This page and the applets on it are under construction... (so come back often, because things will keep changing)
Settle is a one-player version of the card game Set.
Settle cards are characterized by four attributes - the shape on the
card (circle, square, or triangle), the number of shapes on the card
(1, 2, or 3), the color of the shapes (red, yellow, or blue), and the
shading (hollow, hashed, or solid). A set is a group of three
cards such that each attribute is either the same or different for the
cards. In other words, if two cards in a set share an attribute, the
third must also. Some examples may make this clearer:
The three cards above form a set because all three cards have the same
shape (square) and shading (hashed), but different numbers and colors.
The three cards above do not form a set because, while the shapes and
numbers are different and the color is the same, the left and right
cards have hollow shading and the middle card has hashed shading.
To begin a game of Settle, click on the "start game" button. You will be presented with 12 cards from which to begin making sets. To make a set, click the mouse on each card. The first two cards selected will be drawn as raised rectangles (it'll be obvious what this means once you start playing) to help you remember what you have chosen. When the third card is selected, if the selected cards form a set, they will be replaced be three new cards (or blanks if there are no cards left in the deck). If the selected cards do not form a set, the selected cards will be restored to their original look. On every level except "tutorial" you have two seconds to select three cards. If the time expires before you complete your selection, the cards will be restored to their original states and it will be scored as an invalid set. If you make a mistake selecting cards, keep selecting cards until you get three or just wait a few seconds, and begin again.
Sometimes it will not be possible to form a set with the cards given. In that case, click on the "no set" button and if there really is not a set three more cards will be put out, up to 21. (Any 21 cards guarantees a set.) When the deck is empty and no more sets can be found, the game ends (and "Game Over" is printed on the screen).
There are a number of levels of play. They are:
This level does not have distinct single-player or versus-computer modes. If you are stuck, shift+mouse (hold down the shift button and click the mouse) will display a possible set or put out new cards if there is no set. (At the moment, only two of the three cards in the set will actually be highlighted. I have tried to fix this problem, but have had no success. Sorry.) Click the mouse to continue playing. There is no limit on the amount of time you have to select a set and there are no periodic point deductions.
On this level, once you begin selecting a set you must finish within two seconds or your selection will be canceled (and points deducted). In single-player mode three points are deducted every 20 seconds; when playing against the computer, the computer will wait at least 30 seconds and at most 40 seconds before choosing a set.
On the numbered levels, once you begin selecting a set you must finish within two seconds or your selection will be canceled (and points deducted). In single-player mode the delay for point deductions goes from 10 seconds (level 1) to 5 seconds (level 10). When playing against the computer, the delay before the computer finds a set goes from 15-25 seconds (level 1) to 1-3 seconds (level 10).
Clicking on "new game" will abort the current game and set things up to begin a new one.
Scoring: You receive 15 points for each valid set. Deductions of 5 points are made for each invalid set or for clicking on "no set" when a set is present. In single-player mode 3 points are deducted periodically (to compensate for the fact that Set is a multiplayer game where the first person to see a set gets the points for forming it.)