1ROBOTS(6) Games Manual ROBOTS(6)
2
6 robots - fight off villainous robots
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9 /usr/games/robots [ -sjta ] [ scorefile ]
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12 Robots pits you against evil robots, who are trying to kill you (which
13 is why they are evil). Fortunately for you, even though they are evil,
14 they are not very bright and have a habit of bumping into each other,
15 thus destroying themselves. In order to survive, you must get them to
16 kill each other off, since you have no offensive weaponry.
17 Since you are stuck without offensive weaponry, you are endowed with
19 one piece of defensive weaponry: a teleportation device. When two ro‐
20 bots run into each other or a junk pile, they die. If a robot runs
21 into you, you die. When a robot dies, you get 10 points, and when all
22 the robots die, you start on the next field. This keeps up until they
23 finally get you.
24 Robots are represented on the screen by a `+', the junk heaps from
26 their collisions by a `∗', and you (the good guy) by a `@'.
27 The commands are:
29 h move one square left
31 l move one square right
32 k move one square up
33 j move one square down
34 y move one square up and left
35 u move one square up and right
36 b move one square down and left
37 n move one square down and right
38 . (also space) do nothing for one turn
39 HJKLBNYU run as far as possible in the given direction
40 > do nothing for as long as possible
41 t teleport to a random location
42 w wait until you die or they all do
43 q quit
44 ^L redraw the screen
45 All commands can be preceded by a count.
47 If you use the `w' command and survive to the next level, you will get
49 a bonus of 10% for each robot which died after you decided to wait. If
50 you die, however, you get nothing. For all other commands, the program
51 will save you from typos by stopping short of being eaten. However,
52 with `w' you take the risk of dying by miscalculation.
53 Only five scores are allowed per user on the score file. If you make
55 it into the score file, you will be shown the list at the end of the
56 game. If an alternate score file is specified, that will be used
57 instead of the standard file for scores.
58 The options are
60 -s Don't play, just show the score file
62 -j Jump, i.e., when you run, don't show any intermediate positions;
64 only show things at the end. This is useful on slow terminals.
65 -t Teleport automatically when you have no other option. This is a
67 little disconcerting until you get used to it, and then it is
68 very nice.
69 -a Advance into the higher levels directly, skipping the lower,
71 easier levels.
72
74 Ken Arnold
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77 /usr/games/lib/robots_roll the score file
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80 Bugs? You crazy, man?!?
814.3 Berkeley Distribution May 20, 1985 ROBOTS(6)