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[ThetaGames]

Some of you may have seen this elsewhere; I just thought that I would post it here, for additional feedback:
Bureaucracy
An Original Card Game


Downloads:

Mirror 1 (WillHostForFood)
Mirror 2 (Host-A)


Specifications:

Title:  Bureaucracy
Genre:  Solitaire Card Game
Download Size:  1.8 MB
WinZip Directory Includes:  Main executable, plus README.txt and BUR_HELP.chm (a compiled HTML help file.  To view this file within the game, you must unzip!)
Resolution:  No change; operates in windowed mode.
Version:  1.0
Written In:  Registered ('Pro')
Vista Compatibility:  Yes

Description:

Bureaucracy is an original card game in which you must clear all cards from the screen.  (as is true in many Solitaire games)  Technically, this game is not a true Solitaire game, because there is no 'organizing' of cards by suit, and ordering them by value.  Nevertheless, much strategy is entailed when playing.

You have four rows.  In the beginning of the game, these are represented by the four cards laid out to the right of the deck.  To 'clear' the row, you must make either its top card or bottom card lie outside the screen window.  Rows can be 'bumped up' by placing a card with a higher value than the bottommost card of the row in the space below the row, thus forcing all the cards up one space.  Similarly, rows can be 'bumped down' by placing a card with a lower value than the topmost card of the row
in the space below the row, thus forcing all cards down one space.  However, suits must be matched.  (i.e. if you want to 'bump up' a row whose bottommost card is the Jack of Diamonds, you must use the Queen, King, or Ace of Diamonds)

You can change the suit of a card by placing a card with the same value on top of it.

Aces can count as both '1' and '14,' so they can bump anything up or down, and be bumped by anything.

Essentially, you 'bump up' rows with cards of higher value than the bottommost card of the row, (of the same suit) and you 'bump down' rows with cards of lower value than the topmost card of the row.  (of the same suit)

You can discard cards if you cannot (or do not want to) use them.  You can, however,  draw the top card of the discard pile as you would a card from the top of the deck.

I realize this description is long-winded, but it requires many words to describe a very simple concept.  A more detailed description (with pictures) is included with the full Windows-style help file.  (make sure you unzip, though!)


Controls:

It's a card game.  Just click-and-drag!


Explanation for the Title:

This game is called Bureaucracy for a variety of reasons.  First, the game is concerned much with promotion and demotion of cards.  (Of course, if you play this in the office, you might get the latter! )  Secondly, it is named after the Erik Satie's Sonatine Bureaucratique, which is a piano piece with a very witty narration about a man who is in love with his office, and is constantly concerned with promotion.  Third, the word 'bureaucracy' has a very nice sound to it.  Fourth, there is no real reason.  Why is Spider Solitaire called 'Spider?' 


Screenshot:


Here, the Five of Spades can 'bump up' Row 1 because it is higher than the Four of Spades.  Row 1 will be cleared, because the Ace of Clubs would be forced out of the screen.


Notes:

- Some users have noticed a small, but mysterious bug, in which both the top cards of the discard pile and the deck are picked up together.  I have no idea what is causing this; because I have not been able to replicate the circumstances on my own.  If anyone notices this bug, please post exactly what in the game you were doing.


Thanks to all!

[Matt Thorson]

Interesting game.  I think I'd rather play it with an actual deck of cards though, as it would be much faster.  To counter this, I'd recommend a hotkey for discarding the top card of the deck, just to streamline something you end up doing a lot (clicking and dragging is agonizingly slow to me).

I did encounter the 'double pick-up' bug where the top card of the deck and discard were both picked up in one click, and it happened when I was down to just one card left in the deck and I tried to grab the discard pile's top card.

[Farbs]

Fun fact:
Bureaucracy is also the name of a rather excellent Infocom adventure, scripted by the rather excellent Douglas Adams.

[frosty]

It was also an Avalon Hill board game.  Yes, I own it.   

[ThetaGames]

@YMM:
That's very weird.  I wonder why the bug only happens when there is one card left in the deck.  Thanks; I'll look into it further.

Actually, playing this with real cards is a little slower, because you have to manually push up and down the rows of cards whenever you promote or demote them.  The automatic discard is a good idea.  I think I'll make the <D>-key do that.


@Farbs:
Douglas Adams made a game?  His Hitchhikers Guide books were excellent, so I might have to try it (though I'm not really a fan of the genre of game).  My game is of a completely different genre, so I suppose its full title could be "Bureaucracy Card Game" or something like that.


@frosty:
I never played that board game.  Still, I don't really see a problem with sharing the name, because it is of a completely different genre and media.


Thanks to all!

~ Theta Games

[Al King]

Douglas Adams made a game?  His Hitchhikers Guide books were excellent, so I might have to try it (though I'm not really a fan of the genre of game).

Oh yes. You should find the infocom Hitchhiker's Guide game. Never again will you think it trivial to get a babel fish from a vending machine.

[ThetaGames]

Oh yes. You should find the infocom Hitchhiker's Guide game. Never again will you think it trivial to get a babel fish from a vending machine.