Zoltan's revenge

Post by **Levellass** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 9:27

QUESTION: What kind of unholy patching/editing did you to to make your EGAGRAPH file weigh in at 1.11 MB? That's almost the same size as the Wolfenstein 3D (full 6-episode version) VSWAP file..

It's not huffman compressed. You'll find it zips down quite small. The difference of 600Kb should not be a worry even on mid 1990s computers, surely?

If you can have music on the menu, is it possible to put it in the story screens?

In individual help topic sections, it should be, but not for individual pages without some unholy patchwork.

Your patching is damn brilliant! Actually, this whole mod is just brilliant. And this is where that song I gave you ended up. Nice!

*Sniff* I wanted to use it in a patch that played different sections of music at different points in the level, but the game's memory means only files of 5Kb can be used for this. *Waaaah!*

_mr_m_ · Post by **_mr_m_** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 15:07

*Sniff* I wanted to use it in a patch that played different sections of music at different points in the level, but the game's memory means only files of 5Kb can be used for this. *Waaaah!*

Maybe I should try making some short loops that end up as 1-2Kb IMFs?

Post by **Levellass** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 20:06

No need, I have a new composer now, a nice NZ bloke. (Bjorn was nice, but his songs were a little over the top, it's hard to get them to run in levels. I shall miss him.)

The following patch let's you see the end sequence in the 'order info' section of the computerwrist. It may help with the ending bug:

Code: Select all

#Help section documents
%patch $2F586 $1283W #Computerwrist
              $1285W #Controlling Keen
              $1284W #Story
              $1289W #Hints and tips
              $1288W #Order

Boreas249 · Post by **Boreas249** » Thu Oct 25, 2012 13:35

I should also point out how great this mod's soundtrack is.

Took me a bit, but I recognized Jazz Jackrabbit's Medivo theme, sounds weird in IMF, but still cool nonetheless. I also recognized a track from Rise of the Triad right off (forget the name of it though, it's been a while since I even played that game.

)

And nice usage of Mr_M's Level 314.

Aside from those three, what are the names of the other tracks you used? The track that plays in the Forest Glen sounds especially familiar, but I don't quite recognize it that much...

Levack · Post by **Levack** » Thu Oct 25, 2012 14:53

This is fantastic!

Syllypryde · Post by **Syllypryde** » Thu Oct 25, 2012 20:01

Hello Levellass and congratulations for being the first one other then Ceilick to create the first full Galaxy mod. I know most have given this accomplishment to ny00123 for Aliens Ate My Babysitter... Again. As good as AAMBA is, to me it is more of a levelpack than a full mod. I am happy to see you finally finished this. Just a few things I would like to comment on:

-- Awesome graphics, enemy replacements and patching

---I noticed you replaced the council members with memos. As you mentioned earlier that you are aware of most of the bugs, there are bugs in certain levels where if you try to read a few of the memos the game will crash.

---Defense Post One: I remember this level from the Keen 4 mini-mod contest. A lot of people did not like it because of how confusing it was. I myself was able to obtain almost all of the points and items available, except in one particular section. Also, I found a possible bug in this level. In other levels where there are purple crystals, I can walk safely on the points of the crystals (except of course when they are moving), but in this level, near the bottom left-hand corner, a hidden room accessed by secret passage, has a 1-up next to a door and purple crystals on the right. When I walk on these particular crystals I die!

---Freezer Burn: I think a found a few bugs here. Right at the beginning of the level where Keen first starts, when I try to walk into the lava, instead of dying he just bounces around. The same for other sections.

---The Pyramid of the Impossible: It is not as impossible as the name suggests, but it is difficult, no doubt about it. I was able to complete the level without cheating (after close to a hundred tries!!!).

---Forest Glen and Forest Vale: Both of them are the exact same level... WHY?

---Airship Attack: This is a kick-ass level, but I think you went completely overboard with the extra lives. I found 90-100 of them in this level. Overkill don't you think?

---Secret levels? The hint section implies there are more than one. Since this is a Keen 4 mod, I am assuming you have 17 levels (not to mention the pretty cool BWB Megarocket level). I only found 16 levels and none of them are secret. I assume Mount Probable is the secret level? I was not able to find it. Am I not looking hard enough or was it officially left out of the game and only accessible with the warp cheat like Cookie Cliffs in Keen Xmas 2010?

---There are several clipping errors in the worldmap where you can accidentally go somewhere you are not supposed to be able to go. I do not remember exact places offhand.

Overall a good mod. I have not completed it on any skill level yet.

Scarlet · Post by **Scarlet** » Thu Oct 25, 2012 21:44

If you could post your completed version on the keen olympics (run without saving and without cheating please) that would be highly appreciated.

Post by **Levellass** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 1:26

Aside from those three, what are the names of the other tracks you used? The track that plays in the Forest Glen sounds especially familiar, but I don't quite recognize it that much...

Music tracks:
0: Chill tune
1: Map theme
2: Gloomy
3: Dweep -Stage 4 (Good game is Dweep.)
4: Cascade
5: Doo doo doo
6: Angst
7: Level 314
8: Medivo them (GM remix)

---Forest Glen and Forest Vale: Both of them are the exact same level... WHY?

They're placeholder levels, like in Keen Dreams, that were never filled in.

---Airship Attack: This is a kick-ass level, but I think you went completely overboard with the extra lives. I found 90-100 of them in this level. Overkill don't you think?

And what are you going to do with those extra lives? with in-game saving, lives are meaningless. I figured, 'eh, why not let them max out the life counter?' I really want to do something actually useful with lives one day.

---Secret levels? The hint section implies there are more than one. Since this is a Keen 4 mod, I am assuming you have 17 levels (not to mention the pretty cool BWB Megarocket level). I only found 16 levels and none of them are secret. I assume Mount Probable is the secret level? I was not able to find it. Am I not looking hard enough or was it officially left out of the game and only accessible with the warp cheat like Cookie Cliffs in Keen Xmas 2010?

The secret levels ended up buggy and had to be scrapped. hence Forest vale and c. (Getting Keen to transform into a bug is harder than it looks!)

---The Pyramid of the Impossible: It is not as impossible as the name suggests, but it is difficult, no doubt about it. I was able to complete the level without cheating (after close to a hundred tries!!!).

Congratulations. it is indeed not impossible, unless you play conventionally.

Do not worry, my next mod will be far less error prone.

_mr_m_ · Post by **_mr_m_** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 5:05

'Gloomy' if I am not mistaken -- which I am not -- is actually 'Mistache' by Bobby Prince --- which was used in Rise of the Triad. I recognized it instantly. This post is irrefutable fact.

Boreas249 · Post by **Boreas249** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 6:22

_mr_m_ wrote:'Gloomy' if I am not mistaken -- which I am not -- is actually 'Mistache' by Bobby Prince --- which was used in Rise of the Triad. I recognized it instantly. This post is irrefutable fact.

Yep, that's the one I was referring to, picked up on that one right off.

I'm guessing the one that plays in Forest Glen and Muon Forest is Track 4: Cascade (err, is it? ) That track sounds sooooo familiar, but I can't figure out where it's from... it's driving me crazy lol

Roobar · Post by **Roobar** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 20:34

What? There is a medivo theme? Cool! Which level is it?

BTW did you noticed the Space Quest 3 background? Fits quite well.

Post by **Levellass** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 23:16

'Gloomy' if I am not mistaken -- which I am not -- is actually 'Mistache' by Bobby Prince --- which was used in Rise of the Triad. I recognized it instantly. This post is irrefutable fact.

That's the bunny. For some reason I always confused the name with mustache.

I'm guessing the one that plays in Forest Glen and Muon Forest is Track 4: Cascade (err, is it? ) That track sounds sooooo familiar, but I can't figure out where it's from... it's driving me crazy lol

The original midi was 'PC Tim 02' so I dunno.

Boreas249 · Post by **Boreas249** » Sat Oct 27, 2012 0:41

wiivn wrote:What? There is a medivo theme? Cool! Which level is it?

Err... the only two levels I remember it playing in was at the Video Game Spike Factory and... a volcano level that's somewhat frozen underground.

Levellass wrote: The original midi was 'PC Tim 02' so I dunno.

Hmm... alrighty, guess I'll have to do some digging lol.

Syllypryde · Post by **Syllypryde** » Sat Oct 27, 2012 5:47

Levellass wrote:They're placeholder levels, like in Keen Dreams, that were never filled in.

I considered that possibility later on, but I did not notice right away that the two levels were the same until I reactivated the warp cheats. At first I figured you decided to be merciful and throw a simple level in.

And what are you going to do with those extra lives? with in-game saving, lives are meaningless. I figured, 'eh, why not let them max out the life counter?' I really want to do something actually useful with lives one day.

You and I have had this debate before. We did agree that with people who abuse the in-level saving, extra lives are meaningless. But you must have forgotten that I (perhaps others as well) rarely use the saving feature, making extra lives worth something to us. Spleen has mentioned in the past about setting up Keen so the only time you score points, ammo and extra lives is when you complete the level. You lose those things if you die. If there was a way to patch the game in that manner, I would be all for it. I am sure sometime you and/or Lemm will figure out a way to do it.

The secret levels ended up buggy and had to be scrapped. hence Forest vale and c. (Getting Keen to transform into a bug is harder than it looks!)

That is a shame. I was looking forward to your ideas on not only how you intended to construct your secret levels, but also I figured you might come up with more creative ways to find these levels.

Congratulations. it is indeed not impossible, unless you play conventionally.

Thinking outside the box was key here, especially at the very beginning of the level. Most people probably would never consider the solution to crossing the lava at the beginning because it involves exploiting a bug, and I believe most Keeners believe exploiting bugs is cheating. Normally I would agree, but this particular area was designed for that exploit. The key to the door puzzle involves strict attention and trial and error, not to mention a rare trick some Keeners may not know how to do.

Do not worry, my next mod will be far less error prone.

I am not worried. Despite some of the buginess, it is still a good mod and I am looking forward to completing it.

Post by **Levellass** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 21:45

Oh, and my reccent mod project overwrites the warp cheat entirely, reactivating disabled cheats will result in crash city. (Plus a neat bug where if you try and use the slow motion cheat you can change DoxBox's capture folder location!)