# The &kolorlines; Handbook

Roman
Razilov

    &Roman.Razilov.mail;

Roman
Merzlyakov

    &Roman.Merzlyakov.mail;

Eugene
Trounev

    eugene.trounev@gmail.com

2000
2001
&Roman.Razilov;,
&Roman.Merzlyakov;
&FDLNotice;
2010-02-01
&kappversion;

This documentation describes the game of &kolorlines; version &kappversion;

KDE
kdegames
game
Kolorlines
arcade
colors
color lines
color
one player

## Introduction

### Gametype:

Arcade

### Number of possible players:

One

&kolorlines; is a simple but highly addictive, one player game for &kde;. &kolorlines; has been inspired by well known game of Color Lines, written for DOS, by Olga Demina, Igor Ivkin and Gennady Denisov back in 1992.

The goal of &kolorlines; is quite plain. The player has to move the colored balls around the game board, gathering them into the lines of the same color by five. Once the line is complete it is removed from the board, therefore freeing precious space. In the same time the new balls keep arriving by three after each move, filling up the game board.

&kolorlines; cannot be won, and is played against the high score exclusively. The game ends once the whole game board is filled up with balls.

## How to Play

### Objective:

Move the colored balls around the game board, gathering them into the lines of the same color by five.

When &kolorlines; starts you are presented with the game board split into 81 squares (the game board is 9x9 squares), and right away three new colored balls appear on the board. Use your mouse to move the balls from cell to cell to group them into the lines of the same color. However, after each of your moves the computer drops three more marbles onto the board. To avoid filling up the board you should gather the balls into lines of 5 or more balls. When such a line is complete, the balls are removed from the field and your score grows.

### Note:

The new balls will not be added to the field after a line removal. Instead you will be rewarded with yet another move before a new triplet of balls is added.

The increase in score depends solely on the amount of the erased balls.

### Note:

If you are playing with Show Next feature enabled the increase in score is less than if Show Next feature is disabled.

&kolorlines; cannot be won, and is played against the high score exclusively. The game ends once the whole game board becomes filled up with balls.

## Game Rules, Strategies and Tips

### Game Rules

- After each player’s move the game will add three more balls to the board.

- To free up the space on the board player has to group the balls of the same color into an uninterrupted horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line by five or more.

- To initiate the move simply click on the source ball to select it, then click on the destination square to complete the move.

- A ball can only be moved into the squares that are vacant and not occupied by any other ball.

- In the same time the square in question must be freely accessible.

- The square is freely accessible when there are no other balls blocking the path to it.

- The path is considered blocked if any part of it is currently being occupied by a ball.

#### Note:

In &kolorlines; the path is automatically calculated by the game. If there is no possible (open) route to the destination cell, a friendly notification will be displayed.

- In order to successfully transfer a ball to a desired cell where the path is blocked to, player has to clear the path first.

- To clear the path the player simply has to move all the blocking balls out of the way, therefore freeing the route.

- The scores are awarded for each line of balls removed off the game board.

#### Note:

If you are playing with Show Next feature enabled the increase in score is less than if Show Next feature is disabled.

### Strategies and Tips

- Keep a close look on the bar showing the next three marbles to be dropped onto the field (unless Show Next feature is disabled). More often then not you will appreciate the information if provides.

- Try to keep at least a half of the game board cleared. Letting the balls to pile up will almost certainly lead to a loss.

- To make your game easier always keep more than one line of the same balls ready for clearing. This can be achieved by building the consecutive lines of the same balls everywhere possible, instead of concentrating on one line at a time.

- Try to keep more than three almost completed lines existing on the game board at all times. Almost completed means that they are four same balls in length, and only one ball remains until their completion.

#### Example:

If you have an almost completed line and the pathway to it suddenly becomes blocked with another ball, don’t just move that ball. Try to find a sequence of the balls of the same kind that you can continue with the moved ball. If such sequence exists and is accessible – then move the blocking ball there.

## Interface Overview

### The Main &kolorlines; Window

A screenshot of &kolorlines;
Screenshot

On the very top of the game window there are located the menubar and the toolbar. In the center of the screen there is a large square area filled with marbles called - the game board. On the right hand side there located a bar showing the next three marbles to be dropped onto the field (unless Show Next feature is disabled). Underneath the field there is the status bar.

### The Game Menu

&Ctrl;N Game New

  Starts a new game

&Ctrl;H Game Show High Scores

  Displays the high score table

&Ctrl;Q Game Quit

  Quits &kolorlines;

### The Move Menu

&Ctrl;Z Move Undo

  This will undo the last move.

Move End Turn

  Skip your move, immediately play the next marbles without you moving any.

### The Navigation Menu

Left Navigation Move Left

  This action will move the selection cursor to the left.

Right Navigation Move Right

  This action will move the selection cursor to the right.

Up Navigation Move Up

  This action will move the selection cursor up.

Down Navigation Move Down

  This action will move the selection cursor down.

Space Navigation Select

  This action will select the item currently under the cursor.

### The Settings Menu

Settings Show Next

  Toggles the information on next marbles.

Settings Show Toolbar

  Toggles the display of the toolbar.

Settings Show Statusbar

  Toggles the display of the statusbar.

Settings Configure Shortcuts...

  Displays a standard &kde; shortcut configuration dialog, allowing you to customize the keys used in the game.

Settings Configure Toolbars...

  Displays a standard &kde; toolbar configuration dialog where you can configure the toolbar icons.

Settings Configure &kolorlines;...

  Displays a &kolorlines; configuration dialog, allowing you to customize &kolorlines; settings used in the game.

### The Help Menu

&help.menu.documentation;

## Frequently asked questions

I want to change the way this game looks. Can I?

Yes. To change &kolorlines; visual theme you can use Settings Configure &kolorlines;... option on the menubar.

I don't want to make any moves right now. Can I skip a turn?

Yes. To skip a turn you can use a keyboard shortcut, or a menubar option.

Can I use the keyboard to play the game?

Yes. You can use the cursor keys and the Space key to select and set the balls.

I cannot figure out what to do here! Are there hints?

No. &kolorlines; does not have a Hint feature.

I have to quit the game now, but I am not finished yet. Can I save my progress?

&kolorlines; does not have a Save feature at the moment.

## Game Configuration

&kolorlines; configuration dialog allows you to select &kolorlines; visual themes.

To select a new theme simply choose the theme's name from the selection list.

### Note:

For your convenience a quick preview screenshot will be displayed on the right hand sided of the selection list as soon as you select the theme you're interested in.

Once you are satisfied with the theme you have selected you can either click Apply, or simply click Ok button, located at the bottom part of this dialog.

If, however you are dissatisfied with your selection – simply click Cancel to discard the changes.

## Credits and License

&kolorlines;

Program copyright 2000 &Roman.Merzlyakov; &Roman.Merzlyakov.mail;

Contributors:

- &Roman.Razilov; &Roman.Razilov.mail; Redesign, Graphik, animation, partial re-write. Special thanks to my wife Larissa Juschkin for testing and discussions.

Documentation copyright 2001 &Roman.Razilov; &Roman.Razilov.mail;

&underFDL; &underGPL;

## Installation

&install.intro.documentation;

### Compilation and Installation

&install.compile.documentation;

&documentation.index;