Boulder-dash(l)

NAME
Boulder-dash (v1.2) - Collect diamonds, kill monsters, close in blob etc. etc.

SYNOPSIS
xbd [ -l level ]
xbde -l level [ -w width ] [ -h height ]

DESCRIPTION

xbd is a game designed for X windows (originally a similar game with the same name ran on CBM64). xbde is used to create and edit new levels which can be used by Boulder-dash.

The goal in Boulder-dash is to collect a certain number (ds) of diamonds per level (lv) and then enter the next level by moving to the blinking exit-field, thus incrementing your number of lives (ls). A diamond is worth (dp) points. Normally extra diamonds are worth more.

OPTIONS
The -l option sets the level number for editing or for starting the game. This may be any integer greater than 0. By default, the game starts at level 1. The -w and -h options set the width and height of a newly created level.

USAGE
When playing Boulder-dash the following keyboard commands may be used:

SPACE,R11    -     stop
h,left arrow     -     move left
l,right arrow     -     move right
k,up arrow     -     move up
j,down arrow     -    move down

?    -    help

When used in combination with the control key, the direction keys make the player 'steal' instead of 'go'. In addition, some other control key combinations can be used:

^C    -     kill the game
^D    -    give dutch act
^R     -     redraw the level

The mouse must be placed in the game window to use the keyboard commands. When the game starts or a level is finished , everything is frozen, and any key will start/continue the game.

xbde can be used to edit levels. Levels are stored in ASCII files. The first line in a level file contains level specific parameters that should be edited by hand. The parameters are:
height width speed dp extra-dp blob-brake tinkle-dur ti name
Where blob-brake indicates how strongly blob propagation is slowed down. tink-dur is the time tinkle-walls will keep their magic power. ti is the time permitted to complete this level. name is the name of the level.
Blocks are painted by pressing the left mouse button. Spaces are painted by pressing the right mouse button. A new block type is selected by one of the following keys:

<space> - draw spaces
b - draw boulder
d - draw diamond
e - draw eater (initial speed: 0)
g - draw grass
l - draw left-monster (initial direction: NORTH)
p - draw player
r - draw right-monster (initial direction: NORTH)
t - draw tinkle wall
w - draw wall
x - draw explosion (SPACEEXPLO)
B - draw blob
E - draw exit
N - draw nuclear balloon
S - draw steel
W - draw magic wall

Other commands are:

^c - Quit
^E - Erase level
^w - Save level and quit

AUTHOR
Jeroen Houttuin, Informatikdienste, ETH Zurich 1990.

CREDITS
CBM64 for the idea. Alexander Siegel (Cornell University) for example X-programming in 'golddig'. Christos S. Zoulas (Cornell University) for Imakefile and bug fixes.

FILES
xbd - Boulder-dash executable
xbde - Boulder-dash editor executable
scores - high score list
default - default level
xbdlev### - levels