Keen MTM demo release

Roobar · Post by **Roobar** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 17:46

*sigh*

You've misunderstood me. The problem is not that there is gore. I've seen a lot of things and I know where the hamburgers are coming from. The problem is that I think this kind of gore doesn't belong to the Keen universe at all. If this wasn't Commander Keen, but some other fictional character that has nothing to do with Keen, then it would be OK. I'd say it would be even more interesting. The way I imagine KMTM is much more cartoony (like this) and keenish than this mod is. That being said, there's really no point in making an alternate version of this mod without blood.

szemi · Post by **szemi** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 19:20

I have to contradict as it has sense to release a version without blood.

VikingBoyBilly · Post by **VikingBoyBilly** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 19:46

Hmmm... maybe I should actually look at these levels instead of just sitting and saying "wait for me to finish my sprites" to see what wiivn's talking about here. Blood in keen is not entirely out of place (see the vortininja and the last level of keen 6), but there's a line on the threshold between "monster bash" and "resident evil."

Post by **Levellass** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 7:23

wiivn wrote:You've misunderstood me. The problem is not that there is gore. I've seen a lot of things and I know where the hamburgers are coming from. The problem is that I think this kind of gore doesn't belong to the Keen universe at all. If this wasn't Commander Keen, but some other fictional character that has nothing to do with Keen, then it would be OK. I'd say it would be even more interesting. The way I imagine KMTM is much more cartoony

Curious. I myself don't see any conflict in graphics, Keen strikes me as the kind of kid that would happily blast his way through an organic alien ship as easily as a sewer of living cartoon. I think the things I would object to would be mature plot points. If you were using Keen to explore depression or put a cheerful face on suicide, if you had Molly as a porn star, then I really think I'd have to object.

What I see and have striven to do in this mod (Not sure about everyone else, you can't trust them, they're not from my country!) is to explore the topic of food hygiene in a light-hearted and yes, cartoonish manner. I wanted to echo the typical kids banter about how lunch meat looks like vomit or has eyeballs in it or is rotten enough to move by itself.

See: http://www.contrepoints.org/2011/04/14/ ... us/cantine https://reluctantmom.files.wordpress.co ... calvin.gif

Keen mods have created a number of atmospheres and tones. Quinton's latest work strikes me as remarkably colorful, basic and primary-colored, the very opposite of my own leanings. When Ceilick did BOTB I spent a good 15 minutes listening to the boss music, and looking at the level. It was just so... intense, combative, climatic. The electromagnet leaves me with the feeling of 'What the HECK did I just play?' These are wildly different tones and themes from the original games yet I can't say that they're incompatible with Keen; they use Keen to various ends but I can see, through the modder's vision, things I would not have thought Keen possible of.

Benvolio · Post by **Benvolio** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:48

I think this is great fun, and the level of gore is, if anything, less shocking than that seen in some of the Oracle Janitor mods.

Is anyone else getting the black flashing over the lower half of the screen when playing in DosBox? This always happens in Keen4-6 unless I turn on SVGA compatibility. Is there such a thing in Keen Dreams?

DaVince · Post by **DaVince** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 17:17

Hi! Been a while.

This is really neat. I like the cartoon meat and burger soldier.

All the meat plastered all over the place also makes me really curious just what the hell happened in there... seems like a bacterial hazard.

I like the layout of the map. Feels very Keenish. The fact that you can use any keycard means you need to be VERY careful about your level design, of course. It's not a problem for a small level like this (it was handled well), but I hope I can never get stuck in later, larger levels because of it. I hope maps are designed in a way that there's failsafes, for example, connecting one "needs-a-single-key blocked off area" with another "needs-a-single-key blocked off area" and a one-way path to returning to the "don't-need-a-key area", for example. That could make for some interesting, complicated designs. Of course, you could always make doors openable from the other side with a special button too.

Some other comments:

I saw some magenta-colored stuff that basically revealed all secret areas (see screenshot below), but heck, I haven't played a Keen mod in a good while and maybe it's known/intentional anyway.

You might also want to change the design around the stairs so you can't serial-bump your head on it.

And then there's this corner:

Move to the left here, and once you release, Keen will fall down for a single frame (with sound effect and all). Actually, Keen falls down during his idle animation. I'm sure you know about that though.

Benvolio: no black flashes for me! Have you tried changing the video renderer DOSBox uses?

Post by **Levellass** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 1:06

I like the layout of the map. Feels very Keenish. The fact that you can use any keycard means you need to be VERY careful about your level design, of course.

Oh no, that's been fixed. Got tired of it so now your cards are reset to 0 at the start of all levels. Fixed a few other glitches too.

Move to the left here, and once you release, Keen will fall down for a single frame (with sound effect and all). Actually, Keen falls down during his idle animation. I'm sure you know about that though.

Sadly this is covering up a bigger glitch that happens if a non-sloped tile is used. (I call it 'the corner catapult catastrophe'.)

VikingBoyBilly · Post by **VikingBoyBilly** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 1:53

You can't just... make the bigger platform one tile lower in height? There's no other workaround than that one step?

Post by **Levellass** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:56

There's an interesting issue when Keen is on sloped tiles and comes up against a wall. I had to tweak a few things due to the odd and robust tile collision. Even so if you have God mode on and get under the stompers... things happen.

VikingBoyBilly · Post by **VikingBoyBilly** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 12:47

I don't think you're really listening. The solution is to either raise the smaller platform up one tile and stretch it out by one tile so keen can jump on it, or extend the bigger platform down one tile so you don't need that slope stair if keen can still jump on it. I'd do it myself, but, you know how the internet is: critics write thesis essays to spew onto the web on how to fix a game or movie nobody cares about, then ignores it for the rest of their lives and gets to work on the next thesis essay on the next game or movie which is far more important than attempting to create their own art or fix them.

Grandy02 · Post by **Grandy02** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 17:34

This is really cool, can't wait for the final mod. I may prefer "happier" graphics, but diversity is always nice, it has a unique dark atmosphere. I don't think a "censored" version is necessary (reminds me of censored German versions of video games with blood recoloured or entirely removed).
Love the meat baddies, those alone make me want to explore the levels to discover them all. And as Keen Dreams was one of the first games I ever played two decades ago, I'm even more excited that it finally gets its sequel.

VikingBoyBilly · Post by **VikingBoyBilly** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 17:50

You're not in for a long wait, it's actually really close to being done, and the censored version will be released this month.

Post by **Levellass** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 5:38

Indeed, mostly because after taking out everything that could be considered offensive to vegetarians, contrarians, Presbyterians, dessertarians, blacks, blues, greens and yellows, conservatives, liberals and neo-nazis all that was left was a single lollipop that awards you a million points and a medal when you get it.

The solution is to either raise the smaller platform up one tile and stretch it out by one tile so keen can jump on it

Still don't get you, but give it a whirl.

VikingBoyBilly · Post by **VikingBoyBilly** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 0:00

Levellass wrote:
The solution is to either raise the smaller platform up one tile and stretch it out by one tile so keen can jump on it
Still don't get you, but give it a whirl.

No, let's leave it like it is and hope nobody notices.

Post by **Levellass** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 7:18

VikingBoyBilly wrote:No, let's leave it like it is and hope nobody notices.

Are you sure? One of our beta testers is VERY picky.