path: root/doc/kblackbox/index.docbook

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.2-Based Variant V1.1//EN" "dtd/kdex.dtd" [
 <!ENTITY kappname "&kblackbox;">
 <!ENTITY package "tdegames">
 <!ENTITY % addindex "IGNORE">
 <!ENTITY % English "INCLUDE" > <!-- change language only here -->
]>

<book lang="&language;">

<bookinfo>
<title>&kblackbox; Game Manual</title>
    
<authorgroup>
<author>
&Robert.Cimrman; &Robert.Cimrman.mail;
</author>

<author>
&Philip.Rodrigues; &Philip.Rodrigues.mail;
</author>

<othercredit role="developer">
&Robert.Cimrman; &Robert.Cimrman.mail;
<!-- Uncomment this when xslt bug is fixed!
<contrib>Developer</contrib>
-->
</othercredit>

<othercredit role="reviewer">
&Lauri.Watts; &Lauri.Watts.mail;
<!-- Uncomment this when xslt bug is fixed!
<contrib>Reviewer</contrib>
-->
</othercredit>

<!-- TRANS:ROLES_OF_TRANSLATORS -->

</authorgroup>

<copyright>
<year>1998</year><year>2000</year>
<holder>&Robert.Cimrman;</holder>
</copyright>

<copyright>
<year>2001-2003</year>
<holder>&Philip.Rodrigues;</holder>
</copyright>

<legalnotice>&FDLNotice;</legalnotice>

<date>2005-12-10</date>
<releaseinfo>0.3.0</releaseinfo>

<abstract><para>&kblackbox; is a superb graphical logical game, inspired
by the <application>emacs</application> blackbox game.</para></abstract>

<keywordset>
<keyword>KDE</keyword>
<keyword>KBlackBox</keyword>
<keyword>tdegames</keyword>
<keyword>blackbox</keyword>
<keyword>game</keyword>
</keywordset>

</bookinfo>

<chapter id="what-is-kblackbox">
<title>What is &kblackbox;?</title>

<para>&kblackbox; is a superb :-) graphical logical game, inspired by
the <application>emacs</application> blackbox game. A major part of this help
file is based on the original <application>emacs</application>
help. </para>

<para>&kblackbox; is a game of hide and seek played on a grid of
boxes. Your opponent (the Random number generator, in this case) has
hidden several balls within this box. By shooting rays into the box and
observing where they emerge it is possible to deduce the positions of
the hidden balls. The fewer rays you use to find the balls, the better
(the lower) your score.</para>

</chapter>

<chapter id="game-description">
<title>Game Description</title>

<para>In the first part of this section a description of the game board
will be given.  The second part deals with user interaction with the
game board and finally in the third part the actual game rules are
explained.</para>

<sect1 id="game-board-descritpion">
<title>Game Board Description</title>

<para>The following types of field are found on the game board: </para>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><interface>Black squares</interface></term>
<listitem><para>The black box.  Here you must mark the squares you think
a ball is in.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><interface>Green squares</interface></term>
<listitem><para>These are the lasers, shooting rays of light when
switched on.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><interface>Light Gray squares</interface></term>
<listitem><para>Nothing here of interest, this is just a
border :-).</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><interface>Blue balls</interface></term>
<listitem><para><quote>There must be one there!</quote> you think.  These mark
where you suspect a ball is placed in the black box.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><interface>Cyan balls</interface></term>
<listitem><para>Show where the balls actually are.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><interface>Red balls</interface></term>
<listitem><para>Incorrectly positioned balls you have marked are
indicated in red.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><interface>Brown squares</interface></term>
<listitem><para>Marking color</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

<note><para>The names of colors are used just for identifying the
different types of the fields in this text. They <emphasis>might
not</emphasis> be in any relation with the actual color of the
fields. Simply said: the black box is in the center, around are the
lasers and around them is the border. Remap the colors yourself
:-). </para></note>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="user-interaction">
<title>User Interaction</title>

<para>The cursor can be moved around the box with the
standard cursor movement keys or the mouse. Switching of lasers or
marking of black boxes is done with the &LMB;, or by pressing the
<keycap>Return</keycap> or &Enter; key.</para>

<para>You can mark the fields where you think a ball cannot be, too. Just press
the &RMB;. It often helps you to find an area where a ball could possibly
be. To clear any marks (blue or brown) press the
&LMB;. Brown marks cannot overwrite blue
marks. This way you cannot erase the blue marks (guessed balls) by accident when
playing with the &RMB;. </para>

<para>When you think the configuration of balls you have placed is
correct, press the &MMB;. You
will be informed whether you are correct or not, and be given your
score. Your score is the number of letters and numbers around the
outside of the box plus five for each incorrectly placed ball. If you
placed any balls incorrectly, they will be indicated with red fields,
and their actual positions indicated with cyan fields.</para>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="game-rules">
<title>Game Rules</title>

<para>You have to find balls hidden in the black box. Your means are
limited - you can just fire lasers which are around the box. There are
three possible outcomes for each ray you send into the box: </para>

<anchor id="detour"/>
<variablelist>

<varlistentry>
<term>Detour</term> 
<listitem><para>The ray is deflected and emerges somewhere other than
where you sent it in. On the playfield, detours are denoted by matching
pairs of numbers - one where the ray went in, and the other where it
came out.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term>Reflection</term>
<listitem><para>The ray is reflected and emerges in the same place it
was sent in. On the playfield, reflections are denoted by the letter
<guilabel>R</guilabel>.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term>Hit</term>
<listitem><para>The ray strikes a ball directly and is absorbed. It does not
emerge from the box. On the playfield, hits are denoted by the letter
<guilabel>H</guilabel>.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

<para>The rules for how balls deflect rays are simple and are best shown by
example.</para>

<para>As a ray approaches a ball it is deflected ninety degrees. Rays
can be deflected multiple times. In the diagrams below, the dashes
represent empty box locations and the letter <guilabel>O</guilabel>
represents a ball. The entrance and exit points of each ray are marked
with numbers as described under <link linkend="detour">Detour</link>
above. Note that the entrance and exit points are always
interchangeable. <guilabel>*</guilabel> denotes the path taken by the
ray.</para>

<para>Note carefully the relative positions of the ball and the ninety
degree deflection it causes.</para>

<screen>
    1                                            
  - * - - - - - -         - - - - - - - -         - - - - - - - -       
  - * - - - - - -         - - - - - - - -         - - - - - - - -       
1 * * - - - - - -         - - - - - - - -         - O - - - - O -       
  - - O - - - - -         - - O - - - - -         - - * * * * - -
  - - - - - - - -         - - - * * * * * 2     3 * * * - - * - -
  - - - - - - - -         - - - * - - - -         - - - O - * - -      
  - - - - - - - -         - - - * - - - -         - - - - * * - -       
  - - - - - - - -         - - - * - - - -         - - - - * - O -       
                                2                         3
</screen>

<para>
As mentioned above, a reflection occurs when a ray emerges from the same
point it was sent in. This can happen in several ways:
</para>

<screen>
  - - - - - - - -         - - - - - - - -          - - - - - - - -
  - - - - O - - -         - - O - O - - -          - - - - - - - -
R * * * * - - - -         - - - * - - - -          O - - - - - - -
  - - - - O - - -         - - - * - - - -        R - - - - - - - -
  - - - - - - - -         - - - * - - - -          - - - - - - - -
  - - - - - - - -         - - - * - - - -          - - - - - - - -
  - - - - - - - -       R * * * * - - - -          - - - - - - - -
  - - - - - - - -         - - - - O - - -          - - - - - - - -

</screen>

<para>In the first example, the ray is deflected downwards by the upper
ball, then left by the lower ball, and finally retraces its path to its
point of origin. The second example is similar. The third example is a
bit anomalous but can be rationalized by realizing the ray never gets a
chance to get into the box. Alternatively, the ray can be thought of as
being deflected downwards and immediately emerging from the box.</para>

<para>A hit occurs when a ray runs straight into a ball:</para>

<screen>
  - - - - - - - -         - - - - - - - -          - - - - - - - -
  - - - - - - - -         - - - - - - - -          - - - - O - - -
  - - - - - - - -         - - - - O - - -        H * * * * - - - -
  - - - - - - - -       H * * * * O - - -          - - - * - - - -
  - - - - - - - -         - - - - O - - -          - - - O - - - -
H * * * O - - - -         - - - - - - - -          - - - - - - - -
  - - - - - - - -         - - - - - - - -          - - - - - - - -
  - - - - - - - -         - - - - - - - -          - - - - - - - -

</screen>

<para>Be sure to compare the second example of a hit with the first
example of a reflection.</para>

</sect1>
</chapter>
<chapter id="gui-description">
<title>&GUI; description</title>

<sect1 id="game-menu">
<title>The <guimenu>Game</guimenu> Menu</title>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut>
<keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>N</keycap></keycombo>
</shortcut>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>New</guimenuitem></menuchoice></term>
<listitem><para>Starts a new game (and abandons the current, if
any.)</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Give Up</guimenuitem></menuchoice></term>
<listitem><para>Shows you positions of the balls.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Done</guimenuitem></menuchoice></term>
<listitem><para>Checks whether all balls are placed. If yes, it terminates
the current game, computes the final score and indicates real positions of
the balls. The <mousebutton>middle</mousebutton> mouse button has the same
function. </para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Resize</guimenuitem></menuchoice></term>
<listitem><para>Resizes the main window, so that its contents fit perfectly. This is useful when you accidentally change the size of the
window...</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut>
<keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>Q</keycap></keycombo>
</shortcut>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Quit</guimenuitem></menuchoice></term>
<listitem><para>Quits &kblackbox;</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="settings-menu">
<title>The <guimenu>Settings</guimenu> Menu</title>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Show/Hide Toolbar</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows or hides the &kblackbox; toolbar.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Show/Hide Statusbar</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows or hides the &kblackbox; status bar at the base of the screen.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu>
<guisubmenu>Size</guisubmenu></menuchoice></term>
<listitem><para>Sets the size of the game field (black box).  You may choose
between <guimenuitem>8 x 8</guimenuitem>, <guimenuitem>10 x 10</guimenuitem> and
<guimenuitem>12 x 12</guimenuitem>.  The default is <guimenuitem>8 x
8</guimenuitem>.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu>
<guisubmenu>Balls</guisubmenu></menuchoice></term>
<listitem><para>Sets the number of balls in the black box. You may choose
between <guimenuitem>4</guimenuitem> (the default), <guimenuitem>6</guimenuitem>
or <guimenuitem>8</guimenuitem>.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Tutorial</guimenuitem></menuchoice></term>
<listitem><para>Switches the tutorial mode on or off.  In tutorial mode,
you can see where the balls actually are. Note that you have to start a new
game for this change to take effect.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Configure Shortcuts...</guimenuitem></menuchoice></term>
<listitem><para>Displays a standard &kde; shortcut configuration dialog, in
which you can change the keyboard shortcuts used by &kblackbox;.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure Toolbars...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Brings up the standard &kde; toolbar configuration dialog to customize the &kblackbox; toolbar.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="help">
<title>The <guimenuitem>Help</guimenuitem> Menu</title>

&help.menu.documentation;

</sect1>

<sect1 id="toolbar">
<title>The Toolbar</title>

<screenshot>
<screeninfo>&kblackbox;'s toolbar</screeninfo>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="kblackboxtbar.png" format="PNG"/>
</imageobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>

<para>The &kblackbox; toolbar offers quick access to the most commonly used
&kblackbox; functions. From left to right, the icons are:</para>

<variablelist>

<varlistentry>
<term><guiicon>New</guiicon></term>
<listitem><para>Starts a new game.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guiicon>Give Up</guiicon></term>
<listitem><para>Shows you positions of the balls.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guiicon>Done</guiicon></term>
<listitem><para>Checks whether all balls are placed. If yes, it terminates
the current game, computes the final score and indicates real positions of
the balls. The <mousebutton>middle</mousebutton> mouse button has the same
function. </para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>
</sect1>
</chapter>

<chapter id="credits-and-license">
<title>Credits and License</title>

<para>&kblackbox;</para>

<para>Program Copyright 1998-2000 &Robert.Cimrman; &Robert.Cimrman.mail;</para>

<para>Documentation by &Robert.Cimrman;.  Updated and converted to Docbook
for &kde; 2.0 by &Lauri.Watts; &Lauri.Watts.mail;</para>

<para>
Current maintainer &Philip.Rodrigues; &Philip.Rodrigues.mail;
</para>

<!-- TRANS:CREDIT_FOR_TRANSLATORS -->

&underFDL;
&underGPL;

</chapter>


<appendix id="installation">
<title>Installation</title>

&install.intro.documentation;

<sect1 id="compilation">
<title>Compilation and Installation</title>

&install.compile.documentation;

</sect1>
</appendix>

</book>