W O R M S Multiplayer Demo ---------------------------- Version 2. (Bug-fixed) O C T O B E R 1 9 9 5 (C) 1995 Team17 Software Ltd Try our World Wide Web Site: http://www.team17.com Note... ------- Audio quality has been set to 70%, users of faster machines may wish to change this to 100% by editing the AUDIO QUALITY value in the Audio Options menu!! This version of Worms is still not 100% complete and is missing some features, notably the Network options, more than 2 player options, rope weapons (inc bungee jump!), weapon crates, banana bombs, the incredible explosive sheep, selection from 4 billion random landscapes from 10 intriguing types of scenery, complete computer A.I./skill levels and much more besides - see the note about the final version at the bottom of this text! We hope that you enjoy this demo and that you take time to explore the myriad of possibilities and endless enjoyment that the game offers. We would love to hear your feedback on the game, visit our website and drop us mail on our "Teamtalk" page, or Email us directly at dudes@team17.com Demo Speed... ------------- By default, when the game autodetects Soundblaster hardware, it selects 15Khz as the audio replay frequency. This could possibly slow down the game on some older or less powerful configurations. You can change/adjust the audio quality via the game options. Worms Introduction... --------------------- Worms is a strategy game with a difference... it appeals to the dark side of human nature. Basically you control your four worms and are at war with up to 3 other teams. You must try and use the weapons at your disposal in the best possible way - or at least to the most devastating effect. Lots of people will emerge with countless different strategies, but the basic strategy is that you must protect your worms whilst causing as much pain to the other team(s) as possible. Worms also differs in that it doesn`t take long before people start feeling very close to their little pink chums - you start to feel for them as they are blown away and you very soon start to exact revenge on rival teams at any attempt to kill your beloved team. Worms is a game that you simply must play - the PC has been party to many visually stunning, yet unsatisfying genres over the last 2 or 3 years. Here is a game that reeks of gameplay - we hope that you`ll spend a little time getting to know it and that by the time the much more enhanced and option laiden full game comes out, that you`ll be absolutely itching for more. Worms. How hard is your worm? Gameplay -------- Each player enters their team names and worm-names (in the final game these will be able to be selected from pre-created teams) and the battle begins. A new landscape is created which can be on a variety of backdrops which effect gravity, amount of wind, friction and skid potential. The worms are then placed on the landscape and battle commences. Players have a varied arsenal of weapons (cut down in the demo), some of which are limited to a specific number therby increasing the strategic use of them and some are available constantly. Each player has a limited time in which to move and make fire (in the demo this is 60 seconds) and after they select their move, the next player has their go. Because it is turn based, a lot of the strategy is very visual which gives other teams clues and ways to plan out their action - but very often just plain old all out war ensues! Worms lose energy when they are hit and have 100 energy points when they start the game. Different weapons and effects inflict different injuries and deduct different points. When they lose all their energy points, they blow themselves up, taking any nearby weak worms with them (a strategy in itself). They are killed instantly when they drown (or burn in the lava of hell!) or are thrown off the left/right extremities of the screen. Loading And Configuration ------------------------- Worms will auto-detect your sound card and will function fine with 100% compatable Soundblaster Series cards. The quality of the audio playback can be changed from the options as top quality playback can effect the performance of the game on slower configurations. The game is also compatable with Gravis Ultrasound and will squeeze the music and effects (quite extensive) into the available memory on the card. 1Mb is recommended although it will function on 512K cards. Worms will automatically detect your mouse and graphics card. Demo Limitations ---------------- Due to this being a pre-release demo, the game has been cut down in order to give you a good enough feel of the games tremendous character and hopefully encourage you to want to purchase the full version when released. This demo is limited to 2 teams of worms, 2 landscapes out of 4.3 Billion, 10 minutes of matchtime over 1 round with 60 seconds per worm. The Sheep, Bungee, Batrope, Banana Bombs and Crates are missing from the demo. For a full list of the finished games features, see the end of this document. Menus ----- The main menu offers the following options; PLAY GAME (We recommend you enter team names/worms first) TEAM ENTRY (Enter your name and the names of your worms) GAME OPTIONS (Only Audio Quality is changeable in the demo) EXIT (Exit game) PLAY GAME MENU -------------- From here, you must select the teams to play the match. In the demo you can only click on the two listed, defaulted as PLAYER1/PLAYER2 unless you entered a team name of your own. Once highlighted, simply click on START to play. TEAM ENTRY MENU --------------- Click on a team name to edit it and the worms within the team. Shift + Insert will clear any specific line. In the finished version you`ll be able to save your teams and re-load them later along with their stats and view their performance in the overall ranking table. GAME CONTROLS ------------- In the game, there are basic and extended controls. Basic Controls -------------- Use the left and right cursors to move the worm across the landscape. Press enter to make your worm jump. You can keep moving whilst the clock (bottom left) is still going. When you select and fire your weapon, or the time runs out, your move ends. When you select a weapon with a cross-hair (for aiming) then you can use the cursor up and down keys for controlling the direction you will fire in. Space fires the weapon, or in some cases, the mouse button if the weapon is controlled by the mouse. (See specific weapons) You can view the landscape by moving the mouse around, "C" centres back on the current Worm if you get lost. The Worm team names can be toggled by DEL which moves through all on, your team only, all off and back on again. The weapons are accessed in 2 ways, either keyboard F Key shortcuts or via a bar of icons. The icons are brought up by subsequent right mouse button clicks and the left button selects the weapon. It is for you to decide which you find easiest to use. Extended Controls ----------------- Bazooka [Shortcut F1] This unlimited weapon is devastating, can take up to 50 hit points off a worm if a direct hit is score. It is affected by Wind and gravity (take note of the wind before firing) and you hold space down to fire, to set the amount of power in the shot. Homing Missile [Shortcut F1 twice] Limited to 2, more can be gained via the weapon crates which fall in the final version To aim, you set the direction of the cross hair, then click with the left mouse button where you would like the missile to go. Hold space for power and fire away. Can take up to 50 pts damage from a worm. Shotgun [Shortcut F2] The Shotgun is unique in that you effectively get 2 goes with it. Each blast of the gun can cause up to 25 pts damage and is useful for picking off weak worms at the end of the round. Aim using the crosshair and press space to fire. Not affected by wind. You can move inbetween shots. Uzi [Shortcut F2 twice] This powerful machine gun is best used when a worm is against a wall. Just hold space and let rip! Remember to use the cursors to aim! It can do 50 points damage if used right. Grenade [Shortcut F3] This weapon is unaffected by wind and can be used to reach long distance worms. Creates a potential of 50pts damage and is unlimited. Used in the same way as the bazooka. Use 1-5 to set fuse length and +/- to set high or low bounce grenade. Cluster Bomb [Shortcut F3 twice] This weapon is limited (5 initially) and used in the same way as a Grenade. On explosion it despatches 5 smaller bombs, each with the potential to cause 25pts damage each. As the grenade, you can set fuse and bounce values. Dragon Punch [Shortcut F4] This weapon always causes 30 pts damage but is extremely effective in punching other worms off the landscape and into the water or off the screen. The "punch" also destroys any landscape above. Very useful. Use from closerange. Fireball [Shortcut F4 twice] This weapon is similar to the above but the worm throws a small bolt of energy at the opposing worm, thrusting it more horizontal than upwards. In most cases it has the similar result - an opponent in the drink! 30 Pts damage if the worm survives the fall. Dynamite [Shortcut F5] This immensely powerful weapon can inflict 75pts of damage if in immediate range. To drop the dynamite, move up to a worm, press space and get out of the way... you have 5 seconds to get somewhere safe. Watch any worms near the dynamite be blown skywards! Initially limited to 1. This weapon is the most powerful in the demo and only weapons such as the Exploding sheep and banana bombs in the full game are more devastatingly effective. Mine [Shortcut F5 twice] Use these similar to dynamite. Mines will explode if a worm is near enough, causing 50pts damage. You can use mines to block tunnel entrances you may have made. Limited to 2. AirStrike [Shortcut F6] This weapon drops a cascade of bombs into an area specified by a mouse click. Used at the right time, or on a bridge, it can be devastating! Limited to 1 per game. Teleport [Shortcut F6 twice] Use one of your 2 teleports to move your worm to safety. Simply click the new place for your worm. Blowtorch [Shortcut F8] Use this to burrow into the landscape. Select the angle with the cursors and press SPACE to start/stop digging. If you hit an opponent, it will cause 15pts damage. Drill [Shortcut F8 twice] This weapon will drill into the landscape, press space to dig and space to stop. If you drill onto an opponent, it will cause 15pts damage. Girders [Shortcut F9] Limited to 5, use these to bridge your way out of holes, or to block opponents or guide stray bombs. Mice buttons rotate the available shapes, space places the girder onto the landscape. Skip Go [Shortcut F9 twice] If you don`t want to make a move... Kamikaze [Shortcut F10] This devastating, yet sad move will result in the worm dying, but usually as a martyr to the cause. Face the worm in the direction of enemy worms and press space... stand back and admire his bravery! Prod [Shortcut F11] Get close to a worm and simply nudge them off the edge to their doom! Hints and Tips -------------- There are many... but the joy of discovery is everything with Worms. Take time to play and explore, develop strategies and expose the weakpoints of your foes attack. Worms is meant to be fun. It`s one of the best games we (as a software company) have ever played, we`ve been playing it for over a year and still love it... we hope you will too! Raise your glass... "To gameplay!" FEATURES IN THE FULL VERSION... Network Play (Released as a patch when ready!) 4.3 Billion Landscapes More varied landscapes, including low gravity ones More weapons (Exploding Sheep, Banana Bombs, Bungee Jump etc) 1-4 Teams of 1-4 worms, Up to 16 players on one computer! Full stats and save options Multi-Level Intelligent Computer A.I. players & Teams Play the Beatles at Worms (John is a good shot!) We hope you enjoy this demo... TEAM17 SOFTWARE LTD, LONGLANDS HOUSE, WAKEFIELD ROAD, OSSETT, WEST YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND. WF5 9JS. TEL (0)1924 267776 - FAX (0)1924 267658 Email: dudes@team17.com WWW Site: http://www.team17.com