Teeworlds
| Teeworlds | |
|---|---|
 Teeworlds | |
| Developer(s) | Teeworlds.com |
| Designer(s) | Magnus Auvinen |
| Platform(s) | Cross-platform |
| Release date(s) | May 27, 2007 (Birdie Beta) |
| Genre(s) | 2D Shooter |
| Mode(s) | Online multiplayer |
| Distribution | Download |
Teeworlds is a free, open source sidescrolling multiplayer-only shooting game. It features simple cartoon-themed graphics and physics and relies heavily on classic shooter weaponry and gameplay. Since August 29, 2012, the creator and developer, Magnus Auvinen made development and forum moderation public to a community of selected volunteers.[1] The latest version is 0.6.2 and was released on 1 May 2013,[2] and is still under active development on GitHub. With the 0.4.0 release, the original name "Teewars" was changed to Teeworlds by the developers due to legal reasons.[3]
Currently there are official versions for Microsoft Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. In December 2007, the source code was made available to the public under the terms of the zlib License.[4]
Gameplay
Teeworlds presents itself as a crossover between classic sprite-based shoot-em-up games of the arcade era and modern-day first-person shooters. It is played on two-dimensional, side-scrolling maps typical of the platformer genre, but uses FPS-style keyboard controls for moving, switching weapons and chatting. The game also sports a grappling hook and double-jump mechanics for maneuvering. Maps' landscape themes include: grass, cave, winter, desert, and jungle, which feature map elements such as spikes, pitfalls, and non-hook-able metal and rock in vanilla gametypes.
The main menu contains a list of game servers that the player can choose from. Teeworlds works as a client-server system. The player maneuvers a "Tee", a ball-shaped 2D character, using the keyboard and aims and shoots at other players or objects using the mouse. The game also sports a grappling hook, which can be attached to players or objects. It is mainly meant to improve the maneuverability of the player, allowing them to swing through the map. The attachment to players is temporarily and lasts slightly more than 1 second. The grappling hook is controlled by mouse aim. The double-jump allows the player to jump once more when already in the air. This increases the jump distance and height significantly. The weapons are inspired by FPS games such as the Quake and Unreal series. Teeworlds has also been compared to the Worms series of turn-based strategy games.[5] The player spawns with 10 hearts and two weapons, a hammer and a pistol. Advanced weapons, such as the grenade-launcher, shotgun and laser deal more damage than both the spawn weapons, but only have limited ammo (10 shots). The grenade-launcher is a powerful weapon with a quirk that allows players to shoot themselves up walls or higher in the air, enabling them to reach higher points in maps quicker; however, this deals damage to the player himself so it is used sparingly. The only powerup in the game is a katana, which gives the player a better damage dealing and quickness for a 15-second period of time. It changes the player's character to a ninja, enabling other players to notice he picked up the powerup. Health and shields (acting as armor) are spread out along the map, which can be collected by players when needed. The player can gather up to 10 hearts and 10 shields.
Gametypes
Currently, the official gametypes are:
- Deathmatch: The aim is to kill as many enemy players as possible, until a certain score is reached or the time runs out.
- Team Deathmatch: The same gametype as Deathmatch, except that the players now fight in 2 teams and aim for a higher, combined kill score.
- Capture The Flag: Two teams try to capture and score the enemy flag to reach a certain score (combined with team kills), or to have the higher score when the time runs out.[6]
Development
Because TeeWorlds is open source, a community actively develops it, using GitHub[7] with the main developer known as Oy. Teeworlds is mainly programmed in the programming languages C and C++.
The newest releases 0.6.0, 0.6.1 and 0.6.2 feature a wide variety of languages, an improved map editor and accept more character symbols. (1, 2, 3, 4)
Neither the release date, nor the changes for the next version 0.7 are yet known. Planned changes are a new skin system,[8] reworked graphics,[9][10] reworked and new maps,[11] new powerups[12] and new gametypes.
User-created content
The game includes a map editor, which is a simple tool to create own maps with. Many user created maps include their own tilesets that are downloaded with the maps from the game server Teeworlds uses simple image files for most of the games's graphical content. As a result, this content may be modified and extended. Customized game character skins can be seen by other clients, as long as the skins have the same name.
Teeworlds can take screenshots and record demos that can then be viewed in the game. This has led to many Teeworlds videos on web platforms, such as YouTube.
Code modifications
For the reason of the Teeworlds source being public, many fan programmers can create their own versions of the game, which generally has a strong influence on the game and its further development. Many players are attracted to the endless possibilities of changing the game to suit their own benefits. Slightly modified game servers are accepted by the official game, as long as they broadcast that they are. Most of the modified server versions feature new gametypes. Modified game clients are commonly used by the community.
References
- ↑ "Teeworlds Elders". Retrieved 2011-11-28.
- ↑ "Teeworlds" 0.6.2 released!". Retrieved 2013-06-04.
- ↑ "About the name change". Retrieved 2008-03-22.
- ↑ "Licence".
- ↑ Mead, Nick. "Teeworlds - Download". Softonic.com. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
- ↑ "CTF-Scoring".
- ↑ "Teeworlds on GitHub".
- ↑ "Working on: a new skin system for 0.7 or 0.8". Retrieved 2011-11-28.
- ↑ "0.7 winter main tiles will be reorganized". Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ↑ "working on: unhookables". Retrieved 2012-02-13.
- ↑ "Graphical progresses of ctf5". Retrieved 2012-05-08.
- ↑ "Ideas for new powerups". Retrieved 2012-11-17.
