KBounce
Encyclopedia
KBounce is a clone of the computer game JezzBall
, developed as part of KDE
. Following the original concepts of JezzBall, KBounce requires the user to adapt to its increasing difficulty by applying an array of critical thinking
, intuitive thinking
and reflexes.
differences between the KBounce and JezzBall are rare, but as is in JezzBall, KBounce gameplay involves red-and-white 'atoms' which bounce about in a 28 x 18 rectangular field of play. The player advances to later levels by containing the atoms in progressively smaller spaces, until at least 75% of the area is blocked off. When the player advances to the next level they regain all lost lives and an extra life is given. The playing field is also reset with an extra atom and an extra 30 seconds added to the timer. For Level 1, the player receives two lives and there are two balls on the field, a player has the Current Level +1 lives for every level whilst combating an equal number of atoms as lives. For Level 1, the player is given 90 seconds to complete 75% of the field.
This strategy seems to work in KBounce but not in Jezzball because in Jezzball the balls will not bounce into the single row width slots.
Drawing walls(lines) by aiming one head at an oncoming ball conserves lives, and becomes a near-essential skill in levels 20 and up.
A new strategy, developed in November 2009, makes it possible to end any level above level 20 with a 97% completion level, making earlier high scores and calculations about possible high scores obsolete. A detailed howto on this strategy is posted at http://www.wikihow.com/Win-at-Kbounce
formula
, where x is the total filled area (in percentage) and y is the current level. Therefore, the formula for a players score for a single level is given by 
, where x is the total area filled (in percentage), y is the current level and z is the number of lives remaining. Scoring is also cumulative as the player progresses.
For example, if the player finishes level five by filling 80% of the game grid, with two lives remaining, they will score 15*2 basic points plus an additional 100 points, totalling 130 points for that level.
, 
). This would make Level 67 the highest 'completeable' level. However, it is possible (although difficult) to capture a ball in a 1 x 1 square (or to capture 2 balls in a 1 x 3 area, 3 balls in a 1 x 4 area, etc) so higher levels can be reached. Currently, level 85 is the highest reached level. In theory, if every ball were captured in a 1 x 1 square then level 135 could be completed.
If the player were to get a perfect score on every level leading up to, and including, level 135, the highest attainable score would be achieved. Given the formula
, where x is the total area filled (in percentage), y is the current level and z is the number of lives remaining for every level completed, it is possible to calculate the highest score. If the player contained every atom within a single cell whilst managing not to lose a single life throughout the game, while also filling in every other cell on the gamegrid, their high score can be acquired using the additional formula:
However, because these calculation
s are being performed on a computer
with these variables
stored as integer
s the final score is heavily affected by this. At the time of writing, all the relevant variables are believed to be integers, and as such the final score is 2110725 due to computational rounding
.
Many individuals have, for a time, claimed the world's highest score at KBounce. Previous high scores include 28,722, reached at level 72 by James Stephens, 29,403, reached by Robert Bornhijm of Boulder, Colorado, 36,412 reached at level 48 by Adam Rothman and 49,294 at level 70 by Jon Dieterman. Although these attempts were valiant, as with every record they were eventually eclipsed.
Alex Dickson, from Toronto, ON, has utilized a dual-ball trapping technique. This allows for densities greater than one ball per square, shown in an accompanying image of level 65, where 66 balls are trapped in 65 squares. This enabled him to obtain a score of 100,909 reached at level 85.
Dan Brady, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, developed a multi-ball trapping technique, in which all balls from a level can be trapped in a 14-square area. His score, on 01 Dec 09, reached 1,782,072 upon completing level 250, with higher scores certainly possible. The technique is detailed at http://www.wikihow.com/Win-at-Kbounce.
, there are however a few notable gameplay differences.
package, and is licensed under the GNU General Public License
. An update of the kdegames package released on 24 March, 2002 (version 4:3.0.0-0rc4-1) saw KBounce officially change name from the preceding kjezz.
JezzBall
JezzBall is a video game in which red-and-white balls, referred to as atoms, bounce about a rectangular field of play, or room. The player advances to the next level by containing the atoms in progressively smaller spaces, until at least 75% of the area is blocked off...
, developed as part of KDE
KDE
KDE is an international free software community producing an integrated set of cross-platform applications designed to run on Linux, FreeBSD, Microsoft Windows, Solaris and Mac OS X systems...
. Following the original concepts of JezzBall, KBounce requires the user to adapt to its increasing difficulty by applying an array of critical thinking
Critical thinking
Critical thinking is the process or method of thinking that questions assumptions. It is a way of deciding whether a claim is true, false, or sometimes true and sometimes false, or partly true and partly false. The origins of critical thinking can be traced in Western thought to the Socratic...
, intuitive thinking
Intuition (knowledge)
Intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without inference or the use of reason. "The word 'intuition' comes from the Latin word 'intueri', which is often roughly translated as meaning 'to look inside'’ or 'to contemplate'." Intuition provides us with beliefs that we cannot necessarily justify...
and reflexes.
Gameplay
GameplayGameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
differences between the KBounce and JezzBall are rare, but as is in JezzBall, KBounce gameplay involves red-and-white 'atoms' which bounce about in a 28 x 18 rectangular field of play. The player advances to later levels by containing the atoms in progressively smaller spaces, until at least 75% of the area is blocked off. When the player advances to the next level they regain all lost lives and an extra life is given. The playing field is also reset with an extra atom and an extra 30 seconds added to the timer. For Level 1, the player receives two lives and there are two balls on the field, a player has the Current Level +1 lives for every level whilst combating an equal number of atoms as lives. For Level 1, the player is given 90 seconds to complete 75% of the field.
Strategy
The method used to reach the highest levels is, instead of trying to draw lines to separate the balls, to build traps into which the balls can bounce. By starting a line on the second row down, somewhere in the middle of that row, a single block sized row can be made. With enough bouncing balls, patience, and time the balls will eventually bounce into those spaces and can be trapped. This strategy does not work very well on earlier levels because there are not enough balls bouncing; this reduces the likelihood of their bouncing into the slots as well as the fact that the lines started in the middle are more likely to reach the other side which closes the area and prevents them from functioning as traps.This strategy seems to work in KBounce but not in Jezzball because in Jezzball the balls will not bounce into the single row width slots.
-
- - Addendum: It is possible that this strategy no longer works in version 0.9 (KDE 4.2.4) - if there is a trick to getting the balls to bounce into single-wide slots, I have been unable to discover it. 2-row wide slots works, though it is sometimes challenging. 3-wide slots work relatively easily in levels 1 through 5.
Drawing walls(lines) by aiming one head at an oncoming ball conserves lives, and becomes a near-essential skill in levels 20 and up.
A new strategy, developed in November 2009, makes it possible to end any level above level 20 with a 97% completion level, making earlier high scores and calculations about possible high scores obsolete. A detailed howto on this strategy is posted at http://www.wikihow.com/Win-at-Kbounce
Scoring
Once the player has blocked off 75% of the game grid, the level is finished and points are awarded. The players score is updated with 15 points for every remaining life, and if a player blocks off more than 75% of the game grid they are awarded bonus points. Bonus points are calculated by theformula
, where x is the total filled area (in percentage) and y is the current level. Therefore, the formula for a players score for a single level is given by , where x is the total area filled (in percentage), y is the current level and z is the number of lives remaining. Scoring is also cumulative as the player progresses.For example, if the player finishes level five by filling 80% of the game grid, with two lives remaining, they will score 15*2 basic points plus an additional 100 points, totalling 130 points for that level.
Theoretical Limits
Since the field is 504 individual squares (28 by 18), and the player must complete 378 squares (75% of 504) before the level is complete, there is a finite limit on both reachable level and score which cannot be beaten by the player. If each ball is captured in a 1 x 2 window then the most balls that could be captured is 68 (, ). This would make Level 67 the highest 'completeable' level. However, it is possible (although difficult) to capture a ball in a 1 x 1 square (or to capture 2 balls in a 1 x 3 area, 3 balls in a 1 x 4 area, etc) so higher levels can be reached. Currently, level 85 is the highest reached level. In theory, if every ball were captured in a 1 x 1 square then level 135 could be completed.If the player were to get a perfect score on every level leading up to, and including, level 135, the highest attainable score would be achieved. Given the formula
Formula
In mathematics, a formula is an entity constructed using the symbols and formation rules of a given logical language....
, where x is the total area filled (in percentage), y is the current level and z is the number of lives remaining for every level completed, it is possible to calculate the highest score. If the player contained every atom within a single cell whilst managing not to lose a single life throughout the game, while also filling in every other cell on the gamegrid, their high score can be acquired using the additional formula:However, because these calculation
Calculation
A calculation is a deliberate process for transforming one or more inputs into one or more results, with variable change.The term is used in a variety of senses, from the very definite arithmetical calculation of using an algorithm to the vague heuristics of calculating a strategy in a competition...
s are being performed on a computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
with these variables
Variable (programming)
In computer programming, a variable is a symbolic name given to some known or unknown quantity or information, for the purpose of allowing the name to be used independently of the information it represents...
stored as integer
Integer (computer science)
In computer science, an integer is a datum of integral data type, a data type which represents some finite subset of the mathematical integers. Integral data types may be of different sizes and may or may not be allowed to contain negative values....
s the final score is heavily affected by this. At the time of writing, all the relevant variables are believed to be integers, and as such the final score is 2110725 due to computational rounding
Rounding
Rounding a numerical value means replacing it by another value that is approximately equal but has a shorter, simpler, or more explicit representation; for example, replacing $23.4476 with $23.45, or the fraction 312/937 with 1/3, or the expression √2 with 1.414.Rounding is often done on purpose to...
.
International champion
Although there is no official list for high-scores in KBounce, nor are there international championships held for KBounce, various players have reached relatively high scores compared to the casual player. While these scores cannot be confirmed, KBounce etiquette holds that no person should misrepresent their scores or in any way lie, cheat or forge a high score in the game.Many individuals have, for a time, claimed the world's highest score at KBounce. Previous high scores include 28,722, reached at level 72 by James Stephens, 29,403, reached by Robert Bornhijm of Boulder, Colorado, 36,412 reached at level 48 by Adam Rothman and 49,294 at level 70 by Jon Dieterman. Although these attempts were valiant, as with every record they were eventually eclipsed.
Alex Dickson, from Toronto, ON, has utilized a dual-ball trapping technique. This allows for densities greater than one ball per square, shown in an accompanying image of level 65, where 66 balls are trapped in 65 squares. This enabled him to obtain a score of 100,909 reached at level 85.
Dan Brady, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, developed a multi-ball trapping technique, in which all balls from a level can be trapped in a 14-square area. His score, on 01 Dec 09, reached 1,782,072 upon completing level 250, with higher scores certainly possible. The technique is detailed at http://www.wikihow.com/Win-at-Kbounce.
Differences with JezzBall
KBounce itself is highly similar to the original JezzballJezzBall
JezzBall is a video game in which red-and-white balls, referred to as atoms, bounce about a rectangular field of play, or room. The player advances to the next level by containing the atoms in progressively smaller spaces, until at least 75% of the area is blocked off...
, there are however a few notable gameplay differences.
- During the 'creation' of a wall in JezzBall, the wall is spawned on, and follows the line of, the center of a gridline. That is, each square portion of the wall is centered on the gridline, whilst KBounce's walls are wholly within each grid cell.
KBounce online
There is KBounce online version using by SilverLight 4.0Development
KBounce was developed by Stefan Schimanski for the KdegamesKdegames
The kdegames package contains games written for the KDE. kdegames provides games in a number of genres including card games, arcade games and board games.- Arcade :*KBlocks - A Tetris clone*KBounce - A JezzBall clone for KDE...
package, and is licensed under the GNU General Public License
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
. An update of the kdegames package released on 24 March, 2002 (version 4:3.0.0-0rc4-1) saw KBounce officially change name from the preceding kjezz.
See also
- JezzBallJezzBallJezzBall is a video game in which red-and-white balls, referred to as atoms, bounce about a rectangular field of play, or room. The player advances to the next level by containing the atoms in progressively smaller spaces, until at least 75% of the area is blocked off...
, the original game released with the Microsoft Entertainment PackMicrosoft Entertainment PackThe original Microsoft Windows Entertainment Pack is a collection of simply-designed 16-bit computer games for Windows. These games were somewhat unusual for the time, in that they would not run under MS-DOS. Many of the games were later released in the Best of Windows Entertainment Pack...
. - IceBreaker, another JezzBall-like game for Linux
- ZBounce, a QtopiaQtopiaQt Extended is an application platform for embedded Linux-based mobile computing devices such as personal digital assistants, video projectors and mobile phones...
port for Linux PDAs.