The Worm
Become an antiviral agent and defend system chip from incoming viral attacks. Reveal and eliminate the utterly dangerous form of a polymorphic worm which leads the attack and passes himself off as an antiviral software!
Latest version: ALPHA 9 (25.05.2011)
Players: 4-7 human players suggested
Game speed: Fastest strongly suggested
Tileset: Space Platform
Size: 96x96
Terrain picture:
Players: 4-7 human players suggested
Game speed: Fastest strongly suggested
Tileset: Space Platform
Size: 96x96
Terrain picture:
Some Technical Info
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Filename: The Worm vALPHA9.scx
Size: 89,0 KB (compressed with TinyMap 2)
Triggers: 561
Locations: 149
String Capacity: 11%
Time Spent: ~53 human-hours
Size: 89,0 KB (compressed with TinyMap 2)
Triggers: 561
Locations: 149
String Capacity: 11%
Time Spent: ~53 human-hours
Screenshoots
vALPHA 1
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The game starts. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Here we go!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Oj doesn't know his destiny yet. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Num-num!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Replenishing resources. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Final blow!
Game Mechanics
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Sci-Fi World
The map may be attributed to "The Thing" kind, but has several additional gameplay layers which ensure an intensive game. Action takes place on a fancy computer chip. Players find themselves being antiviral agents (further just Agents) activated to resist the emerged threat. A dangerous polymorphic worm (further just The Worm) have penetrated through the defensive barrier and now threatens to destroy the whole system from within passing itself off to the antiviral software as an Agent.
Core Mechanics
Each player commands a single unit: Marine. One player is chosen at the very beginning of the game as being The Worm. The identity of The Worm is unknown for the other players. The Worm has an ability to morph into his second form: Hydralisk. Players have distinctive colors from red to yellow, but Hydralisk is permanently cloaked and invisible for everyone. A colorless marker (Interceptor) is attached to the Hydralisk and follows it whenever it goes. Killing the Interceptor is equivalent to killing The Worm.
Objectives
Agents objective is to kill The Worm and to solve the puzzle (see further). The objective of The Worm is to eliminate Agents.
The Computer Player
There is a computer player which represents malicious programs penetrating through the software vulnerabilities (see further). It controls randomly spawned units which are hostile towards Agents and towards The Worm in his Agent form.
The Puzzle (outdated)
The map incorporates a puzzle game based on the game called Mastermind. Solving the puzzle is one of the inalienable parts of the victory for Agents. The puzzle has two outcomes. The positive outcome reveals the identity of The Worm. The negative outcome releases a dangerous virus contained on quarantine and blocks Agents from achieving the positive outcome until it is rendered harmless.
Mastermind is a code breaking game. The player who leads the game thinks of an N-digit number X. The rest try to guess the number by announcing their test numbers. The leader tells 1) the overall number of digits matching the number X and 2) the number of digits matching X which stay on the right positions. For instance, if the guessed number is 122351 and the test number is 012329 then there are 4 digits matching the guessed number 2 of which stay on the right positions.
The puzzle uses 6-digit numbers in octal notation (there are only 8 digits). Terran flying buildings represent digit positions, when their colors represent digits. At the beginning of the game the map choses seven 6-digit octal numbers. One number is the "right code", the rest are "wrong codes" and distinguish from the right code each in one digit: the n-th wrong code randomly distinguishes from the right code in the n-th digit. Guessing the right code is the positive outcome, guessing the wrong code is considered the negative outcome.
Flying buildings are split into 3 groups (see the terrain picture). Agents change buildings colors by approaching respective terminals nearby. Colors cycle through all 8 possibilities and then loop back to the first color. The Worm may also change buildings colors but only in it's Agent form. The test of the code is held in the middle of the map and requires 2 Agents to approach respective terminals at one time. The map displays the answer on the 2 mineral patches nearby. The code which is being tested is not publicly announced to players. When people guess the wrong code Stasis Cell/Prison turns into Cerebrate and additionally spawns several slow Ultralisks.
Another Way to Release Ultralisks (outdated)
Stasis Cell/Prison may be manually destroyed (as a normal building). Cerebrate spawns and Ultralisks release upon it's destruction as if the "wrong code" was guessed.
Time and The Timer (outdated)
Every 6 game minutes after the first 4 game minutes the map reveals the digit of the guessed number which doesn't match (position+color) the current test number. When there is only one such a digit, the map reveals all the digits of the guessed number but this non-matching digit. Digits (read buildings colors) that are already revealed are fixed and can't be changed further. Timer shows the time until the moment when all digits but one are to be revealed (if the current test number won't change).
Resources
All players (both Agents and The Worm) require the following resources to stay alive: CPU (minerals), Memory (gas) and Power (custom score). Initially players have 100 of each resource. Resources slowly deplete as time goes by. When at least one resource reaches 0, the player unit is constantly set to a small amount of HP. When 2 resources reach 0 player dies. The maximum capacity of each resource for the player is 150 units. The Agent unit of the player is constantly healed while player supports all 3 resources at the level of 101 and more. Morphing into the Hydralisk form reqires small amount of minerals and gas.
There are resource sources (resource powerups) randomly spread all over the map. Each source have a given (random) supply which slowly depletes over time. When Agent approaches the source he consumes the supply and replenishes the respective resource type. The Worm must morph into the Agent form to be able to replenish resources. When a source becomes depleted, another one immediately spawns on the random spot (one of 64 spots) of the map. All locations of resource sources are constantly visible to players. The current supply of the source is displayed with help of the hit points bar of the powerup.
More About the Computer
There are 14 "vulnerability" locations on the chip (read map). At start of the game vulnerabilities are "patched" with Machine Shops. Machine Shops have a small (and randomized) amount of HP and are slowly burning down. When Machine Shop is destroyed a "glitch" (Creep Colony) breaks through the vulnerability. Creep Colonies spawn with low HP at the spot of the former Machine Shop. Creep Colony slowly spawns burrowed computer Zerglings ("bugs") underneath. Creep Colonies may be upgraded (for a given amount of minerals and gas) by The Worm into Sunken or Spore Colonies (owned still by the computer player). Sunken Colonies continue to spawn Zerglings and will attack nearby Agents. Spore Colony has an increased amount of HP and an upgraded spawn. When Colony (Creep, Sunken or Spore) is destroyed burning Machine Shop (with randomized HP) spawns on it's place.
Machine Shops have high mineral and gas cost as well as building time, but it's possible for Agents to repair them: SCV spawns when Agent (or The Worm in the Agent form) approaches the Machine Shop.
Additional Restrictions
For all human players alliance status is permanently imposed as ally against all other players. This means one must manually lock targets to attack them. Shared vision is forbidden. The Worm has shared vision with the computer player.
Note: All numbers are the subject to the balance changes.
The map may be attributed to "The Thing" kind, but has several additional gameplay layers which ensure an intensive game. Action takes place on a fancy computer chip. Players find themselves being antiviral agents (further just Agents) activated to resist the emerged threat. A dangerous polymorphic worm (further just The Worm) have penetrated through the defensive barrier and now threatens to destroy the whole system from within passing itself off to the antiviral software as an Agent.
Core Mechanics
Each player commands a single unit: Marine. One player is chosen at the very beginning of the game as being The Worm. The identity of The Worm is unknown for the other players. The Worm has an ability to morph into his second form: Hydralisk. Players have distinctive colors from red to yellow, but Hydralisk is permanently cloaked and invisible for everyone. A colorless marker (Interceptor) is attached to the Hydralisk and follows it whenever it goes. Killing the Interceptor is equivalent to killing The Worm.
Objectives
Agents objective is to kill The Worm and to solve the puzzle (see further). The objective of The Worm is to eliminate Agents.
The Computer Player
There is a computer player which represents malicious programs penetrating through the software vulnerabilities (see further). It controls randomly spawned units which are hostile towards Agents and towards The Worm in his Agent form.
The Puzzle (outdated)
The map incorporates a puzzle game based on the game called Mastermind. Solving the puzzle is one of the inalienable parts of the victory for Agents. The puzzle has two outcomes. The positive outcome reveals the identity of The Worm. The negative outcome releases a dangerous virus contained on quarantine and blocks Agents from achieving the positive outcome until it is rendered harmless.
Mastermind is a code breaking game. The player who leads the game thinks of an N-digit number X. The rest try to guess the number by announcing their test numbers. The leader tells 1) the overall number of digits matching the number X and 2) the number of digits matching X which stay on the right positions. For instance, if the guessed number is 122351 and the test number is 012329 then there are 4 digits matching the guessed number 2 of which stay on the right positions.
The puzzle uses 6-digit numbers in octal notation (there are only 8 digits). Terran flying buildings represent digit positions, when their colors represent digits. At the beginning of the game the map choses seven 6-digit octal numbers. One number is the "right code", the rest are "wrong codes" and distinguish from the right code each in one digit: the n-th wrong code randomly distinguishes from the right code in the n-th digit. Guessing the right code is the positive outcome, guessing the wrong code is considered the negative outcome.
Flying buildings are split into 3 groups (see the terrain picture). Agents change buildings colors by approaching respective terminals nearby. Colors cycle through all 8 possibilities and then loop back to the first color. The Worm may also change buildings colors but only in it's Agent form. The test of the code is held in the middle of the map and requires 2 Agents to approach respective terminals at one time. The map displays the answer on the 2 mineral patches nearby. The code which is being tested is not publicly announced to players. When people guess the wrong code Stasis Cell/Prison turns into Cerebrate and additionally spawns several slow Ultralisks.
Another Way to Release Ultralisks (outdated)
Stasis Cell/Prison may be manually destroyed (as a normal building). Cerebrate spawns and Ultralisks release upon it's destruction as if the "wrong code" was guessed.
Time and The Timer (outdated)
Every 6 game minutes after the first 4 game minutes the map reveals the digit of the guessed number which doesn't match (position+color) the current test number. When there is only one such a digit, the map reveals all the digits of the guessed number but this non-matching digit. Digits (read buildings colors) that are already revealed are fixed and can't be changed further. Timer shows the time until the moment when all digits but one are to be revealed (if the current test number won't change).
Resources
All players (both Agents and The Worm) require the following resources to stay alive: CPU (minerals), Memory (gas) and Power (custom score). Initially players have 100 of each resource. Resources slowly deplete as time goes by. When at least one resource reaches 0, the player unit is constantly set to a small amount of HP. When 2 resources reach 0 player dies. The maximum capacity of each resource for the player is 150 units. The Agent unit of the player is constantly healed while player supports all 3 resources at the level of 101 and more. Morphing into the Hydralisk form reqires small amount of minerals and gas.
There are resource sources (resource powerups) randomly spread all over the map. Each source have a given (random) supply which slowly depletes over time. When Agent approaches the source he consumes the supply and replenishes the respective resource type. The Worm must morph into the Agent form to be able to replenish resources. When a source becomes depleted, another one immediately spawns on the random spot (one of 64 spots) of the map. All locations of resource sources are constantly visible to players. The current supply of the source is displayed with help of the hit points bar of the powerup.
More About the Computer
There are 14 "vulnerability" locations on the chip (read map). At start of the game vulnerabilities are "patched" with Machine Shops. Machine Shops have a small (and randomized) amount of HP and are slowly burning down. When Machine Shop is destroyed a "glitch" (Creep Colony) breaks through the vulnerability. Creep Colonies spawn with low HP at the spot of the former Machine Shop. Creep Colony slowly spawns burrowed computer Zerglings ("bugs") underneath. Creep Colonies may be upgraded (for a given amount of minerals and gas) by The Worm into Sunken or Spore Colonies (owned still by the computer player). Sunken Colonies continue to spawn Zerglings and will attack nearby Agents. Spore Colony has an increased amount of HP and an upgraded spawn. When Colony (Creep, Sunken or Spore) is destroyed burning Machine Shop (with randomized HP) spawns on it's place.
Machine Shops have high mineral and gas cost as well as building time, but it's possible for Agents to repair them: SCV spawns when Agent (or The Worm in the Agent form) approaches the Machine Shop.
Additional Restrictions
For all human players alliance status is permanently imposed as ally against all other players. This means one must manually lock targets to attack them. Shared vision is forbidden. The Worm has shared vision with the computer player.
Note: All numbers are the subject to the balance changes.
Updates
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03.05.2011 - Made this thread.
09.05.2011 - The first playable version of the map (ALPHA1) done. Added screenshots and made cosmetic changes to the thread. Detailed mechanics description is a bit outdated at the moment.
12.05.2011 - Uploaded version ALPHA3, which attempts to fix the crash and is more stable. Added source of the map to downloads.
15.05.2011 - Uploaded version ALPHA6, which adds burning machine shops, creep and sunken colonies and has some balance changes as well.
15.05.2011 - Uploaded version ALPHA7, which I hope finally fixes all crashes!
16.05.2011 - Reuploaded version ALPHA7, because it errornously included a computer player.
24.05.2011 - Uploaded version ALPHA8, see this post for changes list.
25.05.2011 - Uploaded version ALPHA9, see this post for changes list.
09.05.2011 - The first playable version of the map (ALPHA1) done. Added screenshots and made cosmetic changes to the thread. Detailed mechanics description is a bit outdated at the moment.
12.05.2011 - Uploaded version ALPHA3, which attempts to fix the crash and is more stable. Added source of the map to downloads.
15.05.2011 - Uploaded version ALPHA6, which adds burning machine shops, creep and sunken colonies and has some balance changes as well.
15.05.2011 - Uploaded version ALPHA7, which I hope finally fixes all crashes!
16.05.2011 - Reuploaded version ALPHA7, because it errornously included a computer player.
24.05.2011 - Uploaded version ALPHA8, see this post for changes list.
25.05.2011 - Uploaded version ALPHA9, see this post for changes list.
Downloads
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A test map to feel how cloaked Hydralisk with an Interceptor on top feels like: download.
Map versions:
The Worm vALPHA1.scx
The Worm vALPHA3.scx
The Worm vALPHA6.scx
The Worm vALPHA7.scx
The Worm vALPHA8.scx
The Worm vALPHA9.scx
The Worm vALPHA10.scx
The source of ALPHA8: The Worm.scx
Map versions:
The Worm vALPHA1.scx
The Worm vALPHA3.scx
The Worm vALPHA6.scx
The Worm vALPHA7.scx
The Worm vALPHA8.scx
The Worm vALPHA9.scx
The Worm vALPHA10.scx
The source of ALPHA8: The Worm.scx
Credits
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Thanks UnholyUrine for a good piece of terrain provided.
Thanks FoxWolf1 and everyone who participated in the discussion in this thread for many interesting ideas.
Thanks FoxWolf1, Tank_7 and JerrySloan @UEast for help in testing.
The following tools are being used during the production:
SCMDraft 2, StarForge: Ultimate, MacroTriggers, Notepad++, TinyMap 2, DatEdit, PColor, MapStats, TortoiseSVN.
Thanks FoxWolf1 and everyone who participated in the discussion in this thread for many interesting ideas.
Thanks FoxWolf1, Tank_7 and JerrySloan @UEast for help in testing.
The following tools are being used during the production:
SCMDraft 2, StarForge: Ultimate, MacroTriggers, Notepad++, TinyMap 2, DatEdit, PColor, MapStats, TortoiseSVN.
- Wormer Productions -
Post has been edited 26 time(s), last time on Jan 6 2014, 6:05 pm by Wormer. Reason: Uploaded version ALPHA10
Some.
This calls for a quick test map.
Irregular map sizes are the only things I've heard of that make players need to play another map beforehand.
We should ask UnholyUrine, because he made terrain. But I know that after I deleted the scanner sweep in the middle, I was able to run the map on a "virgin" starcraft.
Maybe the scanner sweep wasn't the only reason...
