Commander Keen 64 Demo

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Lava89
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Commander Keen 64 Demo

Post by Lava89 »

Marking the 2 Years since beginning this project, I am happy to officially release the Commander Keen 64 demo.

The goal of the Commander Keen 64 project is to eventually recreate Commander Keen: Marooned on Mars in full 3D while retaining a low-poly N64-esque style.

This new demo features a big overhaul since the last major Keen 64 release, Keen 64 Beta. With revamped Yorps, Gargs, level and controls, to name a few changes. It also includes new additions over the beta, such as a map overworld in-between levels.

The story of this demo is set as a prequel the original Commander Keen adventure, before the ship parts get stolen. Which explains the lack of pogo and vorticons (lazyness is also a good explanation). So it features a Martian "city" level (as seen in the beta) not based on any existing Keen level.

I'd like to thank the community for giving me feedback and always supporting this project. I'd also like to give ZidaneA a big thanks, for providing the music for this game.

The details on how to use the gameplay controls are contained in-game, but please read the README on how to use some of the non-game controls, like volume.

Well, enjoy!

Download:
HERE! GO! GO! GO!

Screenshots
Image

Image

Image

Bug Fixes:
Version 0.2:
Controls screen on the menu disappears when you select a control scheme
Fixed bug when conking out Yorp
Fixed some collision issues
Made the yorp push Keen more consistently
Reduced Keen's sliding

Version 0.3:
Fixed menu loading (hopefully)
Fixed controls dialog box flickering

Previous PCKF topics:
Main PCKF Commander Keen 64 Thread
Release of Keen 64 "Gameplay" demo (or Keen 64: Gamma)
Old PCKF Commander Keen 64 Thread
Release of Keen 64 Beta
Last edited by Lava89 on Mon Jul 28, 2008 18:34, edited 4 times in total.
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Apeiron
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Post by Apeiron »

I hate Filefront!!!!! :bloody I have to wait... I want to play it. And NOW! And with "NOW" I mean really this second. NOW!!! Screensshots look very impressive...
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Post by q 90 »

Mirrored for those of you that want to avoid Filefront. I haven't played it yet, though, cause my freaking video card randomly decided to only support 16 colors this morning.
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Post by Allstories »

You're probably best off trying to create a more unique Commander Keen experience, rather than limiting yourself by trying to emulate the feel of Keen 1, which doesn't translate to 3D very well, and had some pretty mediocre art design to begin with. The level in the demo neither makes any sense nor does it attempt to integrate itself into the environment. It's just a bunch of platforms floating around for no reason with stacks of soda and lollipops littered around in really bizaare clusters. Make it feel like it's worth playing in 3D. With all the 90 degree angles and enemies that move in straight lines, the third dimension just feels like a nuisance more than anything.
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Post by q 90 »

It's definitely promising. I don't play much 3D computer games anyway (actually, I don't at all) so I have not standard whatsoever. I like it.

Really diggin' the music.
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Post by Apeiron »

q 90 wrote:Mirrored for those of you that want to avoid Filefront. I haven't played it yet, though, cause my freaking video card randomly decided to only support 16 colors this morning.
Thanks a lot, it worked :christmas .

I think it's a great start, this demo looks very good. But yes, I think that some points are in 3D a little gummy, for example the plattforms sequenced like in the original Keen1. (When is a level the entire city, i could be a space, where you jumping, walking and so one - fall in the hole.
But the sprite's moving in all directions is super :). The Gargs have a good AI, Yorps as well. I am really interested in the Vorticons ;-). But when will the levels look like the first one, Vorticon kill himself with first jump :-D.
Yo, I found you one bug (If you do not know about it): When you kill yorp, it is possible with jumping on him to stun him and he's alive again. :o
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Post by JM2008 »

I have 1 problem when the menu comes up. I press Enter when its next to New Game and nothing happens >:
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Post by KeenRush »

Looks pretty cool, I'll get to try it tomorrow. :)
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Post by Roobar »

JM2008 wrote:I have 1 problem when the menu comes up. I press Enter when its next to New Game and nothing happens >:
Yes, I've got the same problem. I've pressed enter several times before it runs.. Also, when selecting the type of control, you don't know that for sure.

I've tried playing with x360 controller. You should add the other joystick for camera rotation. You also may add gamepad movement in the menus too, as well as the use of the start button.

Man, this game is hard :). Especially when trying on jumping on those small blue platforms. I don't get it why Keen is sliding after jumping or bumping? I mean it's really hard to precise where to jump and if you've done it wright, Keen falls because he slides.

So I've switched to FPS mode. Much better in some aspects, but now the mouse moves too fast and the keys are too sensitive. "A little bit to the right... no, not that much! Aw crap! Not again!" You might also add the right mouse button for jumping.

Apart from those issues, I found this game quite entertaining. Easily the best 3D Keen game. I, too, like the music and sound effects. I think it's a good decision to use the original Keen sounds and music and not importing new ones.

I like that Keen is not limited to walk only on the ground, but on the hills too. I like Keens house :). Also like the "Done" sign after finishing the level. And the background in the level fits quite well. I remember it back where it was with black background. Now is much better.

You're definitely driving the game in the right direction. Minor tweaks of the controls and some more levels with more solid grounds (to ensure you won't fall that much) and it's going to be a blast!
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Post by memsys »

JM2008 wrote:I have 1 problem when the menu comes up. I press Enter when its next to New Game and nothing happens >:
same here i cant even enable different control settings it then like freeses
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Post by Djaser »

Looks good but I can't play it any time soon.
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Post by shikadi314 »

Downloading right now. :)
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Post by Lava89 »

Ok I reuploaded the demo with some new bug fixes (version 0.2), and like the thread for the "gameplay" tech demo I released before, I will edit my original thread topic to update on the bug fixes in the game.
Allstories wrote:You're probably best off trying to create a more unique Commander Keen experience, rather than limiting yourself by trying to emulate the feel of Keen 1
Allstories wrote: With all the 90 degree angles and enemies that move in straight lines, the third dimension just feels like a nuisance more than anything.
While I'm strongly for recreating the old Keen games (which I think had good art, simple, but well made, and I believe there's a difference between simple and just bad art), and I think it's a tad too late to make a new Keen game...

What I want to do is make the upcoming levels in the full game take advantage of 3D, but retaining the old style. I believe so many games out there either cling to the past or just chuck the old stuff and just make something completely new. But they never have balance. My goal for Keen 64 is to use the old style but also revitalize new parts, so rather than an old car with a new coat of paint, it's more like an old car with a new chassis, while retaining the core.

So for instance, in the first level of Keen 1, it's all one linear level, and something like that could be replicated in 3D easy, just have Keen go forward completely in the level, but why not take parts of it and make them face different directions or add multiple paths? So I want to blend linearity with non-linearity. Make some parts linear but make it so there's different directions, so it doesn't give the old the boot.
q 90 wrote:Mirrored for those of you that want to avoid Filefront. I haven't played it yet, though, cause my freaking video card randomly decided to only support 16 colors this morning.
Thanks a ton for mirroring!!
q 90 wrote:It's definitely promising. I don't play much 3D computer games anyway (actually, I don't at all) so I have not standard whatsoever. I like it.
Thanks man! :)
Apeiron wrote: Yo, I found you one bug (If you do not know about it): When you kill yorp, it is possible with jumping on him to stun him and he's alive again. :o
Thanks dude for point this out! It should be fixed in the new update, version 0.2.
JM2008 wrote:I have 1 problem when the menu comes up. I press Enter when its next to New Game and nothing happens >:
Thanks for telling me :)

Did you try pressing it twice or more? How long did you wait after pressing enter? I'm not implying you did something wrong, but what I am trying to do is figure out is what the problem is so I know how to fix it. :)
Iv4n wrote: I've tried playing with x360 controller. You should add the other joystick for camera rotation. You also may add gamepad movement in the menus too, as well as the use of the start button.
Ok, I'll see what I can do with that. I'll add joystick menu support and I might add camera rotation for the gamepad.

Ah ok, the only problem with adding a start button is my joystick for testing doesn't have a start button, just numbered keys, but I'll look for a subsitute. :)

Does your 360 controller map the buttons with numbers? So like button A is button 1? Because if there's a number value for the 360's start button, I can program it in.
Iv4n wrote: Man, this game is hard :). Especially when trying on jumping on those small blue platforms. I don't get it why Keen is sliding after jumping or bumping? I mean it's really hard to precise where to jump and if you've done it wright, Keen falls because he slides.
Yeah I added sliding to pattern it after most platformers, but since it seems to inhibit gameplay I reduced it by alot in update version 0.2.
Iv4n wrote: So I've switched to FPS mode. Much better in some aspects, but now the mouse moves too fast and the keys are too sensitive. "A little bit to the right... no, not that much! Aw crap! Not again!" You might also add the right mouse button for jumping.
Did you adjust the sensitivity? Because if you press F1 (while in game or on menu), it should show the sensitivity adjustment buttons, I believe it is R and F.

Ok, I might make the right mouse button an alternate jump button. :)
Iv4n wrote: I like that Keen is not limited to walk only on the ground, but on the hills too. I like Keens house :). Also like the "Done" sign after finishing the level. And the background in the level fits quite well. I remember it back where it was with black background. Now is much better.
Sweet, it sounds like you found the secret level :D

Did anyone else find this? :)
Iv4n wrote: Apart from those issues, I found this game quite entertaining. Easily the best 3D Keen game.
Iv4n wrote: You're definitely driving the game in the right direction. Minor tweaks of the controls and some more levels with more solid grounds (to ensure you won't fall that much) and it's going to be a blast!
Thanks dude! I appreciate the time you spent in giving me a thorough review. :)
Iv4n wrote: Also, when selecting the type of control, you don't know that for sure.
memsys wrote:i cant even enable different control settings it then like freeses
Ouch....ok, it *should* be fixed in version 0.2...I made it so when you press a control number the control dialog box goes away. Hopefully that will fix that issue, if not, please tell me! haha :)
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Post by JM2008 »

I pressed once or twice I think. Didn't want to constantly press Enter
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Post by Mink »

This is a vast improvement over the beta. Its coming along nicely. I really like the Mars scenery, the rotating "This is neat." sign, and the cute yorps and gargs. The music is fantastic. Also, I hope some of the later levels integrate the scenery with the platforms.

Here are some bugs I noticed:
- The controls window flickers when the F1 window is brought up.
- Keen goes through the bottoms of platforms.
- I also had the problem of having to press enter quite a few times to start the game.

Excellent work. Can't wait for more levels!
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