# The &ksnake; Handbook

## Introduction

&ksnake; is a game of speed and agility. You are a hungry snake and are trying to eat all the apples in the room before getting out!

## Rules of the Game

### To Win

To win &ksnake; you must eat all the apples in the room and leave through the exit that opens at the top.

- Each apple you eat makes you grow longer.

- If you hit a wall, you die.

- If you hit yourself, you die.

- If you are hit in the head by a bouncing ball, you die.

- If you take too long to eat the apples, more of them appear.

### Scoring

#### Before the timer has run out

Before the timer has run out, you score:

- 1 point for a red apple + a bonus depending on your skill level.

- 5 points for a gold apple + a bonus for your skill level + 2 points for each computer snake + 2 points for each bouncing ball.

- Twice your level number when you exit the room + a bonus depending on your skill level.

#### After the timer has run out

After the timer has run out, you score:

- 1 point for a red apple.

- 2 points for a gold apple.

- Points equal to your level number when you exit the room + a bonus depending on your skill level.

#### When the computer snake eats an object

When the computer snake eats an object you lose:

- 2 points for a red apple.

- 5 points for a gold apple.

#### Other points

You score 20 points for killing a computer snake.

## Customization

### Create Your Own Levels

To create your own level, copy one of the levels from `$`KDEDIR`/share/apps/ksnake/levels` to `$`HOME`/.kde/share/apps/ksnake` and edit it with a bitmap editor. You can then select it in Options Starting room .

## Menu Reference

### The Game Menu

&Ctrl;N Game New

- Start a new game

P Game Pause

- Pause the game.

&Ctrl;H Game Show Highscores...

- Show the High Score dialog.

&Ctrl;Q Game Quit

- Quits &kappname;.

### The Settings Menu

Settings Beginner

Settings Intermediate

Settings Advanced

Settings Expert

- Choose the difficulty level of the game. The default is Intermediate

Settings Balls

- Choose how many balls are in play. You can choose between 0, 1, 2, or 3. The default is one ball.

Settings Balls AI

- Select how dangerous the balls are. You can choose between Dumb where the balls show no intelligence, Killer, where the balls try to chase you, and Default, which is somewhere in between.

Settings Snakes

- Choose how many computer snakes are playing against you. You can choose from 0, 1, 2, or 3. The default is three snakes.

Settings Snakes AI

- Choose how the snakes act. The default is Eater, where the snakes will try to eat the apples before you can get to them. You could also choose Random, where the snakes act randomly, or you could choose Killer where the computer snakes try to kill your snake.

Settings Select Background Color

- Change the color of the playing area.

Settings Select Background Pixmap

- Choose from several provided pictures as a background, in place of a single color.

Settings Change Keys...

- Customize the keys you use to maneuver your snake.

Settings Starting Room...

- Select the level you would like to start the game from. You don't have to replay the early levels if you are feeling particularly skillful, you can skip ahead to the more challenging ones. &ksnake; comes with 25 levels, and you can create more of your own.

Settings Configure Shortcuts...

- Select this to open a dialog which lets you define shortcuts for all menu items in &ksnake;.

## Credits and Licenses

&ksnake; copyright 2000, Michel Filippi

Documentation copyright 2000, Michel Filippi and Robert Williams.

&underFDL; &underGPL;