How does it work?
Every so often (once or twice a month), lemm will make a new post with an image of a shell level that has been broken up into a bunch of sectors (anywhere from 8 to 20). Players will then have an opportunity to claim a maximum of one (1) sector per map, until all sectors have been claimed. Sectors are small, no more than two or three screens in area. Each new map will have a due date, at which time, sector claimants are expected to return their completed work to lemm.
Why would we want to do this?
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<Mink> Make the first screen; do it do it do it
It's a shell level, not an empty level. Each new level will be accompanied with guidelines so that each sector will transition smoothly with its neighbours. Many levels will adhere to the same theme found in the unmodified Keen 6 game. In essence, the "story" that this level pack follows will be identical to that of the original game. Secondly, I will make restrictions on the number of enemies that can appear in the level, and I will assign an overall "difficulty" value to the level. Finally, to make things interesting, I will assign requirements to certain sectors, such as the presence of a gem or a gate, which will accompany an overall "plan" to the level so that everyone is on the same page.
Will there be any new content other than new levels?
There will be no new enemy patches, and no new graphics (unless you desperately need to add in a couple new tiles). I may accept new music submissions, however.
But I've never modded anything before in my life! I don't want to mess up the level for everyone else.
Then this is your ticket into the wonderful world of Keen modding! You may sign up for as few sectors as you want. The sectors are tiny, so you will have no problem finishing your task, and there will even be somebody there to proofread your work. Check out the modding tutorials at the KeenWiki (search for the "Modding Tutorials" section).
Am I allowed to collaborate with anyone else in the project?
You may collaborate with your immediate neighbours with whom you share a connection, and you are encouraged to do so in order to make your sectors mesh. You may not, however collaborate with anyone else, and collaborative puzzles may not span more than two sectors, nor may they violate any of the rules in the shell-level post. Collaborative puzzles may involve switches, platforms, bridges, or the blue gem. The fun in this levelpack, however, is that no one really knows what anyone will be is doing. A collaboration should just be undertaken so that the level is playable and we don't have to end up scrapping or totally rearranging anyone's sector.
When is this all going to be complete?
If we do one or two levels per month, we should be done by Keen Day 2014. If we work faster, we'll be done faster. It depends on community participation. If interest starts to peter out, I'll just end it prematurely.
Why keen 6?
It doesn't get enough attention.
What about difficulty levels?
Unless otherwise specified, design your levels for "normal" difficulty. I'll provide instructions in the special instructions section.
I think you're making too many rules for each level
Aside from making the level playable, there are restrictions with the Galaxy engine. Due to memory constraints, we cannot use every enemy and every tile at once. I'm going to be starting off conservative at first. I would also like most of the levels to retain *some* semblance of coherence. I will, however, try my best to make room for a few levels of unmitigated craziness.
Can I organize a level?
Absolutely! PM me or see me on IRC.
Okay, you've convinced me. How do I get started?
Download the starter level pack at the end of this post. We will be starting off with level 1 (Bloogwater Crossing) and level 6 (Bloog Manufacturing). Once you are done your level, either PM me on the forum or see me on the PCKF or Keenmodding IRC (Foonetic #pckf #keenmodding). DO NOT POST YOUR WORK PUBLICLY. PUBLICLY POSTED WORK WILL BE MARKED AS VOID AND REJECTED.
What if I need help?
Head over to Keen:Modding with your question. Alternatively, come on the IRC and ask your question. (Response times may not be immediate, so stick around for a while).
Level 1: Bloogwater Crossing
Download Modding Package
Sections: 7
Difficulty: Easy
Tilesets allowed:
- Red rocks, water, eyeball trees
- Bloog
- Blooglets
- Babobba
- Flects
- Stationary and Axial platforms (no goplats)
Level end: Right side of sector 8
Sector Claims:
- Mink
- Jerry
- lemm
- Levack
- wiivn
- Flyingmouse
- Bubbatom
Level overview:
Since this will be our first level (a warm-up, if you will), I'm going to request that it should keep the same "style" as the original Bloogwater Crossing. That is, cliffs with channels of water in between, with eyeball trees growing atop. The player is just going from left to right. Note the platform connections at the bottom. Also note the position of the trees. Tree branches go upwards, so the sector with the lower end of the branch has the trunk of the tree.
Special Instructions:
- Pay attention to the pattern of the rocks at the bottom. Your rocks should align with this pattern. If you are building a cliff, make it "grow" from the rocks, then delete what you need to. We want everything to mesh in the end.
- Sectors 2, 5 and 7 may add an additional enemy for "hard" difficulty.
- Sector 4 may add an "easy" enemy.
Level 6: Bloogton Manufacturing
Download Modding Package
Sections: 9
Difficulty: Medium
Tilesets allowed:
- Blue Platforms, Red Girders
- Smooshers, Firejets, Conveyor belts, Bridges, Zappers, Green Cylinders
- Bloog
- Blooglets
- Babobba
- Blooguard
- Gik
- Ceilick
- Any platforms
Level end: Right side of sector 9
Sector Claims:
- Levellass
- Bubbatom
- Gridlock
- lemm
- Mink
- Levack
- Flyingmouse
Level overview:
This will be the first level with switches and bridges. It will be slightly less conservative than level 1. You may make your own little platforming puzzle in your own zone, and you may collaborate with your neighbours for 2-sector puzzles.
The level starts with keen in sector 1. He must travel to sector 5 to get the red gem. Once he gets the red gem, he goes back to sector 3 to get the green gem, which is hidden behind the red gate. After he gets the green gem, he must progress to sector 8 to flip a switch which will make passage from sector 4 to sector 9 possible.
Special Instructions:
- Sectors 1, 8 and 9 may add an additional enemy for "hard" difficulty.
- Sector 2, 5 may add an "easy" enemy.
Level 2: Guard Post 1
Base Modding Package
Level 2 GameMaps files
Sections: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Tilesets allowed:
- Anything you see in Guard post 1, 2 or 3
- Use the UNDERGROUND rock tileset (NOT the one with pink edges)
- Bloog
- Blooglets
- Babobba
- Flects
- Stationary and Axial platforms (no goplats)
- Giks
- Blooguards
Level end: Right side of sector 6
Sector Claims:
This is going to be an underground guard post. Your task is to "mine" a cavity in the rock bed and put a level segment in there. You can incorporate guard post elements too, so long as they mesh with the rock. Each sector is connected by a tunnel. The black zones are the segment boundaries (do not place tiles here), and the cyan zones are the periphery (you may place tiles here, but they might be edited by me later).
Keen follows the orange path until he reaches sector three, then he makes it back to segment 6 to escape.
Special Instructions:
- Sector 1 has a switch that is only accessible from the tunnel to sector 6.
- This switch activates a bridge or a platform that makes sector 3 accessible from sector 2.
- Sector 2 has a red gem that lets keen exit the level in sector 6.