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Worms: Open Warfare - Developer Diary #2 Feature

Jon Wilcox

08/03/2006

The run up to the release of Worms: Open Warfare continues unabated with the second part of TVG's UK exclusive with Team17...

In this second diary, we'll take a quick glance at exactly what it is that "Worms" offers as a multiplayer experience, and recount a few multiplayer tales from the Team17 Quality Assurance department's past.

(Not so) Social Multiplayer

As everybody already knows by now, "Worms" works best as a multiplayer game. But long before wireless networks were available, before any of us had broadband modems, and even before we all had internet connections - gamers around the world were taking each other on at "Worms", gathering their frenzied pink armies and knocking squidgy lumps off each other. Back in 1995, before gaming had yet become a mainstream pastime, no one had even heard of the phrase "social multiplayer gaming"; but "Worms" was exactly that; social multiplayer gaming at its best!

The term "social multiplayer" is generally reserved for games that group players together, making them work together or pitting them against each other. These types of game require players to interact outside of the game setting in order to gain advantage. This happens all the time in "Worms!" For example, you may cry: "Don't kill that little fella, he's my last worm!" in the hope you might receive some sympathy. Or if you're playing against more than one opponent, you might make a temporary ally: "Hey Grant, if you attack John on the next turn, and leave me alone, I promise not to attack you!" (On the next turn you could always change your mind and stab your "friend" in his spineless pink back!)
Some other good examples of current popular social multiplayer titles are the "Mario Party" series, the "Pro Evolution Soccer" series and the "Super Monkey Ball" series of games.

Why is my chair getting warm?

Even before I joined Team17, I was a huge fan of the original "Worms." On the Amiga version myself and buddies whiled away hours, nay days, in the school summer holidays. For us all to enjoy a multiplayer bout, we didn't need our prized female to female Amiga serial cable (the one that we'd bought after taking a bus to the Leeds branch of Future Zone and rooted through the bargain bins for.) All we needed to enjoy a four player bout of "Worms" was a single computer, some free time, and (if we were to go the distance and not cheat each other) a tongue to bite when the going got tough.

How was this possible? Well, it's down to the original game having what is called a "hot-seat mode". Because "Worms" is a turn based game not everyone has to be in control of their armies at the same time. It's possible for players to compete by making their move and then giving up their seat (or passing around the control pad) to allow the next player to take their turn. So the name "hot-seat" comes from players continually moving around, passing control of the worms from one player to the next, as if the seat was actually getting hot.

Of course, making sure that the last player gets out of their seat quick enough, allowing you to get your full allotted turn time can become a game in itself. I've seen about a hundred different arguments take place over people not giving up their place. I've seen people pushed off chairs, desks banged upon, keyboards pulled out of PCs and tantrums thrown aplenty.

So, if you feel like indulging in a spot of "Worms" branded social multiplayer gaming, remember to keep it sociable!

Dirty Tricks

Three years after being introduced to the joys of "Worms", I joined Team17 as a play-tester. I thought I'd seen it all. I thought I'd seen players sink as low as possible, but my new colleagues had played a heckuva lot more "Worms" than I had. In the pressure cooker that is Quality Assurance, going for a toilet break could mean life or death (for one of your worms). I've seen grown men reduced to fits of frustration. Power switches have been flicked to their off position, keyboards have been thrown across rooms and holes have been kicked in doors.

One of the lowliest tricks was made by abusing the "Worms 2" pause menu. If you returned to a multiplayer hot-seat bout to take your turn, and found the game thoughtfully paused, you'd have cause to worry! Nine times out of ten, hitting the escape key to unpause the game would reveal a dirty prank, played upon you by your so called friends. This trick relied upon the victim leaving the room. After they had unsuspectingly left, some evil sort would hijack their turn and teleport one of their worms into the water. Just before the teleport animation played the game would be paused. When the player returned and took their seat it appeared that nothing suspicious was afoot. As soon as the game was unpaused they would be greeted by a sad plop, and the sight of one of their worms disappearing into the murky depths. At this point the match would often degenerate into trick upon dirty trick, and a lot of name calling.

Hot-seat or Wi-Fi ?

"Worms" can also of course be played over a network. But as you can perhaps imagine, the nuances that hot-seat gaming sessions bring can generate their own fun.

Playing over a network means that every participant has full control over their team of worms, however there are still a couple of tricks you can use to persuade each other over their style of play. It's becomes more about the psychology of the game, and less about exploiting people's toilet breaks.

"Worms: Open Warfare" allows up to four players to duke it out over a local wireless network and also supports hot seat mode for those playing with just a single system.

The Nintendo DS version of the game supports download play. Up to four players can duke it out using just a single cartridge! This feature is also seen in games like "Mario Kart", and works in exactly the same way. Those without a copy of the game can download it from the hosting player in order to partake in multiplayer battles.

Both hot-seat and Wi-Fi multiplayer games can be tailored to the hosting player's preferences. The hosting player can alter things such as the amount of time allotted for rounds and turns, and adjust the amount of weaponry given to each team at the start of the game.

A Classic Multiplayer Experience

"Worms" for the handhelds makes for a fun multiplayer game, a gaming experience that is hard to come by these days; it offers genuine laughs.

TVG would like to thank Team17 for this latest insight into the Worms: Open Warfare experience, and into the various shenanigans during the QA process. We'll have more on Worms: Open Warfare on both PSP and Nintendo DS shortly.