FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I play ?

See "how to play" within the game app under the information screen for a demo.

 

Jamix is a 2 player turn based game.   On a player's turn they slide one of their pieces towards a space (up, down, left or right). The peice will move until it collides with another piece or the edge of the board.   When it comes to rest, any opponent pieces (including an unbroken row or column of opponent pieces) that are sandwiched between the piece that moved and another of the player's pieces will be captured and converted into additional pieces for that player.   Peices cannot sandwich pieces diagonally.  The player can also sandwich the opponent's pieces against the corners;  corners act as extra stationary pieces for the player who is taking their turn.  

 

Play then passes to the opponent, who in the same way moves one of their pieces to try and gain pieces.

 

The player who captures all of the opponents pieces, or leaves then unable to move, wins the game.

 

If you lose track you can tell whose turn it is by the colour of the corner flames. 

 

There is a time limit for each move in online play, timer bars shows how long a player has left to move.  If a player does not move within the time limit the game is conceded.

What are the game options ?

You can play AI (computer) opponents that range in difficulty, pass and play on the same device, or against online opponents anywhere in the world.

Do I need an internet connection to play ?

You can play against the computer or pass and play on the same device without an internet connection. Only online play and viewing the leaderboard that requires an internet connection. 

How do ratings work ?

A player's rating reflects how successful they have been against online and AI opponents.  After each game,rating points are transferred from the losing player to the winning player.  Win a game to increase your rating, if you lose a game your rating decreases.   The number of points gained or lost after a game depends on the difference between the ratings of the winner and loser. If the higher rated player wins, then only a few rating points will be taken from the lower rated player. However, if the lower rated player wins, more rating points will be transferred.   The higher rated the opponent you beat, the quicker your rating increases.  

 

(Two player matches on the same device do not effect ratings.)

Can I choose who I play online ?

By default, in online games players are matched against opponents with similar ratings.  However friends can create their own Jamix clubs.  If a club name is set players will only be matched against opponents who have also set an identical club name.   Use the settings options on the title screen if you want to set a club name.    Blank the club name again if you want to play against the main Jamix community.    

 

(Note there are limits on how high your rating can increase during club play.)

 

Who plays first ?

Jamix keeps count of how many times both you and your opponent play first.  The player who has played first the least number of times in their last 5 rated games will go first in the new game;  if both players had played first the same number of times it is random.

How are starting formations determined ?

There are several different starting formations to add variety to the game.   The starting formation for each game is selected at random.

How do I change my player name ?

You can change your player name under "settings" on the title screen.  Player names can contains letters and numbers, there is a 10 character limit. Changing your player name will not affect your rating. 

What do the icons mean ?

Your opponent's icon (vs AI or vs an online opponent) reflects their rating.  This ranges from Geko (beginner level),  up to the Dragon (an extremely difficult opponent, with a rating of 1700+).  

 

In online games the icon your opponent sees for you reflects your rating.

What happens if I quit during a game ?

If a player quits or exits a game that is underway the win is awarded to the opponent.  In online games (or vs. AI games) ratings are updated to reflect this outcome.

How do I unlock the AI (computer) opponents ?

There are AI opponents with different level of difficulty. These range from the Geko (beginner level) to the Dragon (an extremely tricky opponent, with a rating of 1700).   AI opponents will be unlocked if your rating increases to within 50 points of theirs.

What is the "club name" used for ?

Please see "Can I choose who I play online ?"

What does the leaderboard show ?

The leaderboard displays the active players with the highest ratings globally.  

What does the wifi symbol mean ?

To play online, your phone or tablet needs an internet connection.   An amber wifi symbol means the device cannot connect to the game server and is attempting to reconnect. This usually means the device has no internet connection. A red wifi symbol is shown when the app has timed out trying to recover a connection; quit back to the menu screen to retry once the device has an internet connection again.

 

Preventing stalemates and stale game play 

If a player repeats the same pattern with all their remaining pieces 3 times within a sequence of 15 moves,  the last piece they moved will defect to the opposition.    A brief flare will appear on the last peice moved to warn a player when they have repeated the same pattern twice.

Is Jamix child friendly ?

Yes, Jamix has been designed as a game for all age groups.   There is no inappropriate content for children.  Players cannot broadcast messages or chat to each other via the game.