and
achieve the 40 point bonus. The more you play, the more
you realize there are opportunities to do that if you can
find them.
Practicing is fun, but it is
not the same as playing someone where the bluff/challenge
mechanism brings some serious tension into a game.
GETTING GOING
Played by two players though you may practice against
yourself by pulling down the Play Menu and click on Start
Practice.
DOWNLOAD GAME -- but
before downloading, please check that your computer has
the right stuff, namely:
Most any Windows PC
A screen resolution of at least 800 by 600
(preferably 1024 by 768).
A screen color setting of HIGHER THAN 256.
To check or change your
screen settings:
1. Select Settings / Control
Panel from the Start Menu
2. Double click the Display Icon.
3. Click the Settings Tab.
(Note: Use the
"Test" facility provided BEFORE
committing to any changes.)
 1024 by 768
GREAT!  800 by 600
TO RUN THE GAME -- Use your
Windows Run Command.
Players operate under an overall Time
Limit set by pulling down the Options Menu and
typing the desired time limit.
Both players must be connected to
the Internet. One player is designated the Host
and the other is the Guest..
TO LAUNCH A GAME AGAINST AN
OPPONENT:
| You
need a static IP to be the host. In any
event, you can download the game and
practice. |
Both players run the game
Decide together who will be the Host
and who the Guest
If you are the Host:
(A) Pull down the Connection
Menu,
(B) Select Connect,
(C) Write in your first name,
(D) Make a note of your IP
Address (it's in the "Your IP Address"
space) and port (Version 2.1 or later),
(E) Press the Be Host button,
(F) Send an e-mail to your Guest,
telling him/her your IP Address and port.
(You're done! After
sending that email, go back to the game and wait
for word in the chat box that your Guest
has made contact with you.)
If you are the Guest:
(A) Pull down the Connection
Menu,
(B) Select Connect,
(C) Write in your first name,
(D) Paste or type the Host's
IP Address into the "Host's IP Address"
space and the port into the "Hosting
Port" space (Version 2.1 or later),
(E) Press the Connect to Host
button.
(You're done! Almost
instantaneously, "Connected!" will
appear in both players' chat areas.)
If you cannot connect, try
reversing who is the host and who is the guest. Also
try hosting on port 80 or port 21 instead of the
default port of 13040. Some anti-virus software and
firewalls prevent using various ports and from
serving as a Host which is the more difficult task.
If you are running Windows XP with the firewall
enabled, you may need to go to your firewall settings
for your network and make WildWords exempt from all
restrictions or at least allow it to use one given
port number.
When Host & Guest have
successfully connected, the Host pulls down the Play
Menu and selects Start Game vs. Connected Opponent.
The computer gives you your first set of letter tiles
and flips a virtual coin to determine who plays
first.
GOOD LUCK TO BOTH OF YOU!
(Note: When two persons have
connected, a few others may connect to the Host as
guests to watch the game and use the chat feature.
This is not perfectly implemented, but it is fun all
the same.)
.
PLAYING THE GAME
The
Scoreboard indicates whose turn it is.
Asterisk Tiles:
The asterisk tile plays like a
wildcard, It can stand for one letter or a string
of continuous letters. The board also has 20 Turn
To Wild squares. Any tile played on such a square is
flipped (blank side up) and may be played just like
an asterisk tile to represent one or more letters..
An asterisk tile or flipped tile
at the intersection of vertical and horizontal
words can stand for one letter or string
in the horizontal word and a completely different
letter or string in the vertical word.
An asterisk tile or flipped tile
can represent different letters on different plays.
In short, the asterisk tile does not represent one or
more specific letters except in relation to a single
play.
Asterisk tiles and flipped tiles
have a point value of zero.
Trading Letters:
A player can trade all letters
every turn, but a player can trade only when it actually
becomes his/her turn and only one trade per
turn is allowed. (Caution: when letters are
traded the computer first puts all your letters back
into the pot and then draws your new letters, so you
may get one or more of your old letters back again.)
The Play:
When it is a player's turn, the
player may play (by making a word on the board) or
pass (press Pass button)...
To play (i.e., to make a word):
Click-and-hold on a letter
in your tray, drag the letter to a square on
the board, and release the mouse button.
Repeat the process for all letters in your word.
Press the Play button to install
the word on the board. The computer now asks you
whether you wish to complete the play and displays
the score this play will make.
If you press Yes, the computer
will install your word on the board and give your
opponent the opportunity to challenge your play.
If you press No, you can continue
to look for the best play to make.
40 addition points are
awarded to a player who uses all 7 tiles in a
single play.
Challenges:
When a word is played, the
computer asks the opponent if he/she would like to
challenge.
If opponent presses No, the
computer adds the word's score to the total score of
the player who played it, and it becomes the
opponent's turn to play.
If opponent presses Yes, the
computer informs the player who played the word that
a challenge has been made.
If the challenged words (there
may be more than one) contain one or more asterisks
or flipped tiles, the player who played the word must
at this point reveal what letter or letter strings
those tiles represent in the words by spelling out
his words completely. The player need not reveal the
content of asterisks or flipped tiles before a
challenge has been made.
Use the chat utility to convey
the complete spelling of words. BTW, write chat
messages in the field at the bottom of the chat board
and then press the Send button. Messages will appear
on the chat board.
Once the merit of the challenge
has been determined, the player who challenged will
click on whether the challenge succeeded or failed.
If the challenge succeeded,
letters are removed from the board, and it becomes
the challenger's turn. The word's player loses a
turn.
If the challenge failed, the play
remains on board, the score is awarded to the player,
and it remains the player's turn. The challenger
loses a turn.
Game End:
The game is over when one player
uses the last of his/her tiles and none remain in the
pot.
The total point value of the
tiles held by the opponent is tripled and added to
the score of the player who went out.
If both players repeatedly pass,
the total point value of each player's remaining
tiles is added to the other player's score.
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