----------------------
To join a game, you run a command like this on the server host:
-```
+
+::
+
otter [--nick <nick>] join-game unix:ijackson::test
/^^^^^^^ ^^^^\
game owner game name
-```
+
This will print a URL. You cut and paste that URL into your browser.
It is not usually necessary to explicitly leave a game, although
-a `leave-game` subcommand is available.
+a ``leave-game`` subcommand is available.
You can have the same URL open in multiple browsers if you wish. The
browser you use must support JavaScript and WebAssembly. Cookies are
Notable features you might otherwise overlook include these:
-Pressing "h" repeatedly cycles through various amounts of history
+Pressing ``h`` repeatedly cycles through various amounts of history
view (the overlaid yellow arrows showing what recently happened).
Typing numbers will get you into a multiple selection mode, which you
can use (for example) to draw yourself a hand of multiple cards.
-Typing just "1" will let you select the first available card, even if
+Typing just ``1`` will let you select the first available card, even if
it's not the one on top (eg because you want to draw a card and
someone is holding onto the deck).
if it is covered in cards so you can't see it.
Hands have an organise function, which lets you neaten the layout of
-the cards, or even sort them. Select the hand and look for the `o`
-and `O` keyboard commands.
+the cards, or even sort them. Select the hand and look for the ``o``
+and ``O`` keyboard commands.
There is a Wresting mode for making exceptional changes to the game
state, such as forcibly grasping a piece out of another player's
server side is not too badly affected.
If you can reproduce a bug, please file a bug report;
-<https://salsa.debian.org/iwj/otter/-/issues/new>.
+https://salsa.debian.org/iwj/otter/-/issues/new .
Of course you might want to reload the Otter game page if you have
trouble with your network or web browser. The state is all on the
Game administration
-------------------
-Creating and modifying games is done via the `otter` command line
-utility. See its `--help` message for full details.
+Creating and modifying games is done via the ``otter`` command line
+utility. See its ``--help`` message for full details.
The most usual game-creation command looks something like this:
-```
-otter reset --reset-table local-users unix:ijackson::test demo
- /^^^^^^^^^^^ /^^^^
- `table spec game spec
-```
+::
-Here `local-users` refers to the file `local-users.table.spec` in the
-Otter specs directory (`/volatile/Otter/specs` on chiark). The table
+ otter reset --reset-table local-users unix:ijackson::test demo
+ /^^^^^^^^^^^ /^^^^
+ `table spec game spec
+
+Here ``local-users`` refers to the file ``local-users.table.spec`` in the
+Otter specs directory (``/volatile/Otter/specs`` on chiark). The table
spec file handles access control (and some other global properties)
This particular file says that all local shell account users may join
the game.
-`demo` refers to the file `demo.game.spec`. The "game spec" says what
+``demo`` refers to the file ``demo.game.spec``. The "game spec" says what
shape the table is and what pieces there are. This is a simple demo game.
-Currently there are also `penultima` and `mao` game specs.
+Currently there are also ``penultima`` and ``mao`` game specs.
After a game has finished and you want to play again, you can put
everything back to the starting state (or, even, the starting state
for a different game) with something like this:
-```
-otter reset unix:ijackson::test demo
- /^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^\
- game name game spec
-```
+::
+
+ otter reset unix:ijackson::test demo
+ /^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^\
+ game name game spec
-The `otter` command line tool has further subcommands for
+The ``otter`` command line tool has further subcommands for
adding/removing players, for ad-hoc addition of pieces from the
library to an existing game, and so on.