Worms: A Space Oddity

[Tales]

Awesome. I think I really will be buying this. Online is going to be great. Playing Worms alone has never been very fun in my opinion.

 

Has it been announced how many players can play against each other online?

[mariosmentor]

Awesome. I think I really will be buying this. Online is going to be great. Playing Worms alone has never been very fun in my opinion.

 

Has it been announced how many players can play against each other online?

 

4 players.

 

I'm glad they have decided to go for 2D, quite a relief. I'll be keeping my eye on this one.

[Cube]

 

More images

 

IGN: How long has Team 17 been working on Worms for Wii and how big is the team?

 

Gilbert: We've had a team of around 20 people working on Worms: A Space Oddity for the past 7 months or so. We're all incredibly excited about the project and have reveled in the opportunity to take Worms into outer space to wreak havoc and mayhem on a number of extraterrestrial, alien worlds, each with their own distinctive look and feel. It has certainly allowed us to get our creative juices flowing in devising the look of these weird and wonderful worlds and the innovative new ways in which the user can now interact with the game.

 

IGN: For Wii owners unfamiliar with the franchise, what's Worms all about?

 

Gilbert: Worms is a turn-based game in which up to four human or computer-controlled teams take charge of a platoon of three or four worms, pitted against each other in an attempt to reign victorious on a fully deformable landscape. Worms is popular for its wacky cartoon humor and over-the-top weapons which the player can use to bash, blast and blow their opposition to pieces.

 

Worms: A Space Oddity on the Wii has allowed us to take the franchise to an entirely new dimension (in more ways than one) with the introduction of motion sensitivity and intuitive gesture based weapons. Worms : A Space Oddity promises to be accessible fun for new and old fans of the series.

 

IGN: Is Worms: A Space Oddity a port in any way of any previous Worms game?

 

Gilbert: Worms : A Space Oddity uses an enhanced version of the Worms: Open Warfare 2 engine, which is regarded by many, including IGN, as one of the best Worms experiences to date. The game itself, however, is an entirely new experience with a brand new look, new motion sensitive interaction and new gameplay modes never before seen in a Worms game. Without a doubt, Worms: A Space Oddity has taken the best parts of Worms: Open Warfare 2 and built upon them to provide an experience perfectly suited to the Wii.

 

IGN: You recently released Worms on Xbox Live and it looked fantastic. Will A Space Oddity run in 480p and 16:9 widescreen modes on Wii?

 

Gilbert: Worms: A Space Oddity certainly does run in 480p on 16:9 widescreen modes and I can confirm that it looks great! We've really gone to town on all the artwork and art assets in Worms: A Space Oddity, and I think it would be more than fair to say that it is the best looking Worms game to date. When viewed in 480p on a 16:9 TV, it really does do everything justice.

 

IGN: Your initial release for A Space Oddity describes a completely new visual style inspired by classic sci-fi. Can you elaborate on that for us? What exactly are you going for?

 

Gilbert: The visual direction for Worms: A Space Oddity is unlike anything seen before in a Worms game. We've dropped the traditional drawn look and have gone with a softer, distinct "Nintendo" feel to the aesthetics while keeping the bright cartoon visuals that the franchise is best known for. Worms: A Space Oddity has allowed us to let our imaginations run wild with regards to the look and feel of the six different planets that the worms battle on. We've gone for an embossed 3D cardboard cut-out look throughout, taking inspiration from games such as Paper Mario and Yoshi's Island.

 

IGN: How deep is the single-player campaign? How many stages will you be able to play through, what kinds of environments are available, and how destructible is everything?

 

Gilbert: The single player aspect of Worms: A Space Oddity is one of the most diverse Worms experiences to date. The player has a brand new set of single-player missions across six separate planets, which encapsulate all previous forms of single-player challenges from past Worms games. This includes a mix of death-matches, puzzles and brand new party games. For the first time in a Worms game, progression through the missions is much more open, with the player having a say in the path they take through the game. The single-player game is also much more plot driven than previous incarnations, with comical cut scenes aiding in the direction of the story.

 

Not only do each of the planets have a very distinct look and feel, they also have settings and events that set them apart from one another. This gives the player a genuine reason for selecting which planet to battle upon because each planet throws up a different challenge. Each environment is also fully deformable, allowing the user to wreak havoc and destruction as well as indulge in underhanded tactics by burrowing into the landscapes.

 

IGN: Will any A Space Oddity levels be set in space, and will physics be influenced? If so, can you give us some examples?

 

Gilbert: All the environments in Worms: A Space Oddity are set in the far reaches of outer space, apart from Earth, which aptly sits at the other side of a worm hole. The six planets are found within a fictional solar system and each has its own distinct physical parameters. From planet to planet, the player will encounter differences in the landscape's friction including differing powers of gravitational pull and differing strengths of wind. Each of these differences result in very diverse gameplay experiences across each planet. For example, on a level with low gravity, the worms will be able to jump further and take longer to fall back to the ground. This will effect the amount of damage worms sustain after a fall. In addition, weapons are also effected by gravity and wind, where they can be thrown higher and further into the air, adding a whole other level of strategy to take into consideration.

 

IGN: Will you be able to play as different Worms factions? Which ones?

 

Gilbert: Each team consists of three individual worms with up to four teams able to play in-game at any one time. Each team can be fully customized to be unique from all the other teams by changing their names, team flags, skins and numerous other options. Unfortunately, there are no options to set up separate factions similar to the clans in Worms: Open Warfare 2. This was a conscious choice to keep the game as simple and user-friendly as possible. The aim was to create a user interface which could be navigated as easily by an experienced Worms fan as it could by a complete newcomer to the game. We felt that adding clans to the mix only served in making the process of playing a game far too complex.

 

IGN: How are you adapting the Worms franchise to the Wii remote? This is probably the single most important question to our readers, so please be detailed in your response.

 

Gilbert: We have re-designed nearly every aspect of the game to accommodate use of the Wii Remote. All weapons found in the game are fired by making use of the various features of the remote controller. In addition, each weapon also has its own unique and appropriate gesture which the player must perform to utilize the weapon. For example, certain weapons can be fired with varying degrees of power, the more work the player puts into the gesture when firing the weapon, the more benefit they see in the on-screen action. This proves to be a very intuitive and instinctive way of utilizing the weapons and allows for heightened accuracy in firing. The game's menu system is also designed from the ground up for the Wii and can be controlled entirely with the remote's pointer functionality.

 

IGN: Will you be using the Wii remote to aim in-game?

 

Gilbert: The Wii Remote's pointer functionality is used in a number of ways in-game and all weapons make use of the remote controller's unique functionality to either aim or fire. An entirely new firing mechanism has been used for projectile and thrown weapons, which allows the user to aim and fire more accurately than ever before in a Worms game. It also presents the ability to fine-tune in order to pull off highly skilled, very accurate shots with relative ease. In addition, the player may also use the on-screen cursor to manipulate the camera and navigate their view of the entire gameplay area at any point during gameplay to gain the upper-hand over the battlefield.

 

IGN: Does the game use the Wii remote for gestures? Can you give us some examples?

 

Gilbert: As previously mentioned, each weapon has its own unique gesture which the player must utilize in order to place or fire a weapon. These gestures are varied and specific to the weapon that they accompany and reflect what one would expect to be used for that particular weapon. An example of this would be the gesture used to fire the Astro Punch, which is a weapon similar to the Firepunch in previous Worms games. The weapon can either be used to make the worm perform an uppercut motion that knocks the enemy into the air at roughly 45 degrees or a jab motion that sends the enemy flying away at roughly 10 degrees. The action performed by the worm depends on the gesture performed by the player. An uppercut gesture with the remote performs the uppercut, while a swipe gesture performs the jab.

 

IGN: Your announcement states that A Space Oddity will feature party games. Can you give us some examples? Exactly how will these work?

 

Gilbert: The party games can be found in two separate areas of the game: in the single player Story Mode and in their own section of the menu-system. When encountering party games in the Story Mode, they appear to the player like normal missions. The player must complete the party game in each of the individual planets in order to progress in the single-player story. Completion of the party game in the Story Mode then unlocks it so that it can be accessed and replayed from the party games option within the menu-system. Unlocked party games can then be played by up to four players and have proven to be very popular in the office!

 

IGN: Has your weapon arsenal been expanded in A Space Oddity? What classic weapons will be returning and will you be introducing any new weapons?

 

Gilbert: All of the returning weapons in Worms: A Space Oddity have been re-imagined for the Wii and have a distinct space-themed twist to them. Most of these will be familiar from previous Worms games, such as the Drop Ship, which has similar destructive purposes as the Concrete Donkey, and the Guided Missile, which allows the user to control the path of a projectile. We deliberately designed the weapon set in Worms: A Space Oddity to be much more accessible for newcomers who may not be familiar with the often confusing plethora of weapons, while not jeopardizing the off-the-wall weapon concepts that the series is so popular for.

 

IGN: Your release specifies that there will be more customization options than ever before. How so?

 

Gilbert: The player is presented with endless opportunities with which they can customize the appearance of their worms, from the hats on their heads to the color of their skin. The player is also tooled with the ability to customize their team flags, which can be seen in both online and offline games, choose the gravestones that the dearly departed leave behind, and pick from a number of entirely new speech banks. In addition to customizing the appearance of their worms, the player also has an extremely comprehensive landscape editor to sculpt and carve the perfect landscape on which their worms do battle. With the ability to also use pre-defined stamps and shapes, the player will be spoiled with the scope of customization offered in Worms: A Space Oddity.

 

IGN: We're delighted to hear that Worms: A Space Oddity will feature a four-player online component. How will this function work? Will gamers need to exchange Wii friend codes with one another to play against each other or will there be a random battles system in place?

 

Gilbert: We're also very excited about the opportunity to take Worms online with the Wii as it has proven to be very popular as an online multiplayer game. There are several options when it comes to playing an online game. The player is able to choose whether they want to play against specific friends which they have already added to their friends list, or go online to meet new people. If the player then decides that they've had a particularly good game, they can choose to add that player to their friends list to challenge them at a later date.

 

IGN: How customizable will online matches be?

 

Gilbert: The player has a number of customization options when it comes to setting up and playing an online match. As expected, they can change the game fundamentals, such as the environment in which they play, the game scheme and the number of opponents. They then also have the ability to choose the appearance of their online team by selecting hats and victory dances, creating a team flag that will serve as their online identity, as well as using landscapes that they have created offline in the Landscape Editor.

 

IGN: Online, can you play teams - two against two or three against one?

 

Gilbert: Up to four players can play at any one time during an online match. It isn't possible to ally teams this time around though. The option not to include this feature was a conscious choice, as the aim was to create a friendly, clean interface which allowed the player to set up a game with as few options as necessary. We felt any added complexity such as allying teams began to compromise this goal.

 

IGN: Will you be utilizing WiiConnect24 to deliver future updates to A Space Oddity, such as downloadable levels or weapon upgrades?

 

Gilbert: Players will be able to use the WiiConnect24 service to download a number of additional assets which they may then use in-game. This allows the game to constantly expand and ensures that there will always be something for the player to be looking forward to. This is an exciting prospect for us, as it allows us to keep adding content to the game even after release!

 

IGN: Worms: A Space Oddity is an ideal candidate to make use of a Wii headset for voice-over-IP. Have you thought about pushing for a headset from Nintendo or about using Wii's USB slots for compatibility with a third party headset?

 

Gilbert: Unfortunately, due to time constraints and no known plans from Nintendo to support this functionality, it wasn't really an option in Worms: A Space Oddity. It certainly would be a nice addition to online gameplay. However, there is a text based chat option implemented which allows players to communicate using pre-defined text strings when communicating with random players and text input for friends so users can still taunt their opponents!

 

IGN: Are any aspects of the DS' Worms: Open Warfare 2 making their way over to A Space Oddity, including create-a-level, create-a-flag, or system-specific mini-games?

 

Gilbert: The Landscape Editor makes a welcome return to Worms: A Space Oddity from Worms: Open Warfare 2 on the DS. An updated and more feature-heavy version of this will be present and has full Wii remote functionality. Players can create their landscapes offline and then use them to battle online against friends. The mini-games are also present this time around with the added option to play these against other opponents.

 

 

IGN: Will there be an option to play Worms: A Space Oddity with a classic controller or a GameCube controller?

 

Gilbert: Unfortunately, due to the gesture based motions required to use the weapons in Worms: A Space Oddity, there is no classic controller or GameCube controller compatibility. Besides, flailing one's arms about in a frenzied attack against the opposition is undoubtedly part of the fun!

 

IGN: Any final words for fans excited about this project?

 

Gilbert: All I can say is to keep an eye out for Worms: A Space Oddity as it's shaping up to be a very great game indeed!

 

Edit: highlighted

[harribo]

Sounds good although I stopped reading halfway through.

[Mike]

Sounds like they're putting a lot of effort into this. I just hope the gesture-based controls work, but good on them for using more than just the obvious pointer functionality.

[Zelda_Rulez]

Players will be able to use the WiiConnect24 service to download a number of additional assets which they may then use in-game. This allows the game to constantly expand and ensures that there will always be something for the player to be looking forward to.[/Quote]

 

Finally this feature will be used.

[antster1983]

This new Worms game looks great, I hope this turns out well

[tapedeck]

It sounds as if they've really put a lot of time and effort into this. This is apparent in the DS sequel too. I can't wait for this

[Retro_Link]

Trailer

 

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/26483.html

 

Looks good,

I know it has 'Space' in the title but I really hope there are some more tradaitional levels in the game aswell, and not just the type shown in the trailer etc...

Some grassy levels please!

 

Also, Worms on Snowmobiles ftw!

[Gaijin von Snikbah]

Tis is going to be the ULTIMATEST Worms game ever. I dont see how any other consoles can compete with this.

[Guest Maase]

O...M...G...

 

If i ever have an Wii, this will be one of the first games il buy, that's for sure

[antster1983]

Unfortunately, according to the recent hands-on at IGN, it appears we've been let down on the online front - not only is the promised downloadable content not going to happen, neither is the online play!

 

I hope that THQ and Team 17 see sense and delay the game so they can be included! If not, I'll just stick with Worms XBLA and Worms Open Warfare 2.

[g0recki]

well if they don't get online, I aint buying it. I was looking forward to this, that is really disappointing.

 

I'm happy with sticking to Worms Armageddon.

[tapedeck]

Not having online for the Wii version is a silly, silly decision.

 

It's becoming a bit of a joke now. As previously mentioned, Worms Open Warfare 2 on the DS has an amazing online experience and it really adds some substance and longevity to the title. The Wii should be getting online features as standard. There is no excuse really.

 

I really wanted this game yet I can't see how it can better open Warfare 2 on the DS. That title is portable, offers single-cart download, online play, many ingenious single player modes (laboratory) and includes a mix of both classic and "new" ways of playing. (And it even has a space level offering awesome gravity differences!)

 

A hard act to follow. Without online the Wii version needs to be stellar in other areas.

[DazzeL]

Without online the Wii version needs to be stellar in other areas.

 

Not even that is good enough for me, this looked promising and now it looks anything but. Poor show THQ and Team 17, big let down.

[phazonwarrior]

Unfortunately, according to IGN, it appears we've been let down on the online front - not only is the promised downloadable content not going to happen, neither is the online play!

 

I hope that THQ and Team 17 see sense and delay the game so they can be included! If not, I'll just stick with Worms XBLA and Worms Open Warfare 2.

 

I was really disappointed when i read that earlier today on IGN... worms is one of those games that feels like its made for online play. Why no online? It's 2008 goddamit!!

[Mike]

I had been considering getting this too, but no chance of that if it's not online. Honestly, the Wii online is a joke. I know a lot of people say, 'It's only been out for just over a year!', but how long can that argument last?

[Tellyn]

It's been said that the game has heavy influence in Worms: Open Warfare 2, which is fantastic. Now it's effectively a port of OW2 with the removal of all online features. I won't be buying it, that was the selling point for me.

[Tales]

I won't buy this if it's not online. I have Open Warfare 2 for PSP and playing alone gets boring quikly.

[LazyBoy]

Won't buy it if it's not online.

[ShadowV7]

Just like you guys, since it's not online, i'm not buying it. I was looking forward to this purely because of the online mode and it would of been a blast with players. But now since this has happened, my interest in this is went down a lot.

[Tellyn]

I think a petition is in order. Would anyone here mind a delay till Q3/4 if they can work in WiiConnect24 and online multiplayer?

[ShadowV7]

I wouldn't mind joning one actually. They must know that no online will really hurt their sales.

 

Stupid mistake to remove it.

[DazzeL]

I would sign it!

[ShadowV7]

If they don't add online, then they should just try to make it a WiiWare game. No point putting it on a disc.