Tyler Manteuffel - the Real Hang Man



This project is an alternate interpretation of the Hanging Words lab, because it emulates the structure of the project and duplicates some of the coding sequence. My “Real Hang Man” modifies the abstract theme of the children’s game of hangman. Instead of using a cartoonish, goofy stick figure and adding pieces as the player makes wrong choices, I aim to expose the dark reality of a hanging. By depicting a realistic man slowly making his way to the gallows, I create an intense urgency and fear that grows with each wrong letter choice. I eliminate the playfulness of the children's game by portraying the hanging as a true to life method of execution. With the desensitization of today’s youth on the rise from violence in movies and video games, my “Real Hang Man” is a continuation of the norm. This contrast between what is considered a socially acceptable children’s game, and the stark reality of public execution, demonstrates how today’s culture blurs the line between explicit violence and innocent fun. The desensitization of today’s youth reminds me of medieval times, when going to a public execution was considered family-friendly entertainment. My focus throughout this project was attention to the art and animation, as the game is a relatively simple concept. I toiled to accurately depict and animate a hanging sequence along the progression of the game. My scene animations convey a more sinister depiction of the children’s game, with realism being the key expression to create my theme. I intended to reach a point where my game depicted numbing violence at the most basic level of play, thereby representing the desensitization of even the youngest players. The numbing violence of children’s cartoons and games seems to be rising exponentially. I chose to portray my game as a realistic look at what children choose to play in our ever-changing day and age.

This project is an alternate interpretation of the Hanging Words lab, because it emulates the structure of the project and duplicates some of the coding sequence. My “Real Hang Man” modifies the abstract theme of the children’s game of hangman. Instead of using a cartoonish, goofy stick figure and adding pieces as the player makes wrong choices, I aim to expose the dark reality of a hanging. By depicting a realistic man slowly making his way to the gallows, I create an intense urgency and fear that grows with each wrong letter choice. I eliminate the playfulness of the children's game by portraying the hanging as a true to life method of execution. With the desensitization of today’s youth on the rise from violence in movies and video games, my “Real Hang Man” is a continuation of the norm. This contrast between what is considered a socially acceptable children’s game, and the stark reality of public execution, demonstrates how today’s culture blurs the line between explicit violence and innocent fun. The desensitization of today’s youth reminds me of medieval times, when going to a public execution was considered family-friendly entertainment.

My focus throughout this project was attention to the art and animation, as the game is a relatively simple concept. I toiled to accurately depict and animate a hanging sequence along the progression of the game. My scene animations convey a more sinister depiction of the children’s game, with realism being the key expression to create my theme. I intended to reach a point where my game depicted numbing violence at the most basic level of play, thereby representing the desensitization of even the youngest players. The numbing violence of children’s cartoons and games seems to be rising exponentially. I chose to portray my game as a realistic look at what children choose to play in our ever-changing day and age.