If you live in my part of the world chances are you are experiencing the winter blahs. A couple of new games may help brighten things up a bit and I have come across a couple that I think a lot of "Computing With Bifocals" readers may enjoy. One offers several casino type games and the other allows you to test your movie knowledge. In addition, I found a great little freeware application that helps you create passwords from 4 digit PIN codes to 20 digit passwords.

Anubis Casino 1.2.4

Anubis Casino 1.2.4 was released January 24th and comes in both PowerPC and 68K versions. It is available as shareware, the individual user license is US$20. The application is made by Anubis, Inc. It is available for download at download.com and at the Anubis site. Both locations offer preview versions so you can try it out before you buy. The power PC version is fully compatible with OS 7, 8, and 8.5 and it works great on my OS 9. According to the company, the 68K version has been verified on a Macintosh IIci.

The application consists of seven popular casino table games including Baccarat, Blackjack, Caribbean Stud Power, Casino War, Craps, Let It Ride, Pai-Gow Poker, and Roulette. Only one individual at a time can play, but you can create as many "gamblers" as you wish and their winnings and their scores will be saved.

How To Install

Go to your download source and choose the download option. (New users can find tips and directions for downloading at the Computing With Bifocals Index.) When the download is complete open the folder and click on the install icon and follow directions.

The application offers Speech capabilities and the download folder also contains Speech Manager in case you don't already have it. To add Speech Manager, drag the icon from the casino folder to your (closed) system folder on your hard drive.

General Info

• Each gambler starts play with $1,000.
• There are no minimum bets.
• The original play amount will appear as one chip with a "10" on it. To break it into smaller amounts just double click on the chip and you will have a window that allows you to choose whatever denominations you want.
• To create, change, or delete specific gamblers choose that option from the File pull-down menu.

Features

• The graphics are great and easy to see.

Screen Shot from Anubis Casino
(click for larger view)

• Each user can have his or her own set of preferences for sound and keyboard options.
• Players can choose between on-screen buttons and keystrokes while playing.
• To move chips make sure the cursor is inside the active casino window. It will appear as a hand. Move the hand to the chip, click and drag.
• When you move from one game to another your chips will appear in the new game as one chip which you then divide as desired for the new game.
• The directions and explanations for the games and use of the application are very clear and straightforward. Even a brand new user should have no problem following them. The user manual is found inside the casino folder.

I found myself drawn to the game called Pa-God Poker with which I was not familiar. Quoting from the user manual:

The game is played with a single deck plus a joker. The joker can be an ace or a wild card for a straight or a flush. The player and dealer will receive seven cards. Then the player will prepare two hands. A five card hand and a two card hand. For the player to win, both hands must beat the dealer's hands and for the player to lose, the dealer must beat both of the player's hands. The five card hand must be stronger than the two card hand. To align your hand, click and drag the cards around. The left most position is the starting position so move your cards so they read left to right. The "BEST" button will align your cards as the house would align them.

This is a well designed and interesting game program and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys casino games.

Screen Test 2.0

Screen Test 2.0 is available as shareware and comes in both PowerPC and 68K versions (68K version available upon request). The individual user license if US$10. The application is the brainchild of Brian Kelley of CompleteMac Software. A preview version is available for download from the CompleteMac Web site or from Info-Mac. Screen Test 2.0 requires OS 7 or greater and runs perfectly on my OS 9.

Anyone who sees lots of movies should enjoy this application. It is a movie trivia game featuring quotes from more than 400 movies. Each game consists of 30 quotes. The correct answer will not be revealed if you miss, thus allowing you to eventually get the question again. It is easy to play. The player just clicks on the game icon and it opens to a really cool image of the countdowns we saw as kids when we went to the movies. Click to play and the play starts. Read the quote and click on the bar that you think is the correct movie title. You get a green or red light depending on your answer and the next question pops up.

Brian has added a new option to version 2.0 that allows the user to add his or her own questions. He gives the exact step-by-step formula that must be followed to add quotes. This feature should certainly serve to keep the game fresh and if we had Macs at work I could visualize all the movie buffs gathering around the computer at lunch and playing team challenges.

GenPass 1.2

GenPass 1.2 is freeware created by Derrick Donnelly and released January 24, 2001. It is a simple little application that quickly generates passwords. PIN creates 4 digit personal identification numbers such as you use in a bank ATM machine. GOOD creates passwords composed of lower case letters and numbers. BETTER creates passwords with both upper and lower case letters and numbers. BEST creates passwords with upper and lower case letters, numbers, and punctuation characters. Password lengths vary from four digits to 20 digits.

GenPass 1.1 Screen Shot

You can change the password types by moving the vertical slider bar up or down, or by using the up and down keys. You can change the length of the password by moving the horizontal slider bar left or right or by using the right and left arrow keys. Any new password is automatically placed in your computer's clipboard so that you can paste the new password into any other application that accepts information from the clipboard. Just switch over to the other application and hit "Command" or the Apple Key + the V key to paste the password.

I can hear you now saying "Well, this is all just great, but what if I have a 'senior moment' and forget the passwords I have created." If you click on the small triangle in the bottom left corner it will open a new window that allows you to store your passwords. The default is 10 passwords, but you can easily change that by highlighting the 10 and putting in another number. You can save your list to a text file by clicking on the Save button. Return to the main screen by clicking once again on the small triangle.

If you have any questions, comments, or tips, let me know and I may include them in a future column.

Copies of Nancy's book Tips, Hints, and Solutions for Seasoned Beginners Using Apple Macintosh Computers With OS X are available in PDF download versions  for US$9.57 and in print version for $18.15 plus $4.00 shipping.   To view sample pages and get ordering information visit the September 14, 2004 column.

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Check out Nancy's complete index of all her columns for the most complete list of tips anywhere. The list is categorized and is a great reference when you are looking for help! A Capacious Catalog Of Computer Tips

Talking to a generation that remembers what the world was like before there was color, covers issues for people who don't care how their computer works, but rather what their computer and the internet can do for them.

Nancy has a Master's degree in Human Services Administration and prior to her retirement she worked for almost 30 years in field of mental health and mental retardation. She has been a Mac user for 11 years, and has recently developed an avocation of teaching basic computer skills in both group and one-to-one settings.

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