Skip to main content

​
Before you begin

Make sure you have installed all required dependencies. If you haven’t done this yet, follow the installation guide first.

​
Get up and running

1

Navigate to the project directory

Open a terminal and change to the Pacman source directory:
cd ~/workspace/source
Verify you’re in the correct directory by listing the contents:
ls
You should see files like Makefile, README.md, and directories like src/ and data/.
2

Compile the game

Build the game using Make:
make
The compilation process will:
  • Compile all C source files in src/ directory
  • Link with SDL, GLFW, and MikMod libraries
  • Generate an executable named pacman
The Makefile uses these optimizations:
Makefile
CC = gcc
CFLAGS = -DLINUX -O3 -ggdb -ffast-math -funroll-loops \
         -fomit-frame-pointer -Wall -pipe
LDFLAGS = -L/usr/lib -lSDL -lSDL_image -lm -lmikmod -lglfw

SRC = src/main.c \
      src/gfx.c \
      src/menuopt.c \
      src/mov_fig.c \
      src/sprites.c \
      src/movefant.c \
      src/misc.c
Compilation typically takes 5-10 seconds on modern hardware. If you see any errors, verify all dependencies are installed correctly.
3

Launch the game

Run Pacman in your preferred mode:
./pacman -f
Fullscreen mode (-f):
  • Captures the entire display
  • Saves current resolution before starting
  • Generates restoration script at /tmp/restaurar_xrandr.sh
  • Automatically restores settings on exit
Windowed mode (-w):
  • Runs in a 320x200 window
  • Does not modify display settings
  • Useful for testing or playing alongside other applications
On startup, you’ll see output like:
✅ xrandr disponible. Se podrá guardar/restaurar la configuración de pantalla.
Resolución guardada: 1920x1080 @60Hz
📝 Script de restauración generado con disposición y salida primaria en /tmp/restaurar_xrandr.sh
4

Play the game

Navigate the main menu and start playing:
  • Press SPACE to start the game from the main menu
  • Press ESC to exit at any time
The menu displays the four ghost personalities with their names scrolling across the screen.

​
Game controls

Pacman uses simple arrow key controls:

Arrow Up

Move Pacman up

Arrow Down

Move Pacman down

Arrow Right

Move Pacman right

Arrow Left

Move Pacman left

Escape Key

Exit the game and restore display settings

​
Movement mechanics

The game implements smooth, authentic Pacman movement:
src/teclado.c
void actualizar_movimiento_pacman(Uint8 *keys, int *arr_pulsada, 
                                  int *aba_pulsada, int *der_pulsada, 
                                  int *izq_pulsada) {
    if (keys[SDLK_UP]) {
        pc.yf = ((pc.y - 1) * 32);
        pc.dir = pc.x + pc.yf;
        if (c_array[(int)pc.dir] != 0.0 && c_array[(int)pc.dir] != P) {
            pc.inc_y = -1;
            pc.inc_x = 0;
        }
    }
    // Similar logic for DOWN, RIGHT, LEFT
}
  • Movement is grid-based with smooth interpolation
  • You can buffer the next direction by pressing early
  • Pacman stops when hitting walls
  • Special tunnel passages wrap around the screen

​
Gameplay basics

​
Objective

Navigate the maze, eat all dots, and avoid ghosts. Collect power pellets to temporarily turn the tables and hunt the ghosts.

​
Scoring

  • Regular dot: 10 points
  • Power pellet: 50 points (plus the ability to eat ghosts)
  • Ghost: Bonus points when eaten in powered-up mode
  • Fruit: Special bonus items appear periodically

​
Power pellets

Four power pellets are located in the corners of the maze:
src/teclado.c
void verificar_bolones_asusta_fantasmas(int *xp, int *yp) {
    if (c_array[(int)(pc.x + (pc.y * 32))] == B) {
        c_array[(int)(pc.x + (pc.y * 32))] = J;
        pc.estado_pcman = ENFADADO;
        for (int i = 0; i < 4; ++i) {
            if (fan.estado_fantasma[i] == NORMAL)
                fan.estado_fantasma[i] = ENFADADO;
        }
        pc.puntuacion += 50;
    }
}
When collected:
  • Ghosts turn scared and flee to random positions
  • You can eat ghosts for bonus points
  • Effect lasts for a limited time (managed by CntStep counter)
  • Ghosts flash before returning to normal state

​
Level progression

When you clear all dots:
src/teclado.c
if (pc.puntos == 0) {
    adelanta_nivel(&fan, &pc);
}
  • Level advances automatically
  • Ghost speed and AI difficulty increase
  • Pacman respawns at starting position
  • New maze appears with fresh dots

​
Cleaning up after playing

​
Normal cleanup

If you exit using ESC, the game automatically:
  1. Runs the restoration script at /tmp/restaurar_xrandr.sh
  2. Restores your original resolution and refresh rate
  3. Repositions all monitors to their original layout
  4. Restores the primary display designation
src/main.c
void restaurarResolucionOriginal() {
    if (resolucion_ancho > 0 && resolucion_alto > 0) {
        printf("Restaurando configuración de monitores desde script...\n");
        char comando[128];
        snprintf(comando, sizeof(comando), "%s", script_restauracion);
        system(comando);
    }
}

​
Manual restoration

If the game crashes or you need to manually restore your display: 
# Run the restoration script directly
/tmp/restaurar_xrandr.sh

# Or check current display settings
xrandr --query
The restoration process typically takes 1-2 seconds with multiple monitors. Don’t interrupt this process or your display configuration may remain in an incorrect state.

​
Building and cleaning

​
Rebuild after changes

If you modify source files: 
# Clean old build artifacts
make clean

# Rebuild from scratch
make

​
What gets built

The build process creates:
  • *.o object files in src/ directory (one per C source file)
  • pacman executable in the root directory
All build artifacts are excluded from version control via .gitignore: 
*.o      # Object files
*~       # Editor backup files
pacman   # The executable

​
Troubleshooting

This usually means SDL can’t access your display. Ensure:
  • You’re running on X11 (not pure Wayland)
  • The DISPLAY environment variable is set: echo $DISPLAY
  • X11 server is running
Try running with windowed mode first: ./pacman -w
The game requires MikMod for audio. Check:
  • libmikmod-dev is installed
  • Your sound system (ALSA/PulseAudio) is working
  • Volume is not muted
Test your sound system with: speaker-test -t wav -c 2
If your display settings aren’t restored:
  1. Check if the script exists: ls -l /tmp/restaurar_xrandr.sh
  2. Run it manually: /tmp/restaurar_xrandr.sh
  3. If that doesn’t work, use xrandr directly: 
    xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1920x1080 --rate 60
    (Replace HDMI-1 with your display name from xrandr --query)
The game uses a fixed 18ms timer interval:
src/main.c
TimerStart(timerfunc, 18);
If timing seems off, it may be related to your system’s timer resolution. This is uncommon on modern Linux systems but can occur on virtual machines.

​
Next steps

Now that you’re playing:
  • Master ghost AI patterns by observing their behaviors
  • Learn optimal power pellet timing for maximum points
  • Explore the tunnel passages for strategic advantages
  • Try to beat your high score
The game saves your current score in memory but doesn’t persist high scores between sessions. Consider tracking your personal bests manually if you want to compete with yourself over time.

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us