typespeed - Man Page

typespeed [OPTION]

Typespeed gives your fingers' cps (total and correct), typoratio and some points to compare with your friends.

Typespeed's idea is ripped from ztspeed (a dos game made by Zorlim). Idea of the game should be clear to anyone, just type and type it fast or be a loser.

The basics are simple: words, which are extracted out of a specified word list, fly from the left to the right. Your task is in any case to write them down before they reach the right side and disappear, in which case your miss counter will be increased. Should you have missed 10 words, the game will end. Each correct input will increase your high score, where one character of the word is exactly one point, i.e. a longer word results in more points. Your total CPS and your correct CPS are displayed during game play. Total CPS means all your input, whereas correct CPS only counts characters, that you have entered to write a correct word. To enter the words, you can also use emacs-like control sequences (^A jumps to the beginning of the string, ^B goes back one character, ^E jumps to the end of string, ^F moves cursor one position to the left (except cursor is at end of string), ^K deletes all characters behind cursor, ^U clears input field). Should you have enabled cheat mode (you can see CHE in status line then), you don't have to complete your input by pressing ENTER or SPACE.

If you have played typespeed with these default rules far too long and you want something new, you can create your own rule sets! There are three rule sets supplied since 0.6.1:

The first rule contains default settings. You can play this mode when you don't supply any options and just start the game. In this mode, speed will increase whenever you enter a correct word. At the end of the game, you can get a rank in your top 10 list for the specified word list.

Settings have changed in 0.6.0. If you want to play with old rules (typespeed 0.4.4 - 0.5.3), you can choose classic.

The third rule set is training - speed won't increase.

If you have other ideas, you can supply your own rule set or change the settings in menu "Game Rules". Feel free to send in some fancy rules.

Also, you can play typespeed in multiplayer. In this mode you can play against one opponent over TCP/IPv4. Both sides can choose a word list, should you type in a correct word and your opponent can handle more words (based upon his current stat), there is a possibility that your typed word will be thrown into his game. But remember, the same goes for you! In this mode, no rank can be achieved in your (or opponent's) top 10 list. During multiplayer, you cannot press CURSOR UP to pause the game, instead CURSOR UP will immediately result in a game over. You cannot play custom rule sets in multiplayer.

--cheat

This will enable the cheat, which wraps words instantly when they are written correctly. You don't need to press space/enter. It is another question if this "cheat" actually helps...

--client=addr

Start typespeed in client mode (where addr is network address of server) Typespeed will try to connect to the given address and start network play.

--netlog=file

For debugging purposes. The whole network data is written into file. If you have issues with network gaming, attach this file to a bug report mail.

--nocolors

Turns off the curses colors. It can be a more clear way to play the game in some situations.

--port=port

Tells what TCP/IPv4 port will typespeed be using in the network play. The default port is 6025.

--server

Start typespeed in server mode. Typespeed will wait for other player to connect.

--help

Little explanation of the parameters.

/etc/typespeedrc

$HOME/.typespeed/config

In these files, you can specify the location of directories for game rules and word lists. You can also activate cheat mode in these files if you write "cheat = yes". If you create a configuration file in your home directory, you must also create a file called $HOME/.typespeed/score. All your personal high scores are stored in this file, not anymore in system wide high score file. This is needed to prevent malicious users to pretend to have 1000 points in e.g. words.eng whereby directory for word lists has been changed. In order to compete with system-wide users, you have to remove your personal configuration file.

If you would like to create your own word list, you have to follow these simple rules:

The first line contains the description that will be listed in word list selection menu. You cannot use more than 60 characters.

A word list must consist of at least 22 different words, i.e. no duplicated words. The words must not be longer than 19 characters. Should they be longer, they won't be parsed; instead they are silently dropped. Words must not contain escape sequences, tabs or spaces. These words will be dropped, too.

Blank lines will be ignored.

If you would like to see your created word list included into next release, please send me an e-mail (tobias@bugol.de).

Do not use typespeed version 0.5.2 or higher with a version < 0.5.2. The usage of network control words has been changed, so you could not end games.

If you have used typespeed < 0.6.0 and you wish to use your high scores in newer versions, you have to convert them into new format. convert can be used for this task. convert takes two arguments: the old high score directory and the new high score file. Due to changed high score file format, it is expected that converted scores (especially cps) differ.

Written by Jani Ollikainen <bestis@iki.fi>, Jaakko Manelius <jman@iki.fi>, and Tobias Stoeckmann <tobias@bugol.de>.

Report bugs to <tobias@bugol.de>.

Copyright (C) 1999-2003   Jani Ollikainen  <bestis@iki.fi>
                         Jaakko Manelius  <jman@iki.fi>

Copyright (C) 2006-2007   Tobias Stoeckmann  <tobias@bugol.de>

Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright notice and this notice are preserved.