Hello I'm a 3rd year CS student and I would like to do some programming outside of school. I don't really feel like doing open source stuff yet and I was wondering if there was a way I could help or contribute to the "development" of W:A.

My main goal would be to work on the AI of the game for fun but I doubt the source code is just floating around for anyone to toy around with. So I was wondering how I could get into this development since I know cybershadow has worked on it and was granted access to the source code and I was wondering what I had to do to be granted the same privilege.

Hello I'm a 3rd year CS student and I would like to do some programming outside of school. I don't really feel like doing open source stuff yet and I was wondering if there was a way I could help or contribute to the "development" of W:A.

My main goal would be to work on the AI of the game for fun but I doubt the source code is just floating around for anyone to toy around with. So I was wondering how I could get into this development since I know cybershadow has worked on it and was granted access to the source code and I was wondering what I had to do to be granted the same privilege.
Prove yourself to be sufficiently awesome at programming and knowing how the game works. That's how Deadcode (with SilkWorm) and CyberShadow (with various tools) did it. But T17 are under new management now so even this might not be enough.

Are you sure you can go in so simply?
http://de.spongepedia.org/images/Sandy_und_reg.jpg

Have you heard of the Google Summer of Code program? Hedgewars won some slots a while ago, and IIRC one of the ideas was to improve the game AI. You'd be working under the supervision of a devteam member, and by the end Google will provide a $5000 stipend. (Hedgewars is an open-source clone of the 2nd-generation 2D Worms games.)

Are you sure you can go in so simply?
http://de.spongepedia.org/images/Sandy_und_reg.jpg

No, of course not but whats the point if it's too easy? I would learn something new along the way and gain some experience however far I get.

Th hedgewars things looks interesting is that restricted to only the summer? The page looks to be written specifically for gsoc 2012. I guess I'll look into the irc and forums for more info.

Also is any development of W:A out of the question? I would prefer to work on a game I know and have been playing since I was a child then something completely new that I've never even played. But if not I guess I'll have to move on to something else for some dev work. Thanks for the reply's anyway.

there are some open-source libraries regarding 4.0
you may want to take a look: http://worms2d.info/4/Development_setup
but as I see it has gone through some changes, I guess you can read through it all yourself

I liked the idea of CPU6, but I'm wondering if the AI can be made better. Sure it can be better, but if it can possibly be made so, I'm unsure.

I don't play online often, I don't like the schemes. They are either a bit too boring to me (intermediate) or too entertaining (and thus too easy, like blast zone). I don't like dominant rope schemes, team17 is a very fun scheme by the way. I play most of the time against two CPU5 alone, or with a friend, everyone against everyone, with my own scheme that I have been balancing time to time between fun and challenge.

Most people complain the AI doesn't use enough weapons. CPU5 actually does use mail strike and Mike's carpet bombs which people seem to assume they don't use (I have mailstrike as a delayed default weapon, Mike's carpet bombs too but removed it because it made it too easy) I actually prefer them not using Ming Vases, too much recipe for disaster.

And you can always up the challenge against AI by giving them more worms. I do this aswell, I give them both 8 and me (and my friend) 4.

The AI don't use any weapons not in Worms 2, and seemingly also ignore most features of the game not in Worms 2.

The AI don't use any weapons not in Worms 2, and seemingly also ignore most features of the game not in Worms 2.

....I have been playing this game for more than a decade and never noticed this!

The AI don't use any weapons not in Worms 2, and seemingly also ignore most features of the game not in Worms 2.

To be fair, only scales of justice and the flamethrower seem like good AI weapons.

What features? :confused:

To be fair, only scales of justice and the flamethrower seem like good AI weapons.

What features? :confused:
Backflipping, for one. All the utilities. The weapons not in Worms 2. Its "don't attack allies" code is also apparently a bit weird. Reaiming whilst firing guns (Worms 2 didn't have this).

In WWP's mission editor, all weapons usable by the AI are marked red.

In WWP's mission editor, all weapons usable by the AI are marked red.

Plus a few others. I went through all of them once.

Those few others are Mail Strike, Ming Vase, Holy Hand Grenade, Sheep Strike and Carpet Bomb (I hope I didn't forget any; I used to have notes but I lost them since then -still, I'm sure about the weapons I've quoted there).

Backflipping, for one. All the utilities. The weapons not in Worms 2. Its "don't attack allies" code is also apparently a bit weird. Reaiming whilst firing guns (Worms 2 didn't have this).

Also I've witnessed a lot of AI's shooting at their allies when no enemies are around.

Plus a few others. I went through all of them once.

Those few others are Mail Strike, Ming Vase, Holy Hand Grenade, Sheep Strike and Carpet Bomb (I hope I didn't forget any; I used to have notes but I lost them since then -still, I'm sure about the weapons I've quoted there).

I did not know they also use Ming Vases, Sheep Strike and Holy Hand Grenades.
Like I said I have seen them use mail strike and carpet bombing, but it seems they only do it when the situation is perfect. I would think that applies to Ming Vase, Sheep Strike and Holy Hand Grenades as well.

Good to know.

Yep - those are all Worms 2 weapons ;)