NAME
xmball - Masterball X widget
SYNOPSIS
/usr/games/xmball [-geometry [{width}][x{height}][{+-
}{xoff}[{+-}{yoff}]]] [-display [{host}]:[{vs}]] [-[no]mono]
[-[no]{reverse|rv}] [-{foreground|fg} {color}] [-
{background|bg} {color}] [-{border|bd} {color}] [-
wedge{0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11} {color}] [-wedges {int}]
[-rings {int}] [-[no]orient] [-[no]practice] [-base {int}]
[-{font|fn} {fontname}] [-userName {string}] [-scoreFile
{filename}] [-scores] [-version]
DESCRIPTION
The original puzzle has 8 sectors on a sphere (longitudinal
cuts), with each sector divided into 4 segments (latitudinal
cuts). There are essentially 3 varieties: Geomaster 8
colors (beachball, default colors in this puzzle), Duomaster
2 colors (black and white beachball), and a variety of pic-
ture Masterballs. For some reason, they say the Geomaster
is easier than the Duomaster. The picture Masterballs are
the hardest since all the pieces have a set solved position.
On the Duo and Geo Masterballs pieces could be swapped or in
a different order and still be in a solved position. Zurick
University's Mathematics faculty has calculated that
Masterball's 32 segments can be arranged in
355,682,548,566,633,480,192,000,000 different possible com-
binations. Masterball was invented by Dr. Geza Gyovai Hun-
garian Engineer, manufactured by Whole Systems Design, Inc..
FEATURES
Press "mouse-left" button to move a sector. Release
"mouse-left" button on another piece and the pieces will
turn towards where the mouse button is released. Usually, a
click and release on the same wedge is ambiguous and the
puzzle will not turn.
Click "mouse-center", or press "P" or "p" keys to toggle the
practice mode (in practice mode the record should say "prac-
tice"). This is good for learning moves and experimenting.
Click "mouse-right", or press "R" or "r" keys to randomize
the puzzle (this must be done first to set a new record).
Press "I" or "i" keys to increase the number of rings.
Press "D" or "d" keys to decrease the number of rings.
Press "O" or "o" keys to toggle the orient mode. One has to
orient the wedges in orient mode, besides getting all the
wedges to be the same color. To do this one has to get the
numbers to be on the same side of the ball in clockwise
order.
Press "2", "4", "6", "8", "0", or "=" keys (not the keypad
2, 4, 6, 8, 0) to change to 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 wedges,
respectively. Note: if there were odd number of wedges,
there would be no 180 degree turn and therefore the puzzle
would be inoperable.
"S" or "s" keys reserved for the auto-solver (not imple-
mented).
Press "U" or "u" keys to undo a move.
Press "G" or "g" keys to get a saved puzzle.
Press "W" or "w" keys to write or save a puzzle.
Press "C" or "c" keys to clear a puzzle.
Press "Esc" key to hide program.
Press "Q", "q", or "CTRL-C" keys to kill program.
Use the key pad, "R" keys, or arrow keys to move without
mouse clicks.
Key pad is defined for Masterball as:
N / * Upper Upper Left, Counterclockwise, Upper Upper
Right
7 8 9 Upper Left, Up, Upper Right
^
4<5>6 Left, Clockwise, Right
v
1 2 3 Lower Left, Down, Lower Right
0 . Lower Lower Left, Lower Lower Right
Use the control key and the left mouse button, keypad, or
arrow keys to move the whole Masterball. This is not
recorded as a turn.
The title is in the following format (non-motif version):
xmball.{2|4|6|8|10|12<wedges>}: <number of sectors per
wedge> @ (<Number of moves>/{<Record number of moves>
<user name>|"NEVER noaccess"|"practice"}) - <Comment>
If there is no record of the current puzzle, it displays
"NEVER noaccess".
OPTIONS
-geometry {+|-}X{+|-}Y
This option sets the initial position of the master-
ball window (resource name "geometry").
-display host:dpy
This option specifies the X server to contact.
-[no]mono
This option allows you to display on a color screen
as if monochrome (resource name "mono").
-[no]{reverse|rv}
This option allows you to see the masterball window
in reverse video (resource name "reverse").
-{foreground|fg} color
This option specifies the foreground of the master-
ball window (resource name "foreground").
-{background|bg} color
This option specifies the background of the master-
ball window (resource name "background").
-{border|bd} color
This option specifies the border color of the sec-
tors in the masterball window (resource name "bor-
derColor").
-wedge{0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11} <color>
This option allows you to change the color of a
wedge (resource name "wedgeColorN"). In mono-mode,
color is represented as the first letter of the
color name. The wedges are ordered clockwise. If
you have two colors that begin with the same letter
you should have one in uppercase and one in lower-
case to distinguish them in mono-mode. You can
change the colors of the wedges to make a stupid
Masterball (i.e. all White or in mono-mode all "W").
Unfortunately, it will not normally say its solved
when its randomized. Similarly, with the Duomaster-
ball (black and white), it may be solved color-wise
but not by its internal representation. This would
be cheating.
-wedges <int>
This option allows you to change the number of
wedges (resource name "wedges").
-rings <int>
This option allows you to change the number of rings
(resource name "rings").
-[no]orient
This option allows you to access the orient mode
(resource name "orient").
-[no]practice
This option allows you to access the practice mode
(resource name "practice").
-base int
This option specifies the base used (default is base
16) (resource name "base"). When there are 12
wedges there is not much room, so base 10 was not
used as the default.
-{font|fn} ontname
This option specifies the font that will be used
(resource name "font").
-userName string
This option specifies the user name for any records
made or else it will get your login name (resource
name "userName").
-scoreFile filename
Specify an alternative score file (resource name
"scoreFile").
-scores This option lists all the recorded scores and then
exits.
-version
This option tells you what version of xmball you
have.
RECORDS
You must randomize the puzzle before a record is set, other-
wise an assumption of cheating is made if it is solved after
a get.
SAVE FORMAT
The format is not standard. The reason for this is that
this is simple and I do not know what the standard is.
Masterball numbered clockwise, with default colors, not ran-
domized:
0 Y Yellow
10 2 D B Dark Green, Blue
9 3 C R Cyan, Red
8 4 O M Orange, Magenta
6 G Green
Extra colors: Pink, Saddle Brown, Light Steel Blue, Indian
Red
wedges: 2-12 <number of wedges around ball (even only)>
rings: 1-MAXINT <number of slices around ball>
orient: 0-1 <0 false, 1 true; if true then numbers on
puzzle to be oriented and ordered>
practice: 0-1 <0 false, 1 true>
moves: 0-MAXINT <total number of moves>
startingPosition: <2 dimensional array of sector wedge
position, if orient mode then orientation number fol-
lows each wedge number>
This is then followed by the moves, starting from 1.
move #: <wedge> <ring> <direction> <control>
Each turn is with respect to a sector defined by wedge and
ring.
Direction is represented as 0 up, 1 upper upper right, 2
upper right, 3 right, 4 lower right, 5 lower lower right, 6
down, 7 lower lower left, 8 lower left, 9 left, 10 upper
left, 11 upper upper left, 13 clockwise, and 23 counter-
clockwise.
Control is represented as 0 or 1, 1 if the whole ball is
moved at once, 0 if not. The xmball record keeper does not
count a control move as a move, but here we do.
REFERENCES
http://wsd.com/masterball
SEE ALSO
X(1), xrubik(6), xskewb(6), xdino(6), xpyraminx(6), xoct(6),
xmlink(6), xpanex(6), xcubes(6), xtriangles(6), xhexa-
gons(6), xabacus(6)
COPYRIGHTS
(Reg.) Copyright 1994-2005, David Albert Bagley
BUG REPORTS AND PROGRAM UPDATES
Send bugs (or their reports, or fixes) to the author:
David Albert Bagley, <bagleyd@tux.org>
The latest version is currently at:
ftp://ftp.tux.org/pub/tux/bagleyd/xpuzzles
ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/games/strategy