Mad Mushroom bug

Levack · Post by **Levack** » Wed May 23, 2012 21:29

in keen4 level 6 the Mad Mushroom sometimes jumps up to another platform

VikingBoyBilly · Post by **VikingBoyBilly** » Wed May 23, 2012 21:49

Thanks, levack.

troublesomekeen · Post by **troublesomekeen** » Thu May 24, 2012 3:38

I'm not sure if it's a bug. Mad Mushrooms are pretty darn crafty like that. Just when you think you're past them, they jump up on the edge above them and surprise you. Mad Mushroom ftw!

Benvolio · Post by **Benvolio** » Thu May 24, 2012 8:26

I guess that's one of the winning characteristics of Keen games: an environment that (albeit subtly) changes itself. I.e. obstacles such as the mimrocks and bounders and in this case mad mushrooms will move around, changing the difficulty of different areas of the level. So yeah I defo don't think of this as a bug!

entropicdecay · Post by **entropicdecay** » Thu May 24, 2012 12:24

I wouldn't call that a bug either. Arguably if it's not intentional it may be a level design flaw, but not really a bug? Hmm, I dunno.

NY00123 · Post by **NY00123** » Thu May 24, 2012 14:13

The Mad Mushroom appears to be a bit glitchy in general. The bug mentioned here (reproduced on levels 4 and 6) is one example.

Another kind of a bug is relevant to the jumping rate. Sometimes, upon loading a saved game, a specific mushroom is to bounce a bit faster than intended.

A couple of tests reveal these *unconfirmed* results:
- As a saved game is loaded, all mad mushrooms to become active (i.e. the ones appearing on screen, or at least being nearby) have their jumping rates modified.
- Such a mushroom would jump a bit faster if it had the original speed before saving. Otherwise, it'd revert back to the original speed.
- Other mushrooms aren't affected.

One may also add the Spindreds from Keen 5, which (technically) appear to share some code with the Mad Mushrooms, given the following evidences:
- The behaviors are very similar (two usual jumps, and then a third significant one).
- The exact same hopping sounds are used, and in similar occasions.
- The jumping rate glitch can also be reproduced for the Spindreds!

Post by **Keening_Product** » Thu May 24, 2012 23:09

NY00123 wrote:Another kind of a bug is relevant to the jumping rate. Sometimes, upon loading a saved game, a specific mushroom is to bounce a bit faster than intended.

Not just that: If you've ever minimised the game in Windows or just gone to the save menu (in DosBOX at very least) I've found the bounce rates increase. Pretty much, if you do anything except play when a mad mushroom is on the screen, it will speed up.