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What is Mastery? Mastery is a board game of skill and strategy for two players. Designed by S. John Ross, it is a challenging and entertaining game. Similar in concept to Chess, with a limited set of pieces and a few short rules for play, you can get some real brain strain trying to figure all the possibilities in the depths of a game. It's game of strategy and tactics that even allows you to use your opponent's pieces against him (quite literally). Visit the Mastery home page for a copy of the rules, and drop S. John a note letting him know what you think of the game. The Computer Game Here on this page, we offer the computer version of Mastery. You can play on your personal machine against yourself or a friend, or you can play across the Internet by connecting to a Mastery Server and joining a game. There is no computer opponent. The current version of Mastery (v2.6) is a 32-bit program, compatible with Windows 95/98/NT. We also offer the older 16-bit Mastery (v1) for those of you still using Windows 3.1 or who just want a relatively tiny program. Mastery is offered as freeware. Download Mastery.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to pass them on to me. |
Reduced size screen shot of the Mastery game board with the Internet play chat window below.
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| Download Mastery |
The Miser Software hosted Mastery Server no longer exists. Sorry about that. A new server, courtesy of Bas Snabilie is running, however. See the web page for info and the current IP address, which you'll need.
Mastery 2.6 is the current version of the computer game. This version may be played stand-alone, as in the old Mastery 1, but it may also serve as a client for Internet games.
To play across the Internet, you must connect to a Mastery Server (downloadable below). In order to connect, you must know the IP address of the server. Mastery comes pre-aware of a possible server, which should be up all the time, barring the regular array of unforeseen problems.
Mastery 2.6 is a 32-bit program and runs on Windows 95/98. Now at revision 2.6.4. You can check what version you currently have by looking at the title bar in the About Mastery window. Check the revisions page for info on what's new.
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Download the full Mastery setup program (approx. 1.6 MB): |
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Download the Mastery Update setup program (approx. 300KB): This update will take you from any previous version of Mastery 2.5 (or later) to the current version. If you notice any problems running the program, try downloading and installing the full setup program above. |
Fun Stuff for Mastery 2.6 or later!
Mastery 2.6 introduced the ability to use custom pictures of the pieces (see the revisions page for info).
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Here's a fun little picture scheme that I call Oddball. Obviously, I'm not an artist. It's available in 48x48 pixel (12 KB) and 64x64 pixel (20 KB) versions. It doesn't work too well for smaller than that, sorry. Just download one or both zip files, and unzip them in your Mastery folder. Each includes an appropriate scheme file, so you can just select the scheme file in Options and automatically have all the pictures assigned correctly. At first, they'll look pretty similar within the game, but soon that wonderful human pattern recognition ability will be kicking in, and you'll have no trouble keeping straight which pieces are which. |
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Here's another little scheme demonstrating my mastery of the artistic talents. This one is called Sykic (and, unlike the Oddball scheme which is composed of standard objects pasted together, this one is 100% drawn by me). It's available in a 32x32 pixel (3 KB) version only. Just download the zip file, and unzip it in your Mastery folder. Includes an appropriate scheme file, so you can just select the scheme file in Options and automatically have all the pictures assigned correctly. |
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Not a scheme, just my head. Feel free to play with it. This handy zip file (15 KB) includes versions in 64x64, 48x48, and 32x32 pixel sizes. |
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Sjohn made some event noises for you, conveniently packaged in this handy zip file (440 KB) over at his download area. |
| Download Mastery Server |
The Mastery Server allows you to run a server program capable of supporting Internet play for Mastery clients. You can run the Server on the same machine you're using to play Mastery as well, serving as your own server, and allowing others to connect to you.
You must know your IP address when you run the server. If you have a dial-up connection, or your IP address might otherwise change, you would need to shut down Mastery Server and then start it up again, to enter a new IP address.
Mastery Server is a 32-bit program and runs on Windows 95/98/NT. Now at version 1.0.42. You can check your version in the About box of Mastery Server.
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Download the full Mastery Server setup program (approx. 1.4 MB): |
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Download the small Mastery Server setup program (approx. 210 KB): This setup program includes none of the support files. Use this setup program only if you're running Mastery on the same computer, or you already have a copy of Mastery Server installed. |
| Download Mastery 1 |
The Mastery v1 computer game will run on any PC running Windows 3.x or Windows 95/98. It's a small, light 16-bit program that doesn't need many resources at all. Mastery requires two players, or one player who wants to play against himself. There is no computer player, and this version does not support play over the Internet.
Click here to download the Mastery installer (about 370k). It's a self-installing EXE that will set you right up.