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--==============================================--
--== Welcome to the Worminator 3 ReadMe ==--
--==============================================--
Worminator 3, is Copyright 2003 by David Layne. All artwork in this game is
original and is either Copyright 2003 by Keith Palmer or Copyright 2003 by Jeff
Nielson. All music in this game is composed and Coprighted by Garret Thomson.
Linux port and Linux specifix code Copyright 2006 by Hans de Goede
The Worminator 3 content, source and binaries are free software; you can
redistribute them and/or modify them under the terms of the GNU General Public
License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of
the License, or (at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
See the file license.txt for more details and a copy of the GNU General
Public License version 2.
Notice that Worminator 3 is not officially rated by any game rating system, but
it is the judgment of the Worminator 3 Team members that this game, Worminator
3, should probably not be played by those under 13 or those opposed to graphic
violence. Use your own discretion while playing, and please don't try to hold
us responsible if you have a problem with the game. Just don't play it! That
said, however, compared to most computer games available today, the violence in
Worminator 3 is mild and should not pose a problem to most players.
This notice is just a warning and does not impose any restrictions on the
recipients' exercise of the rights granted under the GNU General Public
License.
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--== Table Of Contents ==--
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This ReadMe file is essentially an incohernt mess produced by a seriously warped mind. However, in order to provide some semblance of order, I have included a list of each section of the ReadMe in order below. Use it to help you locate whatever section you need.
-Welcome to the Worminator 3 ReadMe
-Table Of Contents
-About Our Company, Electroencephalogram Productions
-Worminator 3 Notes
-Worminator Version History
-Story
-Worminator 3 Features
-Using The Automap
-System Requirements Windows
-Installation Windows
-System Requirements & Installation Linux (Unix)
-Controls
-Options Menu
-Gameplay
-Enemies
-Weapons
-'Skin' Notes
-Worminator 3 Difficulty Levels
-Worminator 3 Hints
-Development/Mapping Information
-Credits
-Contact Information
-The Future Of Worminator 3
-Mini FAQ + Hints And Tips
-The End
--===========================================================--
--== About Our Company, Electroencephalogram Productions ==--
--===========================================================--
The Worminator 3 Team refers to our collective whole as Electroencephalogram Productions. We first chose this name in 1995, and we hope it does not violate anyone's copyrights or anything like that. If so, please tell us so we can change it, but I doubt that anyone else is freaky enough to pick a name like Electroencephalogram. That said, our logo is a cool pink brain with spinal cord/nerve endings attached, which is also featured as a playable character in Worminator 3. Our logo movies usually feature some kind of brain being destroyed by an electrical charge, as in the company logo movie included in Worminator 3.
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--== Worminator 3 Notes ==--
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Worminator 3 is the sqeuel to the original Worminator, which was released in April of 2000. What happened to Worminator 2? Well, it took us SO long to cook up this sequel, that we decided to just skip 2 and go directly to 3 (also, the release of a certian new movie might have had something to do with our numbering scheme). Worminator 3 includes all the weapons and levels that were in the original worminator, as well as a complete new episode, new weapons and items, new enemies, new skins, and a slew of new features. See the features section below for a complete list of all the new goodies we have added to Worminator 3 for you.
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--== Worminator Version History ==--
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* Worminator Version 1.0 - The original release:
The original Worminator was pathetic indeed! It was a DOS game, fixed at 320*200 resolution with no options menu and none of the more modern features like FSAA and an automap. Worminator 1.0 came in two versions, stripped and full. The two were functionally identical, but the full version had a few cutscenes that the stripped version was missing. Worminator 1.0 is still avabile for download, but we HIGHLY recommed that you simply get Worminator 3, as it includes everything from Worminator 1.0 as well as hundreds of new features and Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP compatability.
* Worminator Version 1.1 (aka Worm32)
Worminator 1.1 (Worm32 from here on) was not a new game, but rather a patch for the original game that added several important features. In addition to being Win32 native, Worm32 added an automap, support for high resolutions, and a few other minor improvements. While this version should work fine on most modern computers, we again recommend that you get Worminator 3 instead of 1.1 for all the reasons listed above.
* Worminator Version 1.2 (Special Edition)
Worminator 1.2 was a special version of Worminator specifically made to be included on a few CDs that come with gaming magazines. It was only released publically on a couple of CD compliations of freeware games. Version 1.2 was essentially the same as 1.1, but with a few new features added and some bugs fixed.
* Worminator 2.0
Worminator 2.0 was NEVER released publically. This version was an internal development version only, and has now become Worminator 3.
* Worminator 3
Ah, Worminator 3! The bestest, most awesomest Worminator ever! Seriously though, this latest (and most likely final) version of Worminator is the pinnacle of wormness. Worminator 3 includes everything that all the previous Worminator versions had, as well as a ton of new content and hundreds of new features, from an integrated high-res level editor, to an options menu and several new enemies and weapons. Download and play NOW, the Worminator commands it!
* Worminator 3 Release 2
Worminator 3 release 2 is a minor update to the first release of Worminator 3. It includes many bugfixes and new features, such as customizable controls, weapon autoswitch, new secret cheat modes, and a command line safe mode for those who have trouble running Worminator 3 with the default settings. This is the LAST version of Worminator 3 that we plan to release.
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--== Story ==--
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Worminator 3 story...
After fighting many a hard battle, The Worminator aided by DirtNet had finally brought the pesky rebel worms to the brink of destruction. Their fearless leader, Wrom Conner was unfortunately incinerated in the neuclear blast of a highly unstable power plant and the remaining rebels were beginning to scatter and lose hope of preserving wormanity as they knew it. It was then, that disaster struck The Worminator. In a rather grotesque display, The Worminator was devoured by a circus freak in a cheap carnival sideshow. Only you can now decide the fate of the Worminator in: "Episode Two: Attack of the Scones!" Actually, scratch that name. It's bad karma... Only you, can now decide the fate of the Worminator in "Episode Two: Worminator Reloaded!". Hmm, that sucks too... In fact, the number 2 sucks all together. How bout "Worminator 3: Demise of the Worms!". Eh, not bad, but thats probabaly gonna get us sued... Lets just stick with plain 'ol Worminator 3. Yeah, only you can decide the fate of the Worminator in "Worminator 3!". Yay!
Original Worminator story...
The year is 2028, 14 years after the start of the deadliest war in the history of worm kind. Much has changed... In the year 2012; a brilliant American scientist discovered how to make W.O.R.M. (Wormborg Operated Remote Missile) Weaponry, and to work them, the "WormBorgs" cyborg fighting machines. These so called "WormBorgs" were the elite fighting force and the pride of the United Worms of America. Their life-like roles soon became far too life-like. They thought on their own, and acted on their own whims, under their own leader "DirtNet." No one exactly knows who or what "DirtNet" is, but it soon began to take over. First, it launched the W.O.R.M.s at the Woroviet Union, in the hopes that they would retaliate and initiate a war between the Woroviet Union and the UWA. However, "DirtNet" obviously had a few bugs to work out, and the W.S.S.R was obliterated into millions of radioactive hunks of mud and dirt. Despite the fact that no one liked Wormunism anyway, all of Wormurope retaliated against the UWA. Soon, the world was turned into a nuclear wasteland. Nuke drops became daily ordeals, and the giant bombs turning whole forests into matchsticks was to be expected. As if the sewers weren't loaded with enough mutated alligators as it was, the hunks of radioactive material combined with the primordial soup of the sewers are said to have created blobs of sewage ooze, powerful enough that they fed off the mutated alligators for lunch. After what was left of Wormurope had realized what tricks had been played on them by "DirtNet," they began to rally and fight back. For 8 years, the WormBorgs dominated the lands, crushing the rebels... until one faithful day, when the now famous rebel hero emerged. It was Wrom Conner. No longer acting as individual factions, countries or nations, the rebels struck quickly and fiercely under Wrom's command, using tactics that even the powerful W-1000's processors' could not predict. The tide of the war had turned. Over the next 5 years, the rebels devastated the WormBorgs. Using guerilla tactics and reprogrammed WormBorgs to fight for them, the rebels were a resourceful army indeed. Now, in desperation, "DirtNet" has just brought its proto-type WormBorg online, equipped with the latest in armor and weaponry, in one last attempt to regain control...
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--== Worminator 3 Features ==--
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-Fast, fluid scrolling
-12 unique weapons, and many types of ammo
-Lots of gibs and shrapnel (all cartoonish, though)
-Visible character damage (as you get hurt, the Worminator actually becomes bloody)
-Visible weapons (every weapon actually appears differently on the Worminator. Most platform games have a single weapon graphic that shoots every type of projectile)
-Over 12 fully animated enemies
-Comes with over 16 levels, and a level editor is included so you can make your own
-Keycards, doors, special items, switches, lever, extending bridges, floating platforms, and more!
-Earthquakes rip the ground apart, while snow and rain fall around you
-Great MIDI tunes by Garret Thomson (garret_t@sympatico.ca, www.sirsonic.com)
-Many sound effects (All from Internet sites such as 'Sound America' and 'Meanrabbit'. Let me know if there are any copyright problems, and I will deal with them immediately)
-Parallax scrolling, plus four data layers in every map. This makes the engine very flexible
-Game includes a campaign game with special scripted events, as well as an option to load custom maps
-Stereo sound effects (where available)
-Limited 'skins' support; you can play as different characters!
-Built using Allegro + DJGPP. Source code may be made available if the demand is there
-If you wish to use the 'Worminator engine', contact me and we will discuss it (I would never charge any money for it, so if your interested, drop me an email. You have nothing to loose)
-Totally Freeware!
* -Worminator is now Win32 native, and we are not releasing DOS versions anymore.
* -Worminator now supports a lot of higher resolutions. Use the options menu to choose them.
* -Worminator now has an automap feature. To toggle it on and off, use the Tab key. See below for more information on the new automap feature.
* -The Worminator engine now has a particle system. Check out the smoke trails on rockets!
* -Worminator now has a stats feature that gives information about the current game. Press Caps Lock to toggle it on and off. Note that the 'Enemies left' display only refers to enemies that can be killed, and not immortal hazards such as flame jets.
* -Several maps now have additional scripted features, keep your eyes peeled!
* -The shotgun now has a laser sight to help you aim it!
* -There is now an options menu in the game! See the appropriate section below for more information...
* -Fixed tons of spelling errors in this ReadMe file and revised several sections.
# -Worminator now has access to many new weapons and alternate ammo types.
# -Many new enemies have been added to the game, beware!
# -You can now record and play back demos.
# -The Worminator can now duck! Press the Z key to take advantage of this new ability.
# -MayTricks mode added, allowing for bullit-time gameplay!
# -A level editor has now been integrated directly into the game, so you need not download a seperate program to edit levels
# -Worminator 3 has a high score table that will allow you to record your score at when you finish the game
# -Worminator 3 now allows you to change the key bindings!
Note: A * indicates that a feature was added in Worm32, and a # indicates that a feature was not added until Worminator 3
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--== Using The Automap ==--
--=========================--
Worminator 3 now includes a nifty automap to help you find your way through all the levels in Worminator 3. By pressing tab while playing, you can turn on or off the automap. The automap displays a chart of the entire level you are currently playing, and allows you to see the positions of enemies, items, and more! The automap can be a real asset if you are stuck in a level, or just need some help finding secret areas. You can move around and play the game as usual while looking at the automap, and so can the enemies, so beware! For a map legend, see below.
Automap Legend:
--** Tiles **--
Empty space - Black
Solid walls - White
Lava and spikes - Orange
Partially solid walls - Grey
Teleporters - Cyan
Level exits - Gold
Unused space - Grey
--** Entities **--
The Worminator - Pink
Enemies - Red
Items - Green
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--== System Requirements Windows ==--
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Worminator 3 was made with Microsoft Visual C++ and the Allegro game library. It uses Direct X for sound and video, and thus should run fine on any Windows based PC. The recommended system setup to run Worminator 3 is listed below:
-Pentium 400 MHz or higher
-Windows based PC (95, 98, ME, NT, XP and 2000 should all work)
-32 megs RAM
-Direct X (9.0 or higher recommended. Available at "http://www.microsoft.com/directx")
-The all3936.dll file, included with the game
-Direct X compatible sound card with drivers
-Direct X compatible video card with drivers
-Keyboard and Mouse required, but should not be a problem at all
-About 20 megs of hard drive space
If you have a machine like the one described above, they you should be all set. Worminator 3 adapts to your computer's speed, so it should run perfectly well on much faster computers such as 800 MHz Pentium III systems. Once again, there is no techincal support offered for Worminator 3, so if you have any problems your on your own. However, if you encounter major problems, drop me an e-mail at DML1001@cox.net and I may be able to help you out.
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--== Installation Windows ==--
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Worminator 3 comes packaged as a self-extracting .exe file. To install it, simply double click the self extracting executable and specify a directory to unzip the game to. To play Worminator 3, just double click the Worminator 3.exe file in whatever folder you extracted the game to.
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--== System Requirements & Installation Linux (Unix) ==--
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Worminator 3 should compile and run on any rescent Unix system with
allegro-4.2.0 or higher. If you don't have allegro you can download it from:
http://alleg.sf.net/
Worminator 3 currently does not come with a Makefile, to compile it unpack
the sources and type:
gcc -O2 -fsigned-char -o worminator Worminator.c `allegro-config --libs`
Thats all, this will give you a worminator binary to run. The worminator
binary will search for wormdata.dat, the *.map and demo?.dem files in the
current working directory. These files can be found in the worminator-data
archive.
You probably want to change the behaviour of worminator of searching for its
files in the cwd, you can do this by setting the DATADIR define during
compilation for example:
gcc -O2 -fsigned-char -DDATADIR=\"/usr/share/worminator/\" -o worminator \
Worminator.c `allegro-config --libs`
Notice that DATADIR must begin and end with an (escaped) '"' and that it must
end with a / .
I hope to provide a more convienient way of doing this in a next release.
Please send all your Unix Worminator questions to the me and not to the
Worminator-Team.
-Hans de Goede <j.w.r.degoede@hhs.nl>
p.s.
You may notice in the options screen that you can't select the safemode
option, this is because this option is windows only.
A word about versioning the unix releases are versioned after the official
releases followed by an additonal .x which means you're using the x-th unix
revision/port of that official release. Thus the first unix release which is
based on the official 3.0R2 (or 3.0 release 2) is 3.0R2.1 .
--================--
--== Controls ==--
--================--
You must use the keyboard to move the Worminator around the environments in the game. The Worminator can perform many actions such as jumping, shooting, and looking up and down. A single key press can perform some of these actions, while others require combinations of two keys. Below, you will find a list of how to perform every action that the Worminator can in the game. You can change around these key bindings if you don't like our default control scheme. Go to the options menu, and click the controls button to bring up the control menu.
Move left/right - Arrow keys
Jump - Control key
Shoot - Spacebar or Alt
Select weapons - Number keys
Select best weapon - B key
Select next weapon - Close bracket key - ]
Select previous weapon - Open bracket key - [
Swim around - Arrow keys (Note: to get out of the water, swim up at the surface and press the jump key)
Look up/down - Shift key + Up or Down arrow key. You may only look while standing still or shooting
Enter tunnel - Up arrow key
Drop down ladder/ledge - Down arrow key + Control key
Display map - Tab key
Display stats - Caps Lock key
Activate bullet time - Shift key (Only works if you turn on May Tricks mode from the options menu)
Duck - Z key
The following are shortcut and special function keys...
Display General Help - F1
Quick Save - F2
Quick Load - F3
Start New Game - F4
Quick Quit Game - F10
Options Menu - F11
Load Custom Map - F12
In addition, pressing the ESC key on your keyboard will pause the game and return you to the main menu screen, where you can save your game or quit if you wish.
--====================--
--== Options Menu ==--
--====================--
After we released the original version of Worminator, we got numerous requests for some sort of an options meny (you know, like all those competently made games out there have). Worminator 3 has made the dreams of so many come alive! The options menu is now a reality! It includes features such as multiple resoultion suppord, game speed and difficulty, sound and music options, cheat modes, and more! The configuration is automatically saved when you exit the game. The options menu can be accessed from the game menu or from inside the game by pressing F11.
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--== Gameplay ==--
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The basic concept of Worminator 3 is very simple; make your way out of the level you are in while getting as many points as possible. Actually accomplishing this is another matter. The levels in Worminator 3 are lined with acid pits, spikes, monsters of all kinds, conveyor belts, crushing columns, and much more! This section gives you some basic background information on the game, and will help you get started if you have never played a sidescroller before.
The status bar - Along the right side of the screen in Worminator 3, you will find the status bar. This is the place that displays almost all the information you will need to play the game. The red bars going up the left side of the status bar indicate the amount of health that the Worminator has. The more red bars, the better. Once all ten health bars are gone, you are dead and must restart the level or load a saved game. To the right of the health bars is the weapons display are. Here, any guns you currently carry will be highlighted in red, and the current ammo count for the weapon you are currently carrying will be displayed in the little white box. To tell what weapon you have selected, simply look at the Worminator and see what he is holding. The keycard display is just above the weapons area. As you collect keys, little colored lights will fill up the white boxes. The color of the light indicates the color of the keycards you carry. Note that when you walk up to a locked door, it will automatically open if you have the correct color keycard, and then you will loose the used keycard. In order to open another locked door of the same color, seek out another keycard. On the very top of the status bar, there is a picture of the Worminator's face. As you take damage, the face will appear damaged as well. The final thing that is displayed on the status bar is your current point total. This is located at the very bottom of the status bar.
Points - Points are awarded for almost everything you do in Worminator 3. Every enemy you kill, every bullet you pick up, and every health kit you grab will give you some points. In addition, there are four other items that award large point values, such as a soda six-pack and some doughnuts. Also, in every level, the letters W, O, R, and M are hidden somewhere. Alone, each letter gives you five hundred points, but if you pick up them in the correct order, you will get a special bonus.
Health - As noted previously, you have ten health bars in Worminator 3, and you will die when they are all used up. Luckily, however, there are often health kits lying around that allow you to recharge some of the Worminator's health. These health packs will award one, two, five, or ten health bars, depending on the size of the health pack. Watch your health bars carefully, and save health packs for when you really need them.
Weapons - There are twelve unique weapons in Worminator 3, as well as several alternate ammo types. To pick up a weapon, simply walk over it. If you pick up a weapon and have no weapon already selected, that weapon will be readied for use. If not, its icon will light up on the status bar, and it will be added to your inventory. A text message will inform you of the type of weapon you have picked up in the game to avoid confusion. To select weapons, simply use the number keys on your keyboard. Pressing one selects no weapon, pressing two selects the minigun, etc... In addition to weapons, there are also ammo packs that provide more ammo for different weapons. These come in two sizes, and they are different for each weapon. For example, the rocket launcher fires rockets while the flamethrower burns gasoline. Note that you can't pick up ammo for a weapon that you do not currently carry.
Enemies - Worminator 3 is loaded with enemies of all sizes. Most can be killed, but a very few can't. Be careful, and be ready to face anything. The majority of enemies fit into one of the following categories; rebel worm enemies, robotic enemies, or mutant enemies.
Death and Dying - When you run out of health, the Worminator will die. At that point, the level will restart and your inventory will be erased. All of the levels are still beatable starting with no weapons or ammo, but they are much harder. As such, if you are having trouble, I suggest you frequently save your game to avoid having to start off later levels without any items. Also, note that there is no 'lives' limit in Worminator 3, so you can keep dying and restarting as many times as you need to.
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--== Enemies ==--
--===============--
During the course of its adventures, the Worminator will encounter hundreds of enemies, all belonging to a few specific types. Below, you will find descriptions of several different enemies, as well as strategic information on them. However, we have intentionally left some enemies undocumented so that they will surprise you while you are playing. Note that every enemy is unique, and enemies each have different ways of attacking you. Some enemies will shoot at you from a distance, while others are electrified and will damage you if they touch you. Some enemies are immobile, while others can almost outrun the Worminator! Be careful, and be ready for just about anything.
Flying Probes - These little robots fly around on pre-set tracks and shoot at you with their laser guns. They also have an electrified shell that causes damage to the Worminator if they come into contact with him. Therefore, you should try to snipe at probes from a distance and avoid walking along their tracks unless you are sure that you can get out of the way in time. Luckily, these enemies are fairly weak and can be destroyed without too much effort.
Robotic Dogs - You have probably seen the Jaws of Life on TV before... you know, the things that they use to pry crashed cars apart with. Well, these dogs have the jaws of death. Get near these robotic K-9 fiends, and they will take a nice bite of wormflesh, costing you a bit of health. Robotic Dogs have moderate armor, so it will take you at least two rockets to bring them down.
Gumdrops - These bizarre mutant creatures have been spawned by all the lingering radiation in the atmosphere. They look like little red dome shaped blobs, and they slither around at an impressive pace. Be careful not to get too near these little beasts, because they are highly toxic and can sap away your health points fairly quickly. Despite the danger, these enemies are also the easiest enemies to kill that you will encounter in the entire game. However, this also means that they are quite common, especially in sewers and other mucky places.
Rebel Worms - These few surviving organic worms were dedicated to fighting against all the Worminators in the great war. Now, you are the only Worminator left, so the rebels are completely committed to your destruction to complete their final victory over the Worminators. There are four separate types of rebel worms, including laser rebel worms, rocket rebel worms, and two other undisclosed warriors that you will have to observe for yourself.
# Worm Cannons - Worm cannons are one of the most heavily armored enemies in the game. They catapult brave kamikaze worms, laden with explosives, to rain destruction upon the Worminator. Be very careful around these. If possible, avoid the cannons, rather than spend the large amount of ammo required to destroy them.
# Wermaids - Cousins of the mermaids, wermaids are out to get the Worminator (who they blame for the mysterious disappearance of their seashell bras). Found only under water, wermaids will damage the Worminator if they come into contact with it. Avoid them or kill them if nessicary.
# Heavy Weapon Rebel Worms - These elite rebel worms are armed with deadly cyborg-seeking missiles that will slowly track town the Worminator. Heavy weapon rebel worms are significantly tougher to kill than other rebels, but they are also a lot slower, due to their massive weapon systems. Although dangerous at a distance, heavy weapon rebel worms can usually be taken out easily if you can get close enough to them.
# Blue Slime - Little annoying jumping blue balls of some weird gunky slime stuff. The do damage on contact, and take a lot of ammo to kill. Your best bet is to simply be careful and avoid them, since it's normally quite easy to time your jumps to get around them.
More, More, More... - There are plenty more creatures to discover in Worminator 3. Explore and have fun, and remember that you can always load your game if you run into anything especially nasty :)
Note: A # indicates that an enemy is new for Worminator 3
--===============--
--== Weapons ==--
--===============--
The Worminator has 12 unique weapons at its disposal, as well as several alternate ammo types. They all have varying strengths and weaknesses, and it is important to select the best weapon for each situation. In order to use a weapon, you must have found it in the game and have enough ammo to fire it. To select a weapon, simply press the number key that is indicated for each weapon in its description below. To select no weapon, press the '0' key on your keyboard.
Several weapons in Worminator 3 now have multiple ammo types. If you are using a weapon that has more than one type of ammo, press the tilde (~) key to change ammo types. When using a secondary ammo type, the ammo counter on the status bar will turn green, and the weapon will visibly change to indicate that you are no longer using standard ammunition. To change back to the regular ammo, press the tilde (~) key a second time.
Minigun - This is the Worminator's basic weapon, which does minimal damage. It fires small bullets extremely fast, which means that it eats up ammo at amazing rates. However, there is also plenty of ammo for this gun lying around for this weapon, so don't be over conservative. You can hold up to 400 bullets for this weapon at a time. This weapon is one of only two that can fire under water! The minigun can be selected by pressing the '2' key on your keyboard.
# Plasma Bolts - The Worminator can collect plasma bolts for use in the minigun. Plasma does much more damage than lead, so use plasma bolts on those tough enemies that just don't wanna die.
Shotgun - This weapon does a little more damage than the minigun. It also has the advantage of being an instant hit weapon, meaning that the instant you pull the trigger, the shell will hit your target. This makes the shotgun ideal for precision shots that you must line up carefully. The shotgun also has unlimited range, which can allow you to hit enemies from out of their range. To select the shotgun, press the '3' key during the game. The shotgun is the second weapon that can fire under water, so make sure you have some shells handy before you decide to go for a little swim. The Worminator can carry up to 50 shells for the shotgun at a time.
# Explosive Shells - A new ammo type is now avalible for use in the shotgun. The Worminator can now collect explosive shells, which not only impact an enemy, but then explode. This gives explosive shells the potential to damage multiple enemies, or deliver a much stronger punch to a single target. As with all explosives in Worminator 3, use explosive shells with caution, as they can damage the Worminator if he is too close when they go off.
Rocket Launcher - Pressing '4' on your keyboard will select one of the more powerful weapons available to the Worminator, the rocket launcher. You can have up to 75 rockets with you for the rocket launcher at any given time. When fired, the rocket launcher will fire off a small rocket, which will then accelerate and fly off in the direction it is fired. The rocket explodes on contact with an enemy or a wall. The explosion from the rocket will do moderate damage to any enemies in its radius, and can also damage the Worminator if you are not careful! Make sure that rockets explode far enough from you so that they don't blow up in your face. The rocket launcher is not able to fire under water.
# Micro Nuke - An amazingly powerful new ammo type is now availble for the rocket launcher. The Worminator need no longer watch in envy as enemies rain nuclear fire down around him, as he can now light a few fires of his own! This superweapon delivers a small nuclear bomb to your enemies, first class. However, due to the micro nuke's large size, the Worminator can carry only one at a time, so use micro nukes cautiously.
Split Rocket Launcher - This is an upgrade for the rocket launcher that can be selected by pressing the '5' key. You automatically receive this weapon when you pick up a rocket launcher, so don't do looking for this weapon in any of the levels. This weapon is essentially just a rocket launcher, but instead of firing off a single rocket, this weapon fires off two rockets at a time which branch apart, one flying at an angle upward and the other downward. This fires the same type of ammo as the standard rocket launcher, and like the rocket launcher, it can't fire underwater.
Laser Gun - The laser gun is one of the more interesting weapons available to the Worminator. It can be selected by pressing the '6' key on your keyboard. The laser gun is powered by cells, of which you can have up to 75 at any given time. When fired, the laser gun emits a pink laser beam that will instantly hit all enemies in its path. That's right, the laser rifle is capable of firing through any number of enemies, as long as they are all aligned. If there are four robotic dogs in front of you when you fire the gun, they all take an equal amount of damage. This weapon, like the shotgun, is an instant hit weapon. Unlike the shotgun, however, the laser gun can't fire under water.
Flame Thrower - One of the most devastating weapons that the Worminator can obtain is the flamethrower. When fired, a large flame bursts out of the nozzle of this weapon, burning flesh and melting metal. The longer you keep the flame on an enemy, the more damage is done. Selecting this weapon once you have it can be accomplished by pressing the '7' key on the keyboard. Naturally, the flamethrower is not able to fire under water, and unfortunately, you can only have up to units of gasoline available for the flamethrower at any given time.
Mortar Cannon - This is the best weapon for making cheap shots and stealth attacks. The mortar cannon will fire off a large, bouncy mortar at a 45-degree angle when used. The mortar will then bounce around like crazy until it hits an enemy or simply explodes due to being bounced around too much. Select the mortar launcher by pressing '8', and be careful, because you can only have 25 mortars at any one time. Mortars, like rockets, will damage the Worminator if they explode near him, and can't be used under water due to their explosive nature.
BFG - Can anyone say ripoff? If you have ever played Doom or Quake 2/3, you know what this is. Select it by pressing the '9' key on the keyboard.
Minelayer - One of the most versatile weapons at the Worminator's disposal is the minelayer. When the Worminator uses the minelayer, it will deposit a mine at the Worminator's feet. The mine will take a few seconds to arm, during which the Worminator should take cover as it can set off it's own mines.
# Walking Mines - The Worminator now has a new type of mine at his disposal, walking mines. When you use one of these, it will stay still until it arms, and will then procede to walk in the direction the Worminator was facing when it operated the minelayer. Walking mines can be extremely useful for attacking turrets and other hard to reach enemies, since they will travel on their own into hard to reach areas.
# Chainsaw - One of only two melee weapons availble to the Worminator, the chainsaw is truly a weapon to be feared. To select it, press '-' on the keyboard. Ripping through flesh and metal alike, the chainsaw can make quick work of any of the Worminator's enemies. However, the chainsaw can only be used at close range. Unlike the flamethrower, the chainsaw does damage for as long as the fire key is held down, making it very useful for chasing down enemies.
# Railgun - The railgun is almost identical to the laser gun in appearance and functionality. However, it leaves a cool wavy trail, and does a bit more damage. Select it with the "=" key.
# Starduster - The most powerful single weapon avalible to the Worminator is now the starduster. Press "\" to select it. It fires out three seperate projectiles at once, one following a linear path, and the two others oscillating up and down. Each individual projectile does about as much damage as a BFG shot. The downside to all this firepower though is ammo capacity. The startduster requires three stars per shot, and you can hold only 9 stars at a time, limiting the Worminator to only 3 shots from a fully charged starduster. As such, use the starduster conservatively.
Note: A # indicates that a weapon or ammo type is new for Worminator 3
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--== 'Skin' Notes ==--
--====================--
One of the neatest features of Worminator 3 is that you are allowed to play as different characters if you wish. This is called selecting a 'skin', because the game is essentially applying a different skin on top of the Worminator to create a different character for you to play as. Sure, the Worminator is pretty cool, but after a while, you may wish to play as one of the other characters that we have included. To select a different character, simply go to the 'skins' menu on the main menu bar, and make your selection. Note that the changes made by selecting different characters are graphical only, so the gameplay is completely unaffected by the character that you choose from the 'skins' menu. By default, you will, of course, be playing as the totally cool Worminator, and every time you die or exit and restart the game, the game will revert back to the default Worminator skin. You can change characters at any point in the game. For your convenience, I have listed the available playable character 'skins' below.
Worminator - This is the default 'skin'. You can use this option to play as the Worminator again if you have already selected a different character. If you die or restart the game, this skin will also be automatically selected.
Damaged Worms (1 - 3) - These 'skins' simply allow you to play using one of the damaged frame sets for the Worminator. This looks kind of weird, but it can be fun to play around with.
The Brain - One of our favorites, this 'skin' is the official Electroencephalogram brain. He is purple, and walks on his spinal cord and nerve endings.
The Yipnik Mikimbo - Keith just drew this, so Dave programmed it right in. No one is sure what exactly it is, but it looks really creepy and cool. Purple slime creatures rule!
Hotdog Hero - One of the smartest hotdogs in the world, this guy is out to liberate all hotdogs in the world from the greedy jaws of fat people.
VooDoo Badie - A creepy red VooDoo mask. This guy started out as a chunk of moldy cheese, and was then converted by and ancient VooDoo witch doctor into the walking red menace it is today. This dude is so tough that he holds his weapons in his mouth!
Yuanti - The famed Yuan-Ti (who had his name changed to avoid C++ ASCII character restrictions of variable names), a fantasy creature of legend and myth. We thought it was too cool NOT to put in the game... so its really not there for any particular reason. It just looks cool.
There are many more skins included in Worminator 3. Just click on the skins button on the main menu to choose one.
--======================================--
--== Worminator 3 Difficulty Levels ==--
--======================================--
Worminator 3 has five different difficulty levels you can play the game on. You select difficulty modes in the options menu, and you can change difficulty in real time while you are playing the game, there is no need to restart! So, if you get halfway through the game, and then start to have a lot of trouble, just go to the options menu and lower the difficulty until you get past the tough spot!
Wimp - On wimp mode, you never run out of ammo for most weapons. Once you find a weapon, you can use it forever without depleting any ammo (EXCEPT for superweapons like the BFG and the Starduster). However, you do not have unlimited secondary ammo types, so you will still have to collect plasma bullets, explosive shells, micro nukes, and walking mines if you want to use them. You also start every game with the minigun, so your never unarmed. In addition, in wimp mode, you take greatly reduced damage from enemies and hazards, and you will slowly regenerate health over time. Additionally, all health kits will restore the Worminator to full health, even the smaller kits. This mode is intended for people who are new to video games, and need a lot of help.
Easy - On easy mode you take slightly reduced damage from enemies and hazards, and you will slowly regenerate spent bullets for the minigun over time. You don't have unlimited ammo though, and ammo for other guns does not regenerate. You also recieve an boost from medkids, which heal twice as much health as they do in normal difficulty. Use this mode if you are having trouble beating Worminator 3, but still want something of a challenge.
Normal - Plain vanilla Worminator 3. You don't regenerate health or ammo, you basically just play the game as it was originally designed. This is recommended for any players who have the knack of the game, and are looking for a challenge.
Hard - For those who can blast through Worminator 3 in a few seconds, hard difficulty is recommended. On hard, you only get one health per health kit, regardless of size. Also, you take slightly increased damage from all attacks.
Nightmare - This mode really lives up to its name. Don't even think of playing in this difficulty unless your a Worminator 3 god! Enemies will come back to life shorlty after you kill them, and all health kits are DISABLED! The only way to heal in nightmare mode is beat a level, since you will recieve full health after completing a level. As if that wasn't enough, you also take extra damage from all attacks! AVOID THIS AT ALL COSTS UNLESS YOU ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE!
--==========================--
--== Worminator 3 Hints ==--
--==========================--
Worminator 3 is designed to be a fairly difficult game, primiarily because there are only 16 levels in it, and we needed to find some way to make the game take a decent amout of time to complete. However, Worminator 3 should be a lot easier than the original Worminator was, since we rebalanced the game after many people complained that the game was too difficult. If your still having trouble with the game, the following hints may help you.
-Save often! You can bring up the save menu quickly by hitting the F2 key, and the load menu with the F3 key. You can save and load your game anywhere, so save every few minutes just in case you run into a trap.
-Pace yourself. It is very difficult (though not impossible) to charge through the levels in Worminator 3 as fast as possible and still manage to beat them. It is a much better idea in general to take your time, clear out as many enemies as possible, and search for hidden ammo, health, and weapons. Some levels are very difficult to beat without finding some weapon caches that aren't on the main path through the level. Also, if your low on health, try going back to parts of the level you have already cleared and looking for some health kits.
-Try an easier difficulty. Worminator 3 offers five different difficulty levels so that you can fine tune the difficulty of the game to better suit your own abilities. If your having a lot of trouble, just choose an easier difficulty until you get the hang of things.
-Change the game speed. Worminator 3 has five different speed options, that either increase or decrease the game speed. If things are too fast for you, try slowing the game down so that you have more time to react to enemies.
-Change the resolution. Sometimes, being able to see more of the screen will make the game easier, since you can see if there are any enemies off the screen that are shooting at you. For others, lowering the resolution will help since it will make everything larger and more easy to see. You can adjust the resolution, as well as the game difficulty and speed, in the options menu.
-Use bullit time! WOrminator 3 has a new 'may tricks' mode, that allows you to go into bullit time by pressing the shift key. When bullet time is engaged, the game slows down a lot, allowing you to dodge bullets and make tricky jumps with ease. In order for bullit time to work, may tricks mode must be activated in the options menu.
-Download and watch the walktrough demos. Worminator 3 has some new demo features that allow you to record and play back games of Worminator 3. On the official Worminator website (www.worminator.com), you can download a pack of demos that shows you how to beat every level in the game! If your stuck or need some help getting by some enemies, download the demos and see how its done!
-Use the automap. By pressing tab while playing, you can view the automap. The automap shows you a little map of the current level you are on, including all enemies, lava pits, water pools, and more. This can help you to navigate through the level and spot secret passages.
--=======================================--
--== Development/Mapping Information ==--
--=======================================--
Using the editor that is included with Worminator 3, you can create your own maps and then play them in the game by starting a new game, and selecting the custom map option. The editor is fairly self-explanatory, and I do not offer any support on it. If you have trouble with it, I am sorry, but I can't do anything to help you out. I have, however, included a little information on hotkeys and other features below to help you get started. When saving maps, you can save them with any file name you choose, as long as the extension is on them is .map, indicating to the engine that this is a Worminator map file. Do not overwrite the maps called Map01.map-Map07.map, or you will corrupt the included campaign game, and the scripts may cause problems on your new maps. I suggest giving your maps meaningful names such as forest.map or city.map or something else like that. Anyway, on to the info...
-First and foremost, load up the maps that we made with the editor and look around. Learn how to do things by experimenting and looking at our maps for examples.
-Unlike the game, the editor will not adjust to the speed of your computer. Unfortunately, this means that the editor may be too fast to use on high end machines. It runs at a reasonable speed on my Pentium IV/2400 MHz, though.
-There are four 'data layers' in Worminator 3. Use the display properties button to control which ones are visible and the select layer button to pick which layer you wish to edit. The first two layers, background and foreground, are graphical layers which contain 'tiles' of art that make up the level. The next layer, the info layer, contains all the information the game needs to run the physics code in your map, such as what areas are solid, which are water, and so on. The final layer, the graphical properties later, is used to create special effects and is not important to the novice user.
-'Sprites' are anything that moves around or interacts with the player. These include enemies, weapons, and other items. Use the 'Add Sprite' button to add in sprites of a given type. All sprites are represented by small tiles in the editor, but will be shown normally in the game. Once again, examine the included maps for examples of how to use sprites. In order to delete sprites, put the mouse cursor over a sprite and press the 'delete' key on your keyboard. This will remove all sprites under the mouse cursor.
-When selecting tiles, you can select rectangular 'blocks' of tiles all at once to save time. To see what I mean, try left clicking on the select tiles display, and the right clicking somewhere under the spot where you left clicked. You should now see a white box surrounding the selected tiles. When you add these tiles into the map, all of them will be added at once. When creating patterned background areas and such, this tool can save a lot of time.
-Well, that's about it for now on mapping. Good luck mapping!
--===============--
--== Credits ==--
--===============--
Programming - David Layne (also sort of the project leader, if we really had one)
Artwork - Keith Palmer and Jeff Nielson
Level Design - Kurtis Palmer, David Layne, Keith Palmer, and Jeff Nielson
Music - Dave Cha
Special Thanks:
-Shawn Hargreaves and all others who helped make Allegro. Free stuff rules!
-Apogee + ID Software. They made lots of cool sidescrollers and got us interested in computer games years ago
-Anyone who submits comments or bug reports to us
-Jeff Nielson (For being fun to pick on :)
-Keith Palmer (For being lazy as all hell :)
-Daniel Layne (For, well... nothing actually. Never mind :)
-The GameSpy Network, for hosting Worminator and Worminator 3!
-Garret Thomson (garret_t@sympatico.ca, www.sirsonic.com) (For allowing us to use his MIDIs for the original Worminator)
-Did I forget anyone?
--===========================--
--== Contact Information ==--
--===========================--
You may contact the members of the Worminator 3 Team at the following e-mail addresses:
David Layne - DML1001@cox.net (Programmer, map reviser, sort of project leader)
Keith Palmer - Superwormy@hotmail.com or wormdesigns@hotmail.com (Artist, map creator, chief group weirdo)
Kurtis Palmer - yargh76@hotmail.com (Map creator, idea generator, nutcase)
Jeff Nielson - DragonsBloodVIII@yahoo.com (Artist, map creator, guy who draws stuff too hard to program)
Dave Cha - davidcha1982@hotmail.com (MIDI Composer for Worminator 3)
Garret Thomson - garret_t@sympatico.ca/www.sirsonic.com (Cool guy who let us use his MIDIs for the original Worminator)
--==================================--
--== The Future Of Worminator 3 ==--
--==================================--
Worminator 3 is likely the final version of any Worminator game that we will be releasing, at least for the forseeable future. We have included all the useable content that we could find, and do not have any more ideas or the time to work on the game anymore. However, the source code for Worminator 3 is publically avalible at the Worminator website (http://www.worminator.com/), so you can make modifications or improvements to the game if you so desire. Also, since Worminator has a level editor and demo recorder built in, you can create your own maps and demos, and exchange them over the internet. If you make anything especially nice, send it in to us and we'll post it on the official Worminator site! (See below for contact information)
--=================================--
--== Mini FAQ + Hints And Tips ==--
--=================================--
This section will provide answers to a few common questions, as well as give out a few secrets and tips to help you get started in Worminator 3.
Q: What video mode should I use?
A: Choose whatever resolution looks and works best on your individual machine. Changing the resolution has no effect on gameplay, but it allows you to see more of the level, which can be extremely helpful. If you want, try running in a window, or turning on FSAA mode to see if you like it better.
Q: Can I adjust the sound volume?
A: Yes, just use the arrows on the options menu.
Q: Can I customize the controls?
A: Nope, sorry.
Q: What language was Worminator 3 programmed in?
A: Worminator 3 was written from scratch in C, and was compiled with Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0. Worminator 3 also uses the Allegro game library, which is a highly portable and highly recommended game programming library. For more information about Allegro, visit http://www.allegro.cc. Worminator 3 is based on the source code for the original Worminator.
Q: Can I have the source code?
A: The full scource code for Worminator 3 is currently avalible at the Worminator website (http://www.worminator.com/). Happy coding!
Q: Do you have a website?
A: Yes, the Worminator website is currently located at http://www.worminator.com/
Q: Is there a level editor available?
A: Yes, Worminator 3 now has a level editor integrated right into the game. Please send us any maps you make, we love new challenges.
Q: I just made an add on map, now how do I run it?
A: Select new game from the Worminator 3 menu, and then click on custom map. Then, simply select the map from the list, and play away!
Q: I just used the custom map feature to jump ahead in the campaign game, but the switches don't work and I can't beat the level!
A: Don't use the custom map feature to jump ahead in the campaign game! If you do, the special scripts will not work and you will be unable to finish most of the maps. Also, don't replace the existing campaign maps with different ones, as the scripts will make the levels work improperly. If you want to make your own campaigns with scripts, download the source code, and modify the scripted events.
Q: What different versions of Worminator 3 are available?
A: There is currently only one version of Worminator 3 avalible. If you want a copy of the original Worminator, please see the Worminator website for more information (http://www.worminator.com/). If anyone ports Worminator to a different OS, or we release any new versions, we will let you know via our website.
Q: I'm stuck! Help!
A: Try harder. If you still are having a lot of trouble beating Worminator, then try looking for the secret cheats menu. Its very poorly hidden somewhere in the game, and it will allow you to enable many secret modes that make the game much easier.
Q: How bout some tips?
A: Ok, here:
-See if you can beat level 1 of episode 1 without using the red key. If so, you can get a super secret in a later level.
-Save your game often!
-Try using many different weapons to conserve ammo. It is usually a good idea to have a little ammo for each gun instead of no ammo for one and a ton for another.
-Rocket explosions will damage you if you are too close.
-Enemy's rocket explosions can damage enemies, not just you.
-Don't give up. Worminator 3 is hard, but possible.
--===============--
--== The End ==--
--===============--
Well, that's all for now, I hope you found this ReadMe helpful. Remember to contact us with any comments or problems, and let Freeware rule the cosmos!
Enjoy Worminator 3, the game took over 1000 hours of work between everyone to finish, and I do think it's pretty cool.
-David Layne (DML1001@cox.net)