| [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]Important News-Flash! | My program, Kyrathaba's Hangman, allows you to register a user-name. If you do, the High Score on your particular installation of the application will always be sent to the online database (http://kyrathaba.zxq.net/appsWithOnlineDB/KyrHangman/show_hang_info.php). For the Highest Scoring DC member, as found here (http://kyrathaba.zxq.net/appsWithOnlineDB/KyrHangman/show_hang_info.php), I will donate up to 25 (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=27130.msg253054#msg253054) hours of programming for FREE on a small to mid-size project of your choice!! I reserve the right to determine what is within my skills, however. The top-three high-scoring DC members will receive an additional prize from the site. I reserve the right to throw out a score that has obviously been obtained through some hack: being intimately conversant with the program's level of difficulty, I have a keen idea what's humanly possible. On the last day of each month between now and the culmination of the NANY 2012 event, I will donate $5 DonationCredits (https://www.donationcoder.com/Donate/Credits.php) to the highest scorer showing on the scoreboard (http://kyrathaba.zxq.net/appsWithOnlineDB/KyrHangman/show_hang_info.php), provided that the scorer is a DC member. Visitors who may be reading this: join now! The first disbursement will be on July 31st, the final one December 31st. That's an opportunity for someone to win up to $30, not to mention bragging rights! |
| Application Name | Kyrathaba's Hangman |
| Version | 1.0.4.5 (released 8/21/11) |
| Short Description | competitive Hangman with prizes for highest scorers (see blog entry (http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/flatpress/index.php/2011/08/10/kyrathabas-hangman/)) |
| Supported OSes | Windows XP forward |
| Setup File | A link to the Setup program (http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/ccount/click.php?id=3) {will check for absence of .NET Framework 4.0 and download if needed} (1.41 Mb) |
| PAD file URL | http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/my_programs/KyrHangmanSetups/hangman_PAD.xml |
| System Requirements |
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| Author Info | coded by kyrathaba | Profile page (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=56621) | Kyrathaba DC page (http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/index.htm) | author of Kyrathaba's Source Code Line Counter (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=27206.0). My past NANY entries include: Crocus Contacts (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=6635.msg46536#msg46536), Blackjack (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=24926), and NANY Excuse Manager (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=25014). |
| Description | This was a project I did for the Boss Assignment of C# Programming School (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=26586.0), Phase I. I liked it so much that I continued to develop it, eventually bringing in cranioscopical (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=32578) for some expert testing. I owe him a debt for the many bugs he made me aware of; and to mouser I say "thank you" for encouraging me not to give up in learning enough PHP to build the online scripts and database to implement my desired features-set. Destined to replace time wasted by people watching "Wheel Of Fortune"! -- PC Magazine. What! This program is FREE!?? A crime, that's what it is! Someone slap the developer around until he starts showing some sense and charging for this gem of genius! -- Gamasutra |
| Features | + choose between an Individual Word or a Phrase, and try to solve before you are hanged! + optional audio cues + option to register a user-name with online database, so that you can submit your High Score and compete against all other players! + option to use mouse or keyboard for input + Highest Scorer, as recorded on the online database will receive free coding of a small-to-medium sized project of his/her choice! + ToolTips and context-sensitive help for each control in the application's interface I would appreciate suggestions for future features of the program. Please consider donating (http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/donate.htm). |
| Screenshots | screenshot collage (http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/my_programs/program_screenshots/sshotCollage.png) |
| Online Help | http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/my_programs/KyrHangmanSetups/HangmanHelp.pdf (http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/my_programs/KyrHangmanSetups/HangmanHelp.pdf) |
| Installation | Simply use the installer created by Inno Setup |
| Using the application | The GUI is fairly intuitive. However, there is a textual help file under the "Help" menu, and a more in-depth PDF help file (with screenshots) available via the F1 key. |
| Uninstalling | Use the uninstall Program Files menu-item. |
| Known Issues | What? You mean like bugs? None (but please make me aware of any that you may find...) |
Perhaps we should call early releases differently than the final releases.. like "NANY 2012 Pledge and Early Beta"?
Because "official" NANY releases shouldn't happen until the end of the year
Hello,
Administrator review of domain kyrathaba.netii.net is now complete. The website has been approved. Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Also, how come I have to toggle between keyboard and mouse in the settings? When I click on the button to guess a letter, instead of popping up a box telling me that I have keyboard guess method selected, why not just guess the letter?
Charging for vowels is just one way in which the program gives a nod to the old Wheel Of Fortune game. Another is the fact that it offers WOF bonus puzzles (i.e., "Same Name", "Before & After", etc.) At the beginning of the first game, you have no points and so must guess at least one correct consonant before being able to afford a vowel. As games continue, vowels become more expensive. The idea is that clever players will use letter-frequency knowledge and context to guess the most likely consonants first (s, t, r), thereby saving themselves point expenditures. As your post suggests, you could take a different stance.-kyrathaba (June 25, 2011, 09:13 AM)
I'm loathe to change the Wheel Of Fortune themes, even though I am sympathetic to your arguments, because they're so entrenched in the format of the default puzzle file, and so much time and effort was spent coding around those themes. But I agree that for people not familiar with WOF, it's more difficult. Still, it is a variant of hangman, rather than sticking strictly to the historical game. I appreciate your allowances in that direction.-kyrathaba (June 25, 2011, 10:14 AM)
I'm loathe to change the Wheel Of Fortune themes, even though I am sympathetic to your arguments, because they're so entrenched in the format of the default puzzle file, and so much time and effort was spent coding around those themes. But I agree that for people not familiar with WOF, it's more difficult. Still, it is a variant of hangman, rather than sticking strictly to the historical game. I appreciate your allowances in that direction.-kyrathaba (June 25, 2011, 10:14 AM)
I too found his comments useful and persuasive. What I think is the correct way of dealing with this part of it though, would be to add a help that explained what is meant by those categories. It doesn't take much to add (I don't think anyway) and it can leave everything else as is without detracting from it in any way.-steeladept (June 25, 2011, 10:41 AM)
Does anyone know what exactly I'd need to change in my Inno Setup script so that the "File Version" info (as shown in the screenshot) is correct?
(see attachment in previous post (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=27130.msg253203#msg253203))-kyrathaba (June 25, 2011, 09:51 AM)
Does it get it from your assembly information, perhaps? Is the version number in your assembly correct?
I think this is a good solution. Before the round starts, there's a popup that tells you what the theme of the round will be, along with other things to be aware of. Perhaps in this popup it could explain or have a button to press to find the explanation for the theme.
Another thing I just thought of: When I first ran the game and it popped up a message recommending that I read the help file, I decided not to because I didn't realize that this wasn't your standard Hangman game. I thought "Pshaw! I don't need a stinking help file for hangman!" Perhaps it would be useful to explain in that popup that this isn't your Grandpa's Hangman (no offense meant to anyone who's grandpa was hanged) and that it plays quite differently from traditional hangman, thus reading the help file is strongly recommended.
By the way, I also just want to say thank you for being so receptive to my feedback. Thmbsup
This appears to be the first time you've run "Kyrathaba's Hangman." This isn't your grandpa's hangman, so it is recommended that you visit a webpage that will show you how to get started. Additionally you may press F1 at any time to read the PDF Help file.
Is the in-game update supposed to update itself?
That stickman is wearing a mighty fine top hat to his execution. I guess he knows how to go out in style Thmbsup
I'm using HelpNDoc (http://www.helpndoc.com/) to generate my PDF help file. Do you guys prefer PDF as the help file format, or would CHM be preferable?
Because CHM compresses the internal HTML, its file size is smaller than the corresponding PDF, but I wondered if CHM is natively supported by all versions of Windows, whereas I know that PDF support is nearly ubiquitous. Can't remember the last time I found a system that didn't have some sort of PDF reader software installed.-kyrathaba (July 01, 2011, 04:56 PM)
Do you guys prefer PDF as the help file format, or would CHM be preferable?I was quite surprised you use pdf for help contents, as that's rather non-standard, AFAICS. The biggest pest being the non-availability of a pdf viewer on Windows by default. The chm format is supported at least from XP and up, and I hope nobody is using an older Windows version any longer :tellme:-kyrathaba (July 01, 2011, 04:56 PM)
Thanks and if I might also add that my high score was while vowels still cost points as well. tongue
email from BenuBird (dunno why he doesn't just join the site and post *hint, hint, Benu):
"...Those guys must be cheating! I barely managed to break 100-thousand! ;)
"
Apostrophes are supposed to be among the punctuation marks that are automatically shown in plain-text when a new puzzle is presented (i.e., you shouldn't have to guess them).-kyrathaba (July 10, 2011, 08:13 AM)
The characters one would like to guess are usually as simple as a-z and proably 0-9
Oh wow! I just had one heck of a lucky game.
the third game came up with the same error (perhaps it is the particular puzzle chosen?).
but the letter shows twice in the guess box
Another bug I am finding is not all letters show from puzzle to puzzle. They are not selected, but they are not listed if you are a mouse user.
Perhaps in a future revision you can consider tracking if input was via mouse or keyboard to differentiate high scores?
I am not a mouse person in general, but when checking stuff out like this I find that is where most things break (at least in my programs).
Not sure if this makes any difference, but my "language for non-unicode programs" is set to Japanese.
So, during my last game I had all three of the puzzles I had previously reported errors on show up
Just think, if I had known how much Warner Communications had paid for the copyright to "Happy Birthday", I may have broken a million points.
Still, I noticed that there is no way to reset it or retrieve it.
v 1.0.4.4 (released 8-11-2011)
fixes an exploit found by thancock: this update is required if
you want to compete using the online high-score database. Although
older versions will still submit highscores, the database will
not retain them long-term because there is a PHP sweeper function
that will periodically cull the database of scores submitted
with older versions which have not had the exploit patched.
And what about the current scores already there? Is my 2nd place one going to get removed since it was an older version potentially taking me out of -> "The top-three high-scoring DC members will receive an additional prize from the site." as you posted on the first post?
One of the advantages of playing a lot, as you have, is that you become familiar with puzzles seen previously, allowing you to solve faster. You'll remember the one that stumped you, the next time you come across it :D-kyrathaba (August 03, 2011, 07:45 PM)
That doesn't mean I"ll actually be beating that score any time soon, though.
...The top-three high-scoring DC members will receive an additional prize from the site.-kyrathaba (June 23, 2011, 07:24 PM)