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Synopsis


scavenger

Game Play

Scavenger is like Lode Runner. You've got to run around gathering objects while avoiding enemies. You can dig down through some of the blocks to get at buried objects. After you've collected everything, ladders may appear. To finish the level you've got to exit through the top of the screen. If an enemy falls into a dug brick, he is stunned for a while. If the brick fills in with him in it, he is killed, and he will reappear at the top of the screen.

This version has a level editor for designing your own levels, and a graphics editor for drawing your own artwork.

Game Controls

The default control is with the number pad keys 4-9: 


  Dig left     Move up     Dig right
      7           8           9
      4           5           6
  Move left   Move down    Move right
As of version 1.3 you can remap the controls. In demo mode hit space to get to the menu, then hit F10 to remap the keys. For each key if you hit escape the key is unchanged.
F8
Skip to next level
k
Kill player (useful if he's trapped)
ESC
Exit back to demo mode Pause Pause game

Demo Mode

The game starts up in demo mode, where the game is playing on its own. Some keys do things:
F1
Start game at first unsolved level.
F2
Enter animator.
F3
Enter level editor.
F4
Start game at level 1.
F8
Skip to next demo level. Alt-X Exit game. Space Go to a menu listing the above things.

Menu Mode

In the menu you get the option to change your player name with F5.
F5
Change player name. The F8 key doesn't do anything in the menu, it only works while the game is demoing. I just put it there for informative purposes.

Animator Mode

The color table will switch all around, don't be surprised. The animator is a lot like Dpaint.
b
Pick up brush. Click somewhere in the blowup and drag an area.
Shift-b
Go back to last brush.
x
Flip brush in x, or flip square if no brush in hand.
y
Flib brush in y, or flip square if no brush in hand.
z
Rotate brush 90 degrees, or rotate square if no brush in hand.
Period (.)
Go to having a single point brush of the current color.
[
Select previous color.
]
Select next color.
,
Pick a color--click somewhere in the blowup to use the same color as another one you see. Shorthand for this is clicking left or right mouse button on the large color boxes under the icons on the center right.
Alt-1
Select the background artwork to work on.
Alt-2
Select the hero artwork to work on.
Alt-3
Select the enemy artwork to work on.
Alt-4
Select the hidden enemy artwork to work on.
u
Undo.
f
Area fill mode.
d
Draw mode.
v
Vector mode.
r
Rectangle mode.
ESC
Exit back to demo mode.
Shift-S
Save out file.
Shift-L
Load in last saved file.
-
Go to smaller built in brush.
= (+)
Go to larger built in brush.

Draw in the blowup box. Clicking the left mouse button draws with the primary color (indicated by the square in the color map). The right mouse button paints with the secondary color. Change the primary by clicking the left mouse button on the color array, and change the secondary by clicking the right mouse button on the color array.

Select which box to work on with the left mouse button, just click on the box.

Copy on box to another by using the right mouse button and a click-drag- unclick operation.

Change the color table by moving the RGB sliders. It is sometimes useful to change the background color (normally the black in the upper left of the color array) to something besides black. You will be able to see other animation frames that are normally hidden, such as the dig animation.

Editor Mode

This is for creating your own levels.
l
load level (use alt-l to force a load)
w
write level (use alt-w to force a write)
space
Try the level
esc
exit back to demo mode rightarrow Increase level #
leftarrow
Decrease level #
`1234567890-=
Select matching tile type

Left mouse button draws with current tile type. Right mouse button erases.

You can start writing new levels at 181 if you don't want to write over existing levels.

The order of the tiles from left to right is: Empty

brick
Your hero can dig these
cement
These can't be dug Ladder Rail
Fakebrick
You fall through this. The enemies think it's a normal brick. exitladder These appear after the last object has been collected.
Object
The hero must collect these.
Enemy
You can have 0 to 5 of these
Hero
Only 1 of these
Hidden
This is a place where a hidden monster might be if you dig there.
Flashing
This object is more valuable if you collect it first.

Scoring and Movies

You've got infinite lives to complete each level, but after each failed attempt you start all over. Each level has its own best score. If you beat the level's previous best score, or if the level hasn't been solved before, a recording of your play will be stored in the $HOME/.scavenger/level.scl file. It's fun to watch the movies play back in demo mode. Remember F8 will let you skip levels in demo mode.

Level Design

The hidden monsters are an interesting addition. Try to locate them where it won't hurt the player. You don't want the player to accidentally find a hidden monster while trying to dig a pit for an enemy to fall into.

The flashing object adds some more variety. Sometimes it's tricky to get to the flashing object.

Enemies can pick up normal objects temporarily, but not the flashing object.

Writing out a level deletes the matching movie, if there is one.

the Scavrc File

The $HOME/.scavenger/scavrc file contains the XWindows key mappings. You can edit this file to change the mappings, but you've got to know the keycode. Each item is in hex.

The scavrc file can also be used to create alternate graphics sets. The names:

point to .lbm graphics format names. If you want to see other graphics sets, point these to other ones. If you want to create your own graphics sets, make a copy of an existing one and put it into your $HOME/.scavenger directory. You might want to rename it also, but keep the new filename. Don't include any path, scavenger looks for the file first in the LIBNAME (see Imakefile & names.h) then in $HOME/.scavenger.

There is also an entry for slowing the game down: 


        slowdown=#
where # is 0-4. 


        slowdown=0  ; normal
        slowdown=1  ; 7/8 speed
        slowdown=2  ; 3/4   "
        slowdown=3  ; 1/2   "
        slowdown=4  ; 1/4   "

What to Do If You Like this Game

If you like this game, here's what to do:
  1. If you have contributed something useful to the Linux community, you can use Scavenger for free!
  2. If you are more of a user but money is tight, you can use Scavenger for free!
  3. If you're a user but can afford it, you might consider sending me some money to help me continue to make games for Linux/Xwindows. Maybe send me $10 or $20 US cash? Or anything you can spare. Thanks!
  4. If you create any levels, send them to me!!!!!
  5. If you create any artwork, send it to me!!!!!

This is a full working version of the game, not crippled in any way. You've even got the source to the game. Also all 180 levels are included. I've put a lot of work into it... it would be nice to get some kind of reward for it.

Author

Scavenger and the README and DOC files were written by David Ashley. You can contact me at dash@xdr.com or http://www.xdr.com/dash/.

The X Scavenger home page is at http://www.linuxmotors.com/. You can always get the latest version there.

This is my first linux/xwindows contribution so please be patient with me. Send me ANY and all comments you have, please! I love to get feedback.

Copying

Let's put it under the GNU license, shall we?

Disclaimer

USE THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!! I'm not responsible for any damage this software may cause.

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