Trailing-Edge
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PDP-10 Archives
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SRI_NIC_PERM_SRC_3_19910112
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utilities/pacman.hlp
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Pacman by Paul Metz @CU20A
Warning: At present, PACMAN only runs on Heath-19
and HP2621 terminals. However, to adapt it, just change
the procedures at the top of the program to do graphics for
your favorite terminal.
At the start of the game, you will be prompted for
two pieces of information; the time delay, and a log file.
The time delay is the amount of time in seconds that the
computer waits for input. 0 is usually too fast, and 1 is
a good speed for beginners. Non-beginners should take
fractions of a second. The log file is a file that your
scores will be appended into at the end of a game. If you
do not want such a record, just hit 'Return'.
You are the '@', the ghosts are the numbers 1-4.
The object of the game is to score as highly as possible,
by eating the cookies, energizers, fruits, and sometimes
the ghosts. The time delay that you pick will cause the
scoring to vary. Based on a .5 second delay, the cookies
('.') are worth 10 points, and the energizers ('X') are
worth 50 points. After eating an energizer, you will be
able to eat the ghosts for 10 turns, scoring 200 for the
first ghost eaten, and subsequently doubling for each other
ghost eaten on that energizer's power. The number that
appears in the middle rectangle tells you how many turns of
power that you have left. When a ghost has been eaten, he
appears on a square near his point of origin. When all
your power is gone (10 turns), the ghost will appear in his
starting corner, so be careful when hanging around a dead
ghost's corner. The fruit ('F') appears at your starting
location, and is worth 100 points. For clearing a board,
there is a 500 point bonus times the number of boards
cleared so far. You are given 5 lives at the start of the
game; you die each time you and a ghost occupy the same
square when you are unenergized.
To control this Pacman game, there are 6 control
keys:
W O
A S D
X
The letters on the left side of the keyboard are
used for guiding your Pacman through the maze. 'W' will
move you upwards, 'X' downwards, 'A' to the left, 'D' to
the right, and 'S' to stop the Pacman, (although the ghosts
will keep moving). The letter 'O' on the other side of the
screen is used to terminate the program without recording a
score.
** It is important to remember in this game is that to
move, you only have to hit the key once. You will keep
moving in this direction until you hit a wall, or ask for
another direction. Asking for a direction that is blocked
by a wall, or is not a command will cause you to halt in
place. You can then ask for a legitimate direction. **
At the start of the game, you start at
approximately the center of the board, and the ghosts start
at the corners. However, after you have cleared a board,
the ghosts will start at a random distance away from their
corners, so a pattern will only work on the first board.
The ghosts move to the location closest to you, if
you are not energized, and farthest from you if you are
energized, subject to some restrictions: 1) If they are
moving in one direction, they cannot reverse direction. 2)
If they are blocked by another ghost, they will halt, and
can move in any direction next move.
Also for your enjoyment is the tunnel at about
midway up the board, connecting the two sides. The ghosts
can use the tunnel, but you may be able to lose them
through judicious use of it.