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| − | = Editors =
| + | {{ParentArticle|[[Worms Unlimited]]}} |
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| − | == Introduction ==
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| | This page contains a huge amount of content regarding the editors in Worms and how they could be improved, and what the implications would be. The amount of customisability these editors, if real, would provide is staggering, and it really is difficult to imagine all the possibilities that would result. | | This page contains a huge amount of content regarding the editors in Worms and how they could be improved, and what the implications would be. The amount of customisability these editors, if real, would provide is staggering, and it really is difficult to imagine all the possibilities that would result. |
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| | Sure enough they will be ''more'' overwhelmed with the editors on this page, but for that there is a solution: simply have separate Simple and Advanced editors. The Simple editors would essentially be the same as those in Worms Armageddon - designed to give the player the ability to whip up a scheme in a few moments. The Advanced editor on the other hand would contain everything, and players would be expected to spend perhaps dozens of minutes fiddling and honing their scheme to perfection. | | Sure enough they will be ''more'' overwhelmed with the editors on this page, but for that there is a solution: simply have separate Simple and Advanced editors. The Simple editors would essentially be the same as those in Worms Armageddon - designed to give the player the ability to whip up a scheme in a few moments. The Advanced editor on the other hand would contain everything, and players would be expected to spend perhaps dozens of minutes fiddling and honing their scheme to perfection. |
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| − | This Advanced editor would not be accessible from the host-join lobby on WormNET, but only the front end, otherwise Hosts may get lost in the sea of options and other players would be left waiting.
| + | The second point has an equally simple solution. Three solutions, in fact, which are not mutually exclusive. These solutions are described in the [[Other Editors#Scheme Comparator|Scheme Comparator]] page. |
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| − | The second point has an equally simple solution. Three solutions, in fact, which are not mutually exclusive. These solutions are described in the "Scheme Comparator" section below. | + | |
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| − | = The Scheme Comparator =
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| − | The Scheme Comparator is one of three ingenius solutions to a common problem with "over-customisation".
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| − | The problem is this: extensive customisability will make it very hard for players on WormNET to (a) find a scheme that doesn't use options they don't like, and (b) avoid being surprised by hidden and unexpected adjustments that the Host has made in the scheme.
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| − | It's a fair point. No one wants to play a game only to find out that the Longbow doesn't do the damage you thought it would, or that the mines are actually instant. And checking the scheme for these defects is tedious, even with the current extent of customisability. So if the editors in this section did exist, something would have to be done. It turns out that there are three solutions to this problem, and they can all be implemented simultaneously for maximum effect.
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| − | The first solution requires changes to the WormNET lobbies and how they operate. Back in the early days of WA, WormNET had a number of channels, some of which forced the scheme being used (the schemes available would be determined by WormNET admins). This meant that anyone entering these channels and playing a game would know exactly what to expect; as the host couldn't change anything. This is a solution in itself, but I see it as inspiration for a better solution - instead of seperate channels, players should have the ability to host "forced schemes" in any channel. WormNET would indicate this to all other players. Through this method, the host is effectively saying: "I'm hosting this, and you know exactly what it's going to be". No fuss necessary.
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| − | The second solution is the Scheme Comparator, perhaps a little more complicated. The Scheme Comparator is a feature devised by ''Deadcode'', who works on the updates for Worms Armageddon and will eventually implement it into WA. When in the host-join lobby, it is often a good idea to check the scheme settings if you are not sure what to expect. The Scheme Comparator is a feature that does this checking for you. You will be required to select a scheme from your own list of schemes, and the Scheme Comparator will then compare it with the Host's scheme, and list all the differences between them.
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| − | Of course, the list of differences may be very extensive, but the Scheme Comparator will also be configurable, allowing the player to order the differences in a priority that the player finds most suitable. For example, you might want the fuse setting of mines to be listed at the top, and crate probability differences listed at the bottom.
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| − | This way there is no excuses for complaining once the game has started - you knew what was coming.
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| − | The third and final solution will not prevent you entering a game with dodgy settings, but it may help you if you forget what the scheme includes or prevent you messing up a turn. It is simply this: players will have the ability to view all scheme options while in game. So, if, for example, you've forgotten how much damage the Longbow will do, you will be able to check before you use it. This system will be designed with efficiency in mind - holding the cursor over a weapon in the weapons panel will not only provide you with its delay and ammunition, but every parameter, neatly organised in a box in the corner.
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| − | = The Weapons Editor =
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| − | == Introduction ==
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| − | The weapons editor proposed on this site contains an incredible amount of customisability. So much in fact, that each individual weapon would have a whole page of crammed-in options to itself - over 20 basic editable parameters, a "Repeat Usage" control panel, and a "Time Dependency" control panel.
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| − | == Interface ==
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| − | With so many options it's important to get a sleek, no-nonsense and uncluttered interface for maximum efficiency and minimum fuss. Not long ago I created a concept graphic to show a suitable way of cramming all these options for each weapon onto one screen, and you can [[Concept Images|see that here]]. Additionally, though, the editor would provide summary displays allowing you to view a particular setting for all weapons, much like the way the Worms Armageddon weapons editor works. Here I propose a few conveniences to make the editor easy to use.
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| − | Clicking the "Simple/Advanced" toggle to bring up the Simple editor would make many of the displays disappear entirely. The settings in those displays are never lost, though, and will return when the Advanced editor is recalled, just in case you accidentally click it. Once the scheme is saved in Simple mode, however, all Advanced options are lost.
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| − | Obviously you'd be at a complete loss if you encountered that editor for the first time - there's nothing to explain what anything does. The most efficient help system would have to be tooltips that appear when you hover over something, explaining in detail what it does.
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| − | On the left side of the concept graphic is a weapons panel - this I believe is the easiest way of selecting a weapon to edit it. Left-clicking should bring up the weapon's edit page on the right, while right-clicking could be reserved for totally removing the weapon from the scheme including crates - easier than going to each weapon's edit page and disabling it's ammunition and crate settings. It would also act as a quick and easy way of seeing which weapons are in the scheme or not, as disabled weapons would be greyed out.
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| − | You'll have noticed that the weapons panel is a bit... big. Space for 120 weapons in fact, enough for all Worms Armageddon weapons and all the [[Weapons|weapons suggestion]] archived on this site, with enough space left over for 7 more.
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| − | == Basic Editable Parameters ==
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| − | So... what things can be edited in your average worms weapon? Worms Armageddon allows four: ammunition, power, delay, and crate probability. I can count far more things than that.
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| − | For a start, ''power'' can be divided into many things. '''Injury''', the maximum amount of health damage inflicted on a worm; '''Damage''', the radius of the crater left behind; '''Blast Power''', the maximum force applied to objects caught in the blast; and '''Blast Range''', the extent to which Blast Power has an effect. That's four.
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| − | Additionally, there are effects like '''Fire,''' '''Poison''', '''[[Radiation Bomb|Radiation]]''' and '''[[Freeze Ray|Ice]]''' that could be included in any weapon that creates an explosion. For Fire, there would be a setting to dictate the number of "pieces of fire" released, and also a setting for how many turns for the fire to decay (with zero being immediate decay, and an option for everlasting fire). Radiation is slightly more complicated, requiring '''Contamination Strength''' (the degree to which it inflicts health damage), '''Contamination Radius''', and '''Radiation Decay''', which would be similar to the Fire decay setting. Ice would have the same settings as Fire. Poison needs only one setting - the '''Toxicity''' of the poison, which would dictate how much health is lost by poisoned worms between turns.
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| − | What's more, all of these options could be applied not only to the initial explosion, but seperately to any clusters released. And again, if those clusters release more clusters. This brings up two extra parameters: '''Number of Clusters''' and '''Cluster Spread''' (you may have noticed that some weapons have different cluster spreads - the Ming Vase has a narrow spread while the Sally Army has a wide spread). This could make for some crazy weapons. Perhaps you might want a cluster bomb to release fire and clusters when it explodes, then have those clusters release poison and release more clusters, then have the final clusters irradiate the land.
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| − | Then there would also be '''Wind Susceptibility''' (the degree in which the weapon is susceptible to the wind) and '''Retreat Time''', specific to that weapon.
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| − | The potential for such chaotic and unexpected weapons is obvious but these options aren't designed to be used all at once - they are there for fine-tuning weapons for specific schemes and purposes. There will always be people to overcomplicate the game (as there are now), but their schemes won't be popular, so the problem solves itself.
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| − | Of course, not all of the above parameters apply to every weapon. And some weapons have unique parameters that no other weapon would have. For extensive detail on this, taking every weapon into account including 'fictional' weapons (i.e. weapon suggestions, as [[Weapons|archived on this site]]), please visit [[Editor Specifics|this page]].
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| − | == Crate Control ==
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| − | Worms Armageddon allows you to set "Relative Crate Probability". This is a graphical way of representing the probabilities: choose a setting from 0-5, and the game will compare it to all other crate settings to generate a precise crate probability in a pecentage format. But why can't we see and edit this crate percentage directly for maximum control? In Worms Unlimited you would be able to: there would be both a '''Relative Crate Probability (RCP)''' and '''Exact Crate Probability (ECP)''' setting. Adjusting one would not automatically change the other - instead you select which system is used through the Crate Control system in the game editor (see Crate Control, Game Editor, below). This would allow you to flip between the two, or adjust both and then decide which one is best when finishing the scheme. Furthermore, adjusting the ECP for one weapon would not automatically adjust the ECP for other weapons; instead the editor would tell you when they don't add up to 100% and the scheme would default to RCP until they do.
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| − | In Worms Armageddon the crates work in a curious way: most crates contain one weapon but some contain more. Petrol Bombs come in packs of two, while Clusters, Ropes and Cows come in packs of three. There's no way to change this, but there should be. In Worms Unlimited you would have full control over the '''Crate Contents''' number you get, so if you wanted 50 moles in a crate, you could have it, you crazy person you.
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| − | == Detonation Control ==
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| − | This panel is simple, allowing you to choose the method of detonation for the primary, secondary and tertiary explosions of any given weapon, between '''Impact Detonation''', '''Manual Detonation''', and '''Fuse Detonation''' (which would be editable). The Super Banana for example has manual detonation for both its explosions, while the Sally Army has manual for its first and impact for its second.
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| − | == Repeat Usage Control ==
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| − | This is where things get a little more complicated. In Worms World Party there is a Wormpot option that allows you to fire as many weapons as you can in ten seconds - in other words using a weapon doesn't end your turn. And many transport tools and utlities can already be used again and again without ending your turn. The "Repeat Usage" control panel expands on this concept.
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| − | The first and foremost option here would be '''Repeatability''', the number of times the weapon can be fired in one turn. For most tools this would be unlimited, and for weapons like the Shotgun and Longbow, it would be 2. Next, there would be four mutually exclusive options concerning what can be used in conjunction with the weapon:
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| − | * '''No Other Weapons Can Be Used;''' (Typical of the Shotgun and Longbow)
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| − | * '''All Other Weapons Can Be Used;''' (All transport tools)
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| − | * '''Specific Weapons Can't Be Used;''' (boxes would be available to select these)
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| − | * '''Specific Weapons Can Be Used''' (boxes would be available to select these)
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| − | So, if you wanted a player to be able to teleport and retain his turn, but stop him from attacking, you could do, using the Specific Weapons Can Be Used option. Or maybe you want to allow players to fire a petrol bomb, and then make liberal use of the transport tools while their turn time ticks down. Or perhaps you want to allow all players to let rip with their entire stockpile of uzis to their heart's content, and then place a girder. All these possibilities are available with the Repeat Usage Control panel - arguably the most important feature for the creation of new unique and exciting schemes.
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| − | Other options available in the Repeat Usage Control panel concern what happens to the turn time:
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| − | * '''Turn Time Counts Down As Usual;'''
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| − | * '''Turn Time Pauses While Situation Stabilises;'''
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| − | * '''Turn Time Is Fixed At Specific Value'''
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| − | The second option refers to the period of time after a shot where the game lets things stablise, such as waiting for mines to stop bouncing, worms to stop falling, and fire to stop eating through terrain. Not using this option would allow the worm to move while these things happen, but turn time would continue to tick away. Another set of options available concern the delay between using weapons:
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| − | * '''No Delay Between Using Weapons;'''
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| − | * '''Use Of Weapons Delayed While Situation Stabilises;'''
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| − | * '''Specific Time Delay'''
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| − | It should be noted that if a different weapon is used, the Repeat Usage Control panel for ''that'' weapon decides how it is used. So, for example, if you use a grenade and there is No Delay Between Using Weapons, but then fire a mortar, you might find that there is a delay - because the settings for the mortar are different.
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| − | == Ammunition Control ==
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| − | Configuring ammunition could be as simple as choosing a number, but with the Ammunition Control panel it could also be very complicated. Ammunition Control does far more than picking a number.
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| − | The unique thing about Ammunition Control is that it configures the number of weapons you start ''any'' particular turn with. So on your first turn you might have 5 bananas, on your second it increases to 8, then on your third turn all your bananas have disappeared.
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| − | On any particular turn, which you can cycle through using the Time Dependency control panel (see below), you can choose from three options:
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| − | * '''Infinite Ammunition'''
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| − | * '''Force Ammunition To A Specific Quantity'''
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| − | * '''Carry Ammunition Over From Last Turn...'''
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| − | And, two sub-options in addition to that third option if selected:
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| − | * '''...And Expire A Specific Number'''
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| − | * '''...And Reinforce With A Specific Number'''
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| − | These options would allow you to do a huge range of interesting things. You might want a weapon to be available once only on the tenth turn, and never again. You might want the quantity of a particular weapon to rise steadily throughout the game. You might want each player to have precisely three of a weapon on every turn, irrelevent of how many they have used or collected. You could even set it so that a particular weapon is available only on alternating turns. Like Repeat Usage Control, this has massive potential for scheme creations.
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| − | The Ammunition Control panel also allows you to set delays, by setting ammunition to zero for the first few turns and then setting the ammunition to a specific quantity on the ''n''th turn. Ideally, there would be an extra '''Delay''' option that would appear when Simple editor is activated, just to make this easier.
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| − | == Time Dependency ==
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| − | The Time Dependency control panel is basically a big extension on the "specific turns" concept used in Ammunition Control (see above). And I mean big: Time Dependency covers everything. Whether it's Blast Radius, Retreat Time, or Relative Crate Probability (ECP wouldn't cope), Time Dependency allows these values to change over time for any specific weapon. It could potentially lead to horribly confusing chaos and mayhem, but in moderation it has strategical uses in creating new schemes.
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| − | For example, you might want a weapon to gradually become more powerful throughout the game, giving players an incentive to save it for later. Or, you might want it to become less powerful - giving players an incentive to use it early. You might want it to be available in crates, but only after a specific turn. The list goes on. A host could even set it so that the entire game switched from one scheme to another at some point.
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| − | It is important that this Time Dependency feature has an unconfusing interface, since it is clearly a confusing feature. [[Concept Images|The graphic]] that I created poses a possible solution: the panel at the bottom contains a number of boxes that correspond to turns. They act as tabs; clicking on one will open up the settings page for that turn. Obviously, this would have to be as convenient as possible to use, as you would not want to be constantly making the same changes on every turn. A drag-and-drop system on the Time Dependency panel would allow you to quickly "copy" settings from one turn to another. Colours or shapes inside the boxes could be used to differentiation between settings, so if you wanted an alternating scheme, you might want blue-red-blue-red-blue-red, for example. The final turn for which settings have been configured would last the rest of the game. Or, in the case of alternating gameplay, the final few turns would repeat themselves in pattern. Special mouse commands would have to be assigned to manipulating the panel in this way.
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| − | = The Game Editor =
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| − | == Introduction ==
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| − | The game editor is somewhat less complicated than the weapon editor but still has a few advanced features. Some of the options in the game editor conflict with those in the weapon editor - the game editor over-rides weapon editor settings and is designed to make certain aspects of the game easier to control by doing so. The game editor also contains options that specify what map editor options will apply (see Map Editor, below), as will be explained later.
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| − | == Standard Options ==
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| − | The game editor will, of course, contain the usuals, with a few simple additions:
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| − | * '''Worm Health''' (this could be defined for individual worms, and being able to set it to infinite)
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| − | * '''Rounds To Win The Match'''(Also, the ability to make it so that the players which wins a determinated number of consecutive rounds wins)
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| − | * '''Automatic/Manual Worm Placement'''
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| − | * '''Cycled/Random/Manual Worm Selection'''
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| − | * '''Anchored/No-Jumping/Unanchored Worms'''
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| − | * '''Stockpile/Anti-stockpile/No Stockpile'''(And being able to set it for every round)
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| − | * '''Donor Cards''' (also, the ability to determine which weapons are passed on)
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| − | * '''Fall Damage/No Fall Damage''' (and a setting for the injury of fall damage)
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| − | * '''Retreat Time''' (if enabled, this would over-ride all individual weapon retreat times (see Basic Parameters, Weapons Editor, above)
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| − | * '''Hotseat Time'''
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| − | * '''Time Display'''
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| − | The editor would also contain a few more advanced time options. With turn time, a possible popular option could be '''Turn Time Decreases As Game Progresses''', so that a game becomes more and more stressed and players more and more rushed further on in the game. The settings involved with this option would be the number of seconds by which the turn time reduces each turn, and the minimum turn time that could possibly be reached.
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| − | == Crate Control ==
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| − | A number of options would be available for more powerful control over crates in the game. But first, a word about the crate system in general, and why it is badly designed.
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| − | As it is, health crates do two things, a fact that's easy to forget. Supplying health is the obvious one, but they also relieve your worms, your entire team in fact, of poison, should they have been struck by a scrupulous skunk. This seemingly-insignificant feature is holding back a whole potential game type, where worms must collect health crates to combat a continually diminishing health value, through poison effects, while simultaneously dealing with the enemy. Currently, such a game cannot be devised.
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| − | But enough about health crates, the real flaws lie in the utility system. Utilities were made to seperate weapons that caused damage and weapons that aided your team in another way, with mind-boggling failure. There is one transport tool in these utilities: the Jetpack, . Yet there are so many other 'weapons' that don't do damage. Parachute, Girder, Teleport, Freeze, Rope, Worm Select, Bungee, the list goes on. Include the weapons ideas on the [[Weapons|Weapons suggestions]] page, and this number increases to over 30 utilities. Why weren't these herded into the Utilities category? Maybe it was to preserve the F-key shortcuts, maybe it was just too much hassle.
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| − | Whatever the reason, utilities should never have existed at all. They can hardly be edited in the weapon editor; only quantity can be changed and that's only if you've completed enough missions to win that option. The utility section would be better off abandoned, and those tools that occupy it dragged into the main menu, where greater editing power can be wielded.
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| − | But wait, what about those other utilities? I am of course referring to Double Damage and Double Turn Time, those instant-effect utilites upon crate collection. Low gravity, Laser Sight, Invisibility and Fast Walk should also be
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| − | moved here and converted into instant-effect power-ups. These are pointless if collectable, so should they be available in standard weapon crates, as a unique surprise, or kept in utility toolboxes as usual? The key feature of these is that they are power-ups, not ammunition. They only last for your turn, and this scarcity of availability has a proven influencial effect on human thinking. You will not want to see it go to waste, so it could completely change what was previously a planned-out turn. All power-ups should have that effect: they should make you think "could I do something with this?"
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| − | They should have a separate system (i.e. using the toolbox graphic to denote a power-up) and that system should be fully editable in the game editor, unlike the current utility system which doesn't allow you to disable specific pick-ups. More are needed (suggestions are welcome) and these might include temporary Invincibility, or perhaps weapon specific power-ups such as Teleport Doesn't End Turn, Improved Airstrikes or Girder Intersects Land (a feature that was available with WA, with the use of a third-party program). These power-ups have the persuasive ability to change what happens in a turn, and change the outcome of a game completely.
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| − | Power-ups and transport tools should, of course, remain distinguishable from regular weapons if the Host desires. Perhaps the toolbox could be used for this as it is most appropriate, and another sprite assigned to "power-ups", such as a gift-box.
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| − | So, what would Crate Control have control over? Taking the above into account and some suggestions I've heard over the years, let's take a look:
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| − | === Health Crates ===
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| − | Probability of a health crate landing is an obvious starter(Relative or exact). In fact, let's take that as read for all crate types.
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| − | The amount of health delivered. This could be fixed, random, or steadily increasing/decreasing as a game progresses.
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| − | Whether poison is treated. And, if so, whether for that worm or the whole team.
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| − | === Utility Crates ===
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| − | Nothing special about these, so long as they are fully editable (as in the Weapons Editor, above) unlike in Worms Armageddon.
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| − | === Power-up Crates ===
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| − | Temporary Invincibility. Lasts the whole turn.
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| − | Teleport Doesn't End Turn. Essentially turns regular teleports into [[Super Teleport]]s.
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| − | Improved Airstrikes/Close Combat/Firearms/Projectiles, etc. Lasts the whole turn.
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| − | Crate Spy. Lasts for a definable number of turns or the whole game.
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| − | Double/Triple/Quadruple Damage. Lasts the whole turn.
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| − | Girder Intersects Land. Lasts for a definable number of turns or the whole game.
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| − | Disable all mines or mine-like weapons. Lasts the whole turn.
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| − | Low gravity/Laser Sight/Invisibility/Fast Walk. Last for a definable number of turns or the whole game.
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| − | === Weapon Crates ===
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| − | Super-weapon Differentiation. An option that allows super-weapon crates to be identified by a red flashing border.
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| − | === General crate options ===
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| − | Cycle Between Zones. If enabled, the game editor allows specific map options (see Map Editor, below) to control where crates land. This feature would be useful to have crates alternate between the left and right sides of the map, so that in "fort" games, each team gets their fair share of crates.
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| − | Type of Crate Alternates. Allows the Host to set a pattern which crate types conform to, over-riding probability settings.
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| − | Booby-trapped Crates. Crates may explode when collected with a definable probability.
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| − | Maximum Crate Setting. Crates won't appear if the limit is reached, or they will explode if the limit is exceeded, as the host decides.
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| − | Crates Disabled/Enabled After Specific Time, Event, Or Turn (see Event Control, below). For example: the Host might want weapon crates available until Sudden Death, but afterwards, they are replaced with shipments of Health crates.
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| − | == Event Control ==
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| − | This is basically the Sudden Death option panel, only with far more control. You could even have more than one Sudden Death. The events, each editable in strength, will come in many forms, and occur between turns rather than during them:
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| − | * '''Nuclear Bomb'''
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| − | * '''Flooding'''
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| − | * '''Earthquake'''
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| − | * '''Armageddon'''
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| − | * '''Ozone Hole''' (a weapon idea. [[Ozone Hole|Click here]] for details)
| + | |
| − | * '''Alien Invasion''' (same as above. [[Alien Invasion|Click here]] for details)
| + | |
| − | * '''Reduced to one''' (All worms reduced to 1 health point)
| + | |
| − | * '''Lightning Storm''' (several random [[Lightning Strike]]s)
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Other events such as the global utilities can be included, even though they would not be classed as "Sudden Death" events as such:
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | * '''Scales of Justice'''
| + | |
| − | * '''Low Gravity'''
| + | |
| − | * '''Double/Triple/Quadruple Damage'''
| + | |
| − | * '''Crate Shower'''
| + | |
| − | * '''Random Mine/Barrel Spawn'''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | These events can each be triggered by a small number of things:
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | * '''After A Specific Turn'''
| + | |
| − | * '''After A Specific Time'''
| + | |
| − | * '''After A Predefined Crate Is Collected/Destroyed''' (see Map Editor, below, for details)
| + | |
| − | * '''After A Predefined Zone Is Entered''' (see Map Editor, below, for details)
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Any number of these events, in any combination, would be possible (just not simultaneously). If Flooding was already activated, then triggering another Flooding ''of the same strength'' would not make anything(As it wouldn't make sense to trigger two floodings in the same turn).
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | == Object Control ==
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The Map Editor (see below) would have a fair bit of control over terrain Objects, but the game editor has some extra options. These would over-ride map-specific options if they conflicted.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Firstly, a list of the objects that would be available. Some of these are new.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | * '''Barrels'''
| + | |
| − | * '''Mines''' (with the regular settings options of course)
| + | |
| − | * '''Self-replicating Mines''' (as [[Self-replicating Mine|described]] in the Weapons Section)
| + | |
| − | * '''Sentry Guns''' (as [[Sentry Gun|described]] in the Weapons Section)
| + | |
| − | * '''Bunkers''' (as [[Bunker|described]] in the Weapons Section)
| + | |
| − | * '''Spring''' (as a [[Trampoline]] but it doesn't allow to set the power of the jump)
| + | |
| − | * '''Vending Machine'''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Not much bigger than a barrel, this heavily armoured (indestructable, even) object sits defiantly on the terrain, its function being to dispense weapons. Yes, any worm in close contact with this unit can trade in health points, as a sort of currency, for a weapon of his choice from a small predefined list. As if the Vending Machine were a worm itself, it can have any selection of weapons, infinite supply or restricted. All this predefined by the host, who may also choose to have the Vending Machine randomly restocked with anything each turn, and even the prices.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | When a worm is moved very close to the machine, a small window not too dissimilar from the weapons menu should scroll in from the left, with cursor available to select anything affordable. Right-clicking or moving away from the machine should close the window.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | * '''Communications Outpost'''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Allows the summoning of a free but very weak airstrike (type defined by host) that doesn't end your turn. Destructibility is an option.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | * '''Teleport Booth'''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Allows free teleportation to any location. End turns. Destructibility is an option.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | For each of these objects, the number on the terrain can be determined (if random). Otherwise, the game editor can be instructed to allow the map-editor-specific options (see Map Editor, below) to control placement of objects.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Additionally, the game editor will be able to spawn new mines and barrels on the terrain in random spots between turns, with a given probability, in much the same way as crates arrive.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | == Map Editor Over-ride ==
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The game editor will be capable of disabling map-editor-specific options, so that the scheme can freely be used with any map for its shape only, and not any map-specific settings that come with it:
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | * '''Force Indestructible Terrain'''
| + | |
| − | * '''Force Destructable Terrain'''
| + | |
| − | * '''Disable Game-Winning or Event-triggering Crates'''
| + | |
| − | * '''Disable Automatic Spawn Points'''
| + | |
| − | * '''Disable Game-Winning Flags'''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | See Map Editor, below, for details concerning these concepts.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | == Individual Worm Inventories ==
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | This control panel will allow you to determine which worms will be able to use which weapons. It is a simple case of selecting each worm in turn, and ticking off the weapons available in the scheme that it can use.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Additionally, the game editor will be able to do this for each team rather than just all teams - so different teams may have entirely different sets of weapons. In the case that the Host wants one team to have one version of a weapon, and the other team a different version - in any respect - of the same weapon, then the Host can use the weapon factory to do so (see Weapon Factory, below).
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | = The Weapon Factory =
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | == Introduction ==
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The weapon factory is a supplement to the weapon editor, allowing players to throw in several different versions of the same weapon. For example, suppose you want one grenade that releases fire, and another that releases radiation. You could make one of them in the scheme, but then you wouldn't be able to have the other. That's where the weapon factory comes in. Simply choose a weapon, edit it as you would normally, give it a name, save it, and it will be immediately available for inclusion in the schemes you choose to edit thereafter. Simple as that.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Additionally, a more advanced version of the Weapon Factory would have options much like that of the Fiddler (a third-party program for Worms Armageddon), allowing far more customisability and even selection of sprites used.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | = The Map Editor =
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | == Introduction ==
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | It is necessary for the map editor to contain some information that, if stored in the scheme, might mess up the game when the scheme is used with other maps. For example, you might want a scheme that inserts a crate into specific co-ordinates during the game. This might work for one map, but could easily fail for another. The map editor allows maps to store information that will always be used unless a scheme specifically disables it (see Map Editor Over-ride, Game Editor, above).
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Map size would be derestricted, or have its limits increased for Worms Unlimited. The only good reason for restricting map size is for file transfer rates on WormNET, but this argument is flawed as the physical size of the maps have far less to do with file size than the content of the maps.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | There would be two map editors: one advanced and one simple. The simple editor would include all the current abilities of the Worms Armageddon map editor, with a few improvements in efficiency, interface and some extra options. The advanced map editor would be capable of this plus everything listed below. The advanced editor would not be accessible from the host-join scheme, for reasons discussed in the introduction to this webpage.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==Estructure==
| + | |
| − | ===Larger dimensions===
| + | |
| − | This is already planned, as I heard. Removing or expanding the size restriction for maps(e.g. from 960x348
| + | |
| − | to 3840x1392) would be a move towards progress.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Worm placing===
| + | |
| − | One could decide where the worms are placed. Being able to change the number maximum of minimum of worms that there can be in a map
| + | |
| − | would be a nice feature for avoiding too many worms in a small map or very distant worms in a large map.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Animation===
| + | |
| − | Maps would use .gif files with parts of it moving and appearing/disappearing. When a part of the map is destroyed, this part
| + | |
| − | is destroyed only in the "frame" of the map.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Graphic===
| + | |
| − | A background showing in the map and a intouchable layer that is ahead the worms
| + | |
| − | (So when the worms goes trough the layer, the worm is not shown)
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Destructibility===
| + | |
| − | Being able to edit the degree of destructibility of parts of the map map so it is destructible or indestructible. Also there could
| + | |
| − | be intermediate grades of destructibility, configuring the times a part of the land needs to be hit for being destroyed and
| + | |
| − | how destroyed it gets everytime it gets hit.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Indestructible Border===
| + | |
| − | Being able to enable/disable it in the 4 directions: Top, Bottom, Left and Right.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | == Scripting ==
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | And why not? Each map could have a set of scripts that would allow to control behaviour of certain elements, to customize the game settings for this map (e.g. initial worm placement for RR maps), enforce some schemes or define new weapons (perhaps, merging the notion of "map" and an expanded "mission definition" would be similar).
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | === Dynamic elements ===
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Examples:
| + | |
| − | * moving or spinning pieces (transportation, or traps)
| + | |
| − | * area teleports
| + | |
| − | * a volcano that continuously spits fire
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | === Defining new game objects ===
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | A map's script would be able to define new Worms objects (like mines / barrels / crates etc.) and customize their behaviour. Everything you've ever wished for can appear in the map!
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | === Weapons ===
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Maps could contain in-built [[weapon module]]s. The game would load those together with the map script, which could "enforce" them later to the worms' inventories.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Example:
| + | |
| − | * counter-strike mod (similar to the one already done using the fiddler)
| + | |
| − | * map-specific weapons or utilities (think Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator (aka Gravity Gun) from Half-Life 2)
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | == Layer-Based Information ==
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | All layers and their corresponding abilities would be accessible and editable within the map editor.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ; '''Variable Terrain Destructibility''' : An extra layer stores information that determines which parts of the landscape are indestructible, and which are not.
| + | |
| − | ; '''Defined Object Placements''' : When not disabled by the scheme, placements of all objects are pre-set to specific co-ordinates (see Object Control, Game Editor, above).
| + | |
| − | ; '''Game-Winning Crates''' : Crates can be placed on the map at specific co-ordinates, the collection/destruction of which wins the game. They can be destructible or indestructible.
| + | |
| − | ; '''Event-Triggering Crates''' : Crates can be placed on the map at specific co-ordinates, each with an identity, the collection/destruction of which triggers an Event (see Event Control, Game Editor, above). They can be destructible or indestructible.
| + | |
| − | ; '''Game-Winning Flags''' : Pre-placed flags are colour-coded to the teams that are involved in the game. The destruction of an entire set of flags corresponding to one team wins the game for that team. The flags operate in the same way as the "targets" in Worms Armageddon training missions do.
| + | |
| − | ; '''Automatic Spawn Points''' : Worm placements for each team involved can be pre-defined.
| + | |
| − | ; '''Zones''' : Invisible 'Zones' of any shape and size can be drawn over the terrain, each with a specific identity. These zones will have applications in Event triggering (see Event Control, Game Editor, above)
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | == Types Of Maps ==
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The map editor would be capable of producing three map types:
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | === Regular Map ===
| + | |
| − | Nothing out of the ordinary here, just a regular map. With no - or less limited - size restrictions, of course. The current size restrictions on Worms are unnecessary and there is plenty to do with larger maps. Many schemes would benefit from bigger terrains, and even if they didn't, small maps are still an option. Very tall maps would also be possible.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | === Unlimited Cavern ===
| + | |
| − | Imagine for a moment a cavern map with no water at the bottom or open space at the ends, just simple borders like at the top. A cramped hole in the Earth. And imagine every time you get too close to a border, that border retreats a little bit, expanding the map and revealing more solid ground.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | What you'd have is effectively a map of infinite size, only most of it is a repetative pattern of solid ground neatly tucked out of sight for safe keeping, waiting to be discovered and, ultimately, blown up. You could have epic adventures on such a map. There'd be no limits. If you were on the run you would never get cornered- just keep moving and the map will expand to accommodate you. With a large frequently used arsonal the map would quickly extend downwards as random shrapnel submits to gravity, and gigantic canyons would form.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | There are some obvious problems with such a theme. The finite game is at stake here - games could easily never end. But no more so than when infinite health is used on an indestructible map. Still, there would have to be restrictions in place.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | First off, weapon limits would be a good idea. Any infinite weapon is a means to never-ending excavating, and pursuits could last forever. Teleports would become more and more powerful as the map expands. Infinite teleports are a big no-no: teleport pursuits are the most boring of them all. Even teleports in limited numbers can be horrendously advantageous if a player has one and the other player doesn't. By teleporting miles away, you're forcing the enemy into using vast resources just to reach you by land. There are two solutions - either limit the range of teleports or don't have them at all. Range limiting could be done in the same way as with the Girder; by adjusting a 'Power' setting in the weapons options menu. This would force players into using a succession of short hops to reach far away places instead, and at each hop they might be leaving themselves vulnerable to a nearby enemy.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | All weapons would have to be somewhat limited, but to prevent the game ever coming to a standstill a plentiful supply of crates would allow the game to continue on.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | It's harder to navigate vertically than to navigate horizontally, so a good restriction that will prevent excessive expansion would be to limit the terrain to a vertical column, yet still have it expandable at top and bottom. Players would find it difficult to expand upwards due to the nature of the land, and at risk from massive fall damage on large maps. Players at the bottom would find themselves vulnerable to attack from above though, especially with gravity ensuring that enemy fire reaches the right place.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Some weapons would have to be adapted for larger-than-usual maps. Players would need to be able to throw them further, and fuse weapons would need greater fuse times for long throws. Some weapons would naturally be obsolete, like the Indian Nuke and all airstrikes. Map-wide weapons like Earthquake ought to be more useful than usual though, expecially on a columnar map. Also, jetpacks would require greater amounts of fuel, turn times would need to be greater (perhaps increasing throughout the game, proportional to the area of active map or distance between worms) and fast-walk utilities would have to be more abundant. Well, they wouldn't have to be. But it would be a good idea.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Last but certainly not least, a zooming feature would be critical for this type of game. Excessive scrolling is not something a player will want to do on a huge map, so either a mini-map could be provided scrolling in from the left of the screen on demand, or a zoom function not too dissimilar to that found in the original Worms game.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | === Wrapped Map ===
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | This feature would mean the map would have no edges yet a finite length. Scroll off one end of the map and you'd land up on the other - yet you'd never know when you've done so. It would be as if there were an infinite number of identical maps lined up to make one supermassive map, a perfect repeat of every object, worm and movement every so far.
| |
| | | | |
| − | It sounds surreal, but it isn't. It would perhaps seem a bit surreal one a huge monitor with a massive resolution, as you'd probably be able to see the same part of the map twice. Other than that, it's something you'd soon get used to. There'd be no edge of the cavern map to fall off, possibly making things easier for the player whose first turn it isn't. There would be no huge stretch of water for a worm to fall in on an island map, rendering the baseball bat and a few other weapons less useful. I suspect there'd be slightly more strategy in the game as well, as a player who is about to embark on a journey can choose to go either way to reach the same destination. Same goes for those who are trying to set up some sort of stronghold - they'll have to defend from both sides. And there's fun to be had too on such a map: throwing a holy hand grenade with low gravity just for the randomness of where it will land, roping endlessly in one direction.
| + | ==[[Weapons Editor]]== |
| | + | For changing all the parameters of the weapons. |
| | | | |
| − | The downsides may mean confusion in scrolling, and since some weapons can be heard when your screen is over the other side of the map, you may be able to hear the same weapon being fired several times. Unless you silence all but the nearest one. That is assuming there is more than one, depending on how it would be programmed.
| + | ==[[Game Editor]] == |
| | + | For editing the game options. |
| | | | |
| − | [[Category:Suggestions]] | + | ==[[Map Editor]]== |
| | + | For creating and managing maps. |
| | | | |
| − | ===Mixed Map=== | + | ==[[Other Editors]]== |
| − | You could set the types of border of the previous map types so, for example,
| + | Scheme Comparator ,Weapon Factory and Dependent Changer. |
| − | the top border can be infinite and the right border regular. The wrapped border
| + | |
| − | would be an exception: if you set it in a vertical border, it would appear in
| + | |
| − | the other vertical border, and if you set it in an horizontal border, it would appear in the other horizontal border.
| + | |
This page contains a huge amount of content regarding the editors in Worms and how they could be improved, and what the implications would be. The amount of customisability these editors, if real, would provide is staggering, and it really is difficult to imagine all the possibilities that would result.
The editors in Worms Armageddon, specifically the weapons editor, already provide customisation to a huge extent. They are probably one of the most powerful set of editors in all the games that have ever existed. And the results of this customisation is clear: WormNET is swarmed by dozens of schemes of immense variation. Some schemes hinge on just a few options being available, and yet are wildly different in result.
It is not hard to imagine then that the more options you have, the more scheme variation that will result. And the more control players will have over those schemes. The editors proposed on this page would wield a mind-boggling amount of this power, containing almost every option you could ever desire.
There is, however, a drawback. Many people see extra customisation as a bad thing. Their arguments hinge on two important and perfectly respectable points: firstly, it would overwhelm people with options and put them off, and secondly, it would be much much harder to find an online game which didn't involve settings you don't like, as there would be far too many options to check before giving the green light to start the game.
However I don't believe there can be 'too much' customisability, and the above problems each have solutions.
In regards to the first point, let me start by saying that a new player can easily be overwhelmed by the options that already exist in Worms Armageddon. With 60 weapons to edit and a myriad of extra game options, it's just not sensible to expect people to learn the ins and outs of these editors within a couple of weeks at least.
The second point has an equally simple solution. Three solutions, in fact, which are not mutually exclusive. These solutions are described in the Scheme Comparator page.
