Proto:Spider Solitaire (Windows, 1998)

This page details one or more prototype versions of Spider Solitaire (Windows, 1998).

A prototype of Spider Solitaire from around February 1998 was found in a beta version of Microsoft Plus! for Windows 98. It's from very late in development, and the differences are minimal.

Download Spider Solitaire (February 1998 Prototype) File: spidersolitairefeb98prototype.zip (146 KB) (info)

General

• The "Deal!" menu item has not been implemented yet.
• The "Deal Next Row" shortcut is Ctrl+R instead of D.
• Text related to the ending animation is not present in the prototype. The final version will notify the user if they cannot run the animation due to DirectX not being installed or the game not running in 256 color mode.

You won the game!  Unfortunately, DirectX doesn't appear to be installed correctly, so you won't be able to see the winning sequence.

Congratulations, you won Spider! You must be running in 256 color mode or higher in order to see the winning sequence.

• An additional string table not found in the prototype is found in the retail release. Only a single word is in this table. This likely has to do with the fonts used in the game.

Arial

• No version info is present in the prototype version.

Help

Some text in the Help file was changed in the Plus! 98 version.

Prototype	Final
Unlike Freecell, not every game of Spider Solitaire is winnable. Use Undo whenever possible, and plot your strategy carefully.	Not every game of Spider Solitaire is winnable, but you have a better chance of winning if you plot your strategy carefully.

Because FreeCell is not always winnable, this was changed in the retail version. The suggestion to undo was also removed.

Prototype	Final
Between each deal, your first priority is to clear an entire stack so you have some flexibility to rearrange cards into matching suits.	Between each deal, your first priority is to clear an entire stack so you can rearrange cards into matching suits.

Prototype	Final
First create stacks of the same suit. (Remember that Spider Solitaire has an Undo command—if there is more than one possibility, use Undo try them both and choose the most advantageous.)	Create stacks of the same suit. (Remember that Spider Solitaire has an Undo command—if there is more than one possibility, use Undo to try them both and choose the most advantageous.)

Prototype	Final
Then create stacks with non-matching suits to turn over more cards.	Create stacks with nonmatching suits to turn over more cards.

Prototype	Final
As soon as you clear a stack (two stacks are even better), rearrange your cards as much as possible into matching suits.	As soon as you clear a stack (two stacks are even better), rearrange your cards into matching suits.

Prototype	Final
You can't Undo dealing a new row. But, if you save your game (from the Game menu, click Save This Game) right before you deal each row, you can revert back to the last saved game, if you decide that you want to undo your deal.	You cannot deal a new row and then click Undo. However, if you save your game before you deal each row, you can revert to the last saved game, if you decide that you want to cancel your deal.

Some changes were made to the wording in these sections.

Whenever you have two choices or more choices, use Undo to try each one.

To save your game, from the Game menu, click Save This Game.

These points were added to the retail release and were not present in the prototype.