Boggle
Windows/PC
v. 1.1 (8 Jul 2002)
Written by: Aicalo7 (
[email protected])
Copyright 2002 by Jess Laisseire
[Version History]
v. 0.1 ----- (1 May 2002) First draft version: basics
v. 0.5 ----- (3 May 2002) Mode explanations
v. 0.6 ----- (4 May 2002) Charts: Scoring, game screen
v. 0.7 ----- (5 May 2002) Notes
v. 1.0 ----- (7 May 2002) First finalized version: strategy, mode checks
v. 1.1 ----- (8 Jul 2002) Minor updates: networking, outline
[Outline]
I. The Basics
II. To Begin
III. Modes
1. Classic Boggle
a. Game screen
2. BreakAway
3. Battle Boggle
4. Space Boggle
5. In Your Face Boggle
IV. Notes and Strategy
1. About the game
2. Menu features
3. Classic
4. BreakAway
5. Battle
6. Space
7. In your face
V. Network
VI. Contact
[The Basics]
Boggle is the fun yet educational game where players shake a box with a 4-by-
4 grid on the bottom and 16 letter cubes. When the cubes fall into the grid,
players try to form words by staring at the cubes, which should form some
words by means of cubes that are adjacent to each other. At the end of the
time limit, scores are recorded and we've spent another few minutes of our
lives educating ourselves in the world of words. Yay. Hasbro Interactive
brings an electronic version of Boggle to you on your home computer.
[To Begin]
After installing Boggle, you're presented with the lovely Boggle main menu.
Beneath the title there are five main modes: Classic, BreakAway, Battle,
Space, and In Your Face. The modes will be explained in detail later. Under
the options you are given the choice to connect to a network, or quit out of
the game.
[Modes]
The five modes of Boggle offer variety for the solitary players out there or
network-going fans. Classic and BreakAway modes can be played by up to four
players on the same computer (just take turns), Battle is for two players
only, while the Space and In Your Face modes are for the individual gamers.
(See the Notes and Strategy section for... notes and strategy.)
-Classic Boggle: "Just like the Boggle home game."-
When you choose this mode you are given the choice of difficulty: Original or
Master. Original comes with a 4-by-4 grid (original, as the name denotes) and
the words must be three letters or longer. Master gives you a larger, 5-by-5
grid of letter blocks, and words must be four letters or longer. After
choosing that, you can enter your name and any opponents', or just choose
computer opponents from the Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Mr. Boggle
AI levels. Click on OK, and your game begins.
The Boggle box loads, with a nice little animation. A message box telling
whose turn it is appears, and once the player presses OK the three-minute
timer begins.
The game screen is divided up like the following:
|F|E|___|X|H|___
| | |P1 |
|T | Boggle | |
| | Grid |L |
| | | |
|__|________|___|
|P1|P2|P3|P4|_S_|
[Key] [Functions]
-Menu-
F= File End game, New game, Restart game, Pause game, Main menu,
High scores, exit
E= Edit Game options, sound options, Graphics options, Dictionary options
X= Exit Exits Boggle
H= Help General, Game variations, Interface, About Boggle
-Game Screen-
T= Timer Counts down remaining time
P#= Player Displays player names
L= List of words found
S= Score
When it is your turn, click OK to begin and start clicking. You may either
type in the appropriate letters and hit return, click on the letters
separately and hit return, or click, drag, and release to have the word
appear on your list, to the right. See the scoring chart below for the amount
of points you will receive for each word.
# letters |3|4|5|6|7|8| ----- |14|(max)
Pts. Given:
Classic |1|1|2|3|5|11|
Master |X|1|2|3|5|11|(max pts. given for any word)
After the time expires, the computer will check for "unknown words," or those
not found in the game's dictionary. You will be given the choice to add, add
all, ignore, or ignore all words. If you add the words to the dictionary,
your score will be tallied according to the word value (shown in the chart
above), but if they are ignored the word and its score will not be added on.
A message box will be shown giving the final score. Next, a few more lists
are given: the words you found, the words the other player(s) found, and the
list of all possible words.
-BreakAway: "Now in 3D!"-
In Classic BreakAway, a 4x4x4 cube is given to one through four players.
Master offers a 5x5x5 cube. Players still must create words from the given
letters, but once a word is formed the letters of the word break away, giving
you access to the inner letters, hence the name BreakAway. Scoring and rules
from Classic Boggle apply here as well. A special feature is to "Align
Cubes," or to change the perspective for easier spelling. Since this mode
offers three-dimensional gameplay, a new rule is added: only cubes within one
level of each other can be used together to form a word.
-Battle Boggle: "A battle of words."-
In this Speed Chess-like mode, you and another player are given five minutes
each and enough letter cubes to fit half of the grid. (8 for Classic, 10 for
Master) The grid starts completely empty.
When it is your turn, you _must_ place a cube anywhere on the grid and then
create as many words as possible for points. After your turn, hit the "End
Turn" button in order to stop your timer and give the turn to your opponent.
Each of your five minutes will elapse with no relation to the other player,
so you can essentially run out your time on your first turn and have your
opponent play for his or her remaining five minutes. (Not that you'd want to,
but it can be done.)
After the last block is placed by your opponent (providing that you are the
first player) you get your remaining time to create words. The game is ended
when both players' timers run out.
-Space Boggle: "Words in space!!!"-
This one-player game is similar to BreakAway: letter cubes come towards you
and you must form 3- or 4-letter words, depending on level. Master mode gives
you faster cube advancement, while Classic is at an easier pace. After
forming a certain amount of words, the screen freezes for a moment and goes
into the next stage.
-In Your Face Boggle: "It's fast. It's furious. It's in your face."-
Again, a 4x4 or 5x5 grid is offered, depending on difficulty. An initial 30
seconds is given to form as many words as possible. You will probably notice
that after you form a word, the letters disappear. You can raise the level,
revealing more letters. After the 30 seconds elapse, the level will raise
itself. The game ends when the letters reach the top.
[Notes and Strategy]
-About the game-
*If you are playing with another human player, note that in most modes, after
one player forms a word it becomes the other player's turn.
-Menu features-
*In Classic Boggle, when you pause the game, the lid will close.
*New Game gives you a new game of the same mode (a re-shuffle, if you will)
but Restart Game gives you the exact same game with the same letter cube
arrangements.
-Classic Boggle-
*The computer opponent plays the game at the same time you do, even though
the player verification message box still appears.
*On the list, words that are not in the built-in dictionary appear in red,
while words that are in the dictionary appear in black. This has a major role
during scoring after each round.
*The maximum amount of letters allowed for a word is 14.
*On the result lists, crossed off words indicate a word that two or more
players found, which would be omitted from the final score.
-BreakAway-
*Block levels and placement may be difficult to judge after using "Align
Cubes," so use the button at your own risk.
-Battle-
*Make sure you push the End Turn button! After your first turn you will want
to press it as soon as possible, as there is no need to look for any words.
*Try to strategize during your opponent's move; as their time elapses you
will be able to look at their grid and their move, so plan accordingly.
*It might be necessary for you to place a block and end the turn without
creating a word. Avoid doing this.
*The cross-a-word-out-because-someone-else-created-it rule does not apply
here. The game will prompt you to make a different word.
-Space-
*Once you click on a letter, you may still use it in the word you were going
to form it with even if that letter goes off-screen. As soon as it is clicked
on, you can use it in any word with that letter.
*You get a slight time bonus every time you advance a stage.
*Any visible block on the screen may be used. This is the only mode where
letter cubes _do_not_ need to be adjacent.
*The speed increases in every stage.
-In Your Face-
*Note that when a level is raised by whichever method, 1 second is deducted
from your total possible time. Using the "Raise Level" button really has no
real advantage except for those who are less patient.
*Time does not accumulate! If you had 7 seconds left when you raised the
level, you do not get 37 seconds for the next level.
*The rule from BreakAway in which the blocks must be within one level of each
other does not apply.
*Blocks can be raised 9 times before they reach the top.
[Network]
Clicking on the Network button on the main menu lets you create or join a
game with your friends where you can play any of the multiplayer modes
(Classic, BreakAway, Battle). You must have an internet connection. Choose
your server, type in a (nick)name and room name, and connect.
<UPDATE!>
Boggle is affiliated with the MSN gaming Zone, but you may get an error
message when you try to connect onto the network. Instead of accessing the
Zone from the game itself, go the Zone website (zone.msn.com) and look for
the Boggle room. From there, you can sign up for free and start playing with
others, providing that you have Boggle installed on the computer that you are
using with internet access.
(Thanks to Jeff701 for the notice)
</UPDATE>
[Contact]
Please email all suggestions, comments, questions, and/or concerns to
[email protected], but do put FAQ or something that has to do with the
game in the subject line so I don't delete it. You will be credited with your
name and email address if you provide information, so if you would not like
that information posted just let me know. Enjoy...
