Xoids v1.5 An X Window System arcade game All files in this distribution Copyright (C) 1996 by Tim Ebling tebling@oce.orst.edu see disclaimer at end of this file ============== NOTE: This README applies to v1.2 of Xoids. A README for v1.5 should be available within a few days. TE (9/10/96) What is Xoids? ============== Xoids is an asteroids-type game written for X in my (spare) time. The game was originally developed on a Sun4 system while on an oceanographic research cruise. It's by no means finished. What is the Current Version of Xoids? ===================================== Xoids 1.5 is the latest release, and is dated 9/10/96 Is There An Xoids Home Page? ============================ Why yes, and it's located at http://www.orst.edu/~eblingt/xoids.html What Are Some of Xoids' Features? ================================= While Xoids is strikingly similar to the original Asteroids game, there are some differences: o Full color pixmaps o One or Two Player (duel and cooperative) modes o Can bounce off asteroids instead of dying (if going slow) o Shots have relative speed, and impart intertia to the ship o Asteroids have appropriate "masses": realistic physics o The alien (called the Slurb) tracks players rather than flying around aimlessly o Thrusting and using hyperspace can overheat your engines (boom!) o Co-op mode links players together via a flexible space-cable Game Play Modes =============== There are currently three modes of play: One Player ---------- Start out with five ships. Keep blasting asteroids and accumulating points until you're out of ships. Simple but fun. The alien Slurb can make life difficult. More asteroids get added once you clear a level and move to the next. Two Player Duel --------------- Go head to head with a friend sitting at the same keyboard (no networking YET - sorry). Blast asteroids and each other. Points are decremented for dying, but there are unlimited lives. First player to reach 20,000 points wins. Two Player Cooperative ---------------------- Similar to the Duel, except that the players' ships are linked via an elastic cable. I didn't want one player to run out of lives before the other, so there are unlimited lives. Since the first player to 20,000 "wins", it may be more competitive than cooperative, but hey... such is life (and death) in space. It's quite easy to make things difficult for the other player by trying to swing him (or her) into other objects. Compiling and Installing Xoids ============================== Please see the file 'INSTALL' Playing ======= For now, the controls are hardwired: Player 1 -------- Thrust Up Arrow (keypad 8) Rotate Right Right Arrow (keypad 6) Rotate Left Left Arrow (keypad 4) Fire Right Shift Hyperspace Return Player 2 -------- Thrust F Rotate Right B Rotate Left C Fire Left Shift Hyperspace Space Bar General ------- Quit Q Pause P Menu Escape Decrease Clock Speed - Increase Clock Speed + (no shift needed) Miscellaneous Notes =================== That's about all for now. Naturally, I've got a lot of big plans for Xoids, including more alien ships, bigger than window playfields, network play, weapons power-ups, etc, etc. If you enjoy the game, make any modifications to it, have problems with it, or just want to talk about oceanography or something, then feel free to email me at tebling@oce.orst.edu. Thanks, and enjoy!! Tim Ebling Disclaimer ========== This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 1, or (at your option) any later version. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.