# The &katomic; Handbook

## Introduction

### Gametype:

Logic, Arcade

### Number of possible players:

One

&katomic; is a fun and educational game built around molecular geometry. It employs a simplistic two-dimensional look at the elements which comprise a molecule. A molecule is disassembled into its separate atoms and scattered around the playing field. The player must reassemble the molecule in order to complete the current level and move up to the next one.

## How to Play

&katomic; main screen

### Objective:

Reassemble molecules from compound atoms by sliding them around.

&katomic; will load level one once you start the game and you can begin playing right away. To see how the molecule you are supposed to make looks like, take a look at the upper right corner. To play, click on an atom. You will see green arrows pointing in the directions where atom can move. To move the atom, click on the desired arrow. When an atom starts moving, it will not stop until it hits another atom or a wall, so make sure you think before you do your next move. You can assemble your molecule wherever you like on the game board, but some places are easier to access than others. When the molecule is assembled, you can move to the next level.

## Game Rules, Strategies and Tips

### Game Rules

- Game pieces can only move in one direction at a time.

- Once an atom begins moving it will not stop until it meets either a wall or another piece.

- The only way to progress to the next game level is to complete a current one. Once a player completes a certain level the game automatically switches to the next one, thus uncovering it.

- A player can only switch between the levels which have been uncovered.

- The game progress is automatically saved every time an adjacent level is reached, and will be reloaded the next time application is started.

### Strategies and Tips

- Always review the complete molecule using the reference screen before making any moves.

- Next, study the play field and plan your moves. Remember, once a piece is moved it may not be possible to return it into the starting position.

- Think through your every move and try to visualize the trajectory piece will follow once a directional arrow is clicked.

- When using the keyboard to move pieces make sure that the desired piece is selected. If a wrong atom is marked as selected, use the key to switch between the pieces until you reach a desired one.

## Interface Overview

### Menu Items

&Ctrl;O Game Load…

- Loads a previously saved game.

F5 Game Restart Game

- This will restart the current level.

&Ctrl;S Game Save

- Saves the current state of the game to the disk.

&Ctrl;P Game Previous Level

- Change to the previous game level.

&Ctrl;N Game Next Level

- Change to the next game level.

Game Choose Level Set…

- This will show all available level sets and allows you to download additional sets uploaded by other users from the internet.

&Ctrl;Q Game Quit

- Selecting this item will end your current game, and exit &katomic;.

&Ctrl;Z Move Undo

- Undo the last move you made.

&Ctrl;&Shift;Z Move Redo

- If you have previously undone a move, you can redo it here.

Move Undo All

- Undo all moves you made.

Move Redo All

- Redo all undone moves.

Settings Animation Speed

- Set the animation speed to Slow, Normal or Fast.

Additionally &katomic; 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 Keybindings

Default shortcuts are:

### Shortcuts

Load | &Ctrl;O
Restart Game | F5
Save | &Ctrl;S
Previous Level | &Ctrl;P
Next Level | &Ctrl;N
Quit | &Ctrl;Q
Undo | &Ctrl;Z
Redo | &Ctrl;&Shift;Z
Atom Down | &Down; Arrow
Atom Left | &Left; Arrow
Atom Right | &Right; Arrow
Atom Up | &Up; Arrow
Next Atom |
Previous Atom | &Shift;
Help | F1
What's this? | &Shift;F1

## Frequently asked questions

How do I know what the molecule looks like?

You can view the molecule on the reference screen located in the top right corner of the game screen.

How do I move a game piece (atom)?

To move a game piece (atom) use your mouse cursor to click on it. At this time the available directional icon will become visible. Click on the corresponding directional icon to make a game piece move into the desired direction. Alternatively, you can use your keyboard to move the pieces. Use the key to switch between the items, and the cursor keys to move them once selected.

Can I use the keyboard to control the pieces (atoms)?

Yes. Use key to switch between the items, and he cursor keys to move them once selected.

When I move a piece (atom) it goes right past the place where I want it. How do I make it stop there?

You don't. Once an atom begins moving, it will not stop until it meets either a wall or another piece.

I cannot beat the level. Is there a hint system, or a solver?

No. Unfortunately at this time &katomic; does not feature a hint system. So the only way to finish a level is to solve it on your own.

## Credits and License

Atomic Entertainment Copyright 1999 &Stephan.Kulow; &Stephan.Kulow.mail; and &Cristian.Tibirna; &Cristian.Tibirna.mail;.

Atomic Copyright Andreas Wuest Andreas Wuest@gmx.de.

Documentation Copyright 2000 &Dirk.Doerflinger; &Dirk.Doerflinger.mail;

Proofreading by &Mike.McBride; &Mike.McBride.mail;

&underFDL; &underGPL;
&documentation.index;