xblast(6x)xblast(6x)NAME
XBlast (TNT) - Multi-player "Blast the Others" game
SYNOPSISxblast [options]
DESCRIPTION
XBlast is a multi-player arcade game for X11R5/R6. The game can be
played with at least two players and up to six players. It was inspired
by the video/computer game Bomberman/Dynablaster which was to my knowl‐
edge first programmed for NEC's PC Engine/Turbo Grafx. Other (commer‐
cial) versions of the original game exist for IBM-PC, Atari ST, Amiga,
NES, GameBoy and Super NES.
Actualized information you can obtain on the web page:
http://xblast.sourceforge.net/ Follow the link Player-Tutorials
LAUNCHING XBLAST
Just type xblast in an xconsole.
SOUND OPTIONS
This option is only valid when XBlast was compiled with the optional
sound support. Freebsd, Linux and Sun should be supported.
-ns This disables the sound support.
OTHER OPTIONS
The program XBlast supports the following command-line options:
-central
This option starts the program as central server.
-check This option verifies if all levels are loadable.
PLAYING XBLAST
The idea of the game is quite simple: "There can be only one ...". So
the aim is to blast away all the other players. Use your bombs to blast
away the other players and certain blocks (e.g. the ?-Blocks in the 1st
level). Below some of these blocks there are extras.
The program XBlast can be played locally or in network. After you
started XBlast it will display an intro. The next step will show you
the "Main Menu". In the "Main Menu" you can decide if you want to
start a local game, join a network game or host a network game. For
detailed information please go to the web site.
CONTROLS
The following will explain the default bindings. These keys control
the first (right) player at your display:
KP_8, KP_Up
Player starts walking up.
KP_2, KP_Down
Player starts walking down.
KP_4, KP_Left
Player starts walking to the left.
KP_6, KP_Right
Player starts walking to the right.
KP_5 Player stops (in the center of the next block).
KP_0, KP_Insert
Player drops a bomb (in the center of the current block).
Return, KP_Add
Player uses special function (e.g. remote control, special
bombs).
KP_Subtract
Pause of level in Local Game.
KP_Multiply
Request to abort the level.
KP_Divide
Cancel abort request.
The following keys control the second (left) player at your display:
T Player starts walking up.
V, B Player starts walking down.
F Player starts walking to the left.
H Player starts walking to the right.
G Player stops (in the center of the next block).
Space Player drops a bomb (in the center of the current block).
Tab Player uses special function (e.g. remote control, special
bombs).
P Pause of level in Local Game.
A Request to abort of level.
Z cancel abort request.
A single player can use both key sets for playing. Furthermore the
following keys effect all players:
P pause game, resume game after pause.
Escape Go to previous menu.
Please note that since XBlast 2.7.x the keybindings can be customised
via Options Menu Controls (see also http://blast.sf.net/ ).
EXTRA SYMBOLS
There are many extras to be found in xblast. Most of the time they can
be found under blastable blocks, sometimes they are just lying around.
The following extras can be found in nearly any level. You will keep
these extras until you have lost all your lives or the level ends. See
the web site for actualized information.
Bomb (red frame)
This extra increases the number of bombs you can drop by one.
Flame (yellow flame)
This extra increases the range of your bombs by one field.
Furthermore in several levels the following symbol can be found:
Skull (cyan frame)
This is not really an extra, but you will be infected with an
random illness when picking it up. You will be healed automati‐
cally after a certain time, or if you loose one life. Addition‐
ally you can infect other players while being ill by running
past them.
In many levels there is also a special extra. There will always be only
one type of special extra per level and you will loose it if you loose
a life. The following special extras can be found:
Kick extra (moving bomb in blue frame)
This extra enables you to kick bombs by running into them.
Invincibility (star in golden frame)
This extra makes you invincible for some time. You are not
killed by explosions, stunned by moving bombs, nor infected by
skulls.
Global Detonator (button in deep pink frame)
Picking up this extra ignites all bombs on the map. Use with
care.
Construction Bombs (bricks and bombs in firebrick frame)
This extra gives you construction bombs as special bombs. These
bombs create a blastable block when exploding. Use the special
key to drop them.
Remote Control (button box in spring green frame)
This extra enables you to ignite all your bombs by pressing the
special key.
Teleport Extra (beaming player in orchid frame)
This extra enables you to beam away to a random location. You
must be in the center of a block to activate it. Use the special
key to teleport.
Airpump (clouds in sky blue frame)
This extra enables you to blow away (not to blast away) bombs
within a range of 2 fields. It also works when your are trapped
between two bombs. Use the special key to activate it.
Napalm Bombs (burning bombs in orange red frame)
This extra allows you to drop a high powered napalm bomb using
the special key. This bomb has a much larger explosion than nor‐
mal, and is bigger if you have more Flames. If the bomb is
struck with an explosion, it will explode as a normal bomb. For
the large explosion to occur, it must explode on its own.
Firecrackers (firecrackers in orange frame)
This extra allows you to drop firecracker bombs with the special
key. Firecracker bombs set off a series of explosions that can
clear away a small area. One in ten firecracker bombs is high
powered and clears away a much larger area. There is no way to
tell if a firecracker is high powered or not until it explodes.
Unlike napalm bombs there is no way to stop the firecracker
explosion, although it is blocked by walls and other solid
objects.
Pyro bombs (firecrackers in orange frame)
This extra allows you to drop pyro bombs with the special key.
Pyro bombs explode with a series of small explosions that dance
around the level. These explosions are blocked by walls and
other bombs but are able to travel through corridors with ease.
They explode randomly and cannot be controlled. Pyro bombs have
the same range irrespective of how many flame extras you have.
Even if the bomb is struck with an explosion it will still
explode as pyro bomb.
Junkie Virus (syringe in yellow green frame)
This extra infects you with the junkie virus. Whilst you have
the junkie virus you are randomly infected with illnesses (as if
you were picking up skulls). You MUST touch other players to
pass on the illness within a certain time limit or you will lose
a life. Any touched players are given the junkie virus as well.
There is currently no way to get rid of the junkie virus (but
look for a rehabilitation centre in the next release). :)
Poison (black skull in steel blue frame)
This extra?! cost you one of your lives. So avoid to step on it.
At least if you are not currenlty invincible.
Spinner (looks like normal floor)
When picking up this extra you will be stunned for some time.
Your opponents might want to blast you while you are spinning.
Speed (moving head in light blue frame)
This extra enables you too run twice as fast as normal. Try to
overtake other players and catch them between bombs.
Mayhem (moving head and bomb in blue frame)
This extra gives you speed and kicking. Make the best of it.
Holy Grail (a grail with blue light in white frame)
This extras transfers life energy to you from your opponents.
Be sure you are the one to get there first.
Life (head and first aid kit in red frame)
This extra increases your number of lifes by one. Comes in handy
while in "hot" environments.
Random (question mark in light blue frame)
Picking up this extra will give you one of the following extras:
Speed, Poison, Invincibility, Spinner, Air Pump or Life. Avoid
it if you have only one life left.
Cloak (vanishing player in violet frame)
This extras allows you to cloak yourself using the special key.
You become invisible for all other players. The extras wears out
after a certain time of use.
Morph (bomb with eyes in green frame)
Get this extra to morph into a bomb with the special key. You
still move as a bomb although you cannot alter course while on
the run. You cannot be harmed by explosions while you are a
bomb. Beware not to be kicked in the wall while the level
shrinks.
GAME RESOURCES
These resources define the rest of the game setup of xblast. They will
be taken from the following sources (in the given order):
1. internal defaults
2. the directory "~/.xblast_tnt"
DISPLAY RESOURCES
These resources are read separately for each display used in xblast.
They are read only from the following sources (in the given order):
1. internal defaults
2. the directory "~/.xblast_tnt"
3. the server resources of the default display (can be set using
xrdb).
BUGS
If you found one go to the web site and tell us.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 1993-2005, Oliver Vogel.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the terms of the GNU General Public Licences as published by the
Free Software Foundation; either version 2; or (at your option) any
later version
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be entertaining,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MER‐
CHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.
59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
AUTHORS
Oliver Vogel (Main Author)
vogel@ikp.uni-koeln.de
Garth Denley (Coauthor)
g0denley@teaching.cs.adelaide.edu.au
Norbert Nicolay (Linux Sound Support, optional)
nicolay@ikp.uni-koeln.de
Koen (central, SMPF, teammode on TNT, bugcatcher)
EPFL
Belgium Guys
Skywalker (epfl port, laola, some game functions, user friendliness,
Shapes)
Kruno Sever (Major network review, Chat, bugcatcher)
CONTRIBUTORS
Xavier Caron - x-caron@es2.fr
Chris Doherty - cpdohert@teaching.cs.adelaide.edu.au
Patrick Durish - dri@eup.siemens-albis.ch
Keith Gillow - ...@...
Rob Hite - hite@tellabs.com
Christophe Kalt - kalt@hugo.int-evry.fr
Joachim Kaltz - kaltz@essi.fr
Laurent Marsan - mbaye@univ-mlv.fr
Pierre Ramet - ramet@labri.u-bordeaux.fr
Mike Schneider - schneid@tellabs.com
Mark Shepherd - ...@...
Rob, Simon and Tristan - ...@...
Xbresse
Gerfried Fuchs
Rado
Ifi
Bombenfutter
Galatius
Garth Denley
Stephan Natschlaeger
Amilhastre
Fouf
ALu
Larsl
Stefan Stiasny
Release 2.10.0 (Februar 27th 2005) xblast(6x)
