Warning Forever
Encyclopedia
Warning Forever is a freeware
2D fixed shooter for the Windows
platform written by Hikoza T Ohkubo and released under the name of his software house, Hikware.
. To progress to the next stage, the boss must be completely destroyed within the time limit. The game starts with a default time limit of 180 seconds, with 30 seconds rewarded for every boss defeated and 20 seconds lost for each time the player is destroyed. The player flies a relatively small green ship. There are no power-up
s - the player's only weapon is a very rapid-fire revolving cannon which is fired by holding down the shoot button (Z key by default). By default, it fires straight ahead with a small spread. Alternatively, after the switch button (D key by default) is pressed, a green arc is displayed originating from the ship and widening as distance increases. This arc represents the spread of the weapon fire and does not change while the weapon is firing. It can, however, be modified based on the ship's motion while not firing. The arc will rotate slowly to face the direction opposite the ship's motion. Also, the arc will widen as the player moves toward the enemy and vice versa.
The main gameplay feature is the bosses change from stage to stage. Based on how a boss is destroyed, the next boss will adapt itself to defend against previously used strategies and force the player to change tactics. For example, if the front section of one boss is destroyed the next boss will have increased armor in that area. If the player's ship is hit by a certain kind of weapon, but still defeats the boss, the next boss is likely to have more weapons of that type.
The game does not include music, but provides instructions in the read me file on how to provide one's own music. It also includes sound effects.
As is common in manic shooters, the area of the player's ship vulnerable to collisions is much smaller than the ship itself, enabling the ship to squeeze through small gaps.
The initial form of the boss is called the Pure Heart, which will take on new characteristics in response to the player's assault.
The top and bottom halves will gain characteristics based on the order of destruction of parts that are attached to the side of exactly one part, provided that there are available extensions to add for that half. The boss always has a vertical line of symmetry, so any destruction on one side of the boss is considered to have happened on the other side as well for extension purposes.
The Pure Heart has 8 vulcan cannons, and 4 corner pieces. Because the corner pieces are introduced as being attached to multiple parts, their destruction has no bearing on extension placement. However, the guns do affect extension placement, each being attached to a single corner piece. For example, if a player destroys the gun that is lowest on the right, by the symmetry rule the gun on the left that matches is also considered destroyed. The boss will be extended at that point on both sides next round. Destruction of the other gun attached to that corner piece at this time will not cause an extension, because an extension is already being made to that piece. Destruction of the guns on the opposing piece also has no effect because the extension for that piece has already been chosen.
The next form adds a new body piece and two guns to each side of the bottom. If the player destroys one of the original guns left on the bottom before destroying the new body piece, it will cause an extension. However, if the new body piece is destroyed first, then the destruction of the original gun will NOT cause an extension, because another piece was attached to the one that was destroyed first. However, there will be an extension on the new body piece, unless it is somehow destroyed without destroying either of its guns.
Note that if the original gun is destroyed first, and then one attached to the new piece is destroyed, it results in two extensions.
Once a certain number of extensions have been made to a side (top or bottom), that side evolves.
awarded the game a 5-star editor's rating and described the game as a classic in the making, "Warning Forever will entice nearly every gamer who enjoys a space shootout". The staff of Computer Gaming World
, writing for gaming blog 1up.com
said "This game is among the most addictive platform shooters in the business". Something Awful
's Zack Parsons praised the game for its graphics and gameplay, the only negatives listed were "It never ends" and "Seriously, you will lose your job because of this game". This game is part of the permanent collection of the travelling exhibition Game On
.
is a free real-time strategy
game that uses graphics inspired by Warning Forever's boss for its battleships, and has been nominated for IGF
awards. It has an active community on the internet, and has been praised for the amount of customization possibilities it offers.
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
2D fixed shooter for the Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
platform written by Hikoza T Ohkubo and released under the name of his software house, Hikware.
Gameplay
The game is broken into stages; each stage is a single boss battle, resulting in a constant stream of bossesBoss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
. To progress to the next stage, the boss must be completely destroyed within the time limit. The game starts with a default time limit of 180 seconds, with 30 seconds rewarded for every boss defeated and 20 seconds lost for each time the player is destroyed. The player flies a relatively small green ship. There are no power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s - the player's only weapon is a very rapid-fire revolving cannon which is fired by holding down the shoot button (Z key by default). By default, it fires straight ahead with a small spread. Alternatively, after the switch button (D key by default) is pressed, a green arc is displayed originating from the ship and widening as distance increases. This arc represents the spread of the weapon fire and does not change while the weapon is firing. It can, however, be modified based on the ship's motion while not firing. The arc will rotate slowly to face the direction opposite the ship's motion. Also, the arc will widen as the player moves toward the enemy and vice versa.
The main gameplay feature is the bosses change from stage to stage. Based on how a boss is destroyed, the next boss will adapt itself to defend against previously used strategies and force the player to change tactics. For example, if the front section of one boss is destroyed the next boss will have increased armor in that area. If the player's ship is hit by a certain kind of weapon, but still defeats the boss, the next boss is likely to have more weapons of that type.
The game does not include music, but provides instructions in the read me file on how to provide one's own music. It also includes sound effects.
As is common in manic shooters, the area of the player's ship vulnerable to collisions is much smaller than the ship itself, enabling the ship to squeeze through small gaps.
Game modes
- 180 seconds - The normal, time-limited mode.
- Three Ships - No time limit. The player begins with three lives, and gains an extra life for every hundred pieces blasted off a boss.
- Five Minute attack - The player has a time limit of five minutes to get as far as possible.
- Sudden Death - The player has one life and no time limit.
- Custom - The player can choose time limit, number of lives and various options
Boss evolution
The top and bottom halves will gain characteristics based on the order of destruction of parts that are attached to the side of exactly one part, provided that there are available extensions to add for that half. The boss always has a vertical line of symmetry, so any destruction on one side of the boss is considered to have happened on the other side as well for extension purposes.
The Pure Heart has 8 vulcan cannons, and 4 corner pieces. Because the corner pieces are introduced as being attached to multiple parts, their destruction has no bearing on extension placement. However, the guns do affect extension placement, each being attached to a single corner piece. For example, if a player destroys the gun that is lowest on the right, by the symmetry rule the gun on the left that matches is also considered destroyed. The boss will be extended at that point on both sides next round. Destruction of the other gun attached to that corner piece at this time will not cause an extension, because an extension is already being made to that piece. Destruction of the guns on the opposing piece also has no effect because the extension for that piece has already been chosen.
The next form adds a new body piece and two guns to each side of the bottom. If the player destroys one of the original guns left on the bottom before destroying the new body piece, it will cause an extension. However, if the new body piece is destroyed first, then the destruction of the original gun will NOT cause an extension, because another piece was attached to the one that was destroyed first. However, there will be an extension on the new body piece, unless it is somehow destroyed without destroying either of its guns.
Note that if the original gun is destroyed first, and then one attached to the new piece is destroyed, it results in two extensions.
Once a certain number of extensions have been made to a side (top or bottom), that side evolves.
Reception
Download.comDownload.com
Download.com is an Internet download directory website, launched in 1996 as a part of CNET. Originally, the domain was download.com.com. The domain download.com attracted at least 113 million visitors annually by 2008 according to a Compete.com study....
awarded the game a 5-star editor's rating and described the game as a classic in the making, "Warning Forever will entice nearly every gamer who enjoys a space shootout". The staff of Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
, writing for gaming blog 1up.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
said "This game is among the most addictive platform shooters in the business". Something Awful
Something Awful
Something Awful, often abbreviated to SA, is a comedy website housing a variety of content, including blog entries, forums, feature articles, digitally edited pictures, and humorous media reviews. It was created by Richard "Lowtax" Kyanka in 1999 as a largely personal website, but as it grew, so...
's Zack Parsons praised the game for its graphics and gameplay, the only negatives listed were "It never ends" and "Seriously, you will lose your job because of this game". This game is part of the permanent collection of the travelling exhibition Game On
Game On (exhibition)
Game On is an exhibition organised and toured by the Barbican Art Gallery. The exhibition displays an historical view of video game development from early arcade games to the present. First featuring at the Barbican Art Gallery in 2002, the exhibition is claimed to have been seen by over 1...
.
Battleships Forever
Battleships ForeverBattleships Forever
Battleships Forever is an IGF award-nominated freeware real-time tactics video game set in a futuristic space environment inspired by Warning Forever. It is currently in beta phase...
is a free real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
game that uses graphics inspired by Warning Forever's boss for its battleships, and has been nominated for IGF
Independent Games Festival
The Independent Games Festival is an annual festival at the Game Developers Conference, the largest annual gathering of the indie video game industry. It was founded in 1998 to assist and inspire innovation in video game development and to recognize the best independent video game developers...
awards. It has an active community on the internet, and has been praised for the amount of customization possibilities it offers.