The BoardGame Tool
INTRODUCTION
The BoardGame tool is a front end for programming custom boardgames on a computer. It features an easy and flexible interface to interact with the players and has transparent support for network or AI-controlled games. Through a clear XML interface, games elements can be specified. Using an easy-to-learn back-end language like Python for rule implementations makes it very easy to implement, adjust or enhance rules that come with a game. The same back-end language can be used easily for simple or complex AI implementations.
GAMES
The BoardGame Tool comes with a collection of implemented games. Please see the XML specifications of those games for licensing details concerning the game implementations.
DOCUMENTATION
Documentation is available as HTML files in a separate package, or in the "doc" directory on level up if you got the full release package. Documentation on specific games is included with the games, if available.
LIBRARIES
The BoardGame Tool requires a correct installation of the following libraries. If something does not work as expected, please make sure to install the latest version of these libraries:
pthread usually comes preinstalled with your OS. It is closely
integrated with the GNU glibc library. If you do not have
the libpthread.so library , please consult
http://www.gnu.org/software/libc/libc.html for more
information on how to install the glibc library with
threads enabled.
xml2 the GNOME XML library. Please consult
http://www.xmlsoft.org/ for more information about this
splendid XML library
xml++ the GNOME XML C++ wrapper library. Please consult
http://libxmlplusplus.sourceforge.net/
for more information about this powerful wrapper library.
gthread the GNOME portable thread implementation. This is used for
interfacing with the user interface. The intention is to
move to this thread library completely and dropping
pthread.
The gthread library comes with the GTK Glib library. Please
consult
http://www.gtk.org/
for more information about the GIMP Tool Kit library.
glib the GTK utility library, usually installed as part of the
GIMP Tool Kit library. Please consult
http://www.gtk.org/
for more information about the GIMP Tool Kit library.
gtk The GIMP Tool Kit library. Please consult
http://www.gtk.org/
for more information.
libglade the GLADE user interface builder library. This requires
installation of the GLADE user interface builder. Please
consult
http://glade.gnome.org/
for the GTK+ user interface builder.
Please consult
http://www.daa.com.au/~james/software/libglade/
for more information about the GLADE user interface builder
library.
ImageMagick an extremely convenient image manipulation library. This
comes together with a slew of commandline tools for image
manipulation. Please consult
http://www.imagemagick.org/
for more information on the basic library. The C++ wrapper
library of the package is used for the BoardGame Tool, so
be sure to enable the compilation of that library.
Python an easy-to-learn, object oriented interpreted language. The
BoardGame Tool uses Python for implementing rules and
AI. Please consult
http://www.python.org/
for more information about the language, the interpreter
and the C bindings.
BUGS AND SUPPORT
If you encounter any one of the vast amount of possible bugs, please check the list of known bugs at
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=90378&atid=593405
If the bug is not present there, please make sure to use the latest version of the project, either the nightly CVS snapshot or the latest released package. If the bug still occurs there, submit detailed information about the problem, how it can be reproduced and what exactly the problem is, to either boardgametool-public-admin@lists.sourceforge.net, or use the SourceForge bug tracker at
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=90378&atid=593405
You can post messages for additional support or remarks on the SourceForge forums at
https://sourceforge.net/forum/?group_id=90378
Or submit new support requests at
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=90378&atid=593406
Please visit the BoardGame Tool project homepage for more information about how to submit bugs and get support:
LICENSING
This project is distributed under the Gnu General Public License (GPL). Some parts are directly or indirectly licensed under alternative licenses. In such cases, the alternative license is clearly noted in the source file or in a README file in the same directory. The full text of these licenses is included in the root directory of the project as a file called LICENSE.<license abbreviation>. The GPL text is available as LICENSE.gpl for example.
DISTRIBUTION
As set forth in the GPL, distribution is granted under the specified conditions of all source code and associated files of this project, unless noted specifically in or with the file as mentioned in the previous paragraph.