Goal

You must reach the target score by forming words found in the SOWPODS dictionary.

Names, conjugated or un-conjugated verbs, adjectives, adverbs, are all accepted but proper nouns are not accepted.

Joining Games

Click on the Play section in the menu bar and then choose one of the following game modes:

Normal Mode: In this mode games are played throughout the day. There's no need to sit by your computer!

Rapid Mode: If you have 2 or 3 hours spare, this mode will allow you to quickly win points!

As soon as 5 players of an equal standard have joined, a new game will begin.

Game Rules

At the beginning of the game, you are given 160 . These action points allow you to draw letters or use in-game options.

You win 1 per minute in normal mode and 5 per minute in rapid mode, if you don't have enough to draw a letter, you must wait a while.

Popotamo isn't a turn-based game. All players play at the same time!

1. First draw letters using the button.
2. To place a letter on the board, click on a letter, then click on the square on the board on which you wish to place it. If you make a mistake, don't panic, you can move the letter again.
3. As soon as possible, place your word on the gameboard and then click on to validate your proposal.

Don't forget! the first word must be placed in the middle of the board.

You can form as many words as you want, but the words must be included in the SOWPODS Dictionary to be accepted.

If a word touches the side of the board, the word will be deleted and you will lose 10 points.

When a player reaches the target score, he/she wins the game, the other players continue to play until they also reach the target score.

Points Calculation

The counter at the top right estimates the number of points that you win with each valid word.

The value of each new word is calculated according to the following formula:

Number of letters already placed on board + number of new letters squared

For example, if the board is empty and you form the word "part" with your letters you win 4*4 = 16 points.

If a player then adds "ies" to create the word "parties" he/she wins 4 + 3*3 = 13 points

If a word touches the side of the gameboard, the board will be cleared and the player who placed the word on the gameboard will lose 10 points.

The rule of "number of new letters squared" is valid up to 8 letters. Following this the value won increases in a linear fashion:

Number of new letters	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Score	1	4	9	16	25	36	49	64	80	90	100	110	120	130	140

Score & Quids

At the end of each game you win points and quids . The prizes are as follows:

• 10 points and 10
• 5 points and 5
• 3 points and 3
• 2 points and 2
• 0 points and 0

Points are added to your monthly score, the best players each month win a Popotamo Cup!

Quids can be spent in the Poposhop to improve skills or to buy special in-game options which will improve your performance in future games!

Options

During the first few games, you only have one option, trash. .

By finishing each game you will win quids which can be spent in the Poposhop to improve your skills or buy special in-game options.

Each option will give you an advantage in your future games, some can only be used once per game, others need a certain number of points in order to be activated.

The list of options along with their descriptions can be seen in the Poposhop.

Skills

Once you have registered, your skills are set at zero. You can view your skills at any time by accessing your profile. You can use your quids in the Poposhop to improve your skills up to a maximum of level 10.

Speed

Drawing a letter costs 20 , for each increase in speed, the number of needed to draw a letter is lowered.

If you increase your speed once (1), to draw a letter will then cost 19 . If you increase your speed again (2) drawing a letter will not cost more than 18 .

Imagination

In your first few games on Popotamo, you can only have 6 letters at any one time. If you increase your Imagination, you'll be able to play with an extra letter.

If you increase your Imagination once (1), you will be able to play with 7 letters. If you increase your Imagination again (2) you will be able to play with 8 letters. etc.

Wisdom

You start each game with 160 , which represents 8 letters. Wisdom increases your at the start of each game by (+20 ).

If you increase your wisdom once (1), you will begin games with 180 . If you increase your wisdom again (2) you will start each game with 200 , etc.

Level & Rankings

By the side of your name in your account and throughout the site you will come across the pie charts which represent your level and the level of other players on Popotamo.

There are 4 levels:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced
• Champion

Each level corresponds to a class in the Scores section.

At the end of each month all scores are reset to zero and players change class according to their scores.

• The first 1000 players in Beginner will be promoted to Intermediate
• The first 100 players in Intermediate will be promoted to Advanced
• The first 10 players in Advanced will be promoted to Champion

Furthermore, the top player in each class will receive a Popotamo Cup which will appear in their profile.

Target Scores

A new player on Popotamo must reach 250 points in order to win a game.

Thanks to quids won during the games, each player will be able to improve their skills and buy further in-game options.

After players have improved their skills or bought in-game options, their target score will increase. This difference in player's target scores represents a player's handicap.

By using this handicap system, all players are able to play together on Popotamo.

Player Status

Players' names highlighted in white indicates that they are online.

Players' names highlighted in green indicates that they are offline.

For technical reasons, players with a slow connection will always appear in green.

Stalemate

In the rare case that nobody proposes a new word, the game will be stopped after 24 hours of inactivity. The order of players is kept in order to distribute points along with quids !

Themed Games

You can choose to play themed games on Popotamo. During themed games, the gameboard changes and you will see an image which indicates the theme of the game : Fruits and Vegetables, all words of this theme are doubled.

A theme corresponds to specific vocabulary or a definition. The themes are drawn up with care by kind players : worker ants.

For example, in the theme Fruits and Vegetables, if you place themed words such as (CARROT, APPLE, TOMATO, etc.) on the gameboard, you will win more points.

Game modes are special periods only available in friendly games (see below), at the moment only the mode cases mot compte double existe.

The function of these game modes and themes are described in detail in the following thread in the forum !

If you don't like themed games, and you want to deactivate them, you can do so by going to the following section in your account Account Options. It's also possible to only play themed games if you love them:)

Friendly Games

You can also play Friendly Games on Popotamo, in both Normal and Rapid modes.

Creating or joining a normal game is free if you're not already taking part in a free game.

Creating or joining a normal game while you are already taking part in a free game costs 1 .

Creating or joining a quick game costs 1 .

On the other hand, you will be able to invite your friends to this game and choose a theme or a game mode !

Once a game has been created, you will be asked to give the names of the players to invite. You can also browse the pages of your friends from the contact list in your messaging system or from the player rankings and click on the link "Invite To Friendly".

A message will then appear on the browser of your friends allowing them to accept or refuse your invitation.

The game wil begin, as soon as 4 players have accepted your invitation..

Mini-Games

Play a minigame while you wait for the start of a game or between turns. The minigames have a short duration and are independant from the main game.

If the minigame window doesn't appear, remember to install or update your browser's Flash Plugin.

Minigames are only accessible at the bottom of the Play section.

Note: In order to encourage new players to first play Popotamo, minigames will not appear until you have completed 3 games.

Extra Profiles

You start Popotamo with a single profile.

This profile is characterised by your Speed, your Imagination, your Wisdom and your Options.

After having used this profile for a while, you may want a new challenge, try a new strategy or want to meet players with different profiles etc.

You have two options by which to do this, you can reset your account (in which case you will lose all statistics of your current profile) or you can create a new in-game profle from the Poposhop.

This new profile can be chosen before starting a new game and can be modified in the Poposhop seperately from your main profile.

Technical Help

1. Update your internet browser or install .

2. Try to use a minimum screen resoultion of 1024x768.

In Windows:

• Richt-click on the Windows desktop
• Click on "Properties"
• Click Options
• In the Screen Resolution tab, scroll through until you have selected a resolution of 1024x768.

3. Install or update the Flash Plugin

Relax!

There's no need to rush while playing Popotamo! Start a game in the evening and continue it the next day during a break from work or back at home!

Start a game at breakfast, continue to play during your lunch-break and finish the game in the evening after coming home from work.

Good Luck!