blame: source/manual/block_attack_manual.tex

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\begin{document}

\title{Block Attack - Rise of the Blocks 1.4.1 - The Manual}

\author{Poul Sander}

\maketitle

\tableofcontents

\section{General}

Block Attack - Rise of the Blocks is inspired by Nintendo's

"Tetris Attack". However it doesn't have much in common with the

original "Tetris". In Block Attack - Rise of the Blocks bricks

come from the bottom of the screen, and you need to clear them. If

the stack reaches the top of the screen the game is over! There

are other features in 2-player mode. The game also supports network play 

if it is compiled with the game.

\subsection{About Block Attack - Rise of the Blocks}

Block Attack - Rise of the Blocks is programmed in C++ by me (Poul

Sander) and it is given under the GPL licens version 2 or later. I have tried to keep

it as portable as possible by using cross-platform libraries. It

uses the following libraries:

\begin{description}

\item[SDL] from: \newline www.libsdl.org \item[SDL\_Mixer] from:

\newline http://www.libsdl.org/projects/SDL\_mixer \item[SFont]

from: \newline http://www.linux-games.com/sfont/ \item[SDL\_image]

from: \newline http://www.libsdl.org/projects/SDL\_image/

\item[enet] from: \newline http://enet.bespin.org

\end{description}

For development have been used Dev-C++, Microsoft Visual Studio

2003, gedit, Kdevelop and NetBeans (changed as time passed). Most of the current graphics are made in Inkscape. The

game has been compiled on both Windows and Linux. \newline The

game's homepage is:

\verb+http://blockattack.sf.net+

\section{Setup}

The game got lots of options, this section will give an overview.

\subsection{Installation}

Installing Block Attack - Rise of the Blocks is easy, in windows

you simply run the installer "BlockAttackWin32-X.X.X.exe" file and

choose a location you want to install to. Under Linux systems you

can get a precompiled package including source. On some systems

you may have to recompile. There are two options for compiling. You can use \verb+make+ on the svn checkout/source package.\newline Or you could use \verb+scons+ by typing \verb+scons+ as a normal user and then \verb+scons install+ as root however it is currently broken for unknown reason. \newline 

%to do this type \verb+make+ while in the source dictory (there the cpp files are). To install the game in Linux type \verb+make install+, you can change the \verb+Makefile+ for dictory placements. \verb+make remove+ removes the game again. Both \verb+make install+ and \verb+make remove+ must be runned as root. \newline

Scons should be used for packing there game data and executables should be in different places. 

\subsection{Program Parameters}

There are a small number of parameters you can use, to change some

things in the game. This doesn't work if the game is installed on a Linux system with the standard install command. Many of these options are not really usefull after version 1.1.1

\begin{description}

\item["-help"] Displays a list over all the commands.

\item["-priority"] This will remove a delay in the game loop

causing the game to take 100\% processor power even on strong

systems, but it will also increase the framerate.

\item["-forceredraw"] This will force the game to draw the entire

screen every frame, this might remove garbage in the graphics, but

it will also cause the frame rate to drop. \item["-forcepartdraw"]

The game will only update the parts of the screen that has been

changed, increasing frame rate by more than 50\% (sometimes 200\%).

This is default in windowed mode.

\item["-nosound"] Disables any sound in the game. On some systems the sound could crash the game.

\end{description}

\subsection{Options}

From version 1.1.1 the Options have been split in three.

\subsubsection{Configure}

This used to be the only options in the game.

By selecting options in the menu in the game, you get to the

options screen. Here you can turn music on/off, sound effects

on/off and full screen on/off, but you can't change the

resolution although a button is provided, this functionality has

been removed to reduce size, also the frame rate dropped

significantly.

You can also change names and controls. The default controls for

player 1 is: move: the arrow keys, Right shift to push lines and

Right  to switch blocks.

The default controls for player to is: move: WASD, lift shift to

push and left control to switch.

Mouse play and Joy pad support can be enabled under "Keys", the game

will use the first two joy pads connected to the computer.

The mouse and joypad controls can't be configured. Left click

switch the two blocks there the cursor is placed. Right click

pushes the stack. On the joypads the first 6 buttons is used, half

to switch and half to push.

You can also change the names in options, the names can be a

maximum of 15 characters and will be saved in the options.dat

file. Remember to change names before you start the game, or the

wrong names will be entered in the high score list.

\subsubsection{Puzzle File}

All puzzles in the game is loaded from a file in the \verb+res+ folder. The default puzzles are in \verb+puzzle.levels+ but in this menu you can selct any of the files in the \verb+res+ folder.

\subsubsection{Vs. Mode}

Here you can select speed for player 1 and player 2 in a local game, there are 5 levels (default = 1). You can also specify if an AI must play for one or both of the players. It is possible to let an AI play against another AI if you want. On this screen you can also give players handicap in "Time Trial", again there are five levels (0,1000,2000,3000,4000) default is level 1 = 0 point. The handicap is added to the players score, making it easier for that player\footnote{The highscore list shows scores without handicap}. \newline

No options on this page is saved when the game quits and they are only valid for 2 player games on the local machine.

\subsection{Files}

The game is saving data into several data files. High scores are

saved in \verb+endless.dat+ and \verb+timetrial.dat+ depending on

game type. Options (Player names and keys etc.) are saved in

\verb+options.dat+. Finally information about witch stages has

been cleared in Stage Clear is saved to \verb+stageClear.SCsave+ and

default Puzzle Clear in \verb+puzzleClear.save+, other puzzles are stored in \verb+<puzzleName>.save+. Under Windows NT/2k/xp/2k3 the files was saved in \verb+%APPDATA%\.gamesaves\blockattack\+, but since version 1.3.2 it is saved in \verb+My DocumentsMy Games\blockattack+. In Linux the files should

be saved to \verb+~/.gamesaves/blockattack/+. If this folder

doesn't exist it will be created. Then you get a new version you

should delete the old \verb+puzzleClear.save+ file, or  wired

things might happen (but nothing critical). Under Windows screenshots are saved to the game dictory and under Linux to \newline \verb+~/.gamesaves/blockattack/screenshots/+. The replays are saved to either \verb+%APPDATA%\.gamesaves\blockattack\replays+ or \\ \verb+~/.gamesaves/blockattack/replays/+ depending on the OS.

\section{The Game}

Block Attack - Rise of the Blocks has several playing modes, but

some objectives are always present. Blocks keep coming slowly from

the bottom of the screen, and you have to clear them. You clear

blocks by putting 3 or more blocks i line. The more blocks you put

in line the more points you will get, this is called combos. Then

blocks are cleared the blocks above them will fall down, if they

cause more blocks to be cleared, you will perform a chain reaction

and get lots of points. You know that you are making chains then small numbers apper at the blocks you are clearing.

\subsection{How to start}

You can select game modes from the menu, by selecting "New Game"

and your choice. You can also press F2 for endless, F3 for Time

Trial, F4 for 2-player Time Trial, F5 for Stage Clear, F6 for two

Player VS. Mode, F7 for Puzzle Mode or F8 for "Highscores".

\subsection{Gamemode: Endless}

In endless you keep clearing until you hit the roof (or you simply

don't have more time) The top ten scores will get there name on

the Endless high score list.

\subsection{Gamemode: Time Trial}

Like endless, but this time you have a two minute limit to gain

points. If you hit the roof your game is over, and you won't get

your name on the highscore list. If you survive the two minutes

and you get a top score, your name will be automatically entered

in the Time Trial highscore list. A top ten score in Time Trial is

considered better than a top ten score in Endless, since it's not

just about how long you are willing to play. \newline

\textbf{Tip:} To get many points in two minutes you need to make

combos and chains. Chains are much better than combos... remember

it!

\subsection{Gamemode: Stage Clear}

In stage clear the goal is to clear a number of lines. Then you

select "Stage Clear" you will get a screen where you can choose a

level to play. Speed and number of lines to clear will vary

depending on your level choice. Then you have cleared the number

of lines required, you win and the level is cleared.

\subsection{Gamemode: Puzzle Clear}

In Puzzle Clear you have a limited number of moves to clear the

entire screen. There are no time limit (but the timer graphics

might be corrupted if you take more than 100 minutes). You can

reset the puzzle by pressing the Push Line key. You can't raise

the block stack in this mode.

\subsection{Gamemode: Vs. Mode}

This game is unlike the others, since in this game you actually attacks! You can select the AI controlled players difficulty (1..7). You attack by clearing more than 3 blocks at a time or by making chain reactions. The AI doesn't give much challenge yet.

\subsection{Gamemode: Two-player Time Trial}

Like single-player Time Trial, but this time there is two players.

If you hit the roof, the other player is instantly declared as the

winner. If the time runs out the Player whit the highest score

will be the winner. If anyone has got a top ten score, they will

automatically be entered in the Time Trial Highscore list.

\subsection{Gamemode: Two-player Vs. Mode}

This is the real "Block Attack". Then you clear 4 or more blocks

at once or then you make chains you are sending "garbage blocks"

to your opponent. But opponent is also sending "garbage blocks" at

you. You can clear garbage blocks by clearing normal blocks that

are touching the garbage. If a single garbage block takes up more

than one line only the lowest line will be cleared. Keep clearing

garbage and send garbage at your opponent. If you is still alive

then your opponent hits the roof, you win! If you hit the roof you

loose. There is no time limit in this game.

\subsection{Gamemode: Network Vs. Mode}

Identical to the other Vs. modes but this time over a network. Network play might not be supported in all builds.

\newline To host a server select "Host", to connect to a server select "Connect" and enter the name or IP address of the server.

Windows and Linux uses can play against each other but some operating systems might not be able to play together. If you find an OS that can play with Windows or Linux I would like to hear.

\section{Replays}

The game supports Replays of matches. After you have played a game you can go to the Replay-menu and select "Save" and then enter a name. You can then at any time select "Load" and see it again. The first version of the replay system does only support up to 5 minutes and can't save both players in network games. \newline

The second version used in 1.3.2 can save the replays so they take up less space. But 1.3.2 and newer can only load player one from old replays. \newline

The third version used in 1.4.0 saves additional information in replays. Version 1.4.0 are not able to read replays from old versions.

\end{document}