the History of Worms...

Djay · 09 March 2002, 01:09

Worms.... it without a doubt probably the most famous Amiga game of all time...

... huh, i hear you say, the reason is because Worms the Amiga game, was ported over to just about every format (nearly the spectrum

)

so heres abit of info about it...

Team 17 were presented at a computer fair with a basic version of Worms (can't remember the project name), by a home-grown programmer called Andy Davidson from Eastbourne.

At first glance Team 17, signed up Andy Davidson, and bought a part share in the new game, added some of their code and graphics, and of course a reference type copy-protection.

Worms became one of fastest selling Amiga games of all time.

----

When Worms 2 was released for the PC, i was running an indie game shop, Microprose had bought the rights to Worms, and Team 17 along with Andy Davidson, did the bulk of the code and graphics...

... anyway, on release date i had...

1. one guy dressed as a huge Worm, with a machine gun etc.. walking around outside my shop!

2. about 200 ribbed condoms, in "Protect your Worm" boxes (I'm Serious).

3. one very expensive Worms watch, only 200 made apparently!

4. 50 Audio cds, with the Worms 2 soundtrack.

5. five copies of the game to give away.

6. a very expensive bar tab afterwards.

7. AND ANDY DAVIDSON payed us a visit!!!

the shop was in my home town, and Andy Davidson lived 40 minutes away...

... who says work can't be FUN!

Steve · 09 March 2002, 02:43

Quote:

Originally posted by Djay
Worms.... it without a doubt probably the most famous Amiga game of all time...

That's debatable. What about Sensible Soccer or Lemmings? Populous was huge in Japan. That game created a whole genre. Worms wasn't as ground breaking as these games were.

Quote:

Originally posted by Djay
Team 17 were presented at a computer fair with a basic version of Worms (can't remember the project name), by a home-grown programmer called Andy Davidson from Eastbourne.

The computer fair in question was ECTS and the original name of the game was Total Wormage. As in Total Carnage (obviously). It's all explained in the January 1995 issue of Amiga Format. It was written using the Blitz Basic package and Andy entered it into AFs Blitz programming competition. Inevitably he didn't hear a peep out of them but undettered he sent it to quite a few companies across the world and still he heard nothing. He took it to the ECTS show as one last try. He showed it to Team17 and after 5 minutes asked Andy if he wanted them to publish it. The rest is history. Worms went on to make a helluva lot of dosh.

TikTok · 09 March 2002, 03:40

Yeah, Worms was a really great game. The original and the AGA version (Director's Cut) were the best though imho. After the move to the PC, the series seemed to lose it's direction a bit - the good old Amiga, PD feel (I mean this in a good way) seemed to give way to tonnes of sound samples and cartoon style graphics. I don't know, maybe it just lost that touch of "home grown" class.

Quote:

That's debatable. What about Sensible Soccer or Lemmings? Populous was huge in Japan. That game created a whole genre. Worms wasn't as ground breaking as these games were.

Well, Worms is certainly one of the longest running series that started on the Amiga. Even Sensible Soccer is effectively dead now (I think there was one PS release), but Worms games are still being produced on several platforms.

Amiga1992 · 09 March 2002, 04:36

i agree with Steve. I'd say Lemmings is the most famous Amiga game of all time. it's been ported to every damned tthing... Worms... well.. it's not even original, it takes a lot from Lemmings.

'Worms games are still being produced, because the Worm series started in 1995ish or something... look at Lemmings, it's older. Or Elite! That one's even older, and I think it's the most ported game EVER.

TikTok · 09 March 2002, 04:52

Elite, yeah that was ported everywhere. I remembe playing it on the BBC Micro

. Come to mention it though, was the original ever released on the Amiga? I know Elite Plus was, not sure about the original.

I guess the argument depends on how you define famous really. More of todays gamers might recognise the game Worms than Lemmings, but that is because Worms is still fairly recent, as you say. I certainly would agree that Lemmings "stood out" more than Worms back in their respective days.

Funny thing is though, Lemmings never really appealed to me. I guess I must be the only person on the planet who doesn't like that game

.

Shatterhand · 09 March 2002, 04:53

Elite is the most ported game ever ,but it's not an Amiga original, it was first released in a BBC computer..

About Worms, I LOVE that game, I've been playing it for ages now

My fav one is Worms Armageddon in PC. I think the different level designs raises the gameplay a lot. I haven't played the new Worms Wolrd Party yet..

Here where I live, in a year ago or so, Worms wasn't a game, it was more of a social event, me and my friends would at least once a week spend a few hours playing ....

Djay · 10 March 2002, 00:36

Quote:

That's debatable. What about Sensible Soccer or Lemmings? Populous was huge in Japan. That game created a whole genre. Worms wasn't as ground breaking as these games were.

i mean't that Worms (the license), has appeared on lot's of formats, if you had never owned an Amiga, you may not of heard of the other titles you mention (sad, as that maybe), infact all the games you mention are my Amiga favourites... And yes i agree that Worms isn't that ground breaking, but it was one of the first turn based multi-player games.

And thanks for adding the information i had left out, it good to see someone else who remembers some on the history of the Amiga

also i don't mean, "Worms is the most ported Amiga game", i mean that there are lots of versions (licensed)...

Amiga (2)
Snes (1)
Megadrive (1)
PC (8, including Pinball and the new one(sorry, forgot name))
Gameboy Color (1)
Gameboy (1)
Dreamcast (1)
PS2 (1)
Spectrum (LOL)

16 versions of the license (don't quote me on that there are probably more)

Yes there are loads of versions of Lemmings (all pretty much the same concept), but elite, mmmm i can't remember that many versions.

but hey, i like being proved wrong (normally by Akari

)

Steve · 10 March 2002, 00:50

Yes I also love talking about old Amiga history. lol.

Nice list you've drawn up there. I'm sure worms was also on the PSOne wasn't it? Also the CD32. You'll be able to add GBA to that list also.

Amiga1992 · 10 March 2002, 01:00

Yer counting sequels and stuff too.. Then Lemmings stands out again. Sorry, but Worms rips iff many aspects of Lemmings, and it doesnt deserve such an important designation.

The spectrum version of Worms (IF it exists) surely has been fanmade, doesnt count. However the C64 did got an official Lemmings version. and there are much more systems with Lemmings.

- Amiga
- PC
- ST
- Game Gear
- GEnesis
- SNES
- NES
- Gameboy
- Gameboy Color

And Im not even counting sequels, remakes (xmas lemmings) and stuff! And Im surely forgetting about a few...

Djay · 10 March 2002, 01:35

yepp, Lemmings is one of the most ported and re-designed games ever....

the only things that Lemmings share with Worms is that the main characters are small...

Worms has/is :-

turned based, 4 player, weapons, level designer, direct control over the characters, winner is the player who kills opp. characters, etc etc etc....

i said before Worms was NOT totally ground breaking, as Lemmings was (the first save-em-up), there had been a game liked worms before (tanx on the BBC).

Quote:

and it doesnt deserve such an important designation

i agree, but it is right up there with the best of them, i'm not saying its the best Amiga game, far from it, this is M.H.O, and it depends how you view history, for example, a mate of mine is a fairly big Amiga fan, but he only really plays SWOS, he has never heard of Defender of the Crown (!?!?!?!), your memories are YOUR memories and you choose what you think is good or bad, i think it is part of being a human (were not flawless). I.M.H.O.

Shatterhand · 10 March 2002, 04:47

hey , AFAIK , there's no WORMS PINBALL ... actually there's a Team17 game called Addiction Pinball that has a Worms table (I have this game, it's the best pinball game ever, and YEAH, I am afraid to admit, but it beats Digital Illusions games..)

there's Lemmings for MSX too! But it's fanmade

Oh, and Elite was available for only 1 console (NES), and there's also a Mega-Drive version that never got published, but it was ported to every damn home-computer you can think of

Drake1009 · 10 March 2002, 08:55

I'd say Elite was the wrong kind of game to get ported to consoles. Console players want more instant action whereas Elite wasn't that action based.

10 March 2002, 12:47

When I was a console player, all I wanted were good role playing games but soon realized that was not the way to go. Not with a gamepad.

bgbennyboy · 10 March 2002, 15:05

The Spectrum version of worms doesnt exist. Team17 mocked up some screenshots for april fools.

I have Worms World Party (pc) its basically Worms Armageddon with a few tiny changes, to all intents and purposes its the same game.

The best version of worms EVER is without a doubt WormsDC on amiga. It has the original worms graphics. controls and sound with extra weapons, more landscapes and other stuff.
Worms2 onwards the worms series went downhill, the graphics now just dont have the same charm and the control system is nowhere near as good. I HATE the way the good old power bar that let you judge the strength of your shots is replaced by a useless "extending curvy mish-mash thing"TM.

Worms enbodies everything that I loved about the amiga:
Bedroom programming creating great games
Fantastic gameplay above all else
Proper "2 or 3 people round a computer" multiplayer (that almost NEVER happens on pc games now. Online playing is nowhere near as much fun as playing someone sat next to you)
Character and charm in a game. Most modern games just dont have any real "character" (compare monkey island 4 to monkey 1 or 2 for evidence of this

)

Drake1009 · 10 March 2002, 16:35

Don't forget that Worms Armageddon is basically worms 2 with more weapons.

I just borrowed worms armageddon. Didn't like the way the bad code made my mouse lag extremely when it showed the curser. It's somehow hard to select a weapon when your mouse isn't really working right.

Djay · 14 March 2002, 00:41

Quote:

hey , AFAIK , there's no WORMS PINBALL ...

i know, i mean licenses

Quote:

The Spectrum version of worms doesnt exist

i know, was a clever marketing ploy

Quote:

I'd say Elite was the wrong kind of game to get ported to consoles

i believe, David Braden is releasing Elite 4 on the X-Box (because of the hard-drive)
and i LOVE elite 2, have you seen the elite-style game coming out for PC, check latest copy of EDGE magazine.

Dastardly · 14 March 2002, 00:51

ELITE 4 is coming out on xbox????????????????????

With that single sentence you have made me interested in the Microsoft monstrosity for the first time!!!!

I LOVED Frontier

Twistin'Ghost · 14 March 2002, 00:53

Yecch! Even if I could raise the dead (ie, old friends & family) with the X-Box, I'd still pass...

Dastardly · 14 March 2002, 00:58

I know what you mean. I wasnt interested in the slightest, but now Ive heard about Elite.....hmmmmmmm
I just hope it comes out on my PS2 aswell, I wont have to buy the ugly slab then.

Djay · 14 March 2002, 01:04

we've had a demo machine for a while (x-box) and i didn't notice as much interest as the PS2

as with all computers and consoles, it's the software that makes the machine, i will wait and see what happens...

...just because it's made by microsoft don't right it off just yet

if the X-box produces THOSE killer apps then maybe i will buy one...

...remember the industry hated the idea of the Psone to begin with.

and... i admit... because the GameCube is gonna have a £150.00 price tag, the X-box and Ps2 will have their work cut out.

09 March 2002, 01:09	#1
Djay 95th User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Brighton/UK Age: 48 Posts: 3,120	the History of Worms... Worms.... it without a doubt probably the most famous Amiga game of all time... ... huh, i hear you say, the reason is because Worms the Amiga game, was ported over to just about every format (nearly the spectrum ) so heres abit of info about it... Team 17 were presented at a computer fair with a basic version of Worms (can't remember the project name), by a home-grown programmer called Andy Davidson from Eastbourne. At first glance Team 17, signed up Andy Davidson, and bought a part share in the new game, added some of their code and graphics, and of course a reference type copy-protection. Worms became one of fastest selling Amiga games of all time. ---- When Worms 2 was released for the PC, i was running an indie game shop, Microprose had bought the rights to Worms, and Team 17 along with Andy Davidson, did the bulk of the code and graphics... ... anyway, on release date i had... 1. one guy dressed as a huge Worm, with a machine gun etc.. walking around outside my shop! 2. about 200 ribbed condoms, in "Protect your Worm" boxes (I'm Serious). 3. one very expensive Worms watch, only 200 made apparently! 4. 50 Audio cds, with the Worms 2 soundtrack. 5. five copies of the game to give away. 6. a very expensive bar tab afterwards. 7. AND ANDY DAVIDSON payed us a visit!!! the shop was in my home town, and Andy Davidson lived 40 minutes away... ... who says work can't be FUN!

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09 March 2002, 04:36	#4
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,646	i agree with Steve. I'd say Lemmings is the most famous Amiga game of all time. it's been ported to every damned tthing... Worms... well.. it's not even original, it takes a lot from Lemmings. 'Worms games are still being produced, because the Worm series started in 1995ish or something... look at Lemmings, it's older. Or Elite! That one's even older, and I think it's the most ported game EVER.

09 March 2002, 04:52	#5
TikTok Registered User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Malayasia Age: 43 Posts: 657	Elite, yeah that was ported everywhere. I remembe playing it on the BBC Micro . Come to mention it though, was the original ever released on the Amiga? I know Elite Plus was, not sure about the original. I guess the argument depends on how you define famous really. More of todays gamers might recognise the game Worms than Lemmings, but that is because Worms is still fairly recent, as you say. I certainly would agree that Lemmings "stood out" more than Worms back in their respective days. Funny thing is though, Lemmings never really appealed to me. I guess I must be the only person on the planet who doesn't like that game .

09 March 2002, 04:53	#6
Shatterhand Warhasneverbeensomuchfun Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Rio de Janeiro / Brazil Age: 41 Posts: 3,450	Elite is the most ported game ever ,but it's not an Amiga original, it was first released in a BBC computer.. About Worms, I LOVE that game, I've been playing it for ages now My fav one is Worms Armageddon in PC. I think the different level designs raises the gameplay a lot. I haven't played the new Worms Wolrd Party yet.. Here where I live, in a year ago or so, Worms wasn't a game, it was more of a social event, me and my friends would at least once a week spend a few hours playing ....

10 March 2002, 00:50	#8
Steve I Identify as an Ewok Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Lincolnshire Age: 45 Posts: 2,356	Yes I also love talking about old Amiga history. lol. Nice list you've drawn up there. I'm sure worms was also on the PSOne wasn't it? Also the CD32. You'll be able to add GBA to that list also.

10 March 2002, 01:00	#9
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,646	Yer counting sequels and stuff too.. Then Lemmings stands out again. Sorry, but Worms rips iff many aspects of Lemmings, and it doesnt deserve such an important designation. The spectrum version of Worms (IF it exists) surely has been fanmade, doesnt count. However the C64 did got an official Lemmings version. and there are much more systems with Lemmings. - Amiga - PC - ST - Game Gear - GEnesis - SNES - NES - Gameboy - Gameboy Color And Im not even counting sequels, remakes (xmas lemmings) and stuff! And Im surely forgetting about a few...

10 March 2002, 04:47	#11
Shatterhand Warhasneverbeensomuchfun Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Rio de Janeiro / Brazil Age: 41 Posts: 3,450	hey , AFAIK , there's no WORMS PINBALL ... actually there's a Team17 game called Addiction Pinball that has a Worms table (I have this game, it's the best pinball game ever, and YEAH, I am afraid to admit, but it beats Digital Illusions games..) there's Lemmings for MSX too! But it's fanmade Oh, and Elite was available for only 1 console (NES), and there's also a Mega-Drive version that never got published, but it was ported to every damn home-computer you can think of

10 March 2002, 08:55	#12
Drake1009 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Denmark Posts: 2,284	I'd say Elite was the wrong kind of game to get ported to consoles. Console players want more instant action whereas Elite wasn't that action based.

10 March 2002, 12:47	#13
oldpx Posts: n/a	When I was a console player, all I wanted were good role playing games but soon realized that was not the way to go. Not with a gamepad.

10 March 2002, 15:05	#14
bgbennyboy Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: UK Posts: 55	The Spectrum version of worms doesnt exist. Team17 mocked up some screenshots for april fools. I have Worms World Party (pc) its basically Worms Armageddon with a few tiny changes, to all intents and purposes its the same game. The best version of worms EVER is without a doubt WormsDC on amiga. It has the original worms graphics. controls and sound with extra weapons, more landscapes and other stuff. Worms2 onwards the worms series went downhill, the graphics now just dont have the same charm and the control system is nowhere near as good. I HATE the way the good old power bar that let you judge the strength of your shots is replaced by a useless "extending curvy mish-mash thing"TM. Worms enbodies everything that I loved about the amiga: Bedroom programming creating great games Fantastic gameplay above all else Proper "2 or 3 people round a computer" multiplayer (that almost NEVER happens on pc games now. Online playing is nowhere near as much fun as playing someone sat next to you) Character and charm in a game. Most modern games just dont have any real "character" (compare monkey island 4 to monkey 1 or 2 for evidence of this )

10 March 2002, 16:35	#15
Drake1009 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Denmark Posts: 2,284	Don't forget that Worms Armageddon is basically worms 2 with more weapons. I just borrowed worms armageddon. Didn't like the way the bad code made my mouse lag extremely when it showed the curser. It's somehow hard to select a weapon when your mouse isn't really working right.

14 March 2002, 00:51	#17
Dastardly Into the Wonderful Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: England Age: 49 Posts: 2,335	ELITE 4 is coming out on xbox???????????????????? With that single sentence you have made me interested in the Microsoft monstrosity for the first time!!!! I LOVED Frontier

14 March 2002, 00:53	#18
Twistin'Ghost Give up the ghost Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: U$A Age: 33 Posts: 4,662	Yecch! Even if I could raise the dead (ie, old friends & family) with the X-Box, I'd still pass...

14 March 2002, 00:58	#19
Dastardly Into the Wonderful Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: England Age: 49 Posts: 2,335	I know what you mean. I wasnt interested in the slightest, but now Ive heard about Elite.....hmmmmmmm I just hope it comes out on my PS2 aswell, I wont have to buy the ugly slab then.

14 March 2002, 01:04	#20
Djay 95th User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Brighton/UK Age: 48 Posts: 3,120	we've had a demo machine for a while (x-box) and i didn't notice as much interest as the PS2 as with all computers and consoles, it's the software that makes the machine, i will wait and see what happens... ...just because it's made by microsoft don't right it off just yet if the X-box produces THOSE killer apps then maybe i will buy one... ...remember the industry hated the idea of the Psone to begin with. and... i admit... because the GameCube is gonna have a £150.00 price tag, the X-box and Ps2 will have their work cut out.

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