What font did ID Software used for the first three games?

[Hyrule_boy]

Does anybody know what font ID software used for the first 3 Commander Keen episodes? I need to know this because I want my fangame to be so accurate as possible.

Thanks in advance.

[KeenRush]

Sorry, but I believe they crafted the font by themselves. The same way modders of these games do.

[ckguy]

When you extract the graphics with ModKeen, the font is stored in the xFON0000.BMP file, so if you felt like it, you could write your own printing function or whatever and get the character images from there.

[Hyrule_boy]

When you extract the graphics with ModKeen, the font is stored in the xFON0000.BMP file, so if you felt like it, you could write your own printing function or whatever and get the character images from there.

Where can I get ModKeen?

[ckguy]

Here: http://files.keenmodding.org/modkeen2.zip

This is a command-line program, so you'll have to open a DOS prompt to use it. (Or create automated .bat files.)

[Hyrule_boy]

Here: http://files.keenmodding.org/modkeen2.zip

This is a command-line program, so you'll have to open a DOS prompt to use it. (Or create automated .bat files.)

I got it, but how do I exactly use it?

[XkyRauh]

It's a Line Command program, which means you have to access it through a command line window (or DOS prompt).

For example, if you put it in a copy of your Keen1 folder, you might do something like:

Code: Select all

modkeen -export -episode=1

The commands for the line depend on which version you download, but for the most part if you type:

Code: Select all

modkeen

all by itself, you'll get a list of what you can and can't do.

The quickest way to get to a DOS prompt on a Windows machine is to do Start-->Run-->cmd (type "cmd" without quotes into the run window. If that doesn't work, try "command")

[ckguy]

If you have Windows Vista, you can shift-rightclick somewhere and select Open Command Window. (Fun semi-secret feature in Vista!)

[Mink]

If you can't get ModKeen to work properly, you can view the picture here. Hope this helps.

[Hyrule_boy]

It's a Line Command program, which means you have to access it through a command line window (or DOS prompt).

For example, if you put it in a copy of your Keen1 folder, you might do something like:

Code: Select all

modkeen -export -episode=1

The commands for the line depend on which version you download, but for the most part if you type:

Code: Select all

modkeen

all by itself, you'll get a list of what you can and can't do.

The quickest way to get to a DOS prompt on a Windows machine is to do Start-->Run-->cmd (type "cmd" without quotes into the run window. If that doesn't work, try "command")

Thanks allot man! I ripped with Modkeen all the sprites from the first 3 episodes. Btw is there something like Modkeen that can rip the sound effects from the first 3 episodes?

[StupidBunny]

As far as I know, there is no specific program that accomplishes this. (Correct me if I'm wrong in this.) However, there was somebody in another thread (I don't remember who) who has those sound effects in mp3 format.

[Hyrule_boy]

As far as I know, there is no specific program that accomplishes this. (Correct me if I'm wrong in this.) However, there was somebody in another thread (I don't remember who) who has those sound effects in mp3 format.

Well that other topic was from me! and that guy gave me the sound effects from Keen 4, 5, 6 which is awesome but totally different then the sound effects from Keen 1, 2, and 3. And I will use those unless somebody here's willing to rip the sound effects from 1, 2 or 3!
That person will be credited big time in my fangame!

[Calvero]

Here's the C source code of a "Very quick hack to extract Commander Keen sounds from SOUNDS1.CK1. The output files are raw 16-bit Intel byte order stereo PCMs."

[Hyrule_boy]

Here's the C source code of a "Very quick hack to extract Commander Keen sounds from SOUNDS1.CK1. The output files are raw 16-bit Intel byte order stereo PCMs."

Can they be converted to .wav? also I don't know how to use that! Could you do it for me?

[ckguy]

Here's the code, reposted, in case Archive.org isn't cooperating with you (like it often isn't for me):

Code: Select all

/*

Very quick hack to extract Commander Keen sounds from SOUNDS1.CK1.
The output files are raw 16-bit Intel byte order stereo PCMs.

By Anders Gavare <g@dd.chalmers.se>

*/

#include <stdio.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <math.h>

FILE *f, *fout;
unsigned char buf[16];


double t = 0.0;
double dt = 1.0/44100.0;
//double freqdiv = 1193180.0;
double freqdiv = 1193180.0;

int short_while = 44100/128;

void write_freq (int freq)
  {
    /*  write a short while of 'freq':  */
    /*  y = Amplitude * sin (omega * t)  where omega = 2*PI*freq  */

    double y;
    int b,b1,b2;
    int j;

    for (j=0; j<short_while; j++)
      {
	if (freq)
		y = 10000.0 * sin (2.0*M_PI*freqdiv/(double)freq*t);
	else
		y = 0.0;

if (y>1) y=10000;
if (y<1) y=-10000;

	t = t + dt;
	b = y;
	b1 = b & 255;
	b2 = b / 256;
	fwrite (&b1, 1, 1, fout);
	fwrite (&b2, 1, 1, fout);
	fwrite (&b1, 1, 1, fout);
	fwrite (&b2, 1, 1, fout);
      }
  }



void save_sound (int ofs)
  {
    unsigned char minibuf[2];
    int freq;

    fseek (f, ofs, 0);
    fread (minibuf, 2, 1, f);

    while (minibuf[0]!=0xff && minibuf[1]!=0xff)
      {
	freq = minibuf[0]+minibuf[1]*256;
printf (" %i", freq);
	write_freq (freq);

	/*  read next minibuf:  */
	fread (minibuf, 2, 1, f);
      }
    printf ("\n");
  }


int main (int argc, char *argv[])
  {
    int nr_of_sounds, i;

    if (argc==1)
      {
	printf ("usage: %s SOUNDS.CK1  or similar.\n"
		"This will create lots of raw sound files in the current directory.\n",
		argv[0]);
	exit (0);
      }

    f = fopen (argv[1], "r");
    if (!f)
	exit (errno);

    /*  get nr of sounds from the header:  */
    fread (buf, 16, 1, f);
    nr_of_sounds = buf[6]+buf[7]*256;

    for (i=1; i<=nr_of_sounds; i++)
      {
	fseek (f, 16*i, 0);
	fread (buf, 16, 1, f);

	if (buf[3]==8)
	  {
	    fout = fopen (buf+4, "w");
	    if (!fout)
	      exit (errno);
	    else
	      {
		save_sound (buf[0]+buf[1]*256);
		fclose (fout);
	      }
	  }
      }

    return 0;
  }

Maybe I can work on getting some WAVs, but not today. I know that format isn't that complicated, just some header data and then the PCM data. I've combined WAVs manually several times, using a hexeditor.