Valentine's Keen

Here is where to post about the latest Commander Keen fangame or modification you've finished, a new website you've made, or another Keen-related creation.
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Levellass
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Post by Levellass »

odd, there's three bugs in that level that were already fixed, I'm not entirely sure what happened there. (You were playing on easy mode though, I know that much.) I have fixed those bugs, though I am very surprised.
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Boreas249
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Post by Boreas249 »

Umm, is Castle Ramenstein even remotely beatable? I've done everything up to the part where you hit one of four switches, which deactivates a bridge... but going down there leads to death. If the one broken pike is the only way down there, it is waaaaaaaaaaaaay too hard (next to impossible, if that's not what it is already) to do so...
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Syllypryde
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Post by Syllypryde »

Boreas249 wrote:Umm, is Castle Ramenstein even remotely beatable? I've done everything up to the part where you hit one of four switches, which deactivates a bridge... but going down there leads to death. If the one broken pike is the only way down there, it is waaaaaaaaaaaaay too hard (next to impossible, if that's not what it is already) to do so...
Read back into the thread. She explains how to beat this level.
.niarb ym fo
snoitulovnoc eht tuaba
selbbarcs ssensuoicsnoc
rehgih a ekil smees
Boreas249
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Post by Boreas249 »

Syllypryde wrote:
Boreas249 wrote:Umm, is Castle Ramenstein even remotely beatable? I've done everything up to the part where you hit one of four switches, which deactivates a bridge... but going down there leads to death. If the one broken pike is the only way down there, it is waaaaaaaaaaaaay too hard (next to impossible, if that's not what it is already) to do so...
Read back into the thread. She explains how to beat this level.
Alrighty... well, I found the explaination...
Levellass wrote: 1.) Go over the bridge and through the door.

2.) Go right a bit to the hint. Grab a key, all doors will open.

3.) Go to the ghost poles just above where you entered. Then go right to the hint that says 'Jump'

4.) Move right using the platforms and avoiding the spike balls.

5.) You are now at the fireplace, go right to the bridge with 3 switches, flip the marked one.

6.) Either retrace your steps or go into the fireplace.

7.) All doors are still open, go past the grandfather clock and the bridge right of the hint, the bridge *after* this is now open.

8.) Drop down and go right, flip the switch past the (second) grandfather clock.

9.) The bridge below where you fell from is now open. Go right and down to the room with a cross in it. There is door in it, go through it.

10.) Grab the book, level won.


Stuck at step seven. Not all the doors are open, there's one before the bridge I'm supposed to drop down that remains closed. I went so far as to use the keys, no joy... so I'm stuck here.
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Levellass
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Post by Levellass »

Make sure you have the latest bug update, there's been an annoying proliferation of errors in it and it may prevent you from winning. (Just redownload the game link at the thread start.)
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Boreas249
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Post by Boreas249 »

Yep, that did it. Off to fight Chuck!!!

EDIT:

***POSSIBLE SPOILERS***

Beat him, couldn't help but notice (and love) the use of Jazz Jackrabbit 2 sprites there...

Spotted a typo in the ending text ("Kee") there are probably more but I didn't pay it too much attention...

I loved the ending though... and I so look forward to your next mod. :D
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Roobar
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Post by Roobar »

When there will be v1.2 out?
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Levellass
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Post by Levellass »

The download link is now for version 1.20, which should finally be free of spelling mistakes, less sprite bleah and more stability!

Beat him, couldn't help but notice (and love) the use of Jazz Jackrabbit 2 sprites there...
You'd think they were Jazz 2, from the Devan boss fight, but though I tried those,t hey didn't quite fit. I actually had to get someone to make me custom wing sprites.
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Roobar
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Post by Roobar »

I'm using the latest version, but is it normal for the game to crash gazillion times for no reason? Especially on the later levels, especially on the last one, which appears to be the boss one?

But anyway

Graphics: 8/10. There are actually many good graphics. The skull and bones design - very clever. The atmosphere of the graveyard levels - well done. The houses and interior - wide variety. The world map also looks outstanding, until you cross over the Keen house, which wasn't bad, but I would say it's fair. And not a big deal, but some graphics are from other games.

Level design: 5/10. One of the biggest flaws of the mod. Most of the levels are with repetitive design. Some levels or big parts of the levels you might even miss. Some in-wall stucks, bottomless pits and other glitches and misplaced tiles also contributed to lessen the experience.
However, on the other side, there's the awesome Keen's home, which is definitely the one level I will remember. The other ones worth mentioning are the last level with the boss fight and one very short black level with switches I liked. The flights with broomsticks levels are also very interesting and fun, but design wise, most of the levels are not fully utilized for this kind of gameplay. I also like the humor here and there (like the hilariously imprisoned Llas by Para), which kept me motivating to and exploring the game secrets.

Modding: 10/10. Clearly you set the bar high. That's by far the most changed Keen ever made to this day! There are so many things changed that a regular player can't even tell which keen is modded. Some highlights: the slingshot as a new kind of weapon; the broomstick flights; the boss battle; the respawn enemies; and many more.

Enemies: 9/10. From the dogs and butterflies to the witches and vampires. As part of the modding, they are awesome! I also like the fact that most of them can be killed with 1 or 2 shots.

Music: 4/10. Although I like the fact that there are many new tunes, I didn't like most of the songs. There's only one mod with worse songs and that's Keen 7. Sadly or not, the one song I liked the most was "What is love" by Haddaway.

Sounds: 8/10. I like the fact that a lot of the sounds are changed. Which brings the question: why the items sounds are changed, but the drops one isn't?

Game living up to it's name: 0/10. Clearly, the mod should have been named Halloween Commander Keen or Commander Keen in Halloween Bash. There's 0 valentine in this mod no matter what.
Boreas249
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Post by Boreas249 »

On there being no valentine stuff... well, the first level leading into the forest seemed a bit Valentine-like... and there's cute little hearts and stuff... and "What Is Love..." but yeah, after that the whole mod definitely seemed more halloween themed.

Oh, and there is a provided example of what some loners do on Valentine's day, in Keen's brother's room, so that adds to the theme a little I guess...

... if you know what I mean.
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Nospike
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Post by Nospike »

Let's not bring this up again Boreas. :p Though I was surprised to see it in the non-Para version too. It looked very much like the kind of joke Para would make.
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Post by Flaose »

Personally, I haven't been able to spot the differences between the Para and non-Para versions, though I haven't compared the tilesheets side-by-side.
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Nospike
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Post by Nospike »

Flaose wrote:Personally, I haven't been able to spot the differences between the Para and non-Para versions, though I haven't compared the tilesheets side-by-side.
Me neither.
NY00123
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Post by NY00123 »

Finally, I have completed this today. Liked this MOD!

I guess someone would like to suggest me to play some random DOS game now, since I didn't recognize much contents from other games :O (Well, only one musical track in fact... IIRC.)

As it is already known, there are still some mapping glitches found, here and there. And a crash may occur right before the encounter with the boss. While it has always occurred to me after loading a saved game (right before the encounter)... well a bit later it hasn't; Maybe since I've done different things.

As known to other readers here, Levellass has been known as one of the main patchers here. In other MODs I often thought something like: "Which creature does this one replace?" (or which code does it use if it's a mix...)
Here, though, it didn't occur to me that often. It feels like playing another, different, Keen episode; Not any of Keen 4-6.

Hope you may come up with a different (but relevant) thing later!
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Post by Paramultart »

Nospike wrote:
Flaose wrote:Personally, I haven't been able to spot the differences between the Para and non-Para versions, though I haven't compared the tilesheets side-by-side.
Me neither.
If I'm not mistaken, the only difference is that the non-Para version has MLP (the new one) pictures in it. I begged and pleaded Lass to take them out, telling her not to corrupt a solid piece of 90's gold with one of the worst pop culture references from this generation, so I suppose this is the result of her accommodation.
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