# &app; Manual V&manrevision;

## Introduction

GNOME Stones is a simple, enjoyable arcade style game based on many old classics. It involves collecting gemstones, hence the name GNOME Stones. While doing this, you must avoid being squashed by falling rocks.

To run GNOME Stones, select Games GNOME Stones from the Main Menu, or type `gnome-stones` on the command line.

GNOME Stones is included in the `gnome-games` package, which is part of the GNOME desktop environment. This document describes version &version; of GNOME Stones.

## Playing GNOME Stones

GNOME Stones is a simple arcade style game, this section covers how to play the game.

### Basic usage

#### Background to the game

You play a little guy who is trapped in a cave, you must move around the cave tunelling through the ground looking for the exit. As you tunnel you have to collect the gemstones (diamonds to be precise) and avoid being squashed by falling rocks. In some levels, your task is to move strategically placed boxes into 'holes'.

#### Playing the game

Starting GNOME Stones opens the Main window, shown in mainwindow-fig. The window is initially full of little squares.

##### GNOME Stones Main Window

GNOME Stones Main Window.

To start playing the game do Game New Game , the window will then change to look something like playing-fig

##### A GNOME Stones Game

A GNOME Stones Game.

#### Game Types

A set of levels to play can be selected from the Game tab in the Preferences dialog. There are two basic game modes: Sokoban, the block sliding game, or the Cave Escape game. Each level set is played in one of these modes.

Default caves

- This is the basic escape from the cave game type. There are only a few levels here at the moment.

Tutorial caves

- This is another cave escape level set. These are designed to get you used to playing the game and let you discover the various features of the caves.

Gnomekoban

- This is a set of sokoban block sliding games. The first level is trivial to let you get the hang of the puzzle, the remainder become difficult quickly.

Original Atari caves

- Yet another set of cave escape levels. These ones resemble those found in an old Atari video game.

#### Controls

The controls for the game are the up, down, left, and right arrow keys or you can control your character with a joystick. To setup a joystick see the Preferences dialog documentation.

#### High scores

To view your high scores for the game select Game Scores

## Game scenarios

### Cave game

You are in a cave full of rocks, diamonds and dirt. Your goal is to dig through the dirt and collect enough diamonds to open a hidden exit from the cave. In your way are the boulders. You can push a single boulder, if there is nothing behind it. You can also dig under a boulder, but beware, if there is nothing to support a boulder it will fall and could squash you. Being squashed by a boulder is invariably fatal..

To dig through the dirt, just move through it. Similarly if you want to push a rock move up to it and keep moving against it. To pick up a diamond move over it. If you want to be killed by one of the creatures that also roam the caves, just run into it (or let it run into you). You get the idea.

Once you have collected enough diamonds there will be a flash and a flashing doorway will appear somewhere on the level, find it and get out of the cave before time runs out. The quicker you finish the level, the higher your score.

It is obviously a good idea not to die. You only have a small number of lives and once you use them all up the game is over. Also, if you die you must restart the level. There are many ways to die, the most common one is to be under a falling object when it lands. You will undoubtedly discover the others. Be warned that the using the Restart level menu item costs you a life.

### Gnomekoban

In this version of the game your task is to move strategically placed crates or blocks into holes (hollow red squares), you move the crates in a similar way to rocks except there is no gravity acting in this environment. Once you have slid all your blocks into the required positions you move onto the next level. Nothing will fall on you or try and hunt you down in this game, but you are up against the clock in this game.

## Customization

To change the application settings, select Settings Preferences... . This opens the Preferences dialog.

### Preferences Dialog

Preferences Dialog.

The Game tab allows you choose which type of game you wish to play. These have been described in the Game Types section.

The properties in the Joystick (shown in joystick-preferences-fig) preferences tab are:

Joystick device

- Choose your joystick device, if you have one. If you do not have a joystick or do not wish to use one, select disable (default).

Digital joystick emulation

- You can configure the switching level of your digital joystick here

### Joystick Preferences

Joystick Preferences Joystick Preferences.

The Sound tab contains only one option: to enable or disable sound in the game.

The Misc. tab also has a single option: the style of scrolling you would like to use.

- Atari like scrolling— only scroll the screen when near the edge.

- Smooth scrolling— smoothly scroll the screen to keep the player in the center. This may make you sea-sick.

- Atari in the center— always keep the player in the center of the screen.

All preferences are applied and saved instantly and automatically. Be warned that if you change the game type, your current game will end.

## Known Bugs and Limitations

Nothing we'd like to talk about. You can report any bugs you find using the `Bug Reporting Tool` or via the GNOME bug tracking database.

## Authors

GNOME Stones was written by Carsten Schaar (nhadcasc@fs-maphy.uni-hannover.de). GNOME Stones is part of the gnome-games package which is a core GNOME package, please visit the GNOME Web page for details. Please send all comments, suggestions, and bug reports to the GNOME bug tracking database. (Instructions for submitting bug reports can be found on-line.) You can also use Bug Report Tool (`bug-buddy`), available in the Utilities submenu of Main Menu, for submitting bug reports.

This manual was written by Rob Bradford (rob@funky-penguin.co.uk). Please send all comments and suggestions regarding this manual to the GNOME Documentation Project by sending an email to docs@gnome.org. You can also add your comments online by using the GNOME Documentation Status Table.

## License

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 2 of the License, 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.

A copy of the GNU General Public License is included as an appendix to the GNOME Users Guide. You may also obtain a copy of the GNU General Public License from the Free Software Foundation by visiting their Web site or by writing to

          Free Software Foundation, Inc.
         59 Temple Place
         - Suite 330
         Boston,
         MA
         02111-1307
         USA