Provided by: xmpuzzles_7.7.1-1.2build2_amd64 bug

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}]
       [-[no]perspective]  [-wedges  {int}]  [-bands  {int}] [-[no]orient] [-[no]practice] [-base
       {int}] [-userName {string}] [-scoreFile {filename}] [-scores] [-version]

DESCRIPTION

       The original puzzle has 8 wedges on a sphere (longitudinal cuts), with each wedge  divided
       into  4  bands  (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..

       Related puzzles are the Saturn Puzzle, a oriented Masterball with one band; and the harder
       Hockey Puck Puzzle, like the Saturn Puzzle but with 12 wedges instead of 8.

FEATURES

       Press  "mouse-left"  button to move a piece.  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.  If there is some
       ambiguity between a turn or a flip, a flip is assumed, except if shift key is used.

       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 "R" or "r" keys to read a saved puzzle.

       Press "W" or "w" keys to save (write) a puzzle.

       Press "U" or "u" keys to undo a move.

       Press "E" or "e" keys to redo a move.

       Press "C" or "c" keys to clear the puzzle.

       "S" or "s" keys to start auto-solver.  Only works for wedges <= 8 or 1 band.

       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 bands.

       Press "D" or "d" keys to decrease the number of bands.

       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 "T" or "t" keys to toggle the perspective look.

       Press ">" or "." keys to speed up the movement of pieces.

       Press "<" or "," keys to slow down the movement of pieces.

       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 bands>  @  (<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  wedges  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").

       -bands <int>
               This option allows you to change the number of bands (resource name "bands").

       -[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      O     G    Orange, Green

       9       3    R       D   Red, Dark Green

        8     4      M     B    Magenta, Blue
           6            C       Cyan

       Extra colors: Pink, Saddle Brown, Light Steel Blue, Indian Red

              wedges: 2-12 <number of wedges around ball (even only)>
              bands: 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 segment position,  if  orient  mode  then
              orientation number follows each wedge number>

       This is then followed by the moves, starting from 1.
              move #: <wedge> <band> <direction> <control>
       Each turn is with respect to a segment defined by wedge and band.
       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 1994-2010, 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