News
Weird Worlds available for MacOS X 28-4-2006
Mac owners can get Weird too! Download the demo, or buy the full version online. Here's the low-down (or you can read the full announcement in the forums).
Developer Digital Eel and publisher Shrapnel Games are very excited to announce the release of Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space for Mac OS X. Now, Mac users can discover strange new worlds, seek out new technologies, artifacts and lifeforms, and boldly blow up stuff where no one has blown up stuff before!
Weird Worlds for Mac, or MacWeird as we like to call it, is currently available for purchase and download via the Shrapnel Games and Gamers Front websites. The CD version (a hybrid Mac/Win CD) will be available very soon, so watch the skies!
Mizendar mod 18-4-2006
Visit the Mizendar mod feedback thread for all the details on Wydraz's latest blending of the Mizendar Galaxy (and a few other things as well!) into the world of Infinite Space.
Updates here will remain infrequent for a while longer, so be sure to keep an eye on the forums (both here and at Shrapnel) as well as the Digital Eel web site to keep up to date with all the latest happenings.
Weird Worlds review at eToyChest 10-1-2006
eToyChest.org has written an excellent review of Weird Worlds. Reviewer Edward Pollard not only enjoys the game (as evidenced by the fine 85/100 final score), but clearly gets it as well, and succeeds in describing exactly what it's all about in admirably succinct terms.
This is the space exploration equivalent of solitaire or hearts; indeed, this game would be a perfect accessory for every PC sold. It is a simple delight that scales to all levels of player and never, ever overstays its welcome. It is fun, rock solid, and ever so charming and for what it is it is utterly brilliant. If you’ve ever enjoyed a single episode of Star Trek you need to buy this game.
Heck, you just need to buy this game. It very well may be the best $25 you spend on games this year.
Happy New Year! 1-Jan-2006
May your 2006 be wonderfully weird and satisfactorily strange!
Weird Worlds 2nd in GameTunnel's Top-10 for 2005 31-Dec-2005
GameTunnel.com has published their picks for the top-10 independent games of 2005, and Weird Worlds takes the number two spot! Congratulations to all the Digital Eel team!
WW Mod Report: "Imperial Star Destroyer" and "Special Ops" 31-Dec-2005
While both are early releases (so you should expect glitches or omissions), these mods give a tantalising taste of things to come. "Imperial Star Destroyer" gives you the opportunity to pilot a huge and strikingly familiar ship, whilst "Special Ops" introduces two devastating new Terran prototypes with which to wreak havoc on all who would oppose you. Power-crazed would-be Galactic Overlords will naturally wish to try both.
Both mods can be downloaded from the Mod Register, and you should be sure to visit the Mod Feedback forum to offer feedback to the hard-working mod-makers.
Weird Worlds 1.11 - patch update 26-Dec-2005
Hot on the heels of version 1.1 is a new version 1.11 which fixes a newly-discovered bug, and improves upon some of the new features of the earlier patch. Grab it now from the Weird Worlds downloads page.
Moondance Games Ships "Independent Games" 26-Dec-2005
Here's a great way to pick up Digital Eel's entire back catalogue (including the original "Strange Adventures in Infinite Space", naturally) as well as numerous other acclaimed games by independent developers, all for US$30 (RRP). Moondance Games is a sponsor of the Independent Games Festival, and their Independent Games compilation draws upon entries from the previous years' festival competitions (up to and including 2005).
I have yet to see a full and detailed contents listing for the compilation (Moondance's web site unfortunately refuses to tell me anything at all). The box art states "dozens" of games, and thus far I have seen the following titles mentioned at various locations:
Plasmaworm, Strange Adventures In Infinite Space, Dr. Blob's Organism and Big Box of Blox (i.e. full versions of all pre-Weird Worlds games from Digital Eel), along with: Dark Horizons Lore, Global Defense Network, Rocketbowl, Supremacy - Four Paths To Power, Lux, Wik and the Fable of Souls, Alien Hominid, Legion Arena, Steer Madness, Star Chamber, Protothea.
Weird Worlds review at Eurogamer 26-Dec-2005
Eurogamer.net has reviewed Weird Worlds, giving it a score of 8/10, and struggling to account for all the days that were lost in reviewing something that takes about a quarter-hour to play from beginning to end.
Oh - a final testimonial to Weird Worlds strengths: as of 1am on December 22nd, I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet. When my aggrieved girlfriend, family and friends come at me with the communal axe, I'm blaming this.
Weird Worlds 1.1 patch released 23-Dec-2005
Digital Eel have released a patch for Weird Worlds, bringing the game to version 1.1. The download is a shade under 300K, so you'll have it in your hands before you've even finished reading the change log. Among other things, the patch includes a host of changes designed to minimise or eliminate issues with collision avoidance in combat, which deals to the most popular request from players.
GameTunnel's 2005 Adventure/Quest Game of the Year 22-Dec-2005
GameTunnel.com has given Weird Worlds top honours in their Adventure/Quest Game of the Year awards for 2005.
As the coolest trip across the galaxy in the history of games Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space is a sure-fire hit that should be in every gamer's library. It was a run-away winner of our Adventure/Quest game of the year for 2005.
Weird Worlds reviewed at GameIndustry.com 13-Dec-2005
GameIndustry.com has reviewed Weird Worlds, giving it a total of 4.5 gems out of 5, and saying:
WWRIS could compete in the same space with games costing a lot more. For what you get, WWRIS is an incredible value.
2006 IGF Main Competition Finalists Announced 12-Dec-2005
Following in the footsteps of its predecessor and 2003 finalist "Strange Adventures in Infinite Space", "Weird Worlds" has been announced as a finalist in both the "Seumas McNally Grand Prize" and "Innovation In Audio" categories for the 2006 Independent Games Festival awards.
Weird Worlds overview at GameZone.com 9-Dec-2005
This Question & Answer session with Rich Carlson gives a good summary of the game, for those wanting to know a bit more about it before downloading the demo or buying the full version.
Weird Worlds in the media 1-Dec-2005
A bit belatedly in some cases, I thought I should make mention of the fine early reviews and other mentions that Weird Worlds has garnered thus far.
Out of Eight PC Game Reviews gives Weird Worlds 7/8, calling it "A fast-paced and surprisingly fun space exploration and combat game."
Game Tunnel gives Weird Worlds their "Editor's Choice" and "Game of the Month" awards, and a score of 9/10 or "nearly flawless", with comments such as "It's some sort of space exploration, strategy, collection, trade, and battle game. It was my time killer this month." and "I've played it a ton and I'm still seeing new things".
Tycho of the ever-popular Penny Arcade revels in the "delicious, freewheeling fun" and "thrill of discovering new planets, new worlds, upgrading your ship, only enough trade to maintain the pace, and interstellar combat."
And last but not least, the early votes at GameSpot Reader Reviews have the game pegged at an exceptional 9.3 out of 10.
Weird Worlds downloadable version 30-Nov-2005
The good folks at Shrapnel Games have completed some behind-the-scenes work on their digital store, meaning that Weird Worlds is now also available as a paid download!
That's right, now you can choose between the physical copy, shipped right to your door in a high-quality DVD case, or you may purchase the game as an electronic download, transferred lickety-split to your hard drive. Like things that you can reach out and touch? Go for the physical copy. Trapped in Antarctica, studying how humanity was a big cosmic mistake of the Old Ones? Well, you may want to grab the downloadable copy.
The file is delivered as an .ISO CD image, so after downloading you will need to either burn it to CD, mount it as a virtual CD (n.b. Microsoft alternative), or extract the setup file directly from the image.
WW Mod Report: "Battle Colosseum"25-Nov-2005
therjw has completed the first mod for Weird Worlds. For players who have encountered all the alien races that the game has to offer, Battle Colosseum now adds them both to the game's menu sequence and to the combat simulator so "you can recreate any battle you want against any ship." You can download Battle Colosseum from the Mod Register.
The Modmaker's Guide to the Galaxy14-Nov-2005
The beginnings of an official guide to modding Weird Worlds is now online at Digital Eel's web site
Welcome to the Modmaker's Guide! This website will contain various tutorials we hope to be useful to people who make mods for Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space. While starting small, the site will grow over time to cover most everything there is to modifying the game.
Note that you need to buy the full version of Weird Worlds in order to play mods. Various example downloads on this site will NOT work with the demo version!
If and when you have questions not covered on this site, please check out the Weird Worlds forums at Shrapnel Games website and Infinite Space Federation. There you'll be able to ask other modders for advice, as well as share your own discoveries. I (Fingers) will also be following the forums and answering questions on occasion. Updates to this site will be announced at the forums as well.
Strange Adventures in Infinite Space source code released! 12-Nov-2005
Digital Eel, whilst winding its way through left field, sends the following stupendous news:
Now that Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space is available from Shrapnel Games, Digital Eel is pleased to announce the release of the Strange Adventures in Infinite Space source code! The source is available under the ever-popular GNU General Public License. Note that the license does not extend to the graphics, sounds etc.
To read more and download the code, go to the SAIS Source Code page.
Get Weird! WW Demo now available for download 10-Nov-2005
So you haven't made up your mind yet? Or perhaps you're just waiting for the package to arrive? Either way, a solution is at hand! Download the Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space demo right now to get a tantalising taste of the weirdness you'll encounter in the full game.
See the Full Press Release for more details.
Preliminary Weird Worlds mod FAQ 9-Nov-2005
Those who have received their copies of the game will notice mention of The Mod-maker's Guide to the Galaxy, which "will be a website that we can grow over time and provide practical examples of things you can do with mods." Of course there will also be a Mod FAQ right here at ISF, and while we wait to see what additional support will become available, I have started a preliminary version of this document with a handful of Fingers' comments giving a very basic overview, and a few of the differences as compared to SAIS modding. Naturally the FAQ will be permanently available from the Mod Clinic.
Something Weird This Way Comes 4-Nov-2005
Weird Worlds: Return To Infinite Space Blasting Off At Warp Speed! is the official press release from Shrapnel Games announcing that the game is now shipping! Those of you with your pre-orders in, start watching your letterboxes...
Anticipated from here to Nebulon Fifteen (the one orbiting Wharzel, not the Nebulon Fifteen in the Rawnad Arm, but you probably already knew that), Digital Eel's Weird Worlds: Return To Infinite Space has gotten the green light from space command and is now blasting off! Independent publisher Shrapnel Games will begin shipping Weird Worlds worldwide and beyond, and soon gamers everywhere will begin to chart their own cosmic adventures on their PC.
Weird Worlds modding tid-bits 4-Nov-2005
To tide you over (or the veteran SAIS modders at least) while we await the announcement from Shrapnel that Weird Worlds is shipping, Fingers has posted a few tasty morsels about the improvements that mod-makers will see in the new game.
SAIS mod update 27-Oct-2005
Following a flurry of recent changes, phlagm has now released the "last last update" to Even Stranger Adventures in Infinite Space. Download v1.22 now from the Mod Register.
Infinite Space Federation 24-Oct-2005
With Weird Worlds almost upon us it was time for a name change, and a little cosmetic surgery to go with it. The new look is a work in progress, but I hope you like the results thus far. I recommend using any reasonably standards-compliant web browser (such as Opera or Firefox) in order to fully appreciate the site, and enable to use of the new Style menu.
Weird Worlds is Gold 13-Oct-2005
Shrapnel Games has announced that Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space is finally complete, and should be shipping on or around the 3rd of November.
SAIS mod update 12-Oct-2005
phlagm has recently released an updated v1.1 of the excellent Even Stranger Adventures in Infinite Space. In addition, prepare yourself for single combat against the dread Yellow Kawangi with Yellow Kawangi Hunter. Both mods are available from the Mod Register.
Site Created 18-Jul-2005
The site has been officially opened! SAIS Federation moves on to yet stranger adventures and weirder worlds!
