BoulderRush Manual

 

Contents


Introduction

BoulderRush primary objective is to collect required number of diamonds in defined time and exit the cave. There is no live limit. On the other hand there are no hidden features, cheat codes, etc.
You control Rockford movement to solve given cave. Look at the game elements to find out how they interact with each other.


The Game Elements

Space Stones and diamonds fall dawn in space, fireflies and butterflies can freely move.
Dirt Rockford can move through dirt leaving empty space behind. Growing lava also consumes dirt.
Stone Stones can be pushed by Rockford. Rockford (the player) can drop them on flies to make an explosion.
Diamond The main objective of the game is to collect required number of diamonds. Rockford steps on it to pick it up.
Wall The wall can't be moved but explosion leads to demage it. Rockford can't pass through the wall - instead try to blow it up. Exploding fly makes required hole.
Steelwall This is rock stable wall. It's impossible to move or blow it up.
Firefly Fireflies move through the space. They can fly in the entire cave. Fireflies blow up when hit by falling stone or diamond. Lava is deadly for them also. They explode into space, i.e. produce 3 x 3 square of empty space.
Fireflies are left spinning - they prefer left direction. Looking for free space at the left of themselves makes them fly clockwise.
Butterfly Butterflies move through the space. They can fly in the entire cave. Butterflies blow up when hit by falling stone or diamond. Lava is deadly for them also. In contrast to fireflies they explode into diamonds, i.e. produce 3 x 3 square of diamonds.
Butterflies are right spinning - they prefer right direction. Looking for free space at the right of themselves makes them fly counter clockwise.
Lava Lava grows randomly through the space and dirt. Closed stops growing and transforms into diamonds. When there is to much lava (above 23% of whole cave area) it suddenly transforms into stones.
At the beginning lava can grow slowly, but after amount of time it starts growing very rapidly.
Magic Wall Magic wall looks like an oridinary wall when it is off. It's magic, becouse falling stones are transformed into diamonds and vice versa. This could happen only if there is an empty space under tha magic wall; otherwise falling stones and diamond disappears.
At the beginning magic wall sleeps and falling stone/diamond turn it on. After a period of time it turns off. Inactive magic wall eats falling stones and diamonds (it can't be activated again - it expires).
Slime Slime is permeable. It means that stones and diamonds laying on the slime can randomly pass on. Slime unlike lava elements can't grow.
Rockford This is a player. Rockford can move through space and dirt. He can pick up diamonds and push stones. But he should avoid flies as well as skull and glue.
You control Rockford by pressing cursor keys. <Control> key has special meaning: it lets Rockford pick something up without moving. Use it in conjunction with cursor keys.
Expanding Wall Expanding wall expands in horizontal or vertical (or both) direction, if there is an empty space to fill up. Rockford should be very carefull not to be catched by expanding wall.
Dummy This is Rockford's look-alike. Rockford must protect him against flies. If dummy dies, Rockford dies immediately too.
Fake Steelwall This is an ordinary wall, but it looks like hard steel wall.
Bomb Bomb doesn't move nor fall down. When hit by falling stone/diamond blows up.
Skull Skull is stable like steel wall. It's also deadly for flies and Rockford. It doesn't move.
Glue Glue can eat flies (without explosion) and Rockford. (this element is not currently implemented)
Out Box After collecting required number of diamonds look for a flashing out box to exit the cave. Closed out box looks like steel wall, but beware of explosions near the out box: you could accidentally destroy an exit. This prevents from successfully finishing the cave.
Hidden Out Box This is also an exit, but it remains non-flashing and thus is difficult to find.
Stone Butterfly This flying moth behaves just like a butterfly, except that it explodes into stones instead of diamonds.

 


Recorder

Recorder allows recording and replaying Rockford's activity. Every move you make is stored in internal buffer. To start recording just press 'C' key (menu Game/Record Game). Recorder restarts currently selected cave. Small red circle in status bar is blinking to indicate recorder is active. Pressing 'C' key once again turns off recorder. Note: Recorder is able to record only internal (built-in) or Cave/GamePack caves.
After recording Game/Replay Game option becomes available. You could also press 'P' key to replay recorded action. Yellow R letter is blinking to indicate recorder is replaying a cave.
Use two options (File/Load Recorded Game... and File/Save Recorded Game...) to (re)store recorded information.


Keyboard Functions

cursor keys
Control Rockford movement in four allowed directions.
<Control>
Used in conjunction with cursor keys to pick up diamonds, push stones or remove dirt without moving Rockford itself.
<Esc>
Restarts current game.
<Space> Pauses current game.
<Enter> Breaks the game and invokes intro screen.
<Shift> Press and hold down while application starting to prevent from entering full screen mode.

Look at the menu to learn about other shortcuts.


Status bar

Status bar presents following information:


Sound Effects

Sound effects in BoulderRush are built upon original 8-bit Atari BoulderDash. Each sound is generated using simple mathematical formula and thus occupy small amount of precious space. BoulderRush requires sound card capable of 44100 Hz 8-bit sample playback. Use standard windows accessory to adjust sound volume.


Technical Information

BoulderRush is written in C++/MFC using MS Visual C++ 6.0. The game algorithm is coded directly according to Peter Broadribb description. It's extremely close to the original BoulderDash (8-bit Atari and C-64 versions). Original BD internal cave format was also an inspiration for object oriented cave editor.


Tips & Tricks

If you are not familiar with BoulderRush I suggest you to explore internal game no 1 starting from it's first cave on level 1. Consecutive caves explain basic concepts of the game and it's elements.
If you are serious old Boulder Dash player and you think that this game doesn't keep anything secret, then I suggest you to try out Mega Boulder Dash caves from GamePack.

Anyway, here are some simple tips. Maybe you find something interesting for you.

  1. Stones & diamonds
    There are lots of way to make flies explode. But more often then not Rockford has to drop a boulder or diamond. Below are some situations and how you can achive this goal.


    All Rockford has to do to drop a stone is move left. In first situation the stone simply falls down. In second and third example Rockford is using stones/diamonds feature: they can't stable lay on the wall or another stone/diamond. When Rockford steps left, they will drop down.
    Don't forget Rockford can push stones to move them to required position. Not always they lay on appropriate manner, so try to reposition them.

  2. Setting flies free
    Sometimes Rockford need firefly or butterfly cooperation to blow up the wall or stones. If there is one closed in a dirt try to use <Control> key.


    Pressing <Control> key and <CursorUp> lets you setting firefly free without moving Rockford. Of course Rockford must then run away quickly.

    On the following situation firefly is closed and can't move. This time Rockford has even easier task. He should run on the left side of the firefly. Although it seems crazy it works.



  3. Lava
    The way to go depends on particular cave. Sometimes Rockford has to enclose growing lava pushing stones.



    Often Rockford fights against butterflies. They will explode when touch lava. So let them fly stright to growing lava and stay safely below picking up diamonds.


Cave Properties Dialog Box

Cave Properties dialog box, Parameters page:

In this page you can establish following cave properties:

 


(c) Michal Kowalski 1998