Proto:Hired Guns/Demo

This is a sub-page of Proto:Hired Guns.

Amiga Demo - Version 37.14

This was a demo version of the game released three ways - as a download on Aminet, a cover disk for Amiga Format magazine issue 44, and as a cover disk for Amiga Action issue 45. All three demos are identical and based on the same source. The demo is important for understanding the path of the game's development as it shows all kinds of abandoned gameplay concepts (hand to hand weapons and psi-skills) and also more of a traditional Fantasy feel to the game than the hard science fiction direction already taking hold at this stage of development.

The demo shows "version 37.14" on both the splash screen and pause/help screen.

Graphical Differences

• CIM has writing on his back that was removed in the final game and has a slightly different stance when viewed from behind.

Demo CIM graphic	Final CIM graphic

• Rorian's rear view graphic has a different, stiffer stance in the demo to the more natural looking stance in the final game.

Demo Rorian graphic	Final Rorian graphic

• The key needed/key used graphic is centred in the player view, effectively blocking sight of what is behind a locked door when it's opened.
• There is a pick up icon graphic for the cursor when hovering over ground objects - this was removed in the final game, presumably due to the new sidestep icon overriding it. It is still visible when hovering over the pick up button in the inventory screen, however.

• Wall switches have a different graphic that makes them blend into the stone wall. This more organic look also suggests a leftover of the games' fantasy past.

Demo Switch graphic	Final Switch graphic

• Different colouring of some objects, e.g. the DTS console. The graphic for the "Ultra Proto" DTS that can be found in the demo's files was actually used as the final game's normal DTS graphic in the end.

Demo DTS graphic	Final DTS graphic

• There is a status icon for when a character's psi stat has been boosted by an item. This is removed in the final game along with all the other psi stat-related mechanics.

• Different texture graphic behind level description text in static screen.

Gameplay Differences

• No sidestep ability yet, it's only possible to move forwards and backwards.
• Left mouse button is used to pick up items instead of right as in the final game, due to the addition of the sidestep move.
• The Droid Repair Kit item does not exist in the demo's files. CIM can heal himself with a normal medikit and food items unlike in the final game. This is actually consistent with the manual that states he can do this. It seems the repair kits were introduced later, possibly to balance the far stronger robotic characters against the otherwise inferior humanoid ones.
• The demo Syringe item comes in three stat boosting varieties and also depicts a drop of liquid dripping off the tip of the needle. In the final game syringes are all green, do not have the dripping blood graphic, and only cure poison.
• Rorian starts with a "Shortsword" object. This does nothing, but along with the Knuckleduster, Hammer and other similar items suggests there was originally going to be player melee combat in the game. This is corroborated by the released source code for the final game that still includes a non-working "Hand2hand" weapon category.

Psionics Skill

All characters in the demo have a "Psionics" stat. Presumably this would determine how powerful characters' usage of Psi-amps would be. CIM has his stat set at 0, so presumably would not be able to use / be very weak at using psi-amps. This stat has no effect in the demo and was abandoned as a character statistic entirely in the final game, and replaced with the "Agility" stat on the status screen. However, the following shows this was going to be an important mechanic at one point:

Demo Character stats screen	Final Character stats screen

Datamining the demo's Characters.dat file also reveals the following psi-stat levels for all of the characters, including those not in the demo:

Character	Psionics Stat
Cheule	3100
Jenillee	5220
CIM	0
CIM-Lite	0
Miyriel	0
Desverger	1788
Adele	4221
Rorian	4304
Kiurcher	993
Bonden	2771
Katrina	3441
Clavius	4156

This is interesting as all mechanical characters have a zero psi-stat which presumably would massively disadvantage them in the game in terms of Psi-Amps. It would also seemingly make Jenillee a much more important/useful character than in the final game as she has the best psi-stat.

• Psi-amps have levels indicating their strength (e.g. "Psi-Amp LVL8 Heal"). In the final game there are simply different named psi amps representing different strengths of the same effect. Possibly the original intent of these levels was to prevent characters with weaker psionics stats from using them.
• Jenillee starts with two "Jar" objects. These greatly boost psi or phys stats when used.

Cut items

These items are present in the demo but missing from the final game. Note most are not directly accessible in the demo itself, but can be found in its files:

Item	Description / Notes	Image
Shortsword	No Item Description - useless item Rorian starts with this.
Jar	No Item Description - These actually temporarily boost stats, and do so more than the syringe items. Brown jar: boosts Psi stat by 100 Green Jar: boosts Physique by 100 Jenillee starts with both of these.
Syringe	There are three of these defined in the demo, and the red and green variety can be found in its levels. Red: "Battlefield drug to temporarily improve physical abilities. Also available illegally in some cities. This drug boosts physique and psionics" - This boosts Phys and Psi stats both by 50 Green: "Battlefield drug to temporarily improve physical abilities. Also available illegally in some cities. This drug boosts physique" - This boosts Phys stat by 50 Brown: "Battlefield drug to temporarily improve physical abilities. Also available illegally in some cities. This drug boosts psionics" - This boosts Psi stat by 50 Jenillee and Cheule both start with red syringes in their inventories.
Digital Camcorder	"This is a favourite for journalists as it allows the recording of footage which can be prooved [sic] to be unaltered and tamper free." Useless item, but this was going to be an important item to the games' plot.
Portable Databank	No Item Description - useless item. This item is actually listed in the game's paper manual where it's described as essentially a device for a subscription based electronic encyclopedias and other information sources. It gives no clue to its in-game purpose. It's also actually still present in the final game's files as an item type, but the item itself is removed.
Satellite Uplink Card	No Item Description - useless item. Presumably would have been used during the Satellite Uplink map to broadcast the footage recorded with the Camcorder to interested parties.
Knuckle Duster	No Item Description - useless item Another example of a possible melee weapon.
Hammer	"Tool used in low level construction. Also capable of being used as an improvised weapon." - useless item
Scimitar	No Item Description - useless item
Longsword	No Item Description - useless item
Hunting Knife	No Item Description - useless item
Staff	No Item Description - useless item. The Encyclopedia.txt file in the development files has an item description for this object: "Finely crafted single piece of wood."
Whisky	"Rare alchoholic drink since the severing of ties with earth. Substitutes have been deleloped [sic] but none compare with the scottish originals." - Healing item, cures around 25% health.
D.T.S Module 'Ultra' Proto	No Item Description - This is a supposed prototype DTS module. It effectively gives you permanent Farsight by showing the possessing character all of the current floor map as soon as they enter a floor. Note this has the same graphic as what became the final game's normal DTS module. This item is also alluded to in the games' paper manual, there's talk of a "Guild Ultra" DTS with improved mapping ability so it presumably was intended to be in the game and not just a cheat item.
PSI-AMP LVL6 SHIFT	No Item Description - A cut psi amp. This can be used, but it's not clear what, if anything, it does.
PSI-AMP LVL4 FLOAT	No Item Description - A cut psi amp. This can be used, but it's not clear what, if anything, it does. When used it triggers a status effect marker of a winged figure on the using character. It does not reduce fall damage or allow the character to walk over gaps, etc.
PSI-AMP LVL6 REPAIR	No Item Description - A cut psi amp. This can be used, but it's not clear what, if anything, it does. It does not heal robotic robotic characters, neither does it repair inventory items. In the final game this inventory slot is used by the Cure Poison psi-amp.

(Source: Hired Guns Operation Centre)

According to a forum post by Hired Guns writer Steven Hammond, the Digital Camcorder item was originally to be used to record irrefutable evidence of the illegally biologically engineered organisms on Graveyard. In the final game's story this part of the plot was removed and the mission is simply to cause a nuclear explosion to wipe them out instead. The Camcorder actually is present in the final game's files including its description, but has no graphic anymore and cannot be found in-game. The Portable Databank also exists only as an item entry, but with no description or graphic. The other items above are totally removed from the game.

Item Text Changes

Some items originally had wordier descriptions:

Item	Demo Text	Final Game Text
Broken Bottle	The disadvantage of bottle glass is that is very brittle compared to more modern glass. It may shatter and leave a sharp and dangerous edge	The disadvantage of bottle glass is that it is very brittle compared to modern composites.
Mounted Minigun	Vehicle mountable weapon with a high rate of fire. This is a military grade device and as such is not available for civilian use.	This weapon is a military grade device and as such is not available for civilian use. Requires.44 calibre ammo.
Smith & Wesson 29	The highest quality handgun available. The genuine item is imported only from earth. It is much sought after and much immitated.	The highest quality handgun available. The genuine item is imported only from earth. Requires 9mm calibre ammo
Sonic Stunner	Operates at ultrasonic frequencies designed to incapacitate humans by interfering with balance systems in the human ear.	Operates at ultrasonic frequencies designed to incapacitate by interfering with human balance systems. requires 1kjoule charge or more.
Blaster 52-C	A very nasty gun that operates at wavelengths designed to vaporise water molecules. Such as found in organic substances such as people.	A very nasty gun that operates at wavelengths designed to vaporise water molecules in organic substances. Requires 1kjoule charge or more.

Unused Level Descriptions

The Locations.dat file is also an early version. Most levels from the final game are listed, but simply have "No record at this site" for the level description. They also have a number assigned from 491 - 511 for their "Log Entry" number, whereas in the final game the number used aligns with the actual map filename on disk. The following levels have different names compared to the final game:

LOG ENTRY 506. Barracks. No record at this site.

LOG ENTRY 511. Exterrestial Services & Quarantine Control. No record at this site.

There is no "Barracks" level in the final game, but the file LoadingText.txt in the development files shows a level with this name was planned in the original game's storyline. The second entry above appears to be an early name for the final Spaceport level.