# The &kblocks; Handbook

Mauricio
Piacentini

    &Mauricio.Piacentini.mail;

2008
&Mauricio.Piacentini;
&FDLNotice;
2021-06-04
KDE Gear 21.04

&kblocks; is the &kde; version of the classic falling blocks game.

KDE
game
blocks

## Introduction

### Gametype:

Logic, Arcade

### Number of possible players:

One

&kblocks; is the classic falling blocks game. The idea is stack the falling blocks in a way that lines are completely filled. When a line is completed it is removed, and more space is available in the play area. When there is not enough space for blocks to fall, the game is over.

## How to Play

&kblocks; gameboard

### Objective:

Rotate the falling blocks, and fit them together to complete lines and clear the playfield.

By default, falling blocks can be moved left or right using the &Left; or &Right; arrow keys. The &Down; arrow key makes the block drop faster, and the &Up; arrow key is used to rotate the block. The keys used for each game action can be configured in the Settings Configure Shortcuts… menu item.

## Game Rules, Strategies and Tips

### Rules

- The rules are simple: just keep space for the blocks to fall!

- When a new block cannot fall, the game is over.

### Strategies and Tips

- Do not forget to check the preview area: it shows the next piece that will be released.

- For additional points, try to remove several lines at once.

## Commands/Keyboard Shortcuts

The following sections briefly describes each menubar option.

### Menu Items

&Ctrl;N Game Single Game

  Starts a new single player game.

Game Human vs AI

  Compare your skills with the AI and play against the computer using the same sequence of falling blocks, where you have the first turn.

P Game Pause

  Pauses the game.

&Ctrl;H Game Show High Scores

  This shows you the high score (the maximum number of points) for each difficulty level.

&Ctrl;Q Game Quit

  Quits &kblocks;.

Settings Difficulty

  Lets you set the difficulty level from a sub-menu.

  There are three default levels of difficulty: Easy (game starts at level 0), Medium (starts at level 5), and Hard (starts at level 10).

Additionally &kblocks; has the common &kde; Settings and Help menu items, for more information read the sections about the Settings Menu and Help Menu of the &kde; Fundamentals.

### Default Keyboard Shortcuts

The following table shows you the default keyboard shortcuts.

#### Keyboard Shortcuts

Key Combo | Action
--- | ---
&Ctrl;N | Single Game
&Ctrl;Q | Quit &kblocks;
F1 | &kblocks; Handbook
&Shift;F1 | What's This? help
&Ctrl;H | Show High Scores
P | Pause the game
&Right; arrow | Move the block right
&Left; arrow | Move the block left
&Down; arrow | Move the block down
Z | Rotate the block clockwise
&Up; arrow | Rotate the block counterclockwise
&Space; | Drop the block

These shortcuts can be changed by selecting Settings Configure Shortcuts… from the menubar.

## Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the way the game looks?

Yes, click on the Settings Configure &kblocks;… menu item.

## Game Settings

The game settings can be configured by selecting Settings Configure &kblocks;… from the menubar. A dialog will appear.

To select a new theme simply choose the theme from the selection list. Each item in the list shows a small preview left to the theme name. A selection is immediately applied.

Once you are satisfied with the theme you have selected you can click the Close button, located at the bottom part of this dialog.

## Credits and License

&kblocks; Copyright 2007-2008

### Author

- &Mauricio.Piacentini; &Mauricio.Piacentini.mail;

Documentation copyright 2008 &Mauricio.Piacentini; &Mauricio.Piacentini.mail;

&underFDL; &underGPL;