Computer Facts in Five
A computer version of Avalon Hill’s board game, Facts in Five, this game
challenges players to recall trivia by category and initial letter. The
computer generates five categories (e.g. “Living Statesmen”), some with
subcategories (e.g. “State Governors”), along with five letters. Players then
try to recall names beginning with each letter which fit in the category and
subcategory. After five minutes, brain-racking ends and scoring begins,
weighted toward completing rows and columns.
The conversion to microprocessor enables over a thousand combinations of
categories and subcategories, and many variations on the traditional board
game play. Besides humbling solitaire, two players can compete for higher
scores, taking turns between five-minute rounds and typing blind if desired.
Even more can compete simultaneously in “party mode,” using included score
sheets to record their answers.
The playing screen comprises simply the list of categories and an accompanying
grid of letters, which may be the same or different within each category.
Players can navigate among the letters or be prompted randomly to enter each
answer at the bottom. A game is made up of five rounds of five minutes, each
with new choices, so you can recover from a particularly damaging set of
categories or letters. Variations allow the categories to be pre-selected or
even created by players. Since verification of correct answers (by vote or
reference) is left to the players, the game is virtually unlimited by content.
Computer Facts in Five