manual/plugins/wormlet.tex

   1 \subsection{Wormlet}
   2 \screenshot{plugins/images/ss-wormlet}{Wormlet game}{img:wormlet}
   3 Wormlet is a \opt{RECORDER_PAD}{multi{}-user }multi{}-worm game on a multi{}-threaded
   4 multi{}-functional Rockbox console. You navigate a hungry little worm.
   5 Help your worm to find food and to avoid poisoned argh{}-tiles. The
   6 goal is to turn your tiny worm into a big worm for as long as possible.
   7
   8 \opt{RECORDER_PAD}{
   9 For 2{}-player games a remote control is not necessary but recommended.
  10 If you try to hold the \dap\ in the four hands of two players
  11 you'll find out why. Games with three players are only
  12 possible using a remote control.\\}
  13
  14
  15 %The following table is only for the recorder version of the game, since the
  16 %other versions do not support either multi player or different control modes.
  17 %It is however prepared for the other targets should they ever support these
  18 %features. Also some other parts of the text is "opted" out for these targets.
  19
  20 {\bfseries
  21 Game controls:}
  22
  23 \opt{RECORDER_PAD}{
  24 \renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.8}
  25 \begin{rbtabular}{\textwidth}{c X p{3cm} p{3cm} p{3cm}}%
  26 {\textbf{Players} & \textbf{Modes} & \textbf{Player 1} & \textbf{Player 2}
  27                         & \textbf{Player 3}}{}{}
  28 %
  29 0 & Out of control & \multicolumn{3}{p{9cm}}{With no player taking part in the
  30     game all worms are out of control and steered by artificial stupidity.}\\
  31 %
  32 \multirow{2}{*}{1} & 2 key control & on \dap\ \ButtonLeft: turn left
  33                         \ButtonRight: turn right & {}- & {}-\\
  34                     & 4 key control & on \dap\
  35                         \ButtonLeft: turn  left
  36                         \ButtonUp: turn up
  37                         \ButtonRight: turn right
  38                         \ButtonDown: turn down & {}- & {}- \\
  39 %
  40 \multirow{2}{*}{2} & Remote control & on \dap\ \ButtonLeft: turn left
  41                         \ButtonRight: turn right & on remote control VOL DOWN:
  42                         turn left VOL UP: turn right & {}- \\
  43                     & No remote control & on \dap\ \ButtonLeft: turn left
  44                         \ButtonRight: turn right & on \dap\ \ButtonFTwo: turn
  45                         left \ButtonFThree: turn right & {}- \\
  46 3 & Remote control & on \dap\ \ButtonLeft: turn left \ButtonRight: turn right
  47                         & on remote control VOL DOWN: turn left VOL UP: turn
  48                         right & on \dap\ \ButtonFTwo: turn left \ButtonFThree:
  49                         turn right \\
  50 \end{rbtabular}
  51 \renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.0}
  52 }
  53
  54 \nopt{RECORDER_PAD}{
  55     \begin{btnmap}
  56         \nopt{MPIO_HD200_PAD,MPIO_HD300_PAD,touchscreen}{\ButtonLeft}
  57         \opt{MPIO_HD200_PAD}{\ButtonVolDown}
  58         \opt{MPIO_HD300_PAD}{\ButtonRew}
  59         \opt{touchscreen}{\TouchMidLeft}
  60             &
  61         \opt{HAVEREMOTEKEYMAP}{
  62             &}
  63         Turn left
  64         \\
  65
  66         \nopt{MPIO_HD200_PAD,MPIO_HD300_PAD,touchscreen}{\ButtonRight}
  67         \opt{MPIO_HD200_PAD}{\ButtonVolUp}
  68         \opt{MPIO_HD300_PAD}{\ButtonFF}
  69         \opt{touchscreen}{\TouchMidRight}
  70             &
  71         \opt{HAVEREMOTEKEYMAP}{
  72             &}
  73         Turn right
  74         \\
  75
  76         \nopt{IPOD_3G_PAD,IPOD_4G_PAD,IRIVER_H10_PAD,MPIO_HD200_PAD%
  77             ,MPIO_HD300_PAD,touchscreen}{\ButtonUp}
  78         \opt{IPOD_3G_PAD,IPOD_4G_PAD}{\ButtonMenu}
  79         \opt{IRIVER_H10_PAD}{\ButtonScrollUp}
  80         \opt{MPIO_HD200_PAD}{\ButtonRew}
  81         \opt{MPIO_HD300_PAD}{\ButtonScrollUp}
  82         \opt{touchscreen}{\TouchTopMiddle}
  83             &
  84         \opt{HAVEREMOTEKEYMAP}{
  85             &}
  86         Turn Up
  87         \\
  88
  89         \nopt{IPOD_3G_PAD,IPOD_4G_PAD,IRIVER_H10_PAD,MPIO_HD200_PAD%
  90             ,MPIO_HD300_PAD,touchscreen}{\ButtonDown}
  91         \opt{IPOD_3G_PAD,IPOD_4G_PAD}{\ButtonPlay}
  92         \opt{IRIVER_H10_PAD}{\ButtonScrollDown}
  93         \opt{MPIO_HD200_PAD}{\ButtonFF}
  94         \opt{MPIO_HD300_PAD}{\ButtonScrollDown}
  95         \opt{touchscreen}{\TouchBottomMiddle}
  96             &
  97         \opt{HAVEREMOTEKEYMAP}{
  98             &}
  99         Turn Down
 100         \\
 101     \end{btnmap}
 102 }
 103
 104 \subsubsection{The game}
 105 Use the control keys of your worm to navigate around obstacles and find
 106 food. Worms do not stop moving except when dead. Dead worms are no fun.
 107 Be careful as your worm will try to eat anything that you steer it
 108 across. It won't distinguish whether it is edible or not.
 109
 110 \begin{description}
 111 \item[Food.]
 112 The small square hollow pieces are food. Move the worm over a food tile
 113 to eat it. After eating the worm grows. Each time a piece of food has
 114 been eaten a new piece of food will pop up somewhere. Unfortunately for
 115 each new piece of food that appears two new ``argh'' pieces will
 116 appear, too.
 117 \item[Argh.]
 118 An ``argh'' is a black square poisoned piece {}- slightly bigger than
 119 food {}- that makes a worm say ``Argh!'' when
 120 run into.  A worm that eats an ``argh'' is dead. Thus eating an
 121 ``argh'' must be avoided under any circumstances. ``Arghs'' have the
 122 annoying tendency to accumulate.
 123 \item[Worms.]
 124 Thou shall not eat worms. Neither other worms nor thyself. Eating worms
 125 is blasphemous cannibalism, not healthy and causes instant
 126 death. And it doesn't help anyway: the other worm
 127 isn't hurt by the bite. It will go on creeping happily
 128 and eat all the food you left on the table.
 129 \item[Walls.]
 130 Don't crash into the walls. Walls are not edible.
 131 Crashing a worm against a wall causes it a headache it
 132 doesn't survive.
 133 \item[Game over.]
 134 The game is over when all worms are dead. The longest worm wins the
 135 game.
 136 \item [Pause the game.]
 137 Press
 138 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,IAUDIO_X5_PAD,PBELL_VIBE500_PAD,MPIO_HD200_PAD%
 139     ,MPIO_HD300_PAD}{\ButtonPlay}%
 140 \opt{ONDIO_PAD}{\ButtonMenu}%
 141 \opt{IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD,IPOD_4G_PAD,IPOD_3G_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD,SANSA_FUZE_PAD%
 142   ,GIGABEAT_PAD,GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonSelect}
 143 \opt{COWON_D2_PAD}{\TouchCenter}
 144 to pause the game. Press it again to resume the game.
 145
 146 \item[Stop the game.]
 147 There are two ways to stop a running game.
 148
 149 \begin{itemize}
 150 \item If you want to quit Wormlet entirely simply hit
 151 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,ONDIO_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD}{\ButtonOff}%
 152 \opt{IPOD_4G_PAD,IPOD_3G_PAD}{\ButtonMenu+\ButtonSelect}%
 153 \opt{IAUDIO_X5_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD,GIGABEAT_PAD}{\ButtonPower}%
 154 \opt{SANSA_FUZE_PAD}{Long \ButtonHome}%
 155 \opt{PBELL_VIBE500_PAD}{\ButtonRec}%
 156 \opt{MPIO_HD200_PAD}{\ButtonRec + \ButtonPlay}%
 157 \opt{MPIO_HD300_PAD}{Long \ButtonMenu}%
 158 \opt{GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonBack}.
 159 The game will stop immediately and you will return to the game menu.
 160 \item If you want to stop the game and still see the screen hit
 161 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD}{\ButtonOn}%
 162 \opt{ONDIO_PAD}{\ButtonOff+\ButtonMenu}%
 163 \opt{IPOD_4G_PAD,IPOD_3G_PAD}{\ButtonSelect+\ButtonPlay}%
 164 \opt{IAUDIO_X5_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD}{\ButtonRec}%
 165 \opt{SANSA_FUZE_PAD}{\ButtonSelect+\ButtonUp}%
 166 \opt{GIGABEAT_PAD}{\ButtonA}%
 167 \opt{PBELL_VIBE500_PAD}{\ButtonCancel}%
 168 \opt{MPIO_HD200_PAD}{Long \ButtonFunc}%
 169 \opt{MPIO_HD300_PAD}{Long \ButtonPlay}%
 170 \opt{GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonMenu}.
 171 This freezes the game. If you hit
 172 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD}{\ButtonOn}%
 173 \opt{ONDIO_PAD}{\ButtonOff+\ButtonMenu}%
 174 \opt{IPOD_4G_PAD,IPOD_3G_PAD}{\ButtonSelect+\ButtonPlay}%
 175 \opt{IAUDIO_X5_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD}{\ButtonRec}%
 176 \opt{SANSA_FUZE_PAD}{\ButtonSelect+\ButtonUp}%
 177 \opt{GIGABEAT_PAD}{\ButtonA}%
 178 \opt{PBELL_VIBE500_PAD}{\ButtonCancel}%
 179 \opt{MPIO_HD200_PAD}{Long \ButtonFunc}%
 180 \opt{MPIO_HD300_PAD}{Long \ButtonPlay}%
 181 \opt{GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonMenu}
 182 button again a new game starts with the same configuration. To return to the
 183 games menu you can hit
 184 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,ONDIO_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD}{\ButtonOff}%
 185 \opt{IPOD_4G_PAD,IPOD_3G_PAD}{\ButtonMenu+\ButtonSelect}%
 186 \opt{IAUDIO_X5_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD,GIGABEAT_PAD}{\ButtonPower}%
 187 \opt{SANSA_FUZE_PAD}{Long \ButtonHome}
 188 \opt{PBELL_VIBE500_PAD}{\ButtonRec}%
 189 \opt{MPIO_HD200_PAD}{\ButtonRec + \ButtonPlay}%
 190 \opt{MPIO_HD300_PAD}{Long \ButtonMenu}%
 191 \opt{GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonBack}. A stopped game can not be resumed.
 192 \end{itemize}
 193 \end{description}
 194
 195 \subsubsection{The scoreboard}
 196 On the right side of the game field is the score board. For each worm it
 197 displays its status and its length. The top most entry displays the
 198 state of worm 1, the second worm 2 and the third worm 3. When a worm
 199 dies its entry on the score board turns black.
 200
 201 \begin{description}
 202 \item[Len:]
 203 Here the current length of the worm is displayed. When a worm is eating
 204 food it grows by one pixel for each step it moves.
 205
 206 \item[Hungry:]
 207 That's the normal state of a worm. Worms are always
 208 hungry and want to eat. It is good to have a hungry
 209 worm since it means that your worm is alive. But it is
 210 better to get your worm growing.
 211
 212 \item[Growing:]
 213 When a worm has eaten a piece of food it starts growing. For each step
 214 it moves over food it can grow by one pixel. One piece of food lasts
 215 for 7 steps. After your worm has moved 7 steps the food is used up. If
 216 another piece of food is eaten while growing it will increase the size
 217 of the worm for another 7 steps.
 218
 219 \item[Crashed:]
 220 This indicates that a worm has crashed against a wall.
 221
 222 \item[Argh:]
 223 If the score board entry displays ``Argh!'' it
 224 means the worm is dead because it tried to eat an ``argh''. Until we
 225 can make the worm say ``Argh!'' it is your job to say ``Argh!'' aloud.
 226
 227 \item[Wormed:]
 228 The worm tried to eat another worm or even itself.
 229 That's why it is dead now.  Making traps for other players with a worm
 230 is a good way to get them out of the game.
 231 \end{description}
 232
 233 \subsubsection{Hints}
 234
 235 \begin{itemize}
 236
 237 \item Initially you will be busy with controlling your worm. Try to
 238 avoid other worms and crawl far away from them. Wait until they curl up
 239 themselves and collect the food afterwards. Don't worry if the other
 240 worms grow longer than yours {}- you can catch up after they've died.
 241
 242 \item When you are more experienced watch the tactics of other worms.
 243 Those worms controlled by artificial stupidity head straight for the
 244 nearest piece of food. Let the other worm have its next piece of food
 245 and head for the food it would probably want next. Try to put yourself
 246 between the opponent and that food. From now on you can `control' the
 247 other worm by blocking it. You could trap it by making a 1 pixel wide
 248 U{}-turn. You also could move from food to food and make sure you keep
 249 between your opponent and the food. So you can always reach it before
 250 your opponent.
 251
 252 \opt{RECORDER_PAD}{
 253 \item While playing the game the \dap\ can still play music. For
 254 single player game use any music you like. For berserk games with 2 players use
 255 hard rock and for 3 player games use heavy metal or X{}-Phobie
 256 (\url{http://www.x-phobie.de/}).
 257 Play fair and don't kick your opponent in the toe or
 258 poke him in the eye. That would be bad manners.
 259 }
 260 \end{itemize}