| MASTERBALL(6) | Games Manual | MASTERBALL(6) |
xmball - Masterball X widget
/usr/games/xmball [-geometry [{width}][x{height}][{+-}{xoff}[{+-}{yoff}]]] [-display [{host}]:[{vs}]] [-[no]mono] [-[no]{reverse|rv}] [-{foreground|fg} {color}] [-{background|bg} {color}] [-wedge{0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11} {color}] [-{border|bd} {color}] [-delay msecs] [-[no]sound] [-moveSound {filename}] [-{font|fn} {fontname}] [-[no]perspective] [-wedges {int}] [-bands {int}] [-[no]orient] [-[no]practice] [-base {int}] [-userName {string}] [-scoreFile {filename}] [-scores] [-version]
The original puzzle has 8 wedges on a sphere (longitudinal cuts), with each wedge divided into 4 bands (latitudinal cuts). There are essentially 3 varieties: Geomaster 8 colors (beachball, default colors in this puzzle), Duomaster 2 colors (black and white beachball), and a variety of picture Masterballs. For some reason, they say the Geomaster is easier than the Duomaster. The picture Masterballs are the hardest since all the pieces have a set solved position. On the Duo and Geo Masterballs pieces could be swapped or in a different order and still be in a solved position. Zurick University's Mathematics faculty has calculated that Masterball's 32 segments can be arranged in 355,682,548,566,633,480,192,000,000 different possible combinations. Masterball was invented by Dr. Geza Gyovai Hungarian Engineer, manufactured by Whole Systems Design, Inc..
Related puzzles are the Saturn Puzzle, a oriented Masterball with one band; and the harder Hockey Puck Puzzle, like the Saturn Puzzle but with 12 wedges instead of 8.
Press "mouse-left" button to move a piece. Release "mouse-left" button on another piece and the pieces will turn towards where the mouse button is released. Usually, a click and release on the same wedge is ambiguous and the puzzle will not turn. If there is some ambiguity between a turn or a flip, a flip is assumed, except if shift key is used.
Click "mouse-center", or press "P" or "p" keys to toggle the practice mode (in practice mode the record should say "practice"). This is good for learning moves and experimenting.
Click "mouse-right", or press "Z" or "z" keys, to randomize the puzzle (this must be done first to set a new record).
Press "R" or "r" keys to read a saved puzzle.
Press "W" or "w" keys to save (write) a puzzle.
Press "U" or "u" keys to undo a move.
Press "E" or "e" keys to redo a move.
Press "C" or "c" keys to clear the puzzle.
"S" or "s" keys to start auto-solver. Only works for wedges <= 8 or 1 band.
Press "O" or "o" keys to toggle the orient mode. One has to orient the wedges in orient mode, besides getting all the wedges to be the same color. To do this one has to get the numbers to be on the same side of the ball in clockwise order.
Press "I" or "i" keys to increase the number of bands.
Press "D" or "d" keys to decrease the number of bands.
Press "2", "4", "6", "8", "0", or "=" keys (not the keypad 2, 4, 6, 8, 0) to change to 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 wedges, respectively. Note: if there were odd number of wedges, there would be no 180 degree turn and therefore the puzzle would be inoperable.
Press "T" or "t" keys to toggle the perspective look.
Press ">" or "." keys to speed up the movement of pieces.
Press "<" or "," keys to slow down the movement of pieces.
Press "@" key to toggle the sound.
Press "Esc" key to hide program.
Press "Q", "q", or "CTRL-C" keys to kill program.
Use the key pad or arrow keys to move without the mouse.
Key pad is defined for Masterball as:
N / * Upper Upper Left, Counterclockwise, Upper Upper Right
7 8 9 Upper Left, Up, Upper Right
^
4<5>6 Left, Clockwise, Right
v
1 2 3 Lower Left, Down, Lower Right
0 . Lower Lower Left, Lower Lower Right
Use the control key and the left mouse button, keypad, or arrow keys to move the whole Masterball. This is not recorded as a turn.
The title is in the following format (non-motif version):
You must randomize the puzzle before a record is set, otherwise an assumption of cheating is made if it is solved after a get.
Here is the format for the xmball configuration, starting position, and the movement of its pieces.
Masterball numbered clockwise, with default colors, not
randomized:
0 Y Yellow
10 2 O G Orange, Green
9 3 R D Red, Dark Green
8 4 M B Magenta, Blue
6 C Cyan
Extra colors: Pink, Saddle Brown, Light Steel Blue, Indian Red
startingPosition: <2 dimensional array of segment position, if orient mode then orientation number follows each wedge number>
This is then followed by the moves, starting from 1.
http://wsd.com/masterball
X(1), xcubes(6), xtriangles(6), xhexagons(6), xmlink(6), xbarrel(6), xpanex(6), xpyraminx(6), xoct(6), xrubik(6), xskewb(6), xdino(6), xabacus(6)
® Copyright 1994-2010, David A. Bagley
Send bugs (or their reports, or fixes) to the author:
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| 22 Oct 2010 | V7.6.4 |