> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://marlborough-college.gitbook.io/attic-lab/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://marlborough-college.gitbook.io/attic-lab/the-terminal/games/level-1-bashcrawl.md).

# Level 1 - Bashcrawl

You may have heard of [Colossal Cave Adventure](https://opensource.com/article/18/12/linux-toy-adventure), an old text-based, interactive game in the style of "choose your own adventure" books. Early computerists played these obsessively at the DOS or ProDOS command line, struggling to find the right combination of valid syntax and zany fantasy logic (as interpreted by a sardonic hacker) to beat the game. Imagine how productive such a struggle could be if the challenge, aside from exploring a virtual medieval dungeon, was to recall valid Bash commands. That's the pitch for [**Bashcrawl**](https://gitlab.com/slackermedia/bashcrawl), a Bash-based dungeon crawl you play by learning and using Bash commands.

In Bashcrawl, a "dungeon" is created in the form of directories and files on your computer. You explore the dungeon by using the **cd** command to change directory into each room of the dungeon. As you [proceed through directories](https://opensource.com/article/19/8/understanding-file-paths-linux), you examine files with [**ls -F**](https://opensource.com/article/19/7/master-ls-command), read files with [**cat**](https://opensource.com/article/19/2/getting-started-cat-command), [set variables](https://opensource.com/article/19/8/using-variables-bash) to collect treasure, and run scripts to fight monsters. Everything you do in the game is a valid Bash command that you can use later in real life, and playing the game provides Bash practice because the "game" is made out of actual directories and files on your computer.

#### Install Bashcrawl <a href="#install-bashcrawl" id="install-bashcrawl"></a>

Before you can play Bashcrawl, you must have Bash or [Zsh](https://opensource.com/article/19/9/getting-started-zsh) on your system. Linux, BSD, and MacOS ship with Bash included. Windows users can download and install [Cygwin](https://www.cygwin.com/) or [WSL](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl2-about) or [try Linux](https://opensource.com/article/19/7/ways-get-started-linux).

{% hint style="info" %}
To install Bashcrawl, download this file into your home folder. Find it in the Finder and double click to unpack it.
{% endhint %}

{% file src="/files/-MJGbftph7Odl2l6iTDw" %}
DOWNLOAD BASHCRAWL HERE!!
{% endfile %}

![](https://683661518-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LoUl0bEh9qy_wuo9uJ4%2F-MIxAEQBsAE7aRXKG1Ko%2F-MIxEq6NYFlIxQ5BzbSG%2Fbashcrawl.gif?alt=media\&token=679bce43-3ebd-43f5-840f-c43df22706d4)

### Getting started

As with almost any new software package you download, the first thing you must do is read the README file. You can do this by double-clicking on the **README.txt** file in the **bashcrawl** directory.&#x20;

{% hint style="info" %}
**README.txt** tells you exactly how to start playing the game, including how to get to the game in your terminal and the first command you must issue to start the game.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
&#x20;**If you fail to read the README file, the game wins by default (although it can't tell you that because you won't have played it).**
{% endhint %}