<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.5-Based Variant V1.1//EN" "dtd/kdedbx45.dtd" [
  <!ENTITY % addindex "IGNORE">
  <!ENTITY % English "INCLUDE" > <!-- change language only here -->
]>

<book id="kgoldrunner" lang="&language;">

<bookinfo>
<title>The &kgoldrunner; Handbook</title>
<authorgroup>
<author>
<firstname>Ian</firstname>
<surname>Wadham</surname>
<affiliation><address><email>iandw.au at gmail com</email></address></affiliation>
</author>
<author>
<firstname>Marco</firstname>
<surname>Krüger</surname>

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

<copyright>
<year>2015</year>
<holder>Ian Wadham</holder>
</copyright>

<legalnotice>&FDLNotice;</legalnotice>

<date>2021-06-30</date>
<releaseinfo>KDE Gear 21.04</releaseinfo>

<abstract>
<para>
&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. <emphasis>Note:</emphasis> The rules of digging have changed
slightly in this version.</para>
</abstract>

<keywordset>
<keyword>KDE</keyword>
<keyword>kdegames</keyword>
<keyword>game</keyword>
<keyword>arcade</keyword>
<keyword>strategy</keyword>
<keyword>enemies</keyword>
<keyword>brick</keyword>
<keyword>bricks</keyword>
<keyword>dig</keyword>
<keyword>digging</keyword>
<keyword>fall</keyword>
<keyword>falls</keyword>
<keyword>gold</keyword>
<keyword>ladder</keyword>
<keyword>ladders</keyword>
<keyword>KGoldrunner</keyword>
</keywordset>
</bookinfo>

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

<sect1 id="introduction">
<title>Introduction</title>
<para>
Game type: Arcade, Strategy
</para>
<para>
Number of players: One
</para>

<para>&kgoldrunner; is an action game where the hero
runs through a maze and dodges enemies.
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>, <quote>Vengeance of Peter W</quote>,
<quote>Count</quote> or <quote>Curse of the Mummy</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>All those games use Traditional rules, which are similar to
those used on early home-computers, such as the Apple II or Commodore
64.  The <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> and <quote>State of Terror</quote>
games use &kgoldrunner; rules, in which the enemies run faster and have
a more aggressive search strategy than in Traditional rules.  See
<link linkend="choice-of-rules">Choice of Rules</link> for details.</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 is at
level 4 in the Advanced Tutorial game.  The window's lower part 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
&Esc;.</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.
The third enemy is about to come down a ladder to
chase the hero, who 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>&kgoldrunner; begins by showing you a recorded demonstration of play. You
can terminate this by clicking on the playing area with the mouse, pressing
the &Space; bar or selecting a menu item or shortcut (such as <menuchoice>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>New Game...</guimenuitem></menuchoice> or
<keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>N</keycap></keycombo>).
You can skip this demonstration in future by using menu item <menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Demo At Start</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>. You can also see it again at any time by using menu item
<menuchoice><guimenu>Move</guimenu><guimenuitem>Demo</guimenuitem></menuchoice>.
</para>

<para>If you skipped the demo or used the mouse or &Space; bar to end it, a
quick-start popup dialog shows you the names, number and a preview
of the last game and level you loaded or, if you have not played before,
the same information for Tutorial level 1.</para>

<para>Click on the <guibutton>PLAY</guibutton> button to begin playing
immediately. Otherwise you can click on the <guibutton>Quit</guibutton> button,
the <guibutton>New Game...</guibutton> button or the
<guibutton>Use Menu</guibutton> button. The first will close &kgoldrunner;, if
you do not wish to play, the second will show you a
<link linkend="select-game-dialog">Select Game</link> dialog,
where you can choose a different game and level and the last will terminate
the dialog, leaving you free to use the &kgoldrunner; menus.</para>

<para>If you have chosen to play a game and level, it will then appear
and the pointer will be over the hero. In a tutorial game, an
explanatory message appears before each level begins. You start play
by moving the pointer, clicking the mouse or pressing any key that can
control the hero (&eg; &Space;), 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 with the mouse, but you
can also control him with the keyboard (<link
linkend="keyboard-control">see below</link>) or, on a laptop, by using a mix
of the keyboard for digging and the touchpad or other pointer device to
guide the hero.</para>

<para>The hero moves towards wherever you place the pointer. He
cannot move as fast as you
can move the pointer, but he will try hard to catch up. If the
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 below the pointer, above it or right
at it. You can make him follow simple paths (like &mdash; | 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 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
&Space; (on a <quote>QWERTY</quote> keyboard) or
two-handed by using the arrow keys, &Space;,
<keycap>Z</keycap> and <keycap>C</keycap>. You can also choose other
keys, on the <menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Configure Shortcuts...</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item.</para>

<para>You enter keyboard mode by pressing one of the keys that can
control the hero or by selecting the <menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Keyboard Controls Hero</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item.</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
&Space; to stop. In mouse or laptop mode, he stops
automatically when he gets to the 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
(the default is either <keycap>P</keycap> or &Esc;). You can resume
by pressing the Pause key again. There is also a
<menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu> <guimenuitem>Pause</guimenuitem></menuchoice>
menu item, but the problem is to get the pointer 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 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. Sometimes there are no hidden ladders. Also, very
rarely, the hidden ladders could be a decoy that leads the wrong way. If
the level has no gold, there will be no hidden ladders and you just have
to work out how to get to the top of the playing area.</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="importance-of-digging">The Importance of Digging</link> below).
</para>
<para>
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. If an enemy is carrying the last piece of gold, you must
get it away from him before you can finish the level.</para>

<para>If an enemy touches you, you die and must start the level again,
provided you have some 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 <menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Kill Hero</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item. 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>

<para>Finally, in many levels the gold is not immediately accessible and
you must dig to get to it. Some of these digging puzzles are quite complex
and you must work out a digging sequence then perform it in limited time
before you can complete the level.</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.</para>

<para>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). There must be an empty space or hole above the
brick (&ie; no digging under a ladder, bar, gold, brick, concrete or
false brick). You can be running, standing or riding down on a falling
enemy when you dig. Digging while falling through thin air or false
bricks is allowed in some games but not others. See
<link linkend="dig-while-falling">Digging while Falling</link> below.</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>
(see <link linkend="choice-of-rules">Choice of Rules</link>), 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. Some levels that follow
<quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> rules depend on an enemy NOT being
able to run through a hole.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="dig-while-falling">
<title>Digging while Falling</title>

<para>In the original game on Apple II and Commodore 64, the hero had to be
supported on something solid when digging: a ladder, concrete, a brick, a
bar --- or an enemy's head. This rule was overlooked in &kgoldrunner; and one
day the author's son discovered that you could dig while falling! He
immediately composed a level to exploit this. Other game composers
have now done the same. You have to dig while falling in recent
games of Championship skill such as <quote>State of Terror</quote>,
<quote>Curse of the Mummy</quote> and <quote>Gold Rush</quote>.</para>

<para>On the other hand, digging while falling makes older games too easy.
So, as of December 2015, it is forbidden in the <quote>Tutorial</quote>,
<quote>Advanced Tutorial</quote>, <quote>Initiation</quote>,
<quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> and <quote>Challenge</quote> games. The
<quote>Vengeance of Peter W</quote> game allows it in just one level
and the new <quote>Beginner's Luck</quote> game, which is aimed at
first time players, does not allow it.</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>

<sect2 id="recordings-replays-and-solutions">
<title>Recordings, Replays and Solutions</title>

<para>All levels in games are recorded as you play, so you can replay any level
you have previously played. Also, some levels have recorded solutions, which
may help you work out how to win them. Just use the <guimenu>Move</guimenu>
menu and the <guimenuitem>Show a Solution</guimenuitem>,
<guimenuitem>Instant Replay</guimenuitem>,
<guimenuitem>Replay Last Level</guimenuitem> and
<guimenuitem>Replay Any Level</guimenuitem> options. The
solutions and replays can be interrupted at any time by clicking with
the mouse on the playing area, pressing the &Space; bar or selecting a menu
item or shortcut (such as <menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>New Game...</guimenuitem></menuchoice> or <keycombo
action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>N</keycap></keycombo>).</para>

<para><guimenuitem>Instant Replay</guimenuitem> and
<guimenuitem>Replay Last Level</guimenuitem> let you continue playing
after an interruption. So if things are not going well, you can use
<guimenuitem>Instant Replay</guimenuitem>, interrupt the replay at some point
and then try another approach. Or if the hero died already, you can use
<guimenuitem>Replay Last Level</guimenuitem>
in the same way.  These features can help you build up a solution to a
difficult level in stages, but using them will invalidate any high score
you might be working on.</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. &kgoldrunner; automatically chooses the correct settings for
a game when you play one of its levels and the rules for each game are
shown in the <link linkend="select-game-dialog">Select Game</link>
dialog.</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 higher than 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. However the <quote>State of Terror</quote> game, added in 2007,
uses <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> rules and has plenty of puzzles to
solve while you are on the run. That is why it is such a difficult game.</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

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

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>In <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> play, the hero and enemies move
at fixed speeds in every level 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. In some <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> levels, on the other
hand, you must hide inside or behind a dug brick to escape an enemy.</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="select-game-dialog">
<title>The Select Game Dialog</title>

<sect1 id="select-game-dialog-box">
<title>Using the Select Game Dialog</title>
<screenshot>
<screeninfo>The Select Game dialog</screeninfo>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="select.png" format="PNG" />
</imageobject>
<textobject>
<phrase>The Select Game dialog</phrase>
</textobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>

<para>This dialog appears when you select the <guimenuitem>New Game...</guimenuitem>
action and also when you select options from the <guimenu>Editor</guimenu>
menu or any replay option from the <guimenu>Move</guimenu> menu. You use
it to choose a game and a level to play, replay, edit, save,
move, re-number 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 play.</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 you can add your own games by using the editor.
All these games appear in the list at the top of the dialog, grouped by
level of difficulty. The tutorial games appear last in the list and the
games of normal skill appear first. To select one of the games, just
click on its name.</para>

<para>The list shows what rule settings apply to each game (see
<link linkend="choice-of-rules">Choice of Rules</link>) and how many levels
there are. When you select a game, a box lower down the screen shows
you further information about that game.</para>

</sect2>

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

<para>You can choose to start a game at any level, but it is best to start
at level 1 and work up, especially if you are going for a high score. In
general, the higher numbered levels are more difficult.</para>

<para>When you start the <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel> dialog, the default level will
be something reasonable, such as the last level you played or edited.
You can select another level by using the spinbox arrows, by typing the
level number into the spinbox or by moving the slider. The arrows at
the ends of the slider increase or decrease the number by one. Also
you can drag the slider with the &LMB; held down and change
the level number rapidly. Or you can change the level number in steps of 10
by clicking in the space above or below the slider handle.</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) also appears.</para>

</sect2>

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

<para>When you have chosen a game and level, just click the main
button at the bottom and proceed with your edit, play or replay.</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 the dialog
is active, 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 option on the <guimenu>Game</guimenu>,
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu> or <guimenu>Move</guimenu> menus 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. Neither the new action nor its dialog will
begin 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 and dialog 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. For example you might want to modify a very difficult level so that
you do not 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 do not
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
go back and attempt the real thing, from start to finish.</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 and showing high
scores (if available). Also contains the <guimenuitem>Quit</guimenuitem>
option, or you can quit by clicking the <guiicon>X</guiicon> at the top
right of the &kgoldrunner; window.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><link linkend="move-menu"><guimenu>Move</guimenu></link></term>
<listitem>
<para>This menu contains an option to get a hint (if there is one).
Championship and Tutorial games have hints on every level. Other games
rarely have hints. It also contains options to replay recordings of
play, as when running demonstrations, showing examples of solutions and
replaying your own efforts.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><link linkend="view-menu"><guimenu>View</guimenu></link></term>
<listitem>
<para>This menu contains an option to alternate the full screen mode.</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="settings-menu"><guimenu>Settings</guimenu></link></term>
<listitem>
<para>This menu has several groups of &kgoldrunner; settings, including the
choice of mouse, keyboard or hybrid (laptop) control and the choices of themes and
game-speed. 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>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 access to the
&kgoldrunner; Handbook (this document), <guimenuitem>About
&kgoldrunner;</guimenuitem> and <guimenuitem>About &kde;</guimenuitem> options.</para>
<para>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> option.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="game-menu">
<title>The Game 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 <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel> dialog (see
<link linkend="select-game-dialog-box">
Using the Select Game Dialog</link>), where you choose a game
and a level within that game. At first it is easiest to start at level 1,
because the levels are arranged approximately in order of difficulty.
Also it is best to start there if you are going for a high score.</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><shortcut><keycap>Y</keycap></shortcut>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Play Next Level</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Loads the next level in the current game, ready to play and without
any further dialog. You can use this to browse quickly through the levels
of a game.</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 should 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
shortcut.</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 <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel> dialog and lets
you choose a level number and game in which to save your work.  Its
action is exactly the same as the <menuchoice><guimenu>Editor</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Save Edits...</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item and
the <guiicon>disk</guiicon> icon on the Editor toolbar.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><shortcut>
<keycombo action="simul">&Shift;<keycap>S</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Game</guimenu><guimenuitem>Save a Solution...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem><para>Save a solution for a level into a file called
<quote><filename>sol_<replaceable>prefix</replaceable>.txt</filename></quote>
in your user's data directory.</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 High Scores...</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><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="move-menu">
<title>The Move Menu</title>

<tip><para>All the demo and replay moves will replay previously recorded
levels. All can be interrupted and stopped by clicking on the playing area
with the mouse, pressing the &Space; bar or selecting a menu item or shortcut
(such as <menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>New Game...</guimenuitem></menuchoice> or <keycombo
action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>N</keycap></keycombo>).</para></tip>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><shortcut><keycap>H</keycap></shortcut>
<guimenu>Move</guimenu><guimenuitem>Hint</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows a popup hint, if there is one for the level being played.
By convention, Championship and Tutorial games have hints on every level.
Other games rarely have hints. The lower part of the &kgoldrunner; window shows whether a hint is
available or not.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><shortcut><keycap>D</keycap></shortcut>
<guimenu>Move</guimenu><guimenuitem>Demo</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Plays a demonstration of play in a few recorded levels. These are
the same as in the startup demo.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Move</guimenu><guimenuitem>Show a Solution</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Replays a recorded solution of a level, if there is a solution on
file in the released game-data.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><shortcut><keycap>R</keycap></shortcut>
<guimenu>Move</guimenu><guimenuitem>Instant Replay</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Stops play in the current level and replays the recorded version from
the beginning. If you interrupt the replay, you can continue playing from
that point and try another approach. You can use this feature to build up
a winning sequence of moves in stages, but that will invalidate any high
score you might be working on.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><shortcut><keycap>A</keycap></shortcut>
<guimenu>Move</guimenu><guimenuitem>Replay Last Level</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Replays the recorded version of the last level you played, from
the beginning (&eg; if you lost the level). If you interrupt the
replay, you can continue playing from that point and try another
approach. You can use this feature to build up a winning sequence of moves
in stages, but that will invalidate any high score you might be working
on.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Move</guimenu><guimenuitem>Replay Any Level</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Replays the recorded version of any level you have previously played.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="view-menu">
<title>The View Menu</title>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<shortcut>
<keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;&Shift;<keycap>F</keycap></keycombo>
</shortcut>
<guimenu>View</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Full Screen Mode</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem><para><action>Toggles the Full Screen mode</action> on and off.
</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="editor-menu">
<title>The Editor 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 the
<guimenuitem>Save Edits...</guimenuitem> option to assign the new level to a game
and level number.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu><guimenuitem>Edit Level...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows the <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel> dialog, 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><shortcut>
<keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>S</keycap></keycombo></shortcut>
<guimenu>Editor</guimenu><guimenuitem>Save Edits...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>Shows the <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel> dialog 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 has a special button, <guibutton>Edit Level Name or
Hint</guibutton>, which shows a dialog 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. Then shows the <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel>
dialog, 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 <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel> dialog, 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 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 <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel> dialog, where
you choose a game to be edited, then shows the game information in a
dialog 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="settings-menu">
<title>The Settings Menu</title>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guisubmenu>Change Theme</guisubmenu>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>This submenu offers you a choice of background themes or
<quote>worlds</quote> in which to play. You can change the theme at
any time, even as the game is playing. For those who are artistically
inclined, it is possible to compose new themes, including graphics
or sound or both and add them to &kgoldrunner;. Just contact the author
for details.</para>
<variablelist>

<varlistentry>
<term><guimenuitem>The Treasure of Egypt</guimenuitem></term>
<listitem>
<para>Matt Goldrunner finds himself in an Ancient Egyptian temple, being
pursued by mummies who are determined to protect their ancestral jewels
at all costs.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guimenuitem>Black on White</guimenuitem></term>
<listitem>
<para>This theme is stripped down to its barest graphical units and
painted in black and white only.  It is intended to help players who
may be visually impaired.  The author would appreciate email responses on
how effective it is and what improvements in visibility could be made.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guimenuitem>&kgoldrunner; Default</guimenuitem></term>
<listitem>
<para>Gives you the default &kgoldrunner; theme, with
red bricks and gray concrete.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guimenuitem>Geek City</guimenuitem></term>
<listitem>
<para>Our hero is trapped inside a computer. Will he escape
when he finally reaches the last level?</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guimenuitem>Nostalgia Blues</guimenuitem></term>
<listitem>
<para>Recalls the Apple II game, where the bricks and concrete were a
nice blue color, 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><guimenuitem>Nostalgia</guimenuitem></term>
<listitem>
<para>Recalls the days of the original Apple II and Commodore 64 game, as it
was when you plugged your machine into your TV set &mdash; otherwise you had
a monochrome monitor. For those who do not remember such heroic days, this
is not an exact reproduction, but it gives you a general idea. For example
the hero was all white back then, but today he is blue.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

</variablelist>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Play Sounds</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Toggles the sounds on and off.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Play Footstep Sounds</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Toggles the sounds of footsteps on and off.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Demo At Start</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Toggles the startup demo on and off
(see <link linkend="how-to-play">Starting the Game</link>).</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<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>Hybrid Control (Laptop)</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Sets hybrid control of the hero, for laptops, where the touchpad or
other pointer device is used to guide the hero and the dig keys, on the
keyboard, are used for digging left and right.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Click Key To Move</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>In keyboard mode, click a direction-key to start moving
and keep on going until you click another key.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Hold Key To Move</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>In keyboard mode, hold down a direction-key to move
and release it to stop.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Normal Speed</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Sets normal game speed (10 units).</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Beginner Speed</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Sets beginner game speed (5 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 (15 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 20
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 2
units (a fifth of normal speed).  You can use the <keycap>-</keycap> key
as a shortcut.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure Shortcuts...</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>In the &kde; desktop 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 Help Menu</title>

<para>
Additionally &kgoldrunner; has the common &kde; <guimenu>Help</guimenu>
menu items, for more information read the section about the
<ulink url="help:/fundamentals/menus.html#menus-help">Help Menu</ulink>
of the &kde; Fundamentals.
</para>

</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 the <menuchoice><guimenu>Editor</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Create Game...</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item. 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>sot</quote>,
<quote>cnt</quote>, <quote>CM</quote>,
<quote>tute</quote> and <quote>tutea</quote> have been used.</para>

<para>The four-letter <quote>tute</quote> prefix is reserved for
tutorial games, which show the hint on each level as you play it.
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 the <menuchoice><guimenu>Editor</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Create Level</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item 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 who is standing on something at the top of the playing area, but
that is a trivial case. More realistically, you could have a maze to
solve and some visible ladders leading to the top of the playing
area, but no gold. You do not have to have enemies, gold, bars, hidden
ladders or even bricks. There are many challenging levels that have no
enemies or no bricks, however most levels have at least one gold, some
enemies and
some hidden ladders that appear when the last gold is collected.</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 the <menuchoice><guimenu>Editor</guimenu> <guimenuitem>Edit
Level...</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item to start editing an
existing level or use the <menuchoice><guimenu>Editor</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Create Level</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item 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 edit toolbar, which
appears when you first choose <guimenuitem>Create Level</guimenuitem>
or <guimenuitem>Edit Level...</guimenuitem> options 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 <guimenuitem>Create Level</guimenuitem>,
<guimenuitem>Edit Level...</guimenuitem> and <guimenuitem>Save
Edits...</guimenuitem> menu options. 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>Name/Hint
</guiicon> (light bulb), <guiicon>Erase</guiicon> (background),
<guiicon>Hero</guiicon>,
<guiicon>Enemy</guiicon>, <guiicon>Brick</guiicon> (can dig),
<guiicon>Concrete</guiicon> (cannot dig), <guiicon>Trap</guiicon>
(also known as a false brick or fall-through brick), <guiicon>Ladder</guiicon>,
<guiicon>H Ladder</guiicon> (hidden ladder), <guiicon>Bar</guiicon> (or pole)
and <guiicon>Gold</guiicon>. The graphics for these icons, except for the
light bulb, are copied from whatever &kgoldrunner; theme you are using.</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>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, such as in Championship games (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 &RMB; to
erase it, or you can select the <guiicon>Erase</guiicon> icon and draw
with that.</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 the <menuchoice><guimenu>Editor</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Save Edits...</guimenuitem></menuchoice> or
<menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu> <guimenuitem>Save Edits...</guimenuitem></menuchoice>
menu items. You must always save into your own games, never into the
System games.</para>

<para>If you are creating a level, you use the <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel> 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 <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel> dialog is a
button marked <guibutton>Edit Level Name or 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, such as in
Championship games (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 the
<menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu> <guimenuitem>New Game...</guimenuitem></menuchoice>
menu item or the equivalent keyboard shortcut. 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 the <menuchoice><guimenu>Game</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Edit Level...</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item again.
It is essential to test every level you compose, to make sure that it is
possible to complete it and that it is not too easy.</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 <guilabel>Select Game</guilabel> dialog
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 the <menuchoice><guimenu>Editor</guimenu> <guimenuitem>Delete
Level...</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item 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="tips-tricks-and-hints">
<title>Tips, Tricks and Hints</title>

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

<para>This chapter presents some general tips and hints for playing
&kgoldrunner;, as opposed to the specific hints you will find on the levels
in tutorial and championship games (see <link linkend="move-menu"><menuchoice>
<guimenu>Move</guimenu><guimenuitem>Hint</guimenuitem></menuchoice></link> or
<keycap>H</keycap>). 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. In
&kgoldrunner; rules it is easier to trap two enemies and run over them,
because they stay in the holes for longer.</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>
<listitem>
<para>In the <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> game, you can trap an enemy
in a pit by getting him to fall from above you, then running sideways and
digging out before he reaches you.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>In the <quote>&kgoldrunner;</quote> game, enemies cannot run through
dug bricks, so you can sometimes use them as a barrier or hiding place.</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 wall, run in,
collect some gold and run out again before the bricks close up and
trap you.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>It is possible to dig while falling through empty space, if you can
get the timing right. You do not need to have an enemy to ride upon. This
is a bug which has become a <quote>feature</quote> and is used extensively
in the <quote>State of Terror</quote>, <quote>Count</quote> and
<quote>Curse of the Mummy</quote> games.</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>
<listitem>
<para>Use the <menuchoice><guimenu>Move</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Show a Solution</guimenuitem></menuchoice> menu item to check if
there is a recorded solution to the level. This will show you some ways
to handle difficulties in the level, but not necessarily the best
ways. There are often many ways to win a level and each time you play
it there are small differences in timing, &etc; So you probably will not
be able to copy the recorded solution exactly.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Use <menuchoice><guimenu>Move</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Instant Replay</guimenuitem></menuchoice> or
<menuchoice><guimenu>Move</guimenu>
<guimenuitem>Replay Last Level</guimenuitem></menuchoice> to replay a
level to a point just before you had trouble, then interrupt the
replay and try some other approach.</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-license">
<title>Credits and License</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 became 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="https://entropymine.com/jason/lr/">Jason's Lode Runner
Archive</ulink> (https://entropymine.com/jason/lr/).
That site also has the story of the game's original development, in the file
<ulink url="https://entropymine.com/jason/lr/misc/ldhist.html">
misc/ldhist.html</ulink>. Wikipedia also has a very good article on
<trademark>Lode Runner</trademark>, with interesting links to other
sites.</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 <quote>Initiation</quote>
game and the 20 tricky levels in <quote>Vengeance of Peter W</quote>.
The other levels
were composed by Ian, Peter, Marco Krüger and friends and Ian's other
children, Simon and Genevieve.
</para>
<para>
Stuart Popejoy of New York contributed
the <quote>State of Terror</quote> game, in 2007, the first Championship game
to use &kgoldrunner; rules and one of the most difficult games ever.</para>

<para>Steve Mann of Waterloo in Canada contributed the <quote>Count</quote>
game in 2008 and the <quote>Curse of the Mummy</quote> game in 2008. Both
use Traditional rules and both have interesting themes running through them,
as well as being quite difficult.</para>

<para>Peter Wadham composed the sound effects in 2008 and Luciano Montanaro
incorporated the sounds into the &kgoldrunner; program.</para>

<para>Special thanks are due to &Mauricio.Piacentini; and Dmitry Suzdalev,
who converted &kgoldrunner; to &Qt; 4 and &kde; 4, and to the many graphics
artists who contributed to the new SVG graphics and themes in the &kde; 4
version: especially &Mauricio.Piacentini; for the <quote>Default</quote> theme
and the new runners, Johann Ollivier Lapeyre for the ladders and bars,
Eugene Trounev for the <quote>Geek City</quote> and
<quote>Treasure of Egypt</quote> themes and, last but not least,
Luciano Montanaro for the two <quote>Nostalgia</quote> themes, the
<quote>Black on White</quote> accessibility theme, improvements to the
runners, multiple backgrounds and several other ideas.</para>

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

</chapter>

</book>

<!--
Local Variables:
mode: sgml
sgml-omittag: nil
sgml-shorttag: t
sgml-general-insert-case: lower
End:
-->
