diff --git a/graphics/swwmback.png b/graphics/swwmback.png
index 573538768..e173f3f8d 100644
Binary files a/graphics/swwmback.png and b/graphics/swwmback.png differ
diff --git a/graphics/swwmpause.png b/graphics/swwmpause.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 58c76b731..000000000
Binary files a/graphics/swwmpause.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/language.def_base b/language.def_base
index 2ee52c76f..e71ca22c2 100644
--- a/language.def_base
+++ b/language.def_base
@@ -725,6 +725,7 @@ SWWM_DMSPREAD = "Spread:";
 SWWM_PLACE1 = "1st";
 SWWM_PLACE2 = "2nd";
 SWWM_PLACE3 = "3rd";
+SWWM_PAUSE = "PAUSED";
 // weapon tooltips
 SWWM_TTNOTE = "Note: Weapon tooltips can be deactivated in SWWM GZ Options.";
 TT_PUSHER =
diff --git a/language.es_base b/language.es_base
index b862d92dc..5003b931d 100644
--- a/language.es_base
+++ b/language.es_base
@@ -615,6 +615,7 @@ SWWM_PLACE3 = "3º";
 SWWM_PLACE1_GENDER1 = "1ª";
 SWWM_PLACE2_GENDER1 = "2ª";
 SWWM_PLACE3_GENDER1 = "3ª";
+SWWM_PAUSE = "PAUSA";
 // weapon tooltips
 SWWM_TTNOTE = "Nota: La ayuda de armas se puede desactivar en Opciones de SWWM GZ.";
 TT_PUSHER =
diff --git a/language.version b/language.version
index 4ee5f317b..ba6563ba6 100644
--- a/language.version
+++ b/language.version
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 [default]
-SWWM_MODVER="\chSWWM \czGZ\c- \cw1.2pre r93 \cu(Tue 21 Dec 22:03:38 CET 2021)\c-";
-SWWM_SHORTVER="\cw1.2pre r93 \cu(2021-12-21 22:03:38)\c-";
+SWWM_MODVER="\chSWWM \czGZ\c- \cw1.2pre r94 \cu(Wed 22 Dec 17:30:37 CET 2021)\c-";
+SWWM_SHORTVER="\cw1.2pre r94 \cu(2021-12-22 17:30:37)\c-";
diff --git a/zmapinfo.txt b/zmapinfo.txt
index 1443edbaa..d23b945e1 100644
--- a/zmapinfo.txt
+++ b/zmapinfo.txt
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ GameInfo
 	MessageBoxClass = "SWWMMessageBox"
 	HelpMenuClass = "SWWMHelpMenu"
 	MenuDelegateClass = "SWWMMenuDelegate"
-	PauseSign = "graphics/swwmpause.png"
 	BorderFlat = "graphics/bord_flat.png"
 	Border = 2, 0, "graphics/bord_tr.png", "graphics/bord_t.png", "graphics/bord_tl.png", "graphics/bord_r.png", "graphics/bord_l.png", "graphics/bord_br.png", "graphics/bord_b.png", "graphics/bord_bl.png"
 	ForceTextInMenus = true
diff --git a/zscript/hud/swwm_hud.zsc b/zscript/hud/swwm_hud.zsc
index 4d3c96ef0..797125af9 100644
--- a/zscript/hud/swwm_hud.zsc
+++ b/zscript/hud/swwm_hud.zsc
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Class SWWMStatusBar : BaseStatusBar
 {
 	TextureID StatusTex, WeaponTex, ScoreTex[3], InventoryTex, ChatTex[6],
 		HealthTex[6], FuelTex[2], DashTex, EnemyBTex, EnemyHTex[6],
-		GenericAmmoTex[3], MiniBox, AutoPage, PauseTex, bgtex;
+		GenericAmmoTex[3], MiniBox, AutoPage, bgtex;
 
 	Array<MsgLine> MainQueue, PickupQueue;
 
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ Class SWWMStatusBar : BaseStatusBar
 	int PrevFrame;
 	int chatopen;
 	bool camhidden;
+	int pausetime;
+	Vector2 pausepos, pausedir;
 
 	// shared from renderunderlay, needed for proper interpolation of some things
 	Vector3 viewpos, viewrot;
@@ -854,6 +856,7 @@ Class SWWMStatusBar : BaseStatusBar
 	override void Tick()
 	{
 		Super.Tick();
+		pausetime = gametic;
 		SWWMUtility.PrepareProjData(projdata,ViewPos,ViewRot.x,ViewRot.y,ViewRot.z,players[consoleplayer].fov);
 		int maxtargetnum = max(0,swwm_maxtargets);
 		int maxscorenum = max(0,swwm_maxscorenums);
@@ -1144,7 +1147,6 @@ Class SWWMStatusBar : BaseStatusBar
 		GenericAmmoTex[2] = TexMan.CheckForTexture("graphics/HUD/GenericAmmoBoxR.png",TexMan.Type_Any);
 		MiniBox = TexMan.CheckForTexture("graphics/HUD/MinimapBox.png",TexMan.Type_Any);
 		AutoPage = TexMan.CheckForTexture("AUTOPAGE",TexMan.Type_Autopage);
-		PauseTex = TexMan.CheckForTexture("graphics/swwmpause.png",TexMan.Type_Any);
 		bgtex = TexMan.CheckForTexture("graphics/tempbg.png",TexMan.Type_Any);
 		minimapzoom = oldminimapzoom = 1.;
 		HealthInter = DynamicValueInterpolator.Create(100,.1,1,100);
@@ -2592,16 +2594,43 @@ Class SWWMStatusBar : BaseStatusBar
 			Screen.DrawTexture(bgtex,false,(vsize.x-tsize.x)/2,(vsize.y-tsize.y)/2,DTA_VirtualWidthF,vsize.x,DTA_VirtualHeightF,vsize.y,DTA_KeepRatio,true,DTA_ColorOverlay,Color(192,0,0,0),DTA_Alpha,.5);
 		}
 		else Screen.Dim("Black",.5,0,0,Screen.GetWidth(),Screen.GetHeight());
-		Screen.DrawTexture(PauseTex,false,Screen.GetWidth()/2,Screen.GetHeight()/2,DTA_CleanNoMove,true,DTA_CenterOffset,true);
+		String str = StringTable.Localize("$SWWM_PAUSE");
+		if ( gametic < pausetime+1000 )
+		{
+			pausepos.x = Screen.GetWidth()/2;
+			pausepos.y = Screen.GetHeight()/2;
+			pausedir = (1,1);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			pausepos.x += pausedir.x*CleanXFac;
+			pausepos.y += pausedir.y*CleanYFac;
+			if ( pausepos.x >= Screen.GetWidth()-((bigfont.StringWidth(str)+8)*CleanXFac/2) )
+				pausedir.x = -1;
+			if ( pausepos.x < ((bigfont.StringWidth(str)+8)*CleanXFac/2) )
+				pausedir.x = 1;
+			if ( pausepos.y >= Screen.GetHeight()-((bigfont.GetHeight()+8)*CleanYFac/2) )
+				pausedir.y = -1;
+			if ( pausepos.y < ((bigfont.GetHeight()+8)*CleanYFac/2) )
+				pausedir.y = 1;
+		}
+		double xx = pausepos.x-bigfont.StringWidth(str)*CleanXFac/2;
+		double yy = pausepos.y-bigfont.GetHeight()*CleanYFac/2;
+		int tlen = str.CodePointCount();
+		for ( int i=0, pos=0; i<tlen; i++ )
+		{
+			int ch;
+			[ch, pos] = str.GetNextCodePoint(pos);
+			Screen.DrawChar(bigfont,Font.CR_BLUE,xx,yy+4*sin(32*i+8*gametic)*CleanYFac,ch,DTA_CleanNoMove,true);
+			xx += (bigfont.GetCharWidth(ch)+bigfont.GetDefaultKerning())*CleanXFac;
+		}
+		yy += bigfont.GetHeight()*CleanYFac;
 		if ( multiplayer && (player != -1) )
 		{
-			String str = String.Format(StringTable.Localize("$TXT_BY"),players[player].GetUserName());
-			Vector2 sz = TexMan.GetScaledSize(PauseTex);
-			double xx = (Screen.GetWidth()-smallfont.StringWidth(str)*CleanXFac)/2;
-			double yy = (Screen.GetHeight()+(sz.y+4)*CleanYFac)/2;
+			str = String.Format(StringTable.Localize("$TXT_BY"),players[player].GetUserName());
+			xx = pausepos.x-smallfont.StringWidth(str)*CleanXFac/2;
 			Screen.DrawText(smallfont,Font.CR_WHITE,xx,yy,str,DTA_CleanNoMove,true);
 		}
-		// TODO draw something extra to make the screen more visually interesting, maybe
 		return true;
 	}