SNAKE(6)	    UNIX Programmer's Manual		 SNAKE(6)



NAME
     snake, snscore - display chase game

SYNOPSIS
     /usr/games/snake [ -w_n ] [ -l_n ]
     /usr/games/snscore

DESCRIPTION
     Snake is a display-based game which must be played on a CRT
     terminal from among those supported by vi(1).  The object of
     the game is to make as much money as possible without get-
     ting eaten by the snake.  The -l and -w options allow you to
     specify the length and width of the field.  By default the
     entire screen (except for the last column) is used.

     You are represented on the screen by an I.  The snake is 6
     squares long and is represented by S's.  The money is $, and
     an exit is #.  Your score is posted in the upper left hand
     corner.

     You can move around using the same conventions as vi(1), the
     h, j, k, and l keys work, as do the arrow keys.  Other pos-
     sibilities include:

     sefc These keys are like hjkl but form a directed pad around
	  the d key.

     HJKL These keys move you all the way in the indicated direc-
	  tion to the same row or column as the money.	This does
	  _n_o_t let you jump away from the snake, but rather saves
	  you from having to type a key repeatedly.  The snake
	  still gets all his turns.

     SEFC Likewise for the upper case versions on the left.

     ATPB These keys move you to the four edges of the screen.
	  Their position on the keyboard is the mnemonic, e.g.	P
	  is at the far right of the keyboard.

     x	  This lets you quit the game at any time.

     p	  Points in a direction you might want to go.

     w	  Space warp to get out of tight squeezes, at a price.

     !	  Shell escape

     ^Z   Suspend the snake game, on systems which support it.
	  Otherwise an interactive shell is started up.

     To earn money, move to the same square the money is on.  A
     new $ will appear when you earn the current one.  As you get



Printed 11/26/99	  May 20, 1985				1






SNAKE(6)	    UNIX Programmer's Manual		 SNAKE(6)



     richer, the snake gets hungrier.  To leave the game, move to
     the exit (#).

     A record is kept of the personal best score of each player.
     Scores are only counted if you leave at the exit, getting
     eaten by the snake is worth nothing.

     As in pinball, matching the last digit of your score to the
     number which appears after the game is worth a bonus.

     To see who wastes time playing snake, run /_u_s_r/_g_a_m_e_s/_s_n_s_c_o_r_e
     .

FILES
     /usr/games/lib/snakerawscores database of personal bests
     /usr/games/lib/snake.log	   log of games played
     /usr/games/busy		   program to determine if system too busy

BUGS
     When playing on a small screen, it's hard to tell when you
     hit the edge of the screen.

     The scoring function takes into account the size of the
     screen.  A perfect function to do this equitably has not
     been devised.






























Printed 11/26/99	  May 20, 1985				2