tdegames/doc/kgoldrunner/index.docbook

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.1.2-Based Variant V1.0//EN" "dtd/kdex.dtd" [
  <!ENTITY kgoldrunner "<application>KGoldrunner</application>">
  <!ENTITY kappname "&kgoldrunner;">
  <!ENTITY package "kdegames">
  <!ENTITY % addindex "IGNORE">
  <!ENTITY % English "INCLUDE" > <!-- change language only here -->
]>

<book lang="&language;">

<bookinfo>
<title>The &kgoldrunner; Handbook</title>
<authorgroup>
<author>
<firstname>Ian</firstname>
<surname>Wadham</surname>
<affiliation><address><email>ianw@netspace.net.au</email></address></affiliation>
</author>
<author>
<firstname>Marco</firstname>
<surname>Krüger</surname>

</author>
<!-- TRANS:ROLES_OF_TRANSLATORS -->
</authorgroup>

<copyright>
<year>2003</year>
<holder>Ian Wadham</holder><holder>Marco Krüger</holder>
</copyright>

<legalnotice>&FDLNotice;</legalnotice>

<date>2005-12-10</date>
<releaseinfo>2.0</releaseinfo>

<abstract>
<para>
<inlinemediaobject><imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="kgoldrunner.png" format="PNG"/>
</imageobject></inlinemediaobject>
&kgoldrunner;, a game of action and puzzle solving.  Run through
the maze, dodge your enemies, collect all the gold and climb up to the
next level.</para>
</abstract>

<keywordset>
<keyword>KDE</keyword>
<keyword>KGoldrunner</keyword>
</keywordset>
</bookinfo>

<chapter id="playing-kgoldrunner">
<title>Playing &kgoldrunner;</title>

<sect1 id="introduction">
<title>Introduction</title>

<para>&kgoldrunner; is an action game where the hero
<inlinemediaobject><imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="hero.png" format="PNG"/>
</imageobject></inlinemediaobject>
runs through a maze and dodges enemies
<inlinemediaobject><imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="enemy.png" format="PNG"/>
</imageobject></inlinemediaobject>
</para>

<para>You must guide the hero with the mouse or keyboard and collect
all the gold nuggets, then you can climb up into the next level.  Your
enemies are also after the gold.  Worse still, they are after you!  They
will kill you if they catch you!</para>

<para>The problem is you have no weapon to kill
<emphasis>them</emphasis>.  All you can do is run away, dig holes in
the floor to trap them or lure them into some area where they cannot
hurt you.  After a short time a trapped enemy climbs out of his hole,
but if it closes before that, he will die and reappear somewhere else.
</para>

<para>If you have never played before, try the <quote>Tutorial</quote>
game, which teaches you the rules and basic skills.  Then try the
<quote>Initiation</quote> game.  Experts might enjoy the
<quote>Challenge</quote> or <quote>Vengeance of Peter W</quote> games,
but the <quote>Initiation</quote> game has 100 levels and some are
very difficult.  It is a good game for achieving a High Score.</para>

<para> As you move to more advanced levels, you will find that
&kgoldrunner; combines action, strategy, tactics and puzzle
solving &mdash; all in one game.  Good luck!</para>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="typical-game">
<title>A Typical Game</title>

<para>Below is a typical game in progress.  The hero (green) is at
level 4 in the Advanced Tutorial game.  The window's status bar shows
how many lives he has left and how many points he has scored.  It also
shows that there is a hint available for this level (as there always
is  in tutorial games) and that the action is stopped (while taking
this snapshot), but can be continued by pressing <keycap>P</keycap> or
<keycap>Esc</keycap>.</para>

<para>The hero started at the top left, dug a hole and dropped into a
line of false bricks and gold where you can now see him falling.  The
enemy above him will fall into the hole, then climb out and be trapped
up there till the end of the level.  He could cause the hero some
problems then, because that is where the hidden ladders appear when
all the gold is gone.  The hero has to use them to get to the next
level.</para>

<screenshot>
<screeninfo>&kgoldrunner; typical game</screeninfo>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject><imagedata fileref="tute008.png" format="PNG"/></imageobject>
<textobject><phrase>&kgoldrunner; typical game</phrase></textobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>

<para>The enemy on the right is falling and carrying some gold.
Notice his gold outline.  The third enemy is about to come down a ladder to
chase the hero.  He will have to dodge both enemies when he reaches
the floor ...  This level also shows diggable bricks and undiggable
concrete and has lots of traps (false bricks), which look just like
ordinary bricks.</para>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="how-to-play">
<title>How To Play</title>

<sect2>
<title>Starting the Game</title>

<para>When the &kgoldrunner; window appears, click on the name of one
of the games in the list displayed, then click on the <guibutton>Start
Game</guibutton> button. Level 1 of the game you selected will appear
and the mouse pointer will be over the hero. You start play by moving
the mouse, clicking the mouse or pressing any key that can control the
hero (&eg; <keycap>Space</keycap>), but avoid using
<keycap>Q</keycap>, <keycap>S</keycap>, <keycap>P</keycap> or &Esc; at
this stage. You start each level in the same way.</para>

<para>You have five lives at the start and gain a bonus life for each
level completed.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="mouse-control">
<title>Moving Around</title>

<para>By default you control the hero (green) with the mouse, but you
can also control him with the keyboard (<link
linkend="keyboard-control">see below</link>). He moves towards
wherever you place the mouse pointer. He cannot move as fast as you
can move the mouse, but he will try hard to catch up. If the mouse
pointer is above or below his level, he will always go up or down when
there is a ladder available or a place to fall into. Otherwise he will
move horizontally until he is above, below or right at the mouse
pointer. You can make him follow simple paths (like _ | L or U), but
be careful not to get too many twists and turns ahead of him.</para>

<para>You can move left or right over bricks, concrete, ladders or
bars and up or down over ladders. If you are on an empty square or a
gold nugget and there is no brick, concrete, ladder or bar to hold you
up, gravity takes over and you fall. You can also fall by moving down
from a bar or the bottom of a ladder, so keep the mouse pointer up
there if you want to hold on.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="keyboard-control">
<title>Keyboard Control</title>

<para>If you prefer, you can use the keyboard to control the hero. The
default keys are the arrow keys and <keycap>I</keycap>,
<keycap>J</keycap>, <keycap>K</keycap> and <keycap>L</keycap> (in
honor of the original Apple II game), with the keys
<keycap>Z</keycap> and <keycap>C</keycap> or <keycap>U</keycap> and
<keycap>O</keycap> for digging. You can play one-handed by using
<keycap>U</keycap>, <keycap>I</keycap>, <keycap>O</keycap>,
<keycap>J</keycap>, <keycap>K</keycap>, <keycap>L</keycap> and
<keycap>Space</keycap> (on a <quote>QWERTY</quote> keyboard) or
two-handed by using the arrow keys, <keycap>Space</keycap>,
<keycap>Z</keycap> and <keycap>C</keycap>. You can also choose other
keys, on the <guimenu>Settings</guimenu> menu, if you have the &kde;
desktop version of &kgoldrunner;.</para>

<para>You enter keyboard mode by pressing one of the keys that can
control the hero or by selecting <guimenuitem>Keyboard
Controls Hero</guimenuitem> on the <guimenu>Settings</guimenu>
menu.</para>

<para>The movement keys (<keycap>I</keycap>, <keycap>J</keycap>,
<keycap>K</keycap>, <keycap>L</keycap> or arrows) start the hero
moving up, down, left or right. He continues moving in that direction,
if he can, until you press another movement key or
<keycap>Space</keycap> to stop. In mouse mode, he stops automatically
when he gets to the mouse pointer.</para>

<para>A word of warning: using the keyboard is much harder, in the
long run, than using the mouse. Think of the mouse as a
joystick.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="pausing">
<title>Taking a Break</title>

<para>You can stop the game at any time by pressing a Pause key
(either <keycap>P</keycap> or &Esc;). You can resume by pressing the
<keycap>P</keycap> or &Esc; key again. There is also a
<guimenuitem>Pause</guimenuitem> option in the <guimenu>Game</guimenu>
menu, but the problem is to get up there without moving the hero and
getting into trouble.</para>

<tip><para>When you want to use the &kgoldrunner; menu or do
some work in another window, always press a Pause key and stop the
game. Otherwise the hero will go on following the mouse pointer and
might get into trouble.</para></tip>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="winning">
<title>Winning a Level</title>

<para>The object of the game is to collect all the gold, by moving or
falling onto it. When there is none left, you must move to the top of
the playing area to get to the next level. Often, as you collect the
last piece of gold, hidden ladders will appear and you can use them to
climb to the top. </para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="false-bricks">
<title>Beware of False Bricks</title>

<para>False bricks, otherwise known as fall-through bricks or traps,
are the other hidden feature of the game. They look just like ordinary
bricks, but if you run over one you fall. This can be bad if there is
an enemy or a pit down there, or good if there is some gold.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="enemies">
<title>Enemies</title>

<para>Enemies move in very much the same way as the hero. The main
difference is when they fall into a hole the hero has dug (see <link
linkend="rules-of-digging">Rules of Digging</link> below). They will
pick up gold either always or at random, depending on the game
settings, and will drop gold at random on brick, concrete or the top
of a ladder. An enemy who is carrying gold has a gold outline. You
must get the gold away from him before you can finish the
level.</para>

<para>If an enemy touches you or you move down onto one, you die and
must start the level again, if you have any lives left. However, it is
possible to walk or stand on an enemy's head and you can ride an enemy
down when he is falling. Some advanced levels require such a
move.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="losing-a-level">
<title>Losing a Level</title>

<para>As explained above, you can lose a level and a life by touching
an enemy. You can also lose by getting caught in a dug brick when it
closes. Otherwise you can commit suicide by pressing key
<keycap>Q</keycap> or using the menu item
<menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Kill
Hero</guimenuitem></menuchoice>. Why would you want to do that? Well,
sometimes you can get trapped in a place from which you cannot
escape. You will stay imprisoned for ever unless you commit
suicide!</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="importance-of-digging">
<title>The Importance of Digging</title>

<para>Digging is one of the most powerful tactics you have. To dig a
hole in a brick to the left or right, just click the
<mousebutton>Left</mousebutton> or <mousebutton>Right</mousebutton>
mouse button, or use one of the digging keys (defaults
<keycap>Z</keycap>, <keycap>C</keycap>, <keycap>U</keycap>,
<keycap>O</keycap>.)</para>

<para>You can dodge an oncoming enemy by digging a hole, waiting for
him to fall in and then running quickly over his head. At the same
time you can collect any gold he was carrying. Usually you can dig two
holes to capture and run over two enemies who are close together, but
this rarely works if the enemies are separated or there are more than
two of them.</para>

<para>You can kill enemies by digging enough holes in their path. It
usually takes two or more holes to kill one enemy and up to eight or
more holes to kill four or five. When enemies die, they reappear
immediately, either where they started the level or near the top of
the playing area, depending on whether the game follows
<quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> or <quote>Traditional</quote> rules and
settings (see <link linkend="choice-of-rules">Choice of Rules</link>).</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="rules-of-digging">
<title>The Rules of Digging</title>

<para>You click the <mousebutton>Left</mousebutton> or
<mousebutton>Right</mousebutton> mouse button, to dig a hole to the
left or right, or use the <keycap>Z</keycap>, <keycap>C</keycap>,
<keycap>U</keycap> or <keycap>O</keycap> keys. Only bricks can be dug,
not anything else. The hole will appear in the floor on one side or
the other (&ie; below and to the left or right of the hero). You can
be running, standing or falling when you dig. There must be an empty
space or hole above the brick (&ie; no digging under a ladder, bar,
gold, brick, concrete, false brick or enemy).</para>

<para>The hero can move in any direction through dug holes, including
falling right through a hole to escape an enemy. After a short time,
dug holes close up, so you must use them quickly. Plan your digging in
advance. There is no time to stop and think while you dig.</para>

<para>Enemies are always captured if they fall into a dug hole and
will always climb UP to get out of it. Their time in the hole is less
than the time the hole stays open, so to kill enemies you usually have
to dig several holes in quick succession. Enemies always give up gold
as they fall into a hole, so you can quickly run onto the enemy's head
and grab the gold before he climbs out.</para>

<para>Enemies will never fall down through a hole from above, but
depending on the game rules and <guimenu>Settings</guimenu>, they can
run horizontally into a dug hole and not be captured and can fall from
there or run into another hole or run out of the hole. Several levels
that follow <quote>Traditional</quote> rules depend on an enemy being
able to run through a hole.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="winning-and-losing-the-game">
<title>Winning and Losing the Game</title>

<para>You win by completing the last level in the game. You lose when
your last life is gone. Either way, if you have achieved one of the
ten highest scores for that game, you can record your achievement in
the <quote>KGoldrunner Hall of Fame</quote></para>

</sect2>
</sect1>

<sect1 id="scoring">
<title>Scoring</title>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>Start with 5 lives.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Lose a life and repeat a level when the hero dies</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Gain a life when you complete a level</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>75 points for trapping an enemy</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>75 points for killing an enemy</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>250 points for collecting gold</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>1500 points for completing a level</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="choice-of-rules">
<title>Choice of Rules</title>

<para>Most of the rules of &kgoldrunner; are covered in the section
<link linkend="how-to-play">How to Play</link>, however there are two
major rule settings that affect the style of play: known as
<quote>Traditional</quote> and <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote>. It is
important to know which settings are in force when you are playing a
game. Many <quote>Traditional</quote> levels are impossible with
<quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> settings. Most
<quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> levels are easier with
<quote>Traditional</quote> settings, but the
<quote>Traditional</quote> games are no pushover. To make life easier,
&kgoldrunner; automatically chooses the correct settings for a game
when you go into it, but you can can change them if you wish. </para>

<para>The main difference between <quote>Traditional</quote> and
<quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> settings is the method by which the
enemies choose a path to the hero.</para>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>In the <quote>Traditional</quote> search method, enemies look
for vertical paths (ladders and falls) and they try to stay above the
hero or at the same height. They go below him only as a last
resort. The enemies make no attempt to chase the hero in the
horizontal direction until they are at the same height and can find a
horizontal path. This leads to situations where you can
<quote>control</quote> enemies who are far away from you and make them
work for you or at least keep out of your hair.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>The <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> method searches alternately for
horizontal and vertical paths, which tends to keep the enemies over
your side of the playing area and at about the same height (&ie; they
are more aggressive and not so easy to manipulate). That leads to a
more action-packed game, but with less opportunity for strategy and
puzzle-solving.</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<para>The other differences are listed below:</para>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>In <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> play the enemies and hero always
move at the same speed and bricks always take the same time to
close. In <quote>Traditional</quote> play the game speed depends on
the number of enemies in a level. The more enemies, the slower they
run. The hero also becomes slower, but not so noticeably.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>In <quote>Traditional</quote> play, enemies  always collect gold
nuggets when they run into them. In <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> play
it is a random choice. The enemies drop nuggets after a random time in
both types of play.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Enemies can run horizontally through holes in
<quote>Traditional</quote> play but not in
<quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> play. The trick in several
<quote>Traditional</quote> levels depends on releasing an enemy from
behind a brick wall. When you dig away the bricks, he runs out through
the hole.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>When enemies die in <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> play, they go
back to where they started the level. In <quote>Traditional</quote>
play, they reappear at a random place near the top of the playing
area. This makes a big difference, especially in levels where you have
to get enemies to fetch nuggets down for you, but also because the
enemies keep falling down onto you as fast as you can kill
them.</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

</sect1>
</chapter>

<chapter id="level-selection-dialog">
<title>The Level Selection Dialog</title>

<sect1 id="level-selection-dialog-box">
<title>Using the Level Selection Dialog Box</title>

<screenshot>
<screeninfo>The Level Selection dialog</screeninfo>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="select.png" format="PNG" />
</imageobject>
<textobject>
<phrase>The Level Selection dialog</phrase>
</textobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>

<para>This box appears when the game starts and also when you select
options from the <guimenu>Game</guimenu> or <guimenu>Editor</guimenu>
menus. You use it to choose a game and a level to play, edit, save,
move or delete. The main button at the bottom is the
<guibutton>OK</guibutton>" button. Its label changes according to what
you are doing: in this case choosing a game and level to edit.</para>

<sect2 id="selecting-a-game">
<title>Selecting a Game</title>

<para>There are several <quote>System</quote> games that come with the
&kgoldrunner; release and they appear at the top of the list box. If
you have composed games and levels yourself, they appear below the
<quote>System</quote> games. To select one of the games in the list,
just click on its name.</para>

<para>When you select a game, the dialog automatically shows what rule
settings apply (see <link linkend="choice-of-rules">Choice of Rules</link>)
and how many levels there are. The <guibutton>More Info...</guibutton>
button shows you further information about the game.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="selecting-a-level">
<title>Selecting a Level</title>

<para>When you are starting a game, the level is fixed at
<quote>001</quote>. In other cases, such as this example, you can
choose a level. The default selection will be something reasonable,
such as the last level you played or edited.</para>

<para>You can select a level either by typing it in or by moving the
slider. The arrows at the end increase or decrease the number by
one. Also you can drag the slider with the left mouse button held down
and change the number rapidly or you can change it by 10 if you click
in the space to the left or right of the slider. </para>

<para>As the level number changes, a preview of the level appears in the
small preview window and the level's name (if it has one) appears
below the slider. </para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="completing-selection">
<title>Completing your Selection</title>

<para>When you have chosen a game and a level, just click the main
button at the bottom to proceed with your edit or play.</para>

<para>Until you do that, nothing changes, so you can always click
<guibutton>Cancel</guibutton> and go back to what you were doing
earlier. Note that the game action is frozen while this dialog box
appears, so you can continue playing where you left off if you choose
<guibutton>Cancel</guibutton>.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="saving-changes">
<title>Saving Changes</title>

<para>If you select an action on the <guimenu>Game</guimenu> or
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu> menu and you were previously editing and had
not saved your changes, you will get a message asking you to save,
abandon or continue your work. The level selection dialog box for the
new action will not appear until you have made a decision about your
previous work.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="any-level">
<title>Playing or Editing <quote>Any</quote> Level</title>

<para>Note that the menus allow you to select and play or edit
<quote>any</quote> level. If you start a game after level 1, that is
OK, you will just not get such a high score. Dedicated players often
prefer to play high-numbered levels for fun, rather than go for a high
score, or they might like to <quote>train</quote> on higher levels
before attempting a high score.</para>

<para>If you select a System level for editing, that is OK too, but
you must save it in one of your own games: not back in the System
game. If it is a very difficult level, you might want to change it so
that you don't go back to the start of the level every time you
die.</para>

<para>To see what this means, try the <quote>Challenge</quote> game,
level 16, <quote>The Three Musketeers</quote>. That level has about
ten difficult puzzles in it. When you have solved puzzle 1, you don't
want to keep repeating it while you work on puzzle 2. The secret is to
make an editable copy, then keep updating it and changing the hero's
starting point, until you have solved all the puzzles. Then you can
attempt the real thing.</para>

</sect2>
</sect1>
</chapter>

<chapter id="menu-reference">
<title>The Menu Reference</title>

<sect1 id="menu-overview">
<title>Overview of Menus</title>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><link linkend="game-menu"><guimenu>Game</guimenu></link></term>
<listitem>
<para>This menu contains options affecting game play, such as starting
and finishing games, saving games, loading saved games, showing high
scores and getting a hint (if available). The
<guimenu>Game</guimenu> Menu also contains the
<guimenuitem>Quit</guimenuitem> option. You can also
quit by clicking the <guiicon>X</guiicon> at the top right of the
&kgoldrunner; window.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><link
linkend="editor-menu"><guimenu>Editor</guimenu></link></term>
<listitem>
<para>This menu has everything you need to create your own games and
levels and maintain them, including features to help you re-order levels
or move them between games or to delete them when no longer needed. When
you reorganize your levels, the level numbers in your game remain
consecutive (no gaps) and the levels are automatically
renumbered.</para>
<para>When you are using the Game Editor a graphical toolbar with tool
tip text appears under the menu bar. See the <link
linkend="game-editor">Game Editor</link> for more details of how to
create and edit &kgoldrunner; levels.</para> </listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><link
linkend="landscapes-menu"><guimenu>Landscapes</guimenu></link></term>
<listitem>
<para>This menu offers you a choice of landscapes (actually color
schemes) in which to play.  All the landscapes have keyboard shortcuts,
so you can actually change the landscape as the game is playing.  Try
<keycap>Shift+A</keycap>, to switch to the nostalgic Apple II landscape.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><link
linkend="settings-menu"><guimenu>Settings</guimenu></link></term>
<listitem>
<para>This menu has four groups of settings: the choice of mouse or
keyboard control, the game-speed options, the choice of of
<quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> or <quote>Traditional</quote> playing rules
(see <link linkend="choice-of-rules">Choice of Rules</link>) and
lastly the options to increase or decrease the size of the playing area.
The current selections are checked. The settings are automatically
selected when you start playing, but you can use this menu to vary them
if you wish. </para>
<para>On the &kde; desktop version of &kgoldrunner;, there is also an
option to re-assign keyboard shortcuts and hero-control keys. </para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><link linkend="help-menu"><guimenu>Help</guimenu></link></term>
<listitem>
<para>The <guimenu>Help</guimenu> menu contains an option
to get a hint (if available), access to the
&kgoldrunner; Handbook (this document), <guimenuitem>About
&kgoldrunner;</guimenuitem> and <guimenuitem>About &kde;</guimenuitem> (or
<guimenuitem>About Qt</guimenuitem> Toolkit). </para>
<para>In the &kde; desktop version, there is also an option to report a
Bug or Wishlist item.</para>
<para>If you would like to make a suggestion or you have some new levels
to contribute, the current author's email address is in the
<guimenuitem>About &kgoldrunner;</guimenuitem> menu item.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

</sect1>

<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 Game...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows the level selection dialog box, where you choose a game
(which will start at level 1).</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>O</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Load Saved Game...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Brings up a table of previously saved games, sorted with the
latest first. Each line lists the game, level, number of lives, score,
day of week, date and time. If you select a line and click the
<guibutton>OK</guibutton> button, that game starts at the beginning of
that level, with the lives and score you saved.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Play Any Level...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem><para>Shows the level selection dialog box, where you choose
a game and a level to play.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Play Next Level...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows the level selection dialog box with the game
and level set to one more than previously.  You can then choose to play
that level or another.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><shortcut><keycap>S</keycap></shortcut>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Save Game...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Saves the current game, level, lives and
score.  The option will only save the position and score as at the start
of the current level.  You can save when you are mid-way through a
level, but &kgoldrunner; will still save the position (and score) as it
was at the start of the level.  You will receive a warning message about
that.  Before using this option, you must press a Pause key
(<keycap>P</keycap> or &Esc;) to freeze the game as you move the mouse,
but it is much easier to use the <keycap>S</keycap> key as a
short-cut.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>S</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Save Edits...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem><para>This option is enabled only if you have been using
the Game Editor.  It brings up the level selection dialog box and lets
you choose a level number and game in which to save your work.  Its
action is exactly the same as the <guimenuitem>Save
Edits</guimenuitem> option on the <guimenu>Editor</guimenu> menu and
the <guiicon>disk</guiicon> icon on the Editor toolbar.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycap>P or &Esc;</keycap></shortcut>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Pause</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Stops or restarts the game action.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>H</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Show Highscores</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows a table of up to ten high scores for the currently selected
game.  Each line shows the player's rank and name, the level reached,
the score achieved, the day of the week and the date.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Get Hint</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>If the current level has a hint, this option pops it up. The
option is <quote>grayed out</quote> if there is no hint. The status bar
also has a section to show you whether there is a hint for the current
level. It is customary for championship and tutorial games to have a hint
on every level.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><shortcut><keycap>Q</keycap></shortcut>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Kill Hero</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Kills the hero when he is in a position from which he cannot
escape.</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>Terminates &kgoldrunner; immediately.  If a game is in
progress, it disappears forever (unless you have just saved it) and
there is no check for a high score.  If you were editing a level, you
are given an opportunity to save your work.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="editor-menu">
<title>The <guimenu>Editor</guimenu> Menu</title>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu><guimenuitem>Create Level</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows the Editor toolbar and a blank playing area
on which you can draw a new level.  When done, use
<guimenuitem>Save Edits</guimenuitem> to assign the new level to a game
and level number.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu><guimenuitem>Edit Any Level...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows the level selection dialog box, where
you choose a game and level to edit.  You can choose a System game and
level, but you get a warning that you can only save the edited level
in one of your own games.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu><guimenuitem>Edit Next Level...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows the level selection dialog box with the game
and level set to one more than current.  You can then choose to edit
that level or another.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>S</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu><guimenuitem>Save Edits...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows the level selection dialog box with
appropriate default settings for saving a new or edited level.  You can
change the game and level number and achieve a <quote>Save As...</quote>
effect. This dialog box has a special button, <guibutton>Edit Level Name and
Hint</guibutton>, which shows a dialog box where you can add an optional
name and hint to your level.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu><guimenuitem>Move Level...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>This is a two-part operation.  Before using <guimenuitem>Move
Level</guimenuitem>, you must load a level to be moved by selecting it
for play or edit.  The <guimenuitem>Move Level</guimenuitem> option
then shows the level selection dialog box, where you choose a new place
for the loaded level.  You can change both the game and the level
number to move a level to another game or you can just change the level
number to re-order levels within a game.  You cannot move a System
level.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu><guimenuitem>Delete Level...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows the level selection dialog box, where you choose a level
to delete.  You cannot delete a System level.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu><guimenuitem>Create Game...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>You need to use this option before you start
creating your own &kgoldrunner; levels.  It shows a dialog box where you
can enter the name of a new game, a 1-5 character prefix for
level-file names, the default rules for your game
(<quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> or <quote>Traditional</quote>) and an
optional description or comment about the game.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu><guimenuitem>Edit Game Info...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows the level selection dialog box, where
you choose a game to be edited, then shows the game information in a
dialog box where you can edit the name, rules and description, but
not the file name prefix, in case you have saved some levels.  That
is because the prefix is used in level-file names internally.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="landscapes-menu">
<title>The <guimenu>Landscapes</guimenu> Menu</title>

<variablelist>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycombo action="simul">&Shift;<keycap>G</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Landscapes</guimenu><guimenuitem>&kgoldrunner;</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Gives you the default &kgoldrunner; landscape, with
red bricks and wooden ladders.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycombo action="simul">&Shift;<keycap>A</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Landscapes</guimenu><guimenuitem>Apple II</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Gives you a nostalgic look at the original Apple II game, as it
was when you plugged your Apple II into your TV set &mdash; otherwise you had
a monochrome monitor.</para>

<para>Actually, the hero was white, the enemies had white
pants and orange (flesh-tint) tops and the gold was white boxes with orange
panels.  The whole effect was fuzzier (a sort of hardware anti-aliasing),
which made the bricks look almost three-dimensional &mdash; difficult to
recreate on today's pin-sharp monitors.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycombo action="simul">&Shift;<keycap>I</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Landscapes</guimenu><guimenuitem>Ice Cave</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>For fans of the movie <quote>Superman</quote> or the
James Bond movie <quote>Die Another Day</quote> &mdash; or you can
use it on a hot day.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycombo action="simul">&Shift;<keycap>M</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Landscapes</guimenu><guimenuitem>Midnight</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>For real &kgoldrunner; addicts, on those late-night sessions.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycombo action="simul">&Shift;<keycap>K</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Landscapes</guimenu><guimenuitem>&kde; Kool</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Inspired by the icon colors on the &kde; desktop.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>

</sect1>

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

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Mouse Controls Hero</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Sets mouse control of the hero
(see <link linkend="mouse-control">Moving Around</link>).</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Keyboard Controls Hero</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Sets keyboard control of the hero
(see <link linkend="keyboard-control">Keyboard Control</link>).</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Normal Speed</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Sets normal game speed (12 units).</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Beginner Speed</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Sets beginner game speed (6 units, half of normal speed).</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Champion Speed</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Sets champion game speed (18 units, 1.5 times normal speed).</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><shortcut><keycap>+</keycap></shortcut>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Increase Speed	</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Increases the game speed by one unit, up to a maximum of 24
units (twice normal speed).  You can use the <keycap>+</keycap> key
as a shortcut.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut><keycap>-</keycap></shortcut>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Decrease Speed</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Decreases the game speed by one unit, down to a minimum of 3
units (a quarter of normal speed).  You can use the <keycap>-</keycap> key
as a shortcut.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Traditional Rules</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Sets Traditional default playing rules
(see <link linkend="choice-of-rules">Choice of Rules</link>).</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>&kgoldrunner; Rules</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Sets &kgoldrunner; default playing rules
(see <link linkend="choice-of-rules">Choice of Rules</link>).</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Larger Playing Area</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>When &kgoldrunner; starts, it chooses the size of the playing area
(in pixels), based on your screen's resolution (e.g. 1024x768).  This
option allows you to expand the playing area, up to a maximum, and
enlarge all the corresponding graphics.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Smaller Playing Area</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>When &kgoldrunner; starts, it chooses the size of the playing area
(in pixels), based on your screen's resolution (e.g. 1024x768).  This
option allows you to reduce the size of the playing area, down to a minimum,
and shrink all the corresponding graphics.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure Shortcuts...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>In the &kde; version only, this item allows you to change the keyboard
assignments (&eg; for keyboard control of the hero) or to assign your own
shortcut keys for menu items.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>
</sect1>

<sect1 id="help-menu">
<title>The <guimenu>Help</guimenu> Menu</title>

<para>In addition to the standard items listed below, &kgoldrunner; has
the following special entry:</para>

<variablelist>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Help</guimenu><guimenuitem>Get Hint</guimenuitem></menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>If the current level has a hint, this option pops it up. The
option is <quote>grayed out</quote> if there is no hint. The status bar
also has a section to show you whether there is a hint for the current
level. It is customary for championship and tutorial games to have a hint
on every level.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>

<para>The following are standard items:</para>

&help.menu.documentation;

</sect1>

</chapter>

<chapter id="game-editor">
<title>The Game Editor</title>

<sect1 id="editor-start">
<title>Getting Started with the Editor</title>

<sect2 id="creating-a-game">
<title>Creating a Game</title>

<para>Before you create or edit a &kgoldrunner; level, you must create
a game in which to save it. Use <guimenuitem>Create Game</guimenuitem> 
on the <guimenu>Editor</guimenu> menu. If you
forget, you will be reminded. </para>

<para>The most important decisions to make when creating a game are to
choose the rules you are going to follow (<quote>Traditional</quote>
or <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote>, see <link
linkend="choice-of-rules">Choice of Rules</link>) and to choose a
unique 1-5 character file name prefix for your game and levels. You
also need a name and description for your game, but those can easily
be changed later.</para>

<para>The prefix is used internally by &kgoldrunner; to identify level
files, high score files and saved games. You can use your initials as
a prefix provided they are not the same as a &kgoldrunner; prefix. So
far, the prefixes <quote>level</quote>, <quote>plws</quote>,
<quote>wad</quote>, <quote>plwv</quote>, <quote>tute</quote> and
<quote>tutea</quote> have been used and <quote>trad</quote> and
<quote>chmp</quote> are reserved for future use. </para>

<para>The four-letter <quote>tute</quote> prefix is reserved for
tutorial games, which show the game description and hints on levels as
they play. If you compose your own Tutorial game you could use the
prefix <quote>tutex</quote>, to make it run as a tutorial but not get
its files confused with those of the basic Tutorial or Advanced Tutorial
(prefixes <quote>tute</quote> and <quote>tutea</quote>). </para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="creating-a-level">
<title>Creating a Level</title>

<para>When you have a game set up, use <guimenuitem>Create
Level</guimenuitem> on the <guimenu>Editor</guimenu> menu to start
creating a level. It provides you with a blank playing area of 28x20
squares, with the hero at the top left. You can put the hero somewhere
else if you prefer and you do not have to use the whole 28x20
area. Lots of interesting levels use smaller areas. </para>

<para>The minimum requirement for a level to be playable is to have a
hero, a gold nugget he can get to and a visible or hidden ladder
leading to the top of the playing area. You do not have to have
enemies, bars or even bricks. There are many challenging levels that
have no enemies or no bricks.</para>

</sect2>
</sect1>

<sect1 id="editing-and-testing">
<title>Editing and Testing</title>

<sect2 id="editing-a-level">
<title>Editing a Level</title>

<para>Use <guimenuitem>Edit Any Level</guimenuitem> or
<guimenuitem>Edit Next Level</guimenuitem> on the
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu> menu to start editing an existing level or use
<guimenuitem>Create Level</guimenuitem> to start editing a new level.</para>

<para>If you choose
a System level, you are warned that you will have to save it in one of
your own games. Otherwise, the default is to save the level back where
it came from, but you can vary that.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="painting-objects">
<title>Painting Objects in a Level</title>

<para>The picture below shows the menubar and the edit toolbar, which
appears when you first choose <guimenuitem>Create
Level</guimenuitem>, <guimenuitem>Edit Any Level</guimenuitem> or
<guimenuitem>Edit Next Level</guimenuitem> from the
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu> menu and so change from Play to Edit
mode. It disappears when you go back to Play mode. Note also that, in
Edit mode, false bricks and hidden ladders are made visible in the
playing area.</para>

<para>The three icons on the left of the edit toolbar have the same
actions as the menu options <guimenuitem>Create Level</guimenuitem>,
<guimenuitem>Edit Any Level</guimenuitem> and <guimenuitem>Save
Edits</guimenuitem>. The other eleven icons are for editing and
painting objects in your level. </para>


<para>From left to right the other eleven icons are <guiicon>Edit Name/Hint
</guiicon> (light bulb), <guiicon>Empty space</guiicon> (background), 
<guiicon>Hero</guiicon>,
<guiicon>Enemy</guiicon>, <guiicon>Brick (can dig)</guiicon>,
<guiicon>Concrete (cannot dig)</guiicon>, <guiicon>Trap 
(can fall through)</guiicon>, <guiicon>Ladder</guiicon>,
<guiicon>Hidden ladder</guiicon>, <guiicon>Pole (or bar)</guiicon> and
<guiicon>Gold nugget</guiicon>.</para>

<screenshot>
<screeninfo>Editing a level</screeninfo>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="editbar.png" format="PNG" />
</imageobject>
<textobject><phrase>Editing a level</phrase></textobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>

<para>The <guiicon>Edit Name/Hint</guiicon> icon pops up a dialog in which
you can create or edit your level's name and hint. Both are optional,
but they are essential for tutorial levels and it is usual to provide
them with very difficult levels (see the <quote>Vengeance of Peter
W</quote> game).</para>

<para>When you click on one of the other 10 icons, the mouse becomes a
<quote>brush</quote> that paints that icon. Initially the brush is set
to <quote>brick</quote>.</para>

<para>You paint either by pointing and clicking the &LMB;, to place a
single object in a square, or by holding the &LMB; down and dragging
the mouse, to fill a line or area, such as a long ladder, a large
block of bricks or a concrete floor. Painting stops wherever you
release the mouse button. If you make a mistake, you can use the
<guiicon>Empty space</guiicon> icon to erase it.</para>

<para>The hero icon works differently, because there can be only one
hero. When you paint the hero, he moves from his previous position to
wherever you release the mouse button.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="saving-your-work">
<title>Saving Your Work</title>

<para>When you have finished painting, save your work using the
<guiicon>disk</guiicon> icon or <guimenuitem>Save Edits</guimenuitem>
in the <guimenu>Editor</guimenu> menu or <guimenuitem>Save
Edits</guimenuitem> in the <guimenu>Game</guimenu> menu. You must
always save into your own games, never into the System games.</para>

<para>If you are creating a level, you use the Level Selection Dialog
to assign it to a game and level number. You use the same dialog if
you have been editing a level, but the default is to save it where it
came from. You can change the game and level, to get a <quote>Save
as...</quote> effect. If you have been editing a System level you must
save it as a copy in one of your own games.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="adding-name-and-hint">
<title>Adding a Level Name and Hint</title>

<para>On the Save version of the Level Selection Dialog box is a
button marked <guibutton>Edit Level Name &amp; Hint</guibutton>. You can use
this to put the finishing touches on your level by adding a name and
hint. Both are optional, but they are essential for tutorial levels
and it is usual to provide them with very difficult levels (see the
<quote>Vengeance of Peter W</quote> game). Of course you can also use
the <guiicon>Edit Name/Hint</guiicon> icon, at any time, to add or edit a
name and hint. </para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="testing-a-level">
<title>Testing a Level</title>

<para>After saving an edited level, you can test it by using
<guimenuitem>Play Any Level</guimenuitem> in the
<guimenu>Game</guimenu> menu. By default the game and level number are
remembered and you can get straight into the level with just a few
clicks. If you then want to edit some more, the same is true when you
use <guimenuitem>Edit Any Level</guimenuitem> again. </para>

</sect2>
</sect1>

<sect1 id="reorganizing-games">
<title>Reorganizing Games and Levels</title>

<sect2 id="moving-a-level">
<title>Moving a Level</title>

<para>You can use <guimenuitem>Move Level</guimenuitem> on the
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu> menu to re-order or re-number the levels in
a game or to move a level from one game to another. <guimenuitem>Move
Level</guimenuitem> is a two-part operation. You must first load a
level by selecting it for editing or play, then when you use
<guimenuitem>Move Level</guimenuitem>, the Level Selection Dialog box
appears and you can select the new level number and game (as
required).</para>

<para>Moves leave no gaps in the sequence of level numbers in a
game. For example, if you move level 10 of game A to level 3 of game
B, levels 11 and above in game A are re-numbered down by one (to close
the gap) and levels 3 and above in game B are re-numbered up by one
(to make room for the newcomer).</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="deleting-a-level">
<title>Deleting a Level</title>

<para>You can use <guimenuitem>Delete Level</guimenuitem> on the
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu> menu to remove an unwanted level. The other
levels are re-numbered so as to close the gap in the sequence. </para>

</sect2>
</sect1>

</chapter>

<chapter id="questions-answers-and-tips">
<title>Questions, Answers, and Tips</title>

<sect1 id="hints-overview">
<title>Overview</title>

<para>This chapter presents some general hints for playing &kgoldrunner;,
as opposed to the specific hints you will find on the levels in tutorial and
championship games (see <link linkend="help-menu">The Help Menu</link>).
The hints are grouped as follows:</para>

<itemizedlist>

<listitem>
<para><link linkend="hints-dealing-with-enemies">
Dealing with Enemies</link></para>
</listitem>

<listitem>
<para><link linkend="hints-digging-puzzles">
Digging Puzzles</link></para>
</listitem>

<listitem>
<para><link linkend="hints-tricks-with-gold">
Tricks with Gold</link></para>
</listitem>

<listitem>
<para><link linkend="hints-solving-difficult-levels">
Solving Difficult Levels</link></para>
</listitem>

</itemizedlist>
</sect1>

<sect1 id="hints-dealing-with-enemies">
<title>Dealing with Enemies</title>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>You can always trap a single oncoming enemy in one hole, get his
gold and run on over him without killing him. It is often a good idea
to dig behind you and delay him further, but that might kill him. In
some levels it is not a good idea to kill enemies.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>You can usually trap two oncoming enemies in two holes, get
their gold and run on over them, but this is dangerous if the enemies
are separated by two or three spaces. Sometimes two holes kill one of
the enemies and the other escapes and sometimes both escape.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>It is nearly always impossible to trap three oncoming enemies
and run on over them. You will have to kill them, dig and drop through
the floor or simply run away.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Try to get all the enemies running together in one group. That
way you will not get surrounded and you can do such fun things as
collect gold while they run along behind you.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Sometimes you can kill an enemy with two holes, but it often
takes three to nine holes to kill one to five enemies.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>It is possible to kill an enemy with one hole if he is far
enough away when you dig it.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>In the <quote>Traditional</quote> game, you can trap an enemy
permanently in a pit of brick or concrete. Stand near the edge of the
pit on the opposite side to the enemy. As he approaches the pit, move
down one square (to the level of the floor of the pit) and the enemy
will usually run into the pit.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>In some levels in the <quote>Traditional</quote> game, you can
force an enemy to climb a ladder ahead of you if you stand somewhere
above the bottom of the ladder.</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="hints-digging-puzzles">
<title>Digging Puzzles</title>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>To dig through more than one layer of bricks, start by digging
as many bricks as there are layers, jump in, dig one brick less and so
on.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>If you dig next to a ladder or a succession of bars, you can dig
down through any number of layers and up to five or six bricks
horizontally. Just return to the ladder or bars after digging each
layer, then move down one square, run out and dig the next
layer.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>If a digging puzzle looks impossible, consider that there might
be some false bricks in it. Maybe the bottom layer is false or maybe
you can stand in a false brick and dig next to it.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Think about the order in which you will collect the gold. If you
pick the right order, the digging might be easier.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Some levels require you to dig away a brick walll, run in,
collect some gold and run out again before the bricks close up and
trap you.</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="hints-tricks-with-gold">
<title>Tricks with Gold</title>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>If you cannot get to a piece of gold, think about getting an
enemy to go there and get it. Even think about using an enemy's head
as a bridge to get across a pit or precipice.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>In some levels there is a nugget that must be collected last of
all, because you will need the hidden ladders to get away from that
position.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>In some situations an enemy can be killed without giving up the
gold he is carrying. The gold becomes a <quote>lost
nugget</quote>. You score no points for making an enemy lose a nugget,
but at least you can finish the level.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>If there is nowhere to dig, keep the enemies running over
concrete and the tops of ladders and so make them release their gold
at random.</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="hints-solving-difficult-levels">
<title>Solving Difficult Levels</title>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>Try changing the speed settings to Beginner or even
lower.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Use the Editor feature to <quote>peek</quote> at where the false
bricks and hidden ladders are.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Use the Editor feature to save the level in one of your own
games, then you can edit it so that you do not always have to start at
the beginning when you die. This allows you to develop the solution in
easier stages.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>In digging puzzles, look for false bricks you can fall into and
thus have one less brick to dig. Or consider using an enemy to go
ahead of you, so that you can stand on his head and dig.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Look for a theme or trick in the level, such as riding down on
an enemy's head, trapping all the enemies in a pit, luring the enemies
to a corner where they will stay and not chase you, luring the enemies
into pits you must cross to get to some gold, getting the enemies to
fetch gold for you or finding spots where you can stand and make an
enemy move to where you want him.</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</sect1>

<!-- This is the place for a FAQ section, if required.
<sect1 id="hints-faq">
<title>FAQ</title>

<qandaset id="faq">

<qandaentry>
<question>
<para>Question 1</para>
</question>
<answer>
<para>The answer</para>
</answer>
</qandaentry>

</qandaset>
</sect1>
-->

</chapter>

<chapter id="credits-and-licenses">
<title>Credits and Licenses</title>

<para>&kgoldrunner; copyright 2003 Ian Wadham and Marco Krüger.</para>

<para>&kgoldrunner; is inspired by an early computer game called
<trademark>Lode Runner</trademark> which was written in the USA
by <trademark class="copyright">Doug Smith</trademark> and first released
in 1983 by <trademark class="copyright">Broderbund Software</trademark>.  It
appeared originally on the Apple II and Commodore 64 computers, which was
where the Wadham family and Marco Krüger got hooked.  It was a major
best-seller in its day and is one of the all-time great computer games.</para>

<para>You can find out more about <trademark>Lode Runner</trademark> and
the various versions that have come out since 1983, on the
website <ulink url="http://entropymine.com/jason/lr">Jason's Lode Runner
Archive</ulink> (http://entropymine.com/jason/lr/).
That site also has the story of the game's original development, in the file
<ulink url="http://entropymine.com/jason/lr/misc/ldhist.html">
misc/ldhist.html</ulink>.</para>

<para>&kgoldrunner; is an attempt to preserve the spirit of the original
classic game on a platform that will be portable and will last more than
a few years.  It is available as free software in source code form.  Copies
of the original game are unobtainable now and the machines it ran on are
going into museums.</para>

<para>Marco Krüger developed &kgoldrunner; as far as v0.3, out of
nostalgia for the original Commodore 64 game.  Ian Wadham added
several features and levels and created the current version.  Ian's
elder son Peter composed the 100 levels in the "Initiation" game and
the 20 tricky levels in "Vengeance of Peter W".  The other levels
were composed by Ian, Peter, Marco Krüger and friends and Ian's other
children, Simon and Genevieve.</para>

<!-- TRANS:CREDIT_FOR_TRANSLATORS -->
&underFDL;
&underGPL;

</chapter>

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

<sect1 id="how-to-obtain-kgoldrunner">
<title>How to Obtain &kgoldrunner;</title>
&install.intro.documentation;
</sect1>

<sect1 id="compilation-and-installation">
<title>Compilation and Installation</title>
&install.compile.documentation;
</sect1>

</appendix>

<appendix id="porting-kgoldrunner">
<title>Porting &kgoldrunner; to Other Platforms</title>

<para>&kgoldrunner; is written in C++, using &Linux; and the free-software
version of the portable &Qt; object and &GUI; library.  The current version
can be compiled and run either with &kde; 3 and &Qt; 3 or with &Qt; 3 alone.</para>

<para>The &Qt;-only version of &kgoldrunner; is intended to be almost
independent of &Linux; and the &kde; desktop.  That means it should be
fairly easy to port to other operating systems, such as &Windows;
and Macintosh, because the &Qt; library and C++ language are portable
to other operating systems and the &kgoldrunner; source code is
available as free software.</para>

<para>If you would like to port &kgoldrunner;, please email
Ian Wadham at <emphasis>ianw@netspace.net.au</emphasis>, to obtain
the latest version of the &Qt;-only code and the Technical Details
document.  Of course, you must have your own C++ development
setup on your target machine.  Also, the &Qt; library is
<emphasis>not</emphasis> free software on &Windows; and Macintosh,
so you will need to have access to a system with a paid
&Qt; Development licence.</para>

</appendix>

</book>

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