KRepton User Manual

KRepton is a clone of the classic Repton 3 game, which was originally produced for the BBC Micro and was the third hit Repton game for Superior Software.

It was originally written by Sandro Sigala for Linux using the SVGAlib library, and then rewritten entirely using the QT and KDE libraries for release 1.0 of KDE.

KRepton was converted to KDE 3 and this version is currently maintained by Jonathan Marten.

Sandro is continuing to maintain Repton as FX-Repton, using the portable Fox Toolkit. So if you want to run the game on Windows(TM) or any system that doesn't have KDE, then get this version.

How to Play

The only keys you need to use are the four arrow keys. The objective of the game is to move Repton around to collect all of the diamonds on each level, and then get the bomb before time runs out.

Some diamonds are initially visible, and they can be collected easily. Some others may be concealed in strongboxes; somewhere on the level will be a key which can be taken to open the strongboxes.

There may be wandering spirits on the level, either free or initially confined in an enclosed space. They always follow the wall to their left as far as they can; you should attempt to lead them to a cage where they will get trapped and change into a diamond which you can then collect. You may need to block passages or openings by dropping or pushing rocks, but be careful to leave yourself a free path to reach the rest of the level!

Monster eggs will hatch if they fall, and the monster will pursue you remorselessly. Kill the monster by pushing or dropping a rock onto it.

Watch out for replicating plants: these spread slowly through any open space and can trap you. Stop it spreading by enclosing it with rocks.

Search for and collect a golden crown to earn a further points bonus.

Some levels may have a short time limit, but if you are lucky there will be some time bonus objects which you can collect to gain more time.

You will die if you touch a spirit, monster, plant or skull, if a rock or egg falls on you, or if time runs out. If you get impossibly stuck, then you may commit suicide using the Escape key.

In episodes other than Prelude, Toccata and Finale, the objects may change. Their use and the objectives are exactly the same. Take care, in some episodes objects may not be what they seem!

Episodes and Levels

Start a new game by selecting the episode name from the New Game menu list. You will start at the beginning of the first level.

When you have successfully completed a level, you will be given a password for the next. You can restart the episode from that level by selecting the episode from the Continue Game menu list and entering the same password.

For additional variety (or simply to make some levels playable - very useful with Future or OAP!), you may play the levels from one game using the graphics from another. Start the game and then select the graphics level from the Load Sprites menu list.

Sources and Links

You can find KRepton for KDE 3 at www.keelhaul.demon.co.uk, along with some other software written by me. It may also be available on apps.kde.com and other KDE download sites.

The current version of FX-Repton, and earlier versions of KRepton, can be found on Sandro Sigala's site at www.sigala.it, along with other software.

A companion editor application KReptonEd allows you to design your own Repton levels. If you don't have this installed already then it ought to be available from the same place as you originally obtained KRepton.

For more Repton information and downloads, including games and emulators for many other platforms, visit the Repton Appreciation Society site.

Repton will soon live again (on the PC), produced by Superior Interactive; the name may sound familiar... You can also play Repton on Java-enabled mobile phones and some PDAs, courtesy of Masabi.

Did you ever wonder about the origins or inspiration of the original Repton game? Whatever the source of that inspiration, this probably wasn't it :-)

License

KRepton 3.0 is now released under GPL; I have obtained the original author's permission for this license change.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.

It is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program; see the file COPYING for further details.
If not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place -
Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.

Sandro's original version 1.0 was released under a license as follows:

I release it under an open source code license. If you like this
program, send me a postcard from your hometown :-).

        Sandro Sigala
        Viale De Gasperi, 8
        25041 Darfo Boario Terme
        Brescia, Italy

Credits

Jasper Renow-Clarke <cm5hdjjr@bs41.staffs.ac.uk> for the help with the BBC Micro Repton format and for the .rep maps. He wrote another Repton clone (for DOS), take a look at this address.
George Russell <george.russell@clara.net> for feature suggestions.