4.0 Facts

Things that have already been decided regarding W:A 4.0.

Disclaimer: final product may differ due to legal or other reasons.

It will not require the CD to play.
It will require the CD only once when installing.
It will not install in the same folder as the previous versions.
It will not use most of the same file formats.
It will convert both game and user files to the new formats during installation.
It will not support .BIT files on non-Windows OSes (because it's a proprietary, patented format that requires a Windows DLL). However, an online tool will be available to convert BIT maps to 1-bit PNGs.
It will use Unicode and be fully localizable.
It will not support Windows 98 or Windows Millennium.
It will use 32-bit colour (24-bit colour space).
It will be able to run in a window.
It will have a non-modal interface, meaning one can play a game, spectate another and chat on WormNET at the same time.
It will have a redesigned network protocol.
It will not be network-compatible with previous versions.
It will have a new, redesigned WormNET system.
It will not be able to connect to the old WormNETs.
It will have WMDB integration (or a similar system).
It will be able to play replays from older W:A versions.
It will run on Linux and OS X natively.
It will have an (optional) automatic update mechanism.
~~It will have a scripting language.~~ Maybe 4.x, probably not in 4.0.
~~It will not be ready this decade.~~

See also