NAME

xtetris - X Window block dropping game

SYNOPSIS

xtetris [ X options ]

DESCRIPTION

Xtetris is a game involving dropping blocks. As they drop you can move them to the left or to the right by clicking the left or right mouse buttons respectively. Pressing the shift key while clicking the button causes the falling shape to rotate anti-clockwise (left mouse button) or clockwise (right mouse button). Pressing the middle mouse button causes the shape to quickly drop. Note that the mouse must be in the window in which the shapes are dropping for these actions to work correctly.

You can also use the keyboard: h for moving to the left, l for moving to the right, j to rotate clockwise, k to rotate counter-clockwise and space for dropping quickly..

You can also use the direction pad, if your keyboard has one: (Left) to move left, (Down) to rotate clockwise, (Up) to rotate counter clockwise, and (Right) to move right.

Points are scored for each block that comes to rest on the gradually building up pile of blocks. Different blocks in different orientations have different point values. When the pile reaches the top of the screen and no further blocks can be dropped the game ends. When a row of blocks across the screen is completely filled, that row is removed and all the blocks above it drop down. As more rows are deleted the blocks drop faster.

A high  score  table  is  kept  which  is  retained  between
separate  executions  of  the game.  You can avoid recording
your score, by using the -noscore option.

Xtetris requires the installation of an application defaults file, probably in the file /usr/lib/X11/app-defaults/Xtetris. If that file does not exist, xtetris cannot run. (It will probably print out something like "Width zero. Terminating.") Almost everything about xtetris can be configured in your .X11defaults file. You can use the application defaults file as a guide, until some generous soul updates this man page to describe everything.

OPTIONS

Xtetris takes standard X options. (see X (1) )

FILES

/usr/games/lib/tetris_scores

Top 10 high scores.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

TETRIS

If set, your desired name for the high score table.

SEE ALSO

X(1)

AUTHORS

This version of xtetris has accumulated the work of several individuals.

Adam Marguilies <vespa@ssyx.ucsc.edu> wrote the first non-graphics version.

Phill Everson <everson@cs.bris.ac.uk> and Martyn Shortley <shortley@cs.bris.ac.uk> posted a later non-graphics version of tetris to comp.sources.games in March 1989.

Didier Tallot <tallot@bdblues.altair.fr> built an X11 graphics xtetris from the non-graphics tetris around 29 May, 1989. It used the unsupported Xw (HP) widget set.

Dan Greening <dgreen@cs.ucla.edu> rewrote much of the xtetris code to produce version 2.0.