Chopper 2

Chopper 2
Developer(s)	Mark Currie
Publisher(s)	Independent
Distributor(s)	None
Designer(s)	Mark Currie
Platform(s)	DOS, Windows 3.1
Release date(s)	1990
Genre(s)	Flight Simulation
Mode(s)	Single-player
Media/distribution	Floppy disk
System requirements Intel 80286

Chopper 2 was an early side scrolling helicopter simulation game on the DOS created by independent developer, Mark Currie.

Storyline

In Chopper 2, the player takes the role of an elite helicopter pilot tasked to destroy an evil army of encroaching tanks and helicopters.

Universe

Chopper 2 was a basic side scroller containing only X and Y axises. The world was broken down into 11 zones, each on their own screen. Travel between zones was done by running into the edge of either screen. When players reached the end of the universe, they would continue on in either direction but would be unable to see their aircraft. The universe is represented graphically below:

H \__ B ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ B __/ H

H = A hidden or special zone, the left most being the Mark Currie Zone

\__ = Represents the boundaries between the regular world and special zones

B = Represents a zone containing a player military base

___ = Represents a combat zone.

Gameplay

Players start out with the rank of private and are promoted, based on the number of missions they have successfully completed, to general after the final mission. There were a static number of missions, however missions were assigned and repeated in a random order during each round.

The game contained an unreliable save function that only allowed players to continue from a previous game if they exited before finishing. If a player was killed during a mission, that character is permanently dead and must be recreated.

At the start of every mission, the player was randomly assigned to take off from the cave military base on the left end of the map or the mountain military base on the right end of the map, the cave base being the more difficult of the two due to the small exit that players had to navigate.

When a helicopter crashed, explosions were determined by the speed of the impact. Using a mouse input, players could rapidly slam the helicopter into the ground creating nearly screen size explosions.

Weapons and helicopter explosions would damage or destroy anything they hit, quite possibly making this game the first to contain a fully interactive and destructible landscape.

If a helicopter was shot down, or landed, players would automatically exit the craft either by parachute or on foot. Players who were shot down, would receive a rescue helicopter with limited ammo capacity after 20 seconds to complete the mission.

Weapons

All enemies were equipped with a slow firing gun, represented by a single pixel.

Player helicopters contained a forward firing gun as well as a bomb, both represented by single pixels. These weapons both had their projectile trajectories affected by gravity.

Player helicopters also were equipped with a small number of forward firing dumb fire missiles which were not affected by gravity and created a larger explosion then the regular guns.

If a player exited the helicopter they were equipped with a short range pistol as well as a grenade.

Easter Eggs

On the far right and far left sides of the map, players could shoot out the mountains blocking passage and enter secret screens. On the far left, players could enter the Mark Currie Zone, which would repair all damage and restock weapons. On the far right, players could enter an unnamed zone that would increase the damage of basic guns and bombs 3 fold.

See also

• List of MS-DOS games
• Inhuman Games