ROBOTS(6) BSD Reference Manual ROBOTS(6)
NAME
robots - fight off villainous robots
SYNOPSIS
robots [-ajrst] [scorefile]
DESCRIPTION
robots pits you against evil robots, who are trying to kill you (which is
why they are evil). Fortunately for you, even though they are evil, they
are not very bright and have a habit of bumping into each other, thus
destroying themselves. In order to survive, you must get them to kill
each other off, since you have no offensive weaponry. You are endowed
with one piece of defensive weaponry: a teleportation device. When two
robots run into each other or a junk pile, they die. If a robot runs into
you, you die. When a robot dies, you get 10 points, and when all the
robots die, you start on the next field. This keeps up until they finally
get you.
Robots are represented on the screen by a '+', the junk heaps from their
collisions by a '*', and you (the good guy) by a '@'.
The commands are:
h move one square left
l move one square right
k move one square up
j move one square down
y move one square up and left
u move one square up and right
b move one square down and left
n move one square down and right
. (also space) do nothing for one turn
HJKLBNYU
run as far as possible in the given direction
> do nothing for as long as possible
t teleport to a random location
w wait until you die or they all do
q quit
^L redraw the screen
All commands can be preceded by a count unless the game is in real-time
mode.
If you use the 'w' command and survive to the next level, you will get a
bonus of 10% for each robot which died after you decided to wait. If you
die, however, you get nothing. For all other commands, the program will
save you from typos by stopping short of being eaten. However, with 'w'
you take the risk of dying by miscalculation.
Only five scores are allowed per user on the score file. If you make it
into the score file, you will be shown the list at the end of the game.
If an alternative score file is specified, that will be used instead of
the standard file for scores.
The options are as follows:
-a Advance into the higher levels directly, skipping the lower,
easier levels.
-j Jump, i.e., when you run, don't show any intermediate positions;
only show things at the end. This is useful on slow terminals.
-r Real-time mode. After your first move, robots will advance at
least every three seconds.
-s Don't play, just show the score file.
-t Teleport automatically when you have no other option. This is a
little disconcerting until you get used to it, and then it is
very nice.
FILES
/var/games/robots_roll the score file
AUTHORS
Ken Arnold
BUGS
Bugs? You crazy, man?!?
MirBSD #10-current May 31, 1993 1