From bagleyd@source.asset.com Thu Sep 29 14:03:19 1994 Return-Path: Received: from source.asset.com by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA02511; Thu, 29 Sep 94 14:03:19 EDT Received: by source.asset.com (AIX 3.2/UCB 5.64/4.03) id AA25973; Thu, 29 Sep 1994 13:34:37 -0400 Date: Thu, 29 Sep 1994 13:34:37 -0400 From: bagleyd@source.asset.com (David A. Bagley) Message-Id: <9409291734.AA25973@source.asset.com> To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: X-Puzzles HI I've been busy updating X puzzles on ftp.x.org in /contrib/games/puzzles. Here's the blurb from the xpuzzle.README file there. ------------------------------- What's new?: xrubik now has a undo, save, and recall as well as self-solver (computer solves cube) up to 3x3x3. Currently it is the only one in this collection with a self-solver, undo, save, and recall. xmball recently added, atan2 problem on Suns fixed xmlink recently added, initialize error fixed xhexagons minor update The collection includes: SLIDING BLOCK PUZZLES xcubes: expanded 15 puzzle xtriangles: same complexity as 15 puzzle xhexagons: 2 modes: one ridiculously easy, one harder than 15 puzzle ROTATIONAL 3D PUZZLES hold down control key to move whole cube letters that represent colors can be changed in mono-mode xrubik: a nxnxn Erno Rubik's Cube(tm) (or Magic Cube) self-solves 2x2x2 and 3x3x3 (non-orient mode). xpyraminx: a nxnxn Uwe Meffert's Pyraminx(tm) (and Senior Pyraminx), a tetrahedron with Period 2, Period 3, and Combined cut modes and it also a sticky mode to simulate a Halpern's Tetrahedron or a Pyraminx Tetrahedron xoct: a nxnxn Uwe Meffert's Magic Octahedron (or Star Puzzler) and Trajber's Octahedron with Period 3, Period 4, and Combined cut modes and it also includes a sticky mode xskewb: a Meffert's Skewb (or Pyraminx Cube), a cube with diagonal cuts xmball: a variable cut Masterball(tm), variable number of latitudinal and longitudinal cuts on a sphere, where the longitudinal cuts permit only 180 degree turns. COMBINATION ROTATIONAL AND SLIDING 3D PUZZLES xmlink: a nxm Erno Rubik's Missing Link(tm) Future directions: Sorry about the lack of self-solvers, but I would rather write the puzzle than the tedious solution. The ability to take back moves, record moves, and start with a entered position to other puzzles besides xrubik should be done. Currently the saved file for xrubik is cryptic (not intentionally). Also xmlink and xmball need better algorithms for drawing sectors than just a series of arcs. A Billion Barrel would be nice but only with a self-solver (the puzzle is too hard (I confess, I never solved it)). Newbies (especially DOS users 8-) ): DOS/Windows & Mac users, sorry no port currently available. What you need: 80386 or better, or Risc, etc. UNIX: Linux and FreeBSD are freely available (it may work on VMS). X: XFree86 is freely available on Linux and FreeBSD distributions. gunzip: freely available from GNU and the above distributions. tar: freely available from GNU also. What you do: After transfering the PUZZLE file to your machine (DOS users may want to rename the file PUZZLE.tar.gz to PUZZLE.tgz) gunzip PUZZLE.tar.gz (or gunzip PUZZLE.tgz) tar xvf PUZZLE.tar (tar xvzf PUZZLE.tar.gz or tar xvzf PUZZLE.tgz may work as a short cut) Then read the README generated by the above command. ---------- I hope you enjoy David