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 {\bfseries
  16 Menu controls:}
  17
  18 \begin{table}
  19     \begin{btnmap}{}{}
  20     \ButtonLeft\ / \ButtonRight
  21   \opt{HAVEREMOTEKEYMAP}{& }
  22     & Controls number of worms in the game\\
  23     \opt{RECORDER_PAD}{
  24         \opt{RECORDER_PAD,ONDIO_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD,IAUDIO_X5_PAD}
  25             {\ButtonUp\ / \ButtonDown}
  26         \opt{IPOD_4G_PAD,IPOD_3G_PAD}{\ButtonMenu\ / \ButtonPlay}
  27         & Selects number of players\\
  28         \ButtonFOne & Selects game mode.\\}
  29     \end{btnmap}
  30 \end{table}
  31
  32 %The following table is only for the recorder version of the game, since the
  33 %other versions do not support either multi player or different control modes.
  34 %It is however prepared for the other targets should they ever support these
  35 %features. Also some other parts of the text is "opted" out for these targets.
  36
  37 {\bfseries
  38 Game controls:}
  39
  40 \opt{RECORDER_PAD}{
  41 \renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.8}
  42 \begin{rbtabular}{\textwidth}{c X p{3cm} p{3cm} p{3cm}}%
  43 {\textbf{Players} & \textbf{Modes} & \textbf{Player 1} & \textbf{Player 2}
  44                         & \textbf{Player 3}}{}{}
  45 %
  46 0 & Out of control & \multicolumn{3}{p{9cm}}{With no player taking part in the
  47     game all worms are out of control and steered by artificial stupidity.}\\
  48 %
  49 \multirow{2}{*}{1} & 2 key control & on \dap\ \ButtonLeft: turn left
  50                         \ButtonRight: turn right & {}- & {}-\\
  51                     & 4 key control & on \dap\ \ButtonLeft: turn  left
  52                         \opt{RECORDER_PAD,ONDIO_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD,IAUDIO_X5_PAD}
  53                             {\ButtonUp}\opt{IPOD_4G_PAD}{\ButtonMenu}: turn up
  54                             \ButtonRight: turn right
  55                             \opt{RECORDER_PAD,ONDIO_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD,IAUDIO_X5_PAD}
  56                             {\ButtonDown}\opt{IPOD_4G_PAD}{\ButtonPlay}: turn down & {}- & {}- \\
  57 %
  58 \multirow{2}{*}{2} & Remote control & on \dap\ \ButtonLeft: turn left
  59                         \ButtonRight: turn right & on remote control VOL DOWN:
  60                         turn left VOL UP: turn right & {}- \\
  61                     & No remote control & on \dap\ \ButtonLeft: turn left
  62                         \ButtonRight: turn right & on \dap\ \ButtonFTwo: turn
  63                         left \ButtonFThree: turn right & {}- \\
  64 3 & Remote control & on \dap\ \ButtonLeft: turn left \ButtonRight: turn right
  65                         & on remote control VOL DOWN: turn left VOL UP: turn
  66                         right & on \dap\ \ButtonFTwo: turn left \ButtonFThree:
  67                         turn right \\
  68 \end{rbtabular}
  69 \renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.0}
  70 }
  71
  72 \nopt{RECORDER_PAD}{
  73 \begin{table}
  74     \begin{btnmap}{}{}
  75         \ButtonLeft
  76        \opt{HAVEREMOTEKEYMAP}{& }
  77         & Turn left\\
  78         \ButtonRight
  79              \opt{HAVEREMOTEKEYMAP}{& }
  80         & Turn right\\
  81         \opt{ONDIO_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD,IAUDIO_X5_PAD%
  82             ,SANSA_E200_PAD,SANSA_FUZE_PAD,SANSA_C200_PAD,GIGABEAT_PAD%
  83             ,GIGABEAT_S_PAD,MROBE100_PAD}{\ButtonUp}
  84         \opt{IPOD_3G_PAD,IPOD_4G_PAD}{\ButtonMenu}
  85         \opt{IRIVER_H10_PAD}{\ButtonScrollUp}
  86             \opt{HAVEREMOTEKEYMAP}{& }
  87         & Turn Up\\
  88         \opt{ONDIO_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD,IAUDIO_X5_PAD%
  89             ,SANSA_E200_PAD,SANSA_FUZE_PAD,SANSA_C200_PAD,GIGABEAT_PAD%
  90             ,GIGABEAT_S_PAD,MROBE100_PAD}{\ButtonDown}
  91         \opt{IPOD_3G_PAD,IPOD_4G_PAD}{\ButtonPlay}
  92         \opt{IRIVER_H10_PAD}{\ButtonScrollDown}
  93            \opt{HAVEREMOTEKEYMAP}{& }
  94         & Turn Down\\
  95     \end{btnmap}
  96 \end{table}
  97 }
  98
  99 \subsubsection{The game}
 100 Use the control keys of your worm to navigate around obstacles and find
 101 food. Worms do not stop moving except when dead. Dead worms are no fun.
 102 Be careful as your worm will try to eat anything that you steer it
 103 across. It won't distinguish whether it is edible or not.
 104
 105 \begin{description}
 106 \item[Food.]
 107 The small square hollow pieces are food. Move the worm over a food tile
 108 to eat it. After eating the worm grows. Each time a piece of food has
 109 been eaten a new piece of food will pop up somewhere. Unfortunately for
 110 each new piece of food that appears two new ``argh'' pieces will
 111 appear, too.
 112 \item[Argh.]
 113 An ``argh'' is a black square poisoned piece {}- slightly bigger than
 114 food {}- that makes a worm say ``Argh!'' when
 115 run into.  A worm that eats an ``argh'' is dead. Thus eating an
 116 ``argh'' must be avoided under any circumstances. ``Arghs'' have the
 117 annoying tendency to accumulate.
 118 \item[Worms.]
 119 Thou shall not eat worms. Neither other worms nor thyself. Eating worms
 120 is blasphemous cannibalism, not healthy and causes instant
 121 death. And it doesn't help anyway: the other worm
 122 isn't hurt by the bite. It will go on creeping happily
 123 and eat all the food you left on the table.
 124 \item[Walls.]
 125 Don't crash into the walls. Walls are not edible.
 126 Crashing a worm against a wall causes it a headache it
 127 doesn't survive.
 128 \item[Game over.]
 129 The game is over when all worms are dead. The longest worm wins the
 130 game.
 131 \item [Pause the game.]
 132 Press
 133 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,IAUDIO_X5_PAD}{\ButtonPlay}%
 134 \opt{ONDIO_PAD}{\ButtonMenu}%
 135 \opt{IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD,IPOD_4G_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD,SANSA_FUZE_PAD%
 136   ,GIGABEAT_PAD,GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonSelect}
 137 to pause the game. Press
 138 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,IAUDIO_X5_PAD}{\ButtonPlay}%
 139 \opt{ONDIO_PAD}{\ButtonMenu}%
 140 \opt{IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD,IPOD_4G_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD,SANSA_FUZE_PAD%
 141   ,GIGABEAT_PAD,GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonSelect}
 142 again to resume the game.
 143
 144 \item[Stop the game.]
 145 There are two ways to stop a running game.
 146
 147 \begin{itemize}
 148 \item If you want to quit Wormlet entirely simply hit
 149 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,ONDIO_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD}{\ButtonOff}%
 150 \opt{IPOD_4G_PAD}{\ButtonMenu+\ButtonSelect}%
 151 \opt{IAUDIO_X5_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD,GIGABEAT_PAD}{\ButtonPower}%
 152 \opt{SANSA_FUZE_PAD}{Long \ButtonHome}
 153 \opt{GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonBack}.
 154 The game will stop immediately and you will return to the game menu.
 155 \item If you want to stop the game and still see the screen hit
 156 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD}{\ButtonOn}%
 157 \opt{ONDIO_PAD}{\ButtonOff+\ButtonMenu}%
 158 \opt{IPOD_4G_PAD}{\ButtonSelect+\ButtonPlay}%
 159 \opt{IAUDIO_X5_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD}{\ButtonRec}%
 160 \opt{SANSA_FUZE_PAD}{\ButtonSelect+\ButtonUp}%
 161 \opt{GIGABEAT_PAD}{\ButtonA}%
 162 \opt{GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonMenu}.
 163 This freezes the game. If you hit
 164 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD}{\ButtonOn}%
 165 \opt{ONDIO_PAD}{\ButtonOff+\ButtonMenu}%
 166 \opt{IPOD_4G_PAD}{\ButtonSelect+\ButtonPlay}%
 167 \opt{IAUDIO_X5_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD}{\ButtonRec}%
 168 \opt{SANSA_FUZE_PAD}{\ButtonSelect+\ButtonUp}%
 169 \opt{GIGABEAT_PAD}{\ButtonA}%
 170 \opt{GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonMenu}
 171 button again a new game starts with the same configuration. To return to the
 172 games menu you can hit
 173 \opt{RECORDER_PAD,ONDIO_PAD,IRIVER_H100_PAD,IRIVER_H300_PAD}{\ButtonOff}%
 174 \opt{IPOD_4G_PAD}{\ButtonMenu+\ButtonSelect}%
 175 \opt{IAUDIO_X5_PAD,SANSA_E200_PAD,GIGABEAT_PAD}{\ButtonPower}%
 176 \opt{SANSA_FUZE_PAD}{Long \ButtonHome}
 177 \opt{GIGABEAT_S_PAD}{\ButtonBack}. A stopped game can not be resumed.
 178 \end{itemize}
 179 \end{description}
 180
 181 \subsubsection{The scoreboard}
 182 On the right side of the game field is the score board. For each worm it
 183 displays its status and its length. The top most entry displays the
 184 state of worm 1, the second worm 2 and the third worm 3. When a worm
 185 dies its entry on the score board turns black.
 186
 187 \begin{description}
 188 \item[Len:]
 189 Here the current length of the worm is displayed. When a worm is eating
 190 food it grows by one pixel for each step it moves.
 191
 192 \item[Hungry:]
 193 That's the normal state of a worm. Worms are always
 194 hungry and want to eat. It is good to have a hungry
 195 worm since it means that your worm is alive. But it is
 196 better to get your worm growing.
 197
 198 \item[Growing:]
 199 When a worm has eaten a piece of food it starts growing. For each step
 200 it moves over food it can grow by one pixel. One piece of food lasts
 201 for 7 steps. After your worm has moved 7 steps the food is used up. If
 202 another piece of food is eaten while growing it will increase the size
 203 of the worm for another 7 steps.
 204
 205 \item[Crashed:]
 206 This indicates that a worm has crashed against a wall.
 207
 208 \item[Argh:]
 209 If the score board entry displays ``Argh!'' it
 210 means the worm is dead because it tried to eat an ``argh''. Until we
 211 can make the worm say ``Argh!'' it is your job to say ``Argh!'' aloud.
 212
 213 \item[Wormed:]
 214 The worm tried to eat another worm or even itself.
 215 That's why it is dead now.  Making traps for other players with a worm
 216 is a good way to get them out of the game.
 217 \end{description}
 218
 219 \subsubsection{Hints}
 220
 221 \begin{itemize}
 222
 223 \item Initially you will be busy with controlling your worm. Try to
 224 avoid other worms and crawl far away from them. Wait until they curl up
 225 themselves and collect the food afterwards. Don't worry if the other
 226 worms grow longer than yours {}- you can catch up after they've died.
 227
 228 \item When you are more experienced watch the tactics of other worms.
 229 Those worms controlled by artificial stupidity head straight for the
 230 nearest piece of food. Let the other worm have its next piece of food
 231 and head for the food it would probably want next. Try to put yourself
 232 between the opponent and that food. From now on you can 'control' the
 233 other worm by blocking it. You could trap it by making a 1 pixel wide
 234 U{}-turn. You also could move from food to food and make sure you keep
 235 between your opponent and the food. So you can always reach it before
 236 your opponent.
 237
 238 \opt{RECORDER_PAD}{
 239 \item While playing the game the \dap\ can still play music. For
 240 single player game use any music you like. For berserk games with 2 players use
 241 hard rock and for 3 player games use heavy metal or X{}-Phobie
 242 (\url{http://www.x-phobie.de/}).
 243 Play fair and don't kick your opponent in the toe or
 244 poke him in the eye. That would be bad manners.
 245 }
 246 \end{itemize}