[AmObA] is an open source gomoku clone for Windows thus you may freely distribute it.

IMPORTANT: As of 2008 April, i have moved the project to sourceforge. I am not developing the game any more and it is an open source, free-to-take project, licensed under GPL.

Gomoku is a simple yet fun board game, also known as Kakugo, Goren, Goseki, Go-bang, Connect 5, 5-in-a-row, Spoil 5, Five steps, Noughts n Crosses, etc. The goal of the game, as you might have already guessed, is to place five stones next to each other either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Whoever makes it first wins the game.

Version history

ver 0.17 - 2004/12

  • updated BASS library to version 2.1
  • some learning module improvements, since the one in v0.16 is quite lousy
  • brand new context sensitive, CHM based help, that is also available online
  • brand new history list with stone icons
  • clicking on a stone on the board highlights its history item and vice versa
  • brand new preferences form
  • purged rulesform
  • purged htmlform
  • purged avform
  • purged connectform
  • in place of all the above preferences form uses interchangeable frames
  • new txt export option
  • new xml export with xsl attachment option
  • slightly modified html export
  • new printing option
  • removed preview and quick preview of exports

ver 0.16 - 2004/07

  • whole lotta things changed or got improved, just a few of them:
  • changing the language settings can be done on the fly, without restarting the application
  • statistics page added with save as... and reset functionality
  • network update finder added
  • game properties added
  • board transpositions added, just to confuse yourself:)
  • right-click local menu added to the grid with zoom functionality
  • designer mode introduced for creating starting board positions
  • some new rules added, like random starting stones, plylimit, etc.
  • brand new aboutform that is also shown at startup
  • very cool music playback functionality thanks to BASS library
  • stone numbers are now pretty much configurable regarding their size, position and color
  • starting is much more configurable (human/computer/alt/rand/winner/loser starts)
  • games are saved as XML documents
  • boards can be exported as JPG images along with the old HTML/BMP/Clipboard formats
  • images ready for JPG/BMP export can be quick-previewed
  • HTML export is now XHTML compatible and supports stone numbering
  • some improved keyboard functionality
  • started to implement AI as a DLL plug-in, but it's quite far from complete yet
  • network gaming completely redesigned but still suffers from teething problems
  • completely changed top-right layout: configurable player icon, VS icon, etc.
  • introducing chance-o-meter starting up with 50-50
  • got rid of mouseover utility peeking and show history checkbox
  • clicking on a history item causes to rollback or focus on that step according to user preference
  • opening books were completely redesigned, winner games can be stored and reused
  • bugfix: v015.b1
  • bugfix: v015.b2
  • bugfix: v015.b3
  • bugfix: v015.b4
  • bugfix: v015.b5
  • bugfix: v015.b6
  • bugfix: v015.b7
  • bugfix: v015.b8
  • bugfix: v015.b9
  • bugfix: v012.b4

ver 0.15 - 2003/02

  • 0.13/0.14 versions lost, new version is 0.15
  • new module: IOModule
  • new form: HTML export form
  • modified aboutform: Credits
  • modified optionsform: presets and AI#2 dismissed
  • modified rulesform: overline can win or lose or neither, presets
  • modified connectform: help button, 'login as' instead of 'name'
  • modified mainform: some menu items removed,some new added, minor statusbar changes
  • new runtime form: Tip of the Day
  • modified unit2.openlink (sender can be button reqd for help buttons)
  • two modes remained: AI vs. Human/AI vs. Server
  • new mode in menu: designer mode (not yet implemented)
  • HTML export feature with preview
  • netgame linefeed bugfix (linefeed char can be 1 or 2 bytes)
  • playing configurable WAV sounds after win/lose
  • IOModule saves/loads INI settings/presets
  • Graphical grid with skins
  • new form: Audiovisual settings
  • new form: GFXform
  • ability to number stones
  • ability to show threats
  • function victory modified due to correct overline handling
  • no more draw game except when board is full
  • time limited games - victories due to timeup
  • variable board-size

ver 0.12 - 2002/12

  • forwardseeking via threat-space search of pwtses
  • getsample now returns string instead of integer
  • some functions and procedures took const parameters
  • modified unit2.openlink (mailto: enabled)
  • new form: Game rules
  • reset hintcolor
  • new appicon
  • introducing opening books for both attack and defense

ver 0.11 - 2002/11

  • serverstep modifications
  • modified utility boosting and getsample function
  • protocol messages sticky window
  • right click drags grid
  • windows version query for memoboxes (win95 limits on memo content)
  • modified aboutform
  • changed application.hintcolor
  • new cursors.res including updated hand/loupe and new grab cursor

Known bugs

[ver0.16]
v016.b1
Access violation during network gaming
v016.b2
Learning module problems: 1. not checking games already learnt 2. can easily be mislead by learning stupid games
v016.b3
Still problems with designer mode
v012.b3
Problems putting a stone on the right side or bottom of the grid viewport.
[ver0.15]
v015.b1
There is no boardsize-check when a saved game is re-loaded. In fact AGF0.1 file format does not even contain such information, for [AmObA] was originally designed to operate on a fixed 50x50 board.
v015.b2
Application terminates when trying to save new preset (either AI or rule)
v015.b3
HTML export form closes when selecting cancel in the popup file dialog.
v015.b4
Troubles with HTML output, especially when trying to change skin.
v015.b5
Problems with zoom/resize of board.
v015.b6
Game cannot be started by Computer. (In fact hidden feature 'Numpad0' does the job, but it's not yet considered a safe method)
v015.b7
Access violation when computer places winning stone at the edge of the board.
v015.b8
Computer puts in position 0,0 subsequently even if board is not totally full. (Full board bug)
v015.b9
Buggy stone pictures when trying to load inproper skinfile.
v012.b3
Problems putting a stone on the right side or bottom of the grid viewport.
v012.b4
Noesis gamefiles (*.ngk) not really supported yet.
[ver0.12]
v012.b1
Network gaming fails if server sends two-byte linefeeds.
v012.b2
Cannot continue opened games at all, because searchmatrix is not resized.
v012.b3
Problems putting a stone on the right side or bottom of the grid viewport. This is a Delphi TGrid problem, i cannot fix it.
v012.b4
Noesis gamefiles (*.ngk) not really supported yet.