free
Free may refer to:
Concept
* Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything
* Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism
* Emancipate, to procur ...
,
open-source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
sidescrolling
''
A side-scrolling video game (alternatively side-scroller), is a game viewed from a side-view camera angle where the screen follows the player as they move left or right. The jump from single-screen or flip-screen graphics to scrolling graphics ...
multiplayer
A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system ( couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
shooting game originally created by Swedish developer Magnus Auvinen and now maintained by the community. It features simple
cartoon
A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of imag ...
-themed graphics and physics and relies heavily on classic shooter weaponry and gameplay. Currently there are official versions for Microsoft Windows,
Linux
Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, which i ...
,
macOS
macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. Within the market of ...
Steam
Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporizat ...
since 2015. The source code is publicly available.
The last
GitHub
GitHub, Inc. () is an Internet hosting service for software development and version control using Git. It provides the distributed version control of Git plus access control, bug tracking, software feature requests, task management, co ...
commit for Teeworlds is from June 2023, leading to believe that the game's development has halted.
Gameplay
''Teeworlds'' presents itself as a crossover between classic sprite-based shoot-em-up games of the arcade era and modern-day
first-person shooter
First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the pl ...
s. It is played on
two-dimensional
In mathematics, a plane is a Euclidean ( flat), two-dimensional surface that extends indefinitely. A plane is the two-dimensional analogue of a point (zero dimensions), a line (one dimension) and three-dimensional space. Planes can arise ...
, side-scrolling maps typical of the
platformer
A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charact ...
genre, but uses FPS-style
keyboard
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
controls for moving, switching weapons and chatting. The game also sports a
grappling hook
A grappling hook or grapnel is a device that typically has multiple hooks (known as ''claws'' or ''flukes'') attached to a rope; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may catch and ho ...
and
double jump
Double jump may refer to:
* Double jump (cheerleading), performing the same jump twice in a row in cheerleading
* Double jump (figure skating), two revolutions in a figure skating jump
* A bid that skips two levels in contract bridge
Contract ...
mechanics for maneuvering. Grappling hooks can also be used to hook on other tees and pull them towards the player. Maps' landscape themes include: grass, cave, winter, desert, and jungle, which feature map elements such as spikes, pitfalls, and non-hook-able metal and rock in
vanilla
Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus ''Vanilla (genus), Vanilla'', primarily obtained from pods of the Mexican species, flat-leaved vanilla (''Vanilla planifolia, V. planifolia'').
Pollination is required to make the p ...
gametypes. ''Teeworlds'' works as a client-server system and the player can choose from a list of available
game server
A game server (also sometimes referred to as a host) is a server which is the authoritative source of events in a multiplayer video game. The server transmits enough data about its internal state to allow its connected clients to maintain their ...
s for multiplayer gaming.
The player maneuvers a "Tee", a ball-shaped 2D character, using the keyboard and aims and shoots at other players or objects using the
mouse
A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...
. Health and shields (acting as armor) are spread out along the map, which can be collected by players when needed. The only
powerup
In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chosen ...
in the game is a
katana
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
, which gives the player a better damage dealing and quickness for a short period of time. It changes the player's character to a ninja, enabling other players to notice the player's change in ability.
There are weapons inspired by FPS games such as the '' Quake'' and ''
Unreal
Unreal may refer to:
Books and TV
* ''Unreal'' (short story collection), a 1985 book of short stories by Paul Jennings
* ''Unreal'' (TV series), a 2015 television drama series on Lifetime
Computing and games
* ''Unreal'' (video game series), ...
'' series. Advanced weapons, such as the grenade-launcher, shotgun and laser, deal more damage than both the spawn weapons (Pistol) but only have limited ammunition. The
grenade launcher
A grenade launcher is a weapon that fires a specially-designed large-caliber projectile, often with an explosive, smoke or gas warhead. Today, the term generally refers to a class of dedicated firearms firing unitary grenade cartridges. The m ...
is a powerful weapon with a quirk that allows players to shoot themselves up walls or higher in the air, enabling them to reach higher points in maps quicker, while also harming the player.
Gametypes
Currently, the official vanilla gametypes are:
*
Deathmatch
Deathmatch, also known as free-for-all, is a gameplay mode integrated into many shooter games, including first-person shooter (FPS), and real-time strategy (RTS) video games, where the goal is to kill (or "frag") the other players' characters a ...
: The aim is to kill as many enemy players as possible, until a certain score is reached or the time runs out.
*
Team Deathmatch
Deathmatch, also known as free-for-all, is a gameplay mode integrated into many shooter games, including first-person shooter (FPS), and real-time strategy (RTS) video games, where the goal is to kill (or "frag") the other players' characters a ...
: The same gametype as Deathmatch, except that the players now fight in 2 teams and aim for a higher, combined kill score.
*
Capture The Flag
Capture the flag (CTF) is a traditional outdoor sport where two or more teams each have a flag (or other markers) and the objective is to capture the other team's flag, located at the team's "base", and bring it safely back to their own base. ...
: Two teams try to capture and score the enemy flag to reach a certain score (combined with team kills), or to have the higher score when the time runs out.
* Last-Man-Standing: All vs All survival fight with limited weapons.
* Last-Team-Standing: Team vs team survival fight with limited weapons.
There are also unofficial game types, for example:
DDraceNetwork Teams of tees complete maps, or races, together in order to climb up the leaderboard.
* FNG: Tees use lasers to freeze other tees so they cannot move, then kill the frozen tee by throwing it into spikes using the grappling hook and hammer.
* infClass: Like the game "Infection", two "Tees" are selected to be zombies, and their objective is to infect all the remaining players, each with a special class, using their hammer and hook.
* zCatch: You watch the game when you get caught and are freed again when the catcher is caught. The one who catches all players wins the game.
Nodes Teams fight against each other and can defend themselves against enemies with the help of several buildings your team can build on the map. The goal is to eliminate all enemy spawn points.
* Block: The goal is to fight against other tees, but instead of lowering their HP with weapons, you force them in freeze tiles (from DDrace) or/and kill them in spikes.
History
In December 2007, the
source code
In computing, source code, or simply code, is any collection of code, with or without comment (computer programming), comments, written using a human-readable programming language, usually as plain text. The source code of a Computer program, p ...
was made available to the public under the terms of a Zlib like license.
In March 2008 with the 0.4.0 release, the original name "Teewars" was changed to ''Teeworlds'' by the developers for legal reasons.
Also in 2008, a non-commercial clause was added to the
software license
A software license is a legal instrument (usually by way of contract law, with or without printed material) governing the use or redistribution of software. Under United States copyright law, all software is copyright protected, in both sour ...
of ''Teeworlds'' which made it incompatible with the
Free Software Definition
The Free Software Definition written by Richard Stallman and published by the Free Software Foundation (FSF), defines free software as being software that ensures that the end users have freedom in using, studying, sharing and modifying that softw ...
and the
Open Source Definition
''The Open Source Definition'' is a document published by the Open Source Initiative, to determine whether a software license can be labeled with the open-source certification mark.
The definition was taken from the exact text of the Debian Free ...
.
Since August 29, 2012, the creator and developer, Magnus Auvinen made development and forum moderation public to a community of selected volunteers.
With the 0.6.x release in 2011 the non-commercial clause was dropped what made ''Teeworlds''
free and open-source software
Free and open-source software (FOSS) is a term used to refer to groups of software consisting of both free software and open-source software where anyone is freely licensed to use, copy, study, and change the software in any way, and the source ...
again; additionally improved
character encoding
Character encoding is the process of assigning numbers to graphical characters, especially the written characters of human language, allowing them to be stored, transmitted, and transformed using digital computers. The numerical values tha ...
support with
UTF-8
UTF-8 is a variable-length character encoding used for electronic communication. Defined by the Unicode Standard, the name is derived from ''Unicode'' (or ''Universal Coded Character Set'') ''Transformation Format 8-bit''.
UTF-8 is capable of ...
and introduced
localization
Localization or localisation may refer to:
Biology
* Localization of function, locating psychological functions in the brain or nervous system; see Linguistic intelligence
* Localization of sensation, ability to tell what part of the body is af ...
support for multiple languages was added. In August 2012 the game's content and assets were released under the
Creative Commons license
A Creative Commons (CC) license is one of several public copyright licenses that enable the free distribution of an otherwise copyrighted "work".A "work" is any creative material made by a person. A painting, a graphic, a book, a song/lyric ...
Steam
Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporizat ...
on August 24, 2015.Teeworlds on Steam on teeworlds.com by heinrich5991 (2015-06-05)
The latest version 0.7.5 was released on 19 April 2020, and was under continued development on
GitHub
GitHub, Inc. () is an Internet hosting service for software development and version control using Git. It provides the distributed version control of Git plus access control, bug tracking, software feature requests, task management, co ...
. The last commit from the Github repository were from June 2023, leading to believe that the game's development has halted.
Development
Because ''Teeworlds'' is
open-source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
, a community actively develops it, using GitHub with the main developer known a Oy ''Teeworlds'' is mainly programmed in the
programming language
A programming language is a system of notation for writing computer programs. Most programming languages are text-based formal languages, but they may also be graphical. They are a kind of computer language.
The description of a programming l ...
C++
C++ (pronounced "C plus plus") is a high-level general-purpose programming language created by Danish computer scientist Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C programming language, or "C with Classes". The language has expanded significa ...
.
Code modifications
As ''Teeworlds'' source code is public, many fan
programmer
A computer programmer, sometimes referred to as a software developer, a software engineer, a programmer or a coder, is a person who creates computer programs — often for larger computer software.
A programmer is someone who writes/creates ...
s can create their own versions of the game ("
forks
In cutlery or kitchenware, a fork (from la, furca 'pitchfork') is a utensil, now usually made of metal, whose long handle terminates in a head that branches into several narrow and often slightly curved tines with which one can spear foods eit ...
"), which generally has a strong influence on the game and its further development. Many players are attracted to the endless possibilities of changing the game to suit their own benefits. Slightly modified
game server
A game server (also sometimes referred to as a host) is a server which is the authoritative source of events in a multiplayer video game. The server transmits enough data about its internal state to allow its connected clients to maintain their ...
s are accepted by the official game, as long as they broadcast that they are. Most of the modified server versions feature new gametypes. Modified game clients are commonly used by the community.
User-created content
The game includes a
map editor
In video games, a level (also referred to as a map, stage, or round in some older games) is any space available to the player during the course of completion of an objective. Video game levels generally have progressively-increasing difficulty ...
, which is a simple tool to create own maps with. Many user created maps include their own tilesets that are downloaded with the maps from the game server ''Teeworlds'' uses simple image files for most of the games's graphical content. As a result, this content may be modified and extended. Customized game character skins can be seen by other clients, as long as the skins have the same name. ''Teeworlds'' can take
screenshot
screenshot (also known as screen capture or screen grab) is a digital image that shows the contents of a computer display. A screenshot is created by the operating system or software running on the device powering the display.
Additionally, s ...
s and record demos that can then be viewed in the game. This has led to many ''Teeworlds'' videos on web platforms, such as
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...
.
Distribution
''Teeworlds'' has achieved broad usage in the
open source game
An open-source video game, or simply an open-source game, is a video game whose source code is open-source. They are often freely distributable and sometimes cross-platform compatible.
Definition and differentiation
Not all open-source gam ...
community, and it is available in many
Linux distribution
A Linux distribution (often abbreviated as distro) is an operating system made from a software collection that includes the Linux kernel and, often, a package management system. Linux users usually obtain their operating system by downloading on ...
s. Teeworlds itself lists 2.3 million players and 630 servers in July 2016. ''Teeworlds'' has been compared to the ''
Worms Worms may refer to:
*Worm, an invertebrate animal with a tube-like body and no limbs
Places
*Worms, Germany, a city
** Worms (electoral district)
* Worms, Nebraska, U.S.
*Worms im Veltlintal, the German name for Bormio, Italy
Arts and entertai ...
'' series of turn-based strategy games, and was noted in several gaming news outlets over the years.Teeworlds Review on
Derek Yu
Derek Yu is an American independent video game designer, video game artist, and blogger.
After the 2015 release on Steam,
Steamspy
Steam Spy is a website created by Sergey Galyonkin and launched in April 2015. The site uses an application programming interface (API) to the Steam software distribution service owned by Valve to estimate the number of sales of software titles ...
reported in 2016 over 450,000 game installations and around 17,000 active players over the last two weeks.
Chip.de
''Chip'' is a computer and communications magazine published by CHIP Holding (formerly Vogel Burda Holding GmbH) in several countries of Europe and Asia. The German edition of ''CHIP'' was launched in September 1978 and is one of Germany's oldes ...
listed in July 2016 ''Teeworlds'' as most downloaded Jump and Run game per week from their site (1900 downloads), accumulating 700,000 downloads.Teeworlds on
Chip.de
''Chip'' is a computer and communications magazine published by CHIP Holding (formerly Vogel Burda Holding GmbH) in several countries of Europe and Asia. The German edition of ''CHIP'' was launched in September 1978 and is one of Germany's oldes ...
by Michael Humpa ''"Downloadzahl: 701.040, Version 0.6.3 - vom 09.12.2014"'' (in German, July 2016)
Reception
It blends two unique gameplay styles. Teeworlds was praised for its innovative, surprising and an addictive gameplay that's easy to learn and real fun to play. There is a lot of third-party content available with custom game mods making Teeworlds more worthwhile.
See also
*
List of open source games
This is a list of notable open-source video games. Open-source video games are assembled from and are themselves open-source software, including public domain games with public domain source code. This list also includes games in which the engine i ...