Team17 reveals all on Worms 2: Armageddon iPhone
Online multiplayer? Check!
A few weeks ago, Team17 released some extra content for its turn-based artillery title Worms on iPhone, celebrating its shortlisting for Strategy Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards.
Upon launching the updated game, we noticed a "misplaced" promo banner for the developer's imminent sequel Worms 2: Armageddon.
Team17 invited us to discuss the now-outed Worms follow-up with Martyn Brown, business development director and co-founder.
Here's the skinny from the Worms 2: Armageddon frontline.
Pocket Gamer: It's now 18 months since Worms first landed on the iPhone battlefield – have you been pleased with the game's performance on the App Store?Team17: Yes, we've been more than happy about Worms holding its own in the App Store. It has been number one in a ton of territories and been very consistent in the charts since launch in most territories.
What can we expect from its sequel Worms 2: Armageddon in terms of new features?Worms 2: Armageddon brings a whole raft of new features to the iPhone and iPad, including many new and classic weapons, extensive new game modes, and tons of brand new customisation options.
So, what are these brand new customisation options?The customisation options in Worms 2: Armageddon are significantly more in-depth than in the first title.
There are options to create custom game styles, so players can modify the types of weapons they have and the landscape properties, for example. These custom game styles can then be saved and used on or offline.
Players can now make their team of invertebrates truly their own with hats, forts, skins, and victory dances available for the first time.
Another addition is that players can now spend gold coins - earned by completing the single-player campaign missions - in the shop on new clothing, etc., or on unlocking weapons for multiplayer games.
Our biggest complaint with Worms at review was lack of online multiplayer. Will there be a multiplayer update, and will Worms 2: Armageddon have online multiplayer?Worms will not be receiving a multiplayer update. On balance, we decided to spend more time adding the Bluetooth multiplayer mode, which seemed to make greater sense since the social side of the game could still be present.
In a couple of other mobile editions of Worms where online has been present, it's been rarely used simply because people tend to play online games in other environments and Worms is not that conducive to online play.
Saying that, Worms 2: Armageddon does indeed boast online wi-fi multiplayer action. To ensure the best possible user experience and more completed matches, we decided to limit online multiplayer to two players.
iPhone gamers can also battle against their friends over Bluetooth multiplayer, offering support for 1-4 combatants / teams.
Will all of the multiplayer modes from the XBLA and the PSN versions be included?We have tried to include as many of the XBLA and PSN games' modes in the iPhone / iPad version that we could, which means that in multiplayer there are four new game styles – Fort Mode, Forts Pro Mode, Crazy Crates, and Custom Game Style.
We also see the return of some classic game styles - Bazooka and Grenade, Melee, Gun Show, Heads Up, Lightside, Darkside, and Sinking.
Have you introduced any changes to the control method either on iPhone or iPad?The controls for certain actions have been modified slightly, but there are no wholesale changes. To be honest, after releasing a bunch of updates and fixes for the first game, it seems people are satisfied with the Worms controls.
We have made some slight adjustments to the way the Ninja Rope works and we have also streamlined the frontend menus by adding swipe functionality.
For iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 users there are further improved visuals, with animated 3D backgrounds, water effects, and other graphical enhancements. On the iPad you'll see there are crisp 'High Definition' visuals and additional special effects.
Unlike the first games, which we released as separate iPhone and iPad titles, Worms 2: Armageddon is being released as a universal app. Before you ask, yes, cross-platform warfare (between iPhone and iPad) will be possible.
Apple recently introduced the social gaming network Game Center: will Worms 2: Armageddon offer Game Center integration?Worms 2: Armageddon does not feature Game Center integration, but it does have Plus+ support that provides in-game awards, a friends list, and leaderboards.
Players can also post their high scores and achievements to Twitter and Facebook.
Game Center came along a little late in the development schedule to include and, in all honesty, there are a lot of non-iOS 4 devices still out there. It's something we'll look at going forwards, though.
Back in July, a Battle Pack was distributed on XBLA as DLC, serving up 30 new single-player missions, six new weapons, ten new forts, and more for Worms 2: Armageddon players. Will the Battle Pack be available to iOS customers, too?Yes, the Battle Pack is indeed coming to iPhone and iPad for Worms 2: Armageddon, and is set for release soon after the game launches.
More details will follow in due course.
How much will Worms 2: Armageddon cost?Worms Armageddon will be available on Thursday 28th October for iPhone and iPad at £2.99 / $4.99 / €3.99 from the App Store.
Many thanks to Martyn Brown and his Team17 army for their time.