NGStar

1/ Compilation & installation
  1.1/ Configuration file
2/ How to play
3/ Level design
4/ That's it

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1/ Compilation & installation
-----------------------------

To compile you'll need : a decent C++ compiler (tested with gcc 3.3.x and 3.4.x) and FLTK2
(http://www.fltk.org) and/or Ncurses.

Then :
	./configure --help
	./configure with the options you chose at the previous step
	make
	su (if you need it)
	make install
	(x)ngstar --help
	(x)ngstar --create-default-config (optional but recommended, see below)

	1.1/ Configuration file
	-----------------------

	From version 1.3.4beta2 you can configure ngstar from a configuration
	file in your home directory : $HOME/.ngstar/config This file have the
	following form (case sensitive !) :
                LevelSetsPath = <path to levelsets>
                ThemesPath = <path to themes>
                LevelSet = <name of levelset>
                Theme = <name of theme>
		CurrentLevel = <number of level>

	executing (x)ngstar with option -c (--create-default-config)will create
	one with default values that you can't adjust later.

2/ How to play
--------------

The goal is to catch all gifts in the level to get access to the next one.
Use the ball to catch them, use the cube to stop the ball. The ball only
move to the next obstacle (wall or cube).

options are :
(x)ngstar [options]
        -v --version :
                 show version
        -h --help :
                 what you are reading
        -l<levelset> --levelset=<levelset> :
                 use a different levelset (default: "default")
        -t<theme> --theme=<theme> : (xngstar only)
                 use a different theme (default: "default")
        -w<n> --wrap=<n> :
                 wrap to level n

during the game keys are :
	* 'space' to select the thing to move, ball or cube
	* arrows to move
	* 'n' to go to the next level
	* 'p' to go to the previous level
	* 'r' to restart the current level
	* 'q' or Escape to quit the game
	or you an use the mouse (or stylus on a pda)
the ball can 'eat' the gifts (losanges), the cube 'eats' nothing but it
will help you stopping the ball.

3/ Level designing
------------------

Use xngstar-editor(_static) or if you really want to do it manually (for
instance if you don't have fltk2 installed) see below :

a level file is composed by 144 cells
cell types:
	W : wall
	C : cube
	B : ball
	G : gift
	' ' (space) : empty

example:
the level
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
WWWGGGGGGGGGGWWW
W  WW  B   WW  W
W    WW  WW    W
W              W
W    WW  WW    W
W  WW   C  WW  W
WWW          WWW
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

is stored like this in the file (no carriage return):
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWGGGGGGGGGGWWWW  WW  B   WW  WW    WW  WW    WW              WW    WW  WW    WW  WW   C  WW  WWWW          WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

levels are groupped in a levelset. A levelset is a directory containing level files
named 1 2 3 .. n. Each file contain one level. Usermade levelsets are stored in $HOME/.ngstar/levelsets/
You can play a specific levelset using the -l<levelset_name> or --levelset=<levelset_name> option or by modifying your config file or if playing with xngstar change from the combo box.

You can also play gstar levels, just rename files to make a levelset

4/ Theme design
---------------
A theme is made of a directory containing 7 (seven) 20x20pixels image files :
tex_ball.png           : texture used for the ball
tex_ball_selected.png  : texture used for the ball when selected
tex_cube.png           : texture used for the cube
tex_cube_selected.png  : texture used for the cube when selected
tex_empty.png          : texture used for empty spaces
tex_wall.png           : texture used for the walls
tex_gift.png           : texture used for the little things you have to catch

Usermade themes goes in $HOME/.ngstar/themes/<name of your theme>/
You can use a specific theme using the -t<theme_name> or --theme=<theme_name> option or by modifying your config file.

5/ That's it
------------

Nice game ;)