#define _PAGE_ Wormlet #include "head.t" #include "manual.t"

Overview

Wormlet is a multi-user multi-worm game on a multi-threaded multi-functional rockbox console. You navigate a humgry little worm. Help your worm to find food and to avoid poisoned argh-tiles. The goal is to turn your tiny worm into a big worm as long as possible.

System requirements

To play Wormlet you need an Archos Jukebox Recorder upgraded with Rockbox open source jukebox firmware. Ensure that your version of Rockbox has games complied in. Note that not all Rockbox versions contain Wormlet as the games are a optional at compile time.

For 2-player games a remote control is not necessary but recommended. If you try to hold the Jukebox in the four hands of two players you'll find out why. Games with three players are only possible using a remote control.

Start the game

Hit F1 on the jukebox to enter the menu. Use the arrow keys to select the entry 'Games' and then 'Wormlet'.

Game Options

Before the game starts a configuration panel appears. Here you select the number of players, the number of worms and the control mode of the game.

Players

With the up and down keys of the Jukebox you can adjust the number of players that take part in the game. To each player a worm will be assigned. If there are more worms than players in the game those worms will be steered by the Jukebox with artificial stupidity. This enables you to play against opponents if you lack of friends. If you are smart: maybe you should put away Wormlet every now and then to make new friends that can steer the worms more intelligently than artificial stupidity. Although: sometimes human stipidity outstupids artificial stupidity... But that doesn't apply to _your_ friends.

By specifying 0 players you enter the couch-potato-mode. All worms are controlled by artificial stupidity and thus out of control. Grab some popcorn and watch the worms fight each other. Maybe you feel like supporting a worm of your choice loudly.

Worms

Adjust the number of worms that take part in the game. Note that you can have more worms than players but not more players than worms. Worms without a player are controlled by artificial stupidity.

Control

Using the F1 key you can select the control mode. The available control modes depend on the number of players taking part in the game. Only in single player games the 4 Key control is available. It would be unfair if you had to distinguish four keys while your opponent is already busy with only two ....
Players Modes Player 1 Player 2 Player 3
0 Out of control With no player taking part in the game all worms are out of control and steered by artificial stupidity.
1 2 Key control on Jukebox
left: turn worm left
right: turn worm right
- -
4 Key control on Jukebox
left: make worm creep left
up: make worm creep up
right: make worm creep right
down: make worm creep down
- -
2 Remote Control on Jukebox
left: turn worm left
right: turn worm right
on remote control
Volume down: turn worm left
Volume up: turn worm right
-
No rem. control on Jukebox
left: turn worm left
right: turn worm right
on Jukebox
F2: turn worm left
F3: turn worm right
-
3 Remote control on Jukebox
left: turn worm left
right: turn worm right
on remote control
Volume down: turn worm left
Volume up: turn worm right
on Jukebox
F2: turn worm left
F3: turn worm right

Start the game

When you have finished selecting the game options you start the game by pressing the 'play' or 'on' button. The field is populated with food, argh tiles and of course the worms. According to your selectin up to three worms appear. All worms start creeping to the right. The worm of player 1 is the top most worm, player 2 controls the worm in the middle, the third worm is driven by player 3.

The game

Use the control keys of your worm to navigate around obstacles and find food. Worms can not stop creeping besides when dead. Dead worms are no fun. Be careful as your worm will try to eat anything that you steer it across. It doesn't distinguish wether it's eatable or not.

Food

The small quadratical hollow pieces are food. By creeping your worm over a food tile you make it eat. After you ate your worm grows. Each time a piece of food has been eaten a new piece of food will pop up somewhere. Unfortunately for each new food that appears two new argh pieces will appear, too.

Argh

You surely wondered what the heaven an argh might be. An argh is a black quadratical poisoned piece - slightly bigger than food - that makes a worm say "Argh!" when creeping against. A worm that tried to eat an argh is dead. Thus you must avoid eating argh under any circumstances. Arghs have the annoying tendency to accumulate.

Worms

Thou shall not eat worms. Neither other worms nor yourself. Eating worms is plasphemic canibalism, not healthy and causes instant death. And it doesn't help you anyway: you can't hurt the other worm by biting it. It will go on creeping happily and eat all the food you left on the table.

Walls

Don't creep against the walls. Walls are not eatable. Creeping a worm against a wall causes it a headache it doesn't survive.

Game over

The game is over when all worms are dead. The longest worm wins the game.

Pause the game

Press the play key to pause the game. Hit play again to resume the game.

Stop the game

There are two ways to stop a running game.

The score board

On the right side of the game field you can see the score board. For each worm it displays its status and its length. The top most entry displays the state of worm 1, the second worm 3 and the third worm 3. When a worm dies it's entry on the score board turns black.

Len:

Here the current length of the worm is displayed. When a worm is on food it grows by one pixel for each step it creeps.

Hungry

That's the normal state of a worm. Worms are always hungry and want to eat. It's good to have a hungry worm since it means that your worm is alive. But it's better to get your worm growing.

Growing

When your worm has eaten a piece of food it starts growing. For each step it creeps it can grow by one pixel. One piece of food lasts for 7 steps. After your worm has crept 7 steps the food is used up. If you encounter another piece of food while growing don't hesitate to eat it. It will increase your growing state for another 7 steps.

Crashed

This indicats that you crashed your poor worm against a wall. That was evil. Go and find something hard and smash it against your forehead so you feel what you did to your worm. And don't use your Jukebox. You might damage it and with its soft blue rubber edges that wouldn't hurt enough anyway.

Argh

If your score board entry displays "Argh" it means your worm is dead because of trying to eat an argh. Until we can make the worm say "Argh!" it's your job to say "Argh!" aloud.

Wormed

Your worm tried to eat another worm or even itself. That's why it's dead now. Maybe your opponent has managed to build a trap with his worm. Try to do the same with him in the next game.

Hints

#include "foot.t"