Provided by: xpuzzles_7.7.1-1.1_amd64 
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