WORMS ARMAGEDDON
SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTATION
Version 1.0
Copyright ©1999 Team17 Software Limited.
All rights reserved.
Marketing & Distribution by MicroProse Software Ltd.
Check the Worms website for details of support files, upgrades and patches.
You can find the site at http://WORMS.TEAM17.COM
Note: All website support documentation is in English language only.
All Trademarks and Registered Trademarks comprised within this document are fully acknowledged.
Welcome to WORMS ARMAGEDDON. We have worked very hard to try and include every last ounce of playability, options, features and cool ideas into this game, we hope that you enjoy it.
Look out for Team17 players on WORMNET, the fantastic new Internet service for Worms Armageddon players.
Note: If you intend connecting to WORMNET then ensure that you enable your Internet TCP/IP connection prior to running the game and close down any applications such as mail programs, web browsers and so on that may also be running to ensure maximum performance of the game over the Internet.
This document contains information about changes after the manual went for layout and print, last minute amendments and some extra features we bolted in at the last minute.
If there's a particular item that isn't here and you need help, then consult the printed manual documentation for directions on how to contact us. If you're online, then try browsing our website initially prior to emailing us.
Note: Worms Armageddon uses DirectX 6 and is not currently compatible with Windows NT.
CONTENTS
1.0 INSTALLATION ISSUES
2.0 DIRECTX ISSUES
3.0 CUSTOM GRAPHICS LEVELS
4.0 IN-GAME MODIFICATIONS
5.0 SPEECH BANKS
6.0 CUSTOM BANNERS
7.0 TROUBLESHOOTING
8.0 NETWORK TROUBLESHOOTING
9.0 CREDITS
10.0 LEGAL NOTICES
Thank you for purchasing Worms Armageddon from Team17 Software Ltd and MicroProse Software Ltd. Whilst we prefer our game documentation to be as accurate as possible, it is unavoidable that late modifications are made and therefore we need to bring you up to date with this document. We recommend that you read this document fully to get the most recent information about key issues related to the installation and running of Worms Armageddon. This will enable you to get the maximum enjoyment from the game and ensure that you have trouble free play.
System Requirements
If you are experiencing any form of problem whatsoever with Worms Armageddon please ensure that your computer system complies with the minimum requirements for the program listed below.
If this is not the case you will most likely experience performance problems during and after the installation procedure.
Note: The Worms Armageddon CD must be placed in your CD-ROM drive before commencing play.
· IBM PC Intel Pentiumâ 100Mhz and compatibles or faster. 150Mhz or faster recommended.
· Microsoftâ Windows 95â, Windows 98â
· Microsoftâ DirectX™ 6 (supplied) or later.
· 32Mb System RAM. 64Mb or more recommended.
· 30Mb Hard Drive Space.
· Double-speed CD-ROM. Quad-speed or faster recommended.
· Microsoftâ Mouse™ or compatible pointing device.
· Microsoftâ DirectX™ 6 compatible 2Mb RAM SVGA videocard. 4Mb recommended.
· Microsoftâ DirectX™ 6 compatible soundcard (optional). 16-bit recommended.
· 28.8k modem (optional) or faster for connection to the Internet.
· Local Area Network card (optional) for connection to LAN games.
Note: If your system requires an update or a complete install of DirectX 6 this will require approximately 8-10Mb of hard drive space. This can vary and is solely dependent on the hardware components that are present within your system.
Customised Saved Settings
If for any reason you wish to uninstall Worms Armageddon, all custom made save files such as terrain, option and sound schemes will be retained within their respective designated folders and will have to be removed manually. Worms Armageddon Uninstall will only remove the program components that are specified within the original install procedure. Also the uninstalling of Worms Armageddon will not remove any installed DirectX components and these are retained as an extension to your Windows system.
Laptop Systems
Because of the current wide variation of laptop system hardware configurations we cannot therefore guarantee full compatibility with all types that are available. This is especially true on systems with compacted keyboards that incorporate keys that are assigned with multiple functions.
System Hardware Modification
When any alteration is made to your system hardware specifications we recommend that a reinstall of Worms Armageddon and DirectX is performed. This will ensure that no errors occur due to possible hardware conflicts. Please refer to the section on DirectX Issues later in this document.
Multiple CD-ROM Drive Configurations
On systems comprising multiple CD-ROM configurations we recommend that the installation of Worms Armageddon is performed from your primary CD drive. Most systems will comprise a sound line out connector cable from the primary CD drive that is attached to your soundcard for the playback of CD audio.
If you are experiencing no playback of CD audio on a multiple CD-ROM system please check that your current CD drive letter within Windows CONTROL PANEL \ MULTIMEDIA PROPERTIES \ CD audio is configured correctly.
16bit MS-DOS CD-ROM Device Drivers
If you experience an error code prompt interruption during the installation procedure there may be a possibility that there is a conflict with MS-DOS CD-ROM device driver software. If this is the case then you will require an update to a 32bit Windows CD-ROM device driver to alleviate the problem. Consult your CD-ROM drive manufacturer regarding this or alternatively contact your hardware vendor.
Power Saving Modes
Some systems incorporate power saving functions that may inadvertently interfere with the running of Worms Armageddon. It is therefore recommended to disable such functions as these prior to playing the game.
2.1 Microsoftâ DirectX™
DirectX from Microsoft is basically a program interface for creating and managing graphic images and multimedia effects in games such as Worms Armageddon and is required for the game to run correctly. The DirectX 6 installation program is supplied with Worms Armageddon to ensure that your computer system complies with the minimum requirements of the game.
DirectDraw and DirectSound (components of DirectX) are utilised by Worms Armageddon to handle video display and sound output respectively. If you encounter any video or sound related problems with your game then please confirm initially that you are using the very latest available drivers for your display or audio device to ensure complete compatibility. Please refer to the DXInfo and Windows 95/98 detailing later in this section for information on how to achieve this.
2.2 DirectX Installation and Microsoft Contact Information
DirectX is an extension to your existing operating system and is produced by Microsoft Corporation and is not a product of Team17 Software Ltd. During initial installation or an update of DirectX it may possibly affect the workings of other programs or hardware components you have within your system. This is in no way linked to Worms Armageddon
but can be known to occur after DirectX install completes certain hardware driver updates.
If you do encounter any problems whatsoever after a DirectX installation please refer to the Microsoft Corporation website at http://www.microsoft.com for further details.
Note: If you have a version of DirectX later than the one supplied with Worms Armageddon the more current DirectX files you have on your system will not be overwritten and will remain unaffected.
2.3 DXInfo under DirectX 6 and Windows 95/98
This utility which is part of DirectX 6 will enable you to establish the individual hardware components of your computer system in order to verify their compatibility. If any of your components are non-compliant please contact your hardware manufacturer in the first instance for possible software driver updates.
· From Windows 95/98 desktop open the folder labelled MY COMPUTER.
· Open the folder for your primary hard drive C:\.
· Open the PROGRAM FILES \ DIRECTX \ SETUP subfolder.
· Locate the icon labelled DXInfo and double-click on it with the left mouse button.
· After DXInfo has evaluated your system you will see a text box detailing your system information.
· Locate the gadget SAVE CONFIG INFO and click on it to save this info as a text file (you will be prompted for a name to assign to this file and a destination folder).
· View the file using the Notepad program located within your Windows START BAR \ PROGRAMS \ ACCESSORIES submenu.
· In the DXInfo text file the Display section indicates the version & date of your videocard drivers. If these indicate FINAL RETAIL and CERTIFIED respectively then your videocard is DirectX compliant.
· In the DXInfo text file the Sound section indicates the version and date of your soundcard drivers. If these indicate FINAL RETAIL and CERTIFIED respectively then your soundcard is DirectX compliant.
· If your components are compliant and you are still experiencing problems it is most probable that the problem is not DirectX related. Please contact us for further advice in this case.
2.4 DirectDraw
The DirectDraw component of DirectX controls how graphics are displayed within Worms Armageddon. Please find a collection of known problems listed below.
General Problems with DirectDraw
When running the game the graphics seem to run at a very slow rate a possible conflict may have occurred with the video driver and hardware acceleration. Right click on MY COMPUTER and then left click on PROPERTIES and select the Performance Tab. Click on 'Graphics...' and reduce the acceleration down to 'none', click to accept the changes and restart the computer.
Alternatively in some cases the hardware acceleration on your system may be set to 'none' and may have actually disabled DirectDraw usage. In this case the acceleration level should be increased accordingly.
Matrox Millenniumâ videocards and DirectDraw
There is a performance problem with some revisions of the Matrox drivers; this will be seen as a dramatic slowdown during play. In order to fix this problem select one of the other MGA drivers that are supplied with Windows. Otherwise it is highly likely that you will require a driver update. For further details on this please visit their website at http://www.matrox.com
or alternatively contact your hardware vendor.
Herculesâ Dynamite videocards and DirectDraw
If you are experiencing video problems with your Hercules Dynamite card there is a possibility that the chipset or bios of the card is not fully compliant with DirectDraw. For further details on this please visit their website at http://www.hercules.com or alternatively contact your hardware vendor.
Cirrus Logicâ chipset based videocards and DirectDraw
If you are experiencing video problems with your Cirrus Logic based card there is a possibility that the chipset or bios of the card is not fully compliant with DirectDraw. For further details on this please visit their website at http://www.cirrus.com or alternatively contact your hardware vendor.
SiSâ chipset based videocards and DirectDraw
If you are experiencing video problems with your SiS based card there is a possibility that the chipset or bios of the card is not fully compliant with DirectDraw. For further details on this please visit their website at http://www.sis.com or alternatively contact your hardware vendor.
2.5 DirectSound
The DirectSound component of DirectX controls how sound is played within Worms Armageddon. Please find a collection of known problems listed below.
Aztechâ Sound Galaxy Washington 16 and DirectSound
If you are experiencing audio problems with this soundcard there is a possibility that the software drivers for the card are not fully compliant with DirectSound. It is highly likely that you will require a driver update. For further details on this please visit their website at http://www.aztechca.com or alternatively contact your hardware vendor.
ESSâ chipset based soundcards and DirectSound
If you are experiencing audio problems with your ESS based soundcard there is a possibility that the software drivers for the card are not fully compliant with DirectSound. It is highly likely that you will require a driver update. For further details on this please contact your hardware vendor.
OPTiâ chipset based soundcards and DirectSound
If you are experiencing audio problems with your OPTi based soundcard there is a possibility that the software drivers for the card are not fully compliant with DirectSound. It is highly likely that you will require a driver update. For further details on this please visit their website at http://www.opti.com or alternatively contact your hardware vendor.
Worms Armageddon features an option to load an accepted standard graphics file into the Terrain Editor in order to make a completely new level to play on. Whilst the actual technical procedures of this process are fairly complex, we have endeavoured to make this as easy to achieve as is possible for the end user.
There are a number of rules to follow and a number of things you can keep in mind in order to ensure that your levels look and play as good as they can be.
Accepted Image Formats
The editor will import the most commonly accepted image formats, including Bitmap, JPEG and Targa standard. These files must be of a compliant .bmp .jpg or .tga file extension type and other than that there are no requirements to load your images in a special format.
Specified Image Size
Whilst the pixel size of the terrain is 1920x696 the size and proportion of your imported graphic is not important. The editor will shrink the file if it is larger, or offer to expand or centre it if it is smaller.
Transparency/Background Colour
The most important thing to note is that any pixel that is coloured black (i.e. RGB 0,0,0) will be treated as transparent. It is these areas that will act as the background, where worms are placed and can move.
You can edit the image you wish to import in any of the popular image processing applications, colouring black any areas that you wish to appear as transparent/background in the game. This way, you can clear sections, add tunnels and more besides. It is important to note that the game will check levels and make it's own holes if a level does not have enough free background space to start the game.
Minor inconveniences...
It is not possible to use the terrain editor painting functions with full colour levels. The levels are processed in a different format. If you wish to edit the import graphics, then use Microsoft Paint™, Adobe's Photoshop™ or a similar application.
It is not possible to play on full colour custom levels in Internet games unless every player has the same level, since the time taken to transmit the file to each player would be too prohibitive.
Some clipping of the level may occur if the height is too great (i.e. more than 696 pixels).
Unfortunately it is not possible to edit the starting water level with a full colour custom level. This is due to the fact that changing the water level would mean re-processing of the image every time, which takes time. Should you wish your level to start nearer the water, we suggest that you edit the image directly in an image processing application and move the graphics towards the bottom of the screen.
3.1 Using the graphics
Import file destination folder requirements and implementation
Simply copy your image to the USER/IMPORT folder in the Worms Armageddon game directory (an optional shortcut can made ...
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