Official Documentation for Bubble

Intro

Bubble is a little, but really nice arcade game. It is just like Pacman, BoulderDash and so on. In fact, it's a clone of the famous Pengo or Bubble Trouble. It should be licensed under the GPL later, but not at this time. Although Bubble was developed and tested over a long period of time, this is only an alpha version. However, you can download it for free and test it.

This documentation should give you instructions on playing Bubble. It is still in development.

Content

• Intro
• Content
• Menu
• 1 Player
• 2 Player
• Scores
• Keys
• Credits
• Quit
• Game
• Field
• Status Bar
• Levels
• Standard levels
• Bonus levels
• Random levels
• Goldfish
• Enemies
• Fish
• Snake
• Shark
• Star
• Objects
• Rock
• Stone
• Diamond
• Blue Ball
• Pink Ball
• Red Dynamite
• PinkDynamite
• Extras
• Points
• Extra
• Special
• Appendix
• Command line

Menu

After starting Bubble you will see the following menu:

Now you have 6 different options. With the Arrow-Keys you can switch between them. Press "SPACE" to select your choice.

1 Player

Choose this option to start a new single-player game.

2 Player

Choose this option to start a new two-player game. This is a cooperative mode. Both players have to play together.

Scores

This option will show you the high score list. The statistic shows the ten best game plays including the player name, the last level and the reached score. After a while, you will return to the menu automatically.

Keys

You can see the keys for this game. After a while, you will return to the menu automatically.

You can also configure the keys for movement. Therefor, go to the menu and press "CTRL", "ALT" and "X" at the same time. A small window appears and you can enter the keys for up, down, left, right and kick for the first and then for the second player. You can abort it with "ESC".

Credits

See the developer of the game. The persons, who made the program, graphics, sounds, music and level design and the tester. After a while, you will return to the menu automatically.

Quit

This option will quit the game.

Game

Field

The game field consists of 16x11 quadratic fields. On each field, an object can be placed. You and your enemies can only move on free fields, where no objects are placed.

Status Bar

The status bar gives you information about the current game. You can see your lifes, your total score, the already catched and the missing extras, and the score for this round.

Levels

There are three different level types: Standard, Bonus and Random Level. Each level describes the number and placement of objects, number of enemies, background and the time for this level. In standard and random levels, diamonds are mostly placed randomly, whereas in bonus levels, the diamonds are statically placed.

Standard Level

Bubble has 50 levels as default. You will start at the first level. Kill all enemies and you will get to the next one.

Random Level

If you really should survive the 50 default levels, you will walk through endless random levels.

Bonus Level

After pushing diamonds together for ten times, you will get one of five bonus levels. No enemies will appear. The goal is to push all diamonds together in a very short time. There will be many diamonds and only a few ways to push them. The level ends after pushing all together or when time is over.

Goldfish

This is you. You can move up, down, left, right, you can kick or eat objects and pick up specials. Nothing more. Try to kill all enemies by kicking objects. Push the diamonds together and pick up specials. Try to get as much points as you can.

Enemies

Four types of fishes are your enemies. Each level has a fixed number of fishes. If you kill one, a new one will spawn until no fish is left.

Fish

Fishes are the simplest enemies. They can only eat stones, but can't kick them.

Snake

Snakes are a bit more nasty. They can eat stones and they can also kick stones.

Shark

Sharks are faster than fishes and snakes. sometimes, they try to catch you very directly.

Star

Stars can be dangerous. Try to keep them away.

Objects

There are serveral objects in the game: rocks, stones, diamonds, balls (blue and pink) and dynamite (red and pink). Which of these objects is shown and in which placement depends on the level.

Rock

You can't do anything with rocks. These are really static objects.

Stone

Stones are the standard objects in this game. Any level will have placed many of them in different order. You can use these stones to kick fishes. Or, if the next field after the stone isn't free, you can eat them. Enemies can do this as well.

Diamond

You can't eat diamonds, but you can push them all together, so you will get some extra points and all fishes on the field will be catched in a bubble. You will get 1000 points when the diamonds are at the border, 5000 points otherwise! No enemies can push them.

Blue Ball

Blue balls are bouncing balls. They will return, if you kick them against an object. You can also eat them. Enemies may eat balls as well, but they can't kick them.

Pink Ball

Pink balls are like the blue ones, but they will bounce twice times.

Red Dynamite

Dynamite is dangerous, be careful! It will explode, if you kick it. And you can ignite it. Enemies can't do anything with dynamite.

Pink Dynamite

Pink Dynamite is like the red one, but it will explode over a wide area.

Extra Elements

Points

Extra

Catch all different kinds of extras and you'll get an extra life, bonus points and all enemies will be catched in a bubble for a short time. Your catched extras are shown at the status bar.

Specials

More Objects

You can get some extra objects:

Image	Action	Description
	More Blue Balls	gives you extra balls
	More Pink Balls	gives you extra balls
	More Red Dynamites	gives you extra dynamite
	More Pink Dynamites	gives you extra dynamite

Catched Fishes

Catch this item and all fishes on the field will be catched in a bubble.

Appendix

Command line

Bubble has following command line arguments:

Usage: bubble [OPTIONS]
         -b --bpp8               force 8-bit graphic mode
         -c --nocursor           disable mouse cursor
         -f --fullscreen         disable fullscreen mode
         -g --high-sound         high-quality sound
         -h --help               print this message
         -j --joystick           enable joystick support
         -m --nomusic            disable music
         -s --nosound            disable sound
         -v --version            print version
         -x --nosplash           disable splash screen

         --level-dir             level directory
         --image-dir             image directory
         --sound-dir             sound directory
         --music-dir             music directory