Hangman 2
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Publisher : JPM International
Platform : GamesNet, ItBox, Ind:E, FatBox, Nexus OS : Windows, DirectX Language : C Game Engine : Maiden Resolution : 800 x 600 Year : 1999 |
Hangman 2
Hangman 2 is a colourful cowboy-themed pub quiz game with instant cash prizes. It is a £20 jackpot multiple choice question and answer video SWP game. The game is based loosely on the traditional paper and pencil Hangman word game.
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Choose your CLUE and attempt to solve the MYSTERY PHRASE before you're lynched! Choose a LETTER and answer QUESTIONS to add to the phrase. Complete the phrase to win POINTS. Progress along the points bar to win CASH PRIZES. Watch for MYSTERIES(?)! GOOD LUCK!
Get your name in the HALL OF FAME! The more questions you answer, the higher your ranking!
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The game starts with the selection of a Hangman phrase. At the top of the screen there is a points trail, in the form of an undertaker's tape measure, with money bags placed along it. Each money bag has a different cash value, ranging in value from £1 to £20. The trail position of each money bag corresponds to the points needed to win the cash value shown on the bag.
The player's current points total is indicated by the position of an arrow on the points trail. The player's current win value is shown by the highest value money bag with a points value equal to, or exceeded by, the player's score.
Beneath the points trail, there are three WANTED posters. Each poster has a clue to a Hangman phrase, and a points value. To select a phrase, the player chooses one of the posters.
The player is then shown the main Hangman game screen. At the start of the game, the player's Hangman character has all six body parts missing.
The clue to the Hangman phrase is shown in green above the phrase itself. Each letter of the phrase is represented by a purple tile. Initially all the tiles are blank. At the bottom of the screen is a selection of three letters to choose from. Each letter has a different question category associated with it. The game has a total of seven question categories.
The player's current points total is indicated by the position of an arrow on the points trail. The player's current win value is shown by the highest value money bag with a points value equal to, or exceeded by, the player's score.
Beneath the points trail, there are three WANTED posters. Each poster has a clue to a Hangman phrase, and a points value. To select a phrase, the player chooses one of the posters.
The player is then shown the main Hangman game screen. At the start of the game, the player's Hangman character has all six body parts missing.
The clue to the Hangman phrase is shown in green above the phrase itself. Each letter of the phrase is represented by a purple tile. Initially all the tiles are blank. At the bottom of the screen is a selection of three letters to choose from. Each letter has a different question category associated with it. The game has a total of seven question categories.
- A TO Z
- ENTERTAINMENT
- POP MUSIC
- POT LUCK
- PEOPLE & PLACES
- SPORT
- SCIENCE & NATURE
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The player must choose one of the letters that they think is present in the Hangman phrase. There is a time limit for the selection, which is shown graphically by a shrinking red bar on the undertaker's tape measure at the bottom of the screen. If the player fails to make a selection within the time limit, one of the three letters is chosen at random.
If the player's Hangman accumulates all six body parts, the Hangman is complete; the player is 'hanged', and the game ends.
On the question screen, the player is shown a question from their chosen category together with three alternative answers, only one of which is correct.
The game ends if:
After successfully answering a question, the game returns to the main game screen. If at this point the Hangman phrase is complete, the game returns to the phrase selection screen. The points value of the completed phrase is then added to the player's points total, and the player chooses a new Hangman phrase.
- If the selected letter is NOT in the phrase, the chosen letter drops through the trap door beneath it, and a limb, or other body part, is added to the Hangman character. The player must then choose again from a fresh set of letters.
- If the selected letter is in the phrase, the game progresses to the question screen.
- If the selected letter is a question mark (?), a mystery bonus round is awarded.
- If the player currently has a cash win, they can choose to collect it at this point in the game by pressing COLLECT.
If the player's Hangman accumulates all six body parts, the Hangman is complete; the player is 'hanged', and the game ends.
On the question screen, the player is shown a question from their chosen category together with three alternative answers, only one of which is correct.
- If the player selects the CORRECT answer, the game returns to the main game screen, and all occurrences of the previously selected letter are revealed in the phrase.
- If the player selects an INCORRECT answer, and has one or more try again bullets remaining, they must try again.
The game ends if:
- the player selects a wrong answer, and has no try again bullets remaining
- the player fails to select an answer within the time limit
After successfully answering a question, the game returns to the main game screen. If at this point the Hangman phrase is complete, the game returns to the phrase selection screen. The points value of the completed phrase is then added to the player's points total, and the player chooses a new Hangman phrase.
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In the MYSTERY BONUS round, the player is briefly shown four WANTED posters, each with a different bonus prize. The bonuses on offer can be positive or negative, but there is always at least one positive bonus available for the player to choose.
The wanted posters are turned over, and their bonus prizes hidden from view. The player must then watch closely as the four posters are shuffled. The player is asked to select one of the posters. The prize on the chosen poster is then revealed, and awarded to the player.
The possible POSITIVE bonuses are:
The possible NEGATIVE bonuses are:
When the game ends, if the player has a high points total, they are shown their rank in the game's high score table, and asked to enter their initials. The high score table can be seen by pressing the HIGH SCORE button on the game's start screen.
The wanted posters are turned over, and their bonus prizes hidden from view. The player must then watch closely as the four posters are shuffled. The player is asked to select one of the posters. The prize on the chosen poster is then revealed, and awarded to the player.
The possible POSITIVE bonuses are:
- SPOT PRIZE - a cash value ranging from £1 to £10
- TRY AGAIN - a try again bullet is added to the player's try again total (up to a maximum of three)
- SUPER TRY AGAIN - two try again bullets are added to the player's try again total (up to a maximum of three)
- EXTRA POINTS - free bonus points are added to the player's points total
- ADD A LETTER - a letter in the phrase is revealed without the need for the player to answer a question
- ADD LETTERS - up to three letters in the phrase are revealed without the need for the player to answer a question
- COMPLETE PHRASE - the current phrase is automatically completed and the points for the phrase are awarded.
The possible NEGATIVE bonuses are:
- LOSE TRY AGAIN - if the player has one or more try again bullets, one of them is removed
- ADD A LIMB - a body part is added to the player's Hangman character
- HANGED - all remaining missing body parts are added to the player's Hangman character, and the game ends
When the game ends, if the player has a high points total, they are shown their rank in the game's high score table, and asked to enter their initials. The high score table can be seen by pressing the HIGH SCORE button on the game's start screen.
Development
Martin developed Hangman 2 using his Maiden game engine. The game utilises 800x600 graphics, and runs with Direct X on SWP platforms running Windows 95 or higher. Hangman 2 is a re-write of an earlier low resolution 8-bit graphics game that was developed for JPM's Impact video system. The original Impact game was developed for a bespoke cabinet with no touch screen. Martin's newer Hangman 2 benefited from running on superior hardware with 16-bit graphics capabilities. Frame rates were much higher (up to 60 frames/s, compared with less than 10 frames/s on the earlier game). This made the fast-paced card shuffles in the game's bonus feature a lot more playable. Animations were also much smoother. GamesNet, and all other subsequent SWP platforms, included a touch screen, which also added to playability.
Martin wrote the compression system that was used in the file format that he developed for the game's graphics. This enabled the total file size of the game to be kept to a minimum (under 10 MiB in the case of Hangman2). Keeping the game file size to a minimum was important in the early days of GamesNet, as hard drive space was at a premium then. It was also a requirement that games should be able to be uploaded to terminals in a reasonable time, using network connections that were a lot slower than would be acceptable today.
Martin wrote the compression system that was used in the file format that he developed for the game's graphics. This enabled the total file size of the game to be kept to a minimum (under 10 MiB in the case of Hangman2). Keeping the game file size to a minimum was important in the early days of GamesNet, as hard drive space was at a premium then. It was also a requirement that games should be able to be uploaded to terminals in a reasonable time, using network connections that were a lot slower than would be acceptable today.
Hangman 2 on ItBox - January 2003
Release
Martin's Hangman 2 was initially released on GamesNet in 1999. In 2000, it became one of the first games to launch on Leisure Link's SWP Showtime platform (later to be renamed ItBox). In 2002, Hangman 2 was one of the launch titles in JPM's GameBox game collection, a package of games designed for JPM's Proteus game platform. Hangman 2 was also subsequently released on all other major UK SWP platforms including Ind:E, Fatbox and Nexus.
As one of GamesNet's top-performing games for over 10 years, Martin's Hangman 2 ranks amongst the most successful SWPs ever developed.
As one of GamesNet's top-performing games for over 10 years, Martin's Hangman 2 ranks amongst the most successful SWPs ever developed.
Hangman 2 on Nexus - January 2004