In the following descriptions, the player starting XSkat is called player1.
-displaydisplayname-geometrygeometryspecification-fontfontname (default: 9x15 or 10x20)
-iconic-titlewindowtitle-nameapplicationresourcename-fgforegroundcolor-bgbackgroundcolor
The usual X toolkit options.
-btcolor
The color of dialog buttons.
-markcolor
The color of the marks that indicate
who is forehand (during bidding),
who is the Soloist,
which card the computer would play,
or the keyboard focus
(default: red or black).
-3d Use a 3D look for dialogs (default).
-2d Use the old, flat style (default on monochrome screens).
-3dtopcolor
The color used for the lines around the top and left sides of 3D buttons (default: white).
-3dbotcolor
The color used for the lines around the bottom and right sides of 3D buttons (default: black).
-mbmenubutton
The number of the mouse button that brings up the menu (default: 0 = any button).
-keyboardnumber
Define how much of the user interface may be controlled by the keyboard. The number has the
following meaning:
0 : Nothing.
1 : More (default).
2 : Everything.
-tdelayseconds
Specifies how long the last trick will be visible. A delay of more than 10 seconds means that the
trick will be removed after pressing a mouse button. In multiplayer mode the largest specified
value is used (default: 0.7).
-fastdeal
Deal the cards without any time consuming animation.
-slowdeal
Deal the cards slowly (default).
-help Show a short help text.
-frenchcards
Play with French suited cards.
-french4cards
Change the colors of diamond and spade to orange and green, so that the 4 suits have easily
distinguishable colors (default).
-germancards
Use German cards.
-german4cards
Change the color of acorns to brown, so that the 4 suits have easily distinguishable colors.
-color Use colored cards. If there are not enough colors left, the number of colors used to draw the
cards will be reduced appropriately (default).
-mono Use b&w cards.
-color1 .. -color4
Redefine the colors of the suits diamond, heart, spade and club. Selecting -french4cards
overrides the colors for diamond and spade.
-large and -small
Select the size of the main window (default: as large as possible).
-down Sort cards downwards (default).
-up Sort cards upwards.
-alt Sort cards in alternating order.
-seq Sort cards in sequential order (default).
-listfilename
The file for saving/restoring the game list (default: $HOME/.xskat.lst or ./xskat.lst if HOME
isn't set. For IRC games: .irc instead of .lst).
-alist Alternative form of listing.
-nlist Normal form of listing (default).
-tlist Listing with tournament scoring.
-logfilename
Turn on automatic logging, i.e. append logs of all games to filename (- means stdout).
-dolog Turn on automatic logging (default file: $HOME/.xskat.log or ./xskat.log).
-nolog Turn off automatic logging (default). Logs of individual games may still be saved during the
game.
-fmt Write formatted log files, i.e. use backspaces for underlining and boldface.
-unfmt Write unformatted log files (default).
-gamefilename
Read predefined games from filename (- means stdin). Not available for IRC play. See also
section FILES below.
-briefmsg
Indicate who is forehand (during bidding) and who is the Soloist by displaying a small mark on the
back of the cards.
-verbosemsg
Additionally print out everyones position and what is being played (default).
-trickl2r
Put down the cards of a trick from left to right (default).
-notrickl2r
Place the cards corresponding to the players positions.
-langlanguage
Currently available: English and German (default: $LANG/$LANGUAGE is tried first. Then: see
Imakefile/Makefile).
-startnumber
The player who starts dealing cards (default: 2).
-s1number-s2number-s3number
Change the playing strenght of the computer players.
s1 corresponds to the left computer in single player mode or to the one and only computer in two
player mode.
s2 corresponds to the right computer in single player mode.
s3 is only useful with -auto.
The number must be between -4 (weak) and 0 (default).
-ramsch
Play a game of Ramsch when all players pass.
The following rules are currently implemented:
The Skat remains face down until it goes to the winner of the last trick (or to the loser of the
game, s.b.). The amount lost is the number of card points taken. If two players tie for most
card points, they both lose. If all tie, the score is 0. If one player takes no tricks (a
virgin) the amount lost by the loser is doubled. Someone taking all the tricks (forced march)
wins 120 points.
-noramsch
Don't play Ramsch (default).
-ramschonly
Play Ramsch each game.
-sramsch
Play Schieberamsch instead of simple Ramsch.
The rules are:
Each player in turn, starting with Forehand, may pick up the Skat and discard two cards face down.
It's not allowed to pass on jacks. The score is doubled each time a player doesn't pick up the
Skat.
-nosramsch
Don't play Schieberamsch (default).
-skattoloser
At the end of a Ramsch game the Skat is awarded to the loser(s). This will increase the loss.
-skattolast
The Skat goes to the winner of the last trick (default).
-kontra
Allow opponents to say 'Kontra' which doubles the score of the game. The Soloist may reply 'Re'
to double the score again.
-nokontra
Disallow Kontra (default).
-kontra18
Only an opponent who said at least 18 may say 'Kontra'.
-bock Play a Bockround after some special event. The score is doubled in the next 3 games. If an event
causing a new Bockround happens before the current Bockround is over or several Bockround events
happen at the same time, the number of Bockrounds still to play is increased appropriately.
-nobock
Don't play Bockrounds (default).
-bockramsch
Play a round of compulsory Ramsch after each Bockround. Before a game of Ramsch begins, each
player in turn, starting with Forehand, may declare to play Grand Hand instead. After a Grand
Hand the same player deals again because this game does not count towards completing the
Ramschround.
-bockeventsnumber
Specify the events that cause a Bockround.
(1) A game is lost with 60 points.
(2) A successful Grand Hand.
(4) A successful Kontra (opponents win).
(8) A game with Kontra & Re.
(16) A player's score ends in 3 equal digits.
(32) A player's score is a multiple of 100.
(64) A game value of +72 or more.
(128) A game value of +96 or more.
Add up the numbers in parentheses to specify the desired events (default: 0).
Notes:
A Kontra where the Soloist said Re but lost counts as one event not two (events 4 and 8).
To check a player's score, the current listing options of player1 are used (events 16 and 32). A
score that is a multiple of 1000 counts as one event.
The game value (events 64 and 128) is the normal value without considering any doubling caused by
Ramsch, Kontra or Bock.
-resumebock
Resume unfinished Bockrounds after quitting and restarting XSkat. The number of games to play is
read from the game list file.
-noresumebock
Don't resume Bockrounds (default).
-spitze
Allow the Soloist to declare Spitze. This means that the last trick must be made with the lowest
trump to win the game. This will be indicated to the other players by displaying the lowest
trump. The game multiplier is increased by 1. It's not allowed to say Spitze in a Grand with 4
jacks.
-spitze2
Declaring Spitze increases the multiplier by 2.
-nospitze
Don't allow Spitze (default).
-revolution
Enable a special variation of Null ouvert. After the Soloist's cards are exposed the opponents
can look at each other's cards and rearrange the cards between their two hands in any way they
wish before the start of the play. Revolution is worth 92 points.
-norevolution
Don't allow Revolution (default).
-klopfen
During a Ramschround you may knock (klopfen) at the beginning of a game to indicate that you think
you won't lose. This will double the score of the game. Klopfen is not possible if you don't
pick up the Skat in Schieberamsch.
-noklopfen
Don't allow Klopfen (default).
-schenken
If the opponents decide at the start of the play that they cannot defeat the Soloist, they can
give up. This is done by selecting Schenken from the main menu during the first trick when it's
your turn. If the Soloist accepts, the score is as though the game was won simply. The Soloist
can insist on playing on, but in that case has to make the opponents Schneider to win. The score
in this case is as for an announced Schneider (the multiplier is increased by 2). If the Soloist
goes on the opponents can schenken again, giving the Soloist the Schneider. The Soloist can
accept Schneider or insist on playing on for Schwarz.
-noschenken
Don't allow Schenken (default).
-hint Put a mark over the card the computer would play.
-nohint
Don't show computer hints (default).
-newrules
Use the official rules of 01/01/1999:
Lost Hand games count double.
The Grand Ouvert multiplier is 24.
(default)
-oldrules
Lost Hand games count simple.
The Grand Ouvert multiplier is 36.
-shortcut
Always finish the game when the remaining tricks will all go to one side.
-noshortcut
Play each trick.
-askshortcut
Ask whether a shortcut should be taken (default).
-irc Play via Internet Relay Chat. This option will establish a connection to an IRC server where you
can join other people for a game of Skat.
How it works:
Start XSkat from an xterm. Wait until the server has printed the welcome message. You are now on
channel #xskat where new games should be planned. Everything you type into the xterm will be sent
to everyone else on this channel. After you have found one or two other players and agreed upon
the name of a new channel (say #xskat123), you should type /join #xskat123. When all players are
on the new channel, exactly one player has to type /go (or /go2 if there are only 2 players) to
start the game. Now you can play and talk.
-noirc Don't use IRC (default).
-irctelnetprogram
Specify the program that will be used to connect to the IRC server. If you are sitting behind a
firewall, a program like rtelnet must be used and you may have to set $SOCKS_SERVER to the name of
your firewall host (default: telnet).
-ircserverhost-name
Select an IRC server near you! (default: $IRCSERVER or irc.fu-berlin.de, if not changed in the
Imakefile/Makefile)
-ircportnumber
The port of the IRC server to connect to (default: $IRCPORT or 6667).
-ircchannelname
The channel to join initially (default: #xskat).
-ircnickname
Your IRC nickname. If your nick is already used by someone else, a different nick will be
generated automatically. Some servers allow a nick length of 30, others limit it to 9 characters.
(default: $IRCNICK or $IRCUSER or $LOGNAME or xskatNNNN).
-ircusername
Your user/login name. Note: most servers don't like faked user names (default: $IRCUSER or
$LOGNAME).
-ircrealnamename
Your real name (default: $IRCNAME or the entry from the passwd file or 'XSkat player').
-ircposnumber
Select your position relative to the other players. Positions are numbered clockwise 1, 2 and 3.
Player 2 will start dealing if not specified otherwise with -start or /start. If you don't
specify your position or there is a conflict with someone else's choice or you give an invalid
number (3 in a 2 player game), this will be fixed automatically. Choosing the right positions is
important if you want to continue with a saved game list (default: 0 = I don't care).
-irclogfile
Everything sent to or received from the IRC server is saved to this file (- means stdout). It may
be useful for debugging (default: $HOME/.xskat.ilg or ./xskat.ilg).
-irclogappend
Append output to the log file.
-irclogoverwrite
Overwrite existing log file (default).
IRCcommands:/nick name, /nick - change or display your nickname.
/who - is on the current channel ?
/list,/liststring - show all channels that match the word xskat or the specified string. This
will take some time on networks with a large number of channels. Trying to stop the listing will
terminate the program.
/pos number - see -ircpos.
/bell - toggle the alarm bell. When on, the bell will ring each time someone joins your channel or
sends a message to you. The bell is off initially.
/quit - terminate XSkat.
/sync - if messages get lost due to a net-split (or because someone left the channel during play),
XSkat will detect this and in most cases should be able to synchronize automatically (within 30
seconds) after the connection is reestablished. Typing /sync will try this immediately.
/quote command args - for those who know what they are doing.
The following commands are only useful for the player who will start the game by typing /go
because that player will determine the rules of the game.
/default - set the official rules.
/ramsch,/sramsch,/skattoloser,/kontra,/bock,/resumebock,/spitze,/revolution,/klopfen,/schenken,/oldrules,/bockevents,/alist,/tlist,/start,/s1 - change the rules of the game.
All of these require an argument (a number or True/False) just like the resources with the same
name.
/rules - show the current rules to everyone on your channel.
Notes: The version numbers of all participating programs must be equal.
Most options cannot be changed during the game. Options that can be changed are not saved to a
file.
The game list can only be cleared during bidding or when it's your turn to play a card. There is
a different default game list for IRC games (see -list).
It's possible to type into the xterm or the game window (which is recommended), but changing input
sources in the middle of a line won't work.
If you want better input line editing and a split screen try the program ssfe. It is used like
this: ssfe -raw xskat -irc
You can omit -irc when you specify any of the other IRC options.
-auto#ofgames
Three computers play the specified number of games without human interaction. The resulting
scores are printed.
With this option, no resources are read, and the game list is saved only if -list is specified.
-optfilename
The file for saving/restoring all interactively changeable options of all players (default:
$HOME/.xskat.opt or ./xskat.opt). Command line options take precedence over options specified in
this file which in turn override resource specifications. This may be changed with the useoptfile
resource.
-pk If you want the computer to deal a Good Hand every time. (as requested by Petra K.)
Alternatively, pressing F6 three times will result in a Good Hand for the next game. Does not
work in multiplayer mode.
player@display
Specifies the display of the second and third player (but is ignored for IRC games). The player@
part may be omitted if the alias resource is set on display.
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