Play the Game
By double-clicking on the game icon, the game executable is run. This opens two windows, a text-based console and a graphical display window. The console window asks for the user to input the number of players in the game. See "Select Number of Players." Once that number has been selected, the game initiates by stating in the console window that it is Player 1's turn. Player 1 then aims their tank barrel and selects a power, or initial velocity, at which to fire the bullet. See "Firing." The turn then iterates to the next player and the console window prints out whoever's turn it is. They have a chance to fire. This process iterates through each of the players, and then repeats itself. If a bullet hits a player's tank, that player's tank dies. See "Death." If a player's tank is the last tank alive, then they are declared the winner and the game ends. See "Win the Game." After the game's winner has been declared, the players' kill scores are printed out. See "Scoring."
Controls
Pressing "space bar" fires a bullet from the current player's tank.
The arrow keys modify the direction and altitude (or angle) in which the current player's tank is aiming.
The "page up" and "page down" keys control the power with which the bullet is fired by the tank. "Page up" increase the power, and "Page down" decreases the power.
Select Number of Players
After execution of the game, a question will appear in the console window requesting the number of players the users wish to have in the game. This number should be between 2 and 8, being the minimum for it to be fun and the built-in maximum of the game.
Win the Game
A player wins the game by having the last tank alive, at which point the game terminates and scores are displayed. Winning is independent of the scores and is based entirely on who is left alive at the end of the game.
Death
If a player’s tank is hit by a bullet (no matter who fired the bullet) during the game, their tank will be destroyed (indicated by disappearing, and their turn being skipped thereafter). At the end of the game, that player will not be displayed as the winner, though their score will still be displayed along with the other players’ scores.
Scoring
At the end of every game, a list of scores for each player is printed out in the console window. This represents the number of enemy tanks that the given player destroyed in the course of the game. The total points can be summed to equal the number of players in the game. Note that this means that a player destroys their own tank during the game, it will count as a “kill” for them. However, they will also lose the game.
Firing
On each player’s turn, if their tank is still alive, they have the opportunity to fire a bullet at another tank. On each turn, they only get one bullet. The bullet is fired with an initial velocity, angle from the ground, and direction based on the power and direction the player selects their tank to use. The power is printed out in the console every time it is changed, and the direction can be determined by examining the direction that the tank gun barrel is pointing. As soon as the bullet is fired, it becomes subject to both wind and gravity. If it collides with the ground, nothing happens, the bullet dies, and the player’s turn ends. If it collides with a tank, the enemy tank (hopefully not your own!) dies, the bullet dies, and the player’s turn ends.
Bullet - an object fired by a tank with an initial velocity and a direction, both of which are then modified by gravity and the wind.
Current Player's Tank - the tank owned by the currently selected player.
Current Player - the player selected by the game at this time. They are the only player that may act during their turn.
Tank - an object in the world equipped with a gun (with unlimited ammunition) and owned by a specific player. Each player owns a tank initially, though it may be destroyed through the course of the game.
Power - the initial velocity at which a given tank fires a bullet.