NAME
xmball - Masterball X widget
SYNOPSIS
/usr/games/xmball [-geometry
[{width}][x{height}][{+-}{xoff}[{+-}{yoff}]]] [-display
[{host}]:[{vs}]] [-[no]mono] [-[no]{reverse|rv}] [-{foreground|fg}
{color}] [-{background|bg} {color}] [-wedge{0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11}
{color}] [-{border|bd} {color}] [-delay msecs] [-[no]sound] [-moveSound
{filename}] [-{font|fn} {fontname}] [-wedges {int}] [-rings {int}]
[-[no]orient] [-[no]practice] [-base {int}] [-userName {string}]
[-scoreFile {filename}] [-scores] [-version]
DESCRIPTION
The original puzzle has 8 sectors on a sphere (longitudinal cuts), with
each sector divided into 4 segments (latitudinal cuts). There are
essentially 3 varieties: Geomaster 8 colors (beachball, default colors
in this puzzle), Duomaster 2 colors (black and white beachball), and a
variety of picture Masterballs. For some reason, they say the
Geomaster is easier than the Duomaster. The picture Masterballs are
the hardest since all the pieces have a set solved position. On the
Duo and Geo Masterballs pieces could be swapped or in a different order
and still be in a solved position. Zurick University’s Mathematics
faculty has calculated that Masterball’s 32 segments can be arranged in
355,682,548,566,633,480,192,000,000 different possible combinations.
Masterball was invented by Dr. Geza Gyovai Hungarian Engineer,
manufactured by Whole Systems Design, Inc..
FEATURES
Press "mouse-left" button to move a sector. Release "mouse-left"
button on another piece and the pieces will turn towards where the
mouse button is released. Usually, a click and release on the same
wedge is ambiguous and the puzzle will not turn.
Click "mouse-center", or press "P" or "p" keys to toggle the practice
mode (in practice mode the record should say "practice"). This is good
for learning moves and experimenting.
Click "mouse-right", or press "Z" or "z" keys, to randomize the puzzle
(this must be done first to set a new record).
Press "G" or "g" keys to get a saved puzzle.
Press "W" or "w" keys to write or save a puzzle.
Press "U" or "u" keys to undo a move.
Press "R" or "r" keys to redo a move.
Press "C" or "c" keys to clear the puzzle.
"S" or "s" keys reserved for the auto-solver (not implemented).
Press "O" or "o" keys to toggle the orient mode. One has to orient the
wedges in orient mode, besides getting all the wedges to be the same
color. To do this one has to get the numbers to be on the same side of
the ball in clockwise order.
Press "I" or "i" keys to increase the number of rings.
Press "D" or "d" keys to decrease the number of rings.
Press "2", "4", "6", "8", "0", or "=" keys (not the keypad 2, 4, 6, 8,
0) to change to 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 wedges, respectively. Note: if
there were odd number of wedges, there would be no 180 degree turn and
therefore the puzzle would be inoperable.
Press ">" or "." keys to speed up the movement of pieces (not
implemented).
Press "<" or "," keys to slow down the movement of pieces (not
implemented).
Press "@" key to toggle the sound.
Press "Esc" key to hide program.
Press "Q", "q", or "CTRL-C" keys to kill program.
Use the key pad or arrow keys to move without the mouse.
Key pad is defined for Masterball as:
N / * Upper Upper Left, Counterclockwise, Upper Upper Right
7 8 9 Upper Left, Up, Upper Right
^
4<5>6 Left, Clockwise, Right
v
1 2 3 Lower Left, Down, Lower Right
0 . Lower Lower Left, Lower Lower Right
Use the control key and the left mouse button, keypad, or arrow keys to
move the whole Masterball. This is not recorded as a turn.
The title is in the following format (non-motif version):
xmball.{2|4|6|8|10|12<wedges>}: <number of sectors per wedge> @
(<Number of moves>/{<Record number of moves> <user name>|"NEVER
noaccess"|"practice"}) - <Comment>
If there is no record of the current puzzle, it displays "NEVER
noaccess".
OPTIONS
-geometry {+|-}X{+|-}Y
This option sets the initial position of the masterball window
(resource name "geometry").
-display host:dpy
This option specifies the X server to contact.
-[no]mono
This option allows you to display the masterball window on a
color screen as if it were monochrome (resource name "mono").
-[no]{reverse|rv}
This option allows you to see the masterball window in reverse
video (resource name "reverseVideo").
-{foreground|fg} color
This option specifies the foreground of the masterball window
(resource name "foreground").
-{background|bg} color
This option specifies the background of the masterball window
(resource name "background").
-wedge{0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11} <color>
This option allows you to change the color of a wedge (resource
name "wedgeColorN"). In mono-mode, color is represented as the
first letter of the color name. The wedges are ordered
clockwise. If you have two colors that begin with the same
letter you should have one in uppercase and one in lowercase to
distinguish them in mono-mode. You can change the colors of the
wedges to make a stupid Masterball (i.e. all White or in mono-
mode all "W"). Unfortunately, it will not normally say its
solved when its randomized. Similarly, with the Duomasterball
(black and white), it may be solved color-wise but not by its
internal representation. This would be cheating.
-{border|bd} color
This option specifies the border color of the sectors in the
masterball window (resource name "borderColor").
-delay msecs
This option specifies the number of milliseconds it takes to
move pieces (1-50) (resource name "delay").
-[no]sound
This option specifies if sliding pieces should make a sound or
not (resource name "sound").
-moveSound filename
This option specifies the file for the move sound for the
twisting of the puzzle (resource name "moveSound").
-{font|fn} ontname
This option specifies the font that will be used (resource name
"font").
-wedges <int>
This option allows you to change the number of wedges (resource
name "wedges").
-rings <int>
This option allows you to change the number of rings (resource
name "rings").
-[no]orient
This option allows you to access the orient mode (resource name
"orient").
-[no]practice
This option allows you to access the practice mode (resource
name "practice").
-base int
This option specifies the base used (default is base 16)
(resource name "base"). When there are 12 wedges there is not
much room, so base 10 was not used as the default.
-userName string
This option specifies the user name for any records made or
else it will get your login name (resource name "userName").
-scoreFile filename
Specify an alternative score file (resource name "scoreFile").
-scores This option lists all the recorded scores and then exits.
-version
This option tells you what version of xmball you have.
RECORDS
You must randomize the puzzle before a record is set, otherwise an
assumption of cheating is made if it is solved after a get.
SAVE FORMAT
Here is the format for the xmball configuration, starting position, and
the movement of its pieces.
Masterball numbered clockwise, with default colors, not randomized:
0 Y Yellow
10 2 D B Dark Green, Blue
9 3 C R Cyan, Red
8 4 O M Orange, Magenta
6 G Green
Extra colors: Pink, Saddle Brown, Light Steel Blue, Indian Red
wedges: 2-12 <number of wedges around ball (even only)>
rings: 1-MAXINT <number of slices around ball>
orient: 0-1 <0 false, 1 true; if true then numbers on puzzle to
be oriented and ordered>
practice: 0-1 <0 false, 1 true>
moves: 0-MAXINT <total number of moves>
startingPosition: <2 dimensional array of sector wedge position,
if orient mode then orientation number follows each wedge
number>
This is then followed by the moves, starting from 1.
move #: <wedge> <ring> <direction> <control>
Each turn is with respect to a sector defined by wedge and ring.
Direction is represented as 0 up, 1 upper upper right, 2 upper right, 3
right, 4 lower right, 5 lower lower right, 6 down, 7 lower lower left,
8 lower left, 9 left, 10 upper left, 11 upper upper left, 13 clockwise,
and 23 counterclockwise.
Control is represented as 0 or 1, 1 if the whole ball is moved at once,
0 if not. The xmball record keeper does not count a control move as a
move, but here we do.
REFERENCES
http://wsd.com/masterball
SEE ALSO
X(1), xcubes(6), xtriangles(6), xhexagons(6), xmlink(6), xbarrel(6),
xpanex(6), xpyraminx(6), xoct(6), xrubik(6), xskewb(6), xdino(6),
xabacus(6)
COPYRIGHTS
® Copyright 1994-2008, David A. Bagley
BUG REPORTS AND PROGRAM UPDATES
Send bugs (or their reports, or fixes) to the author:
David A. Bagley, <bagleyd@tux.org>
The latest version is currently at:
http://www.tux.org/~bagleyd/puzzles.html
ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/games/strategy