Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

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Levellass
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Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by Levellass »

So... making a new topic, why not? Any objections can be outlined below.


Create a Keen2 level that only uses these tiles:
*144 for the invisible border around level
*155 black background tile
*331 solid red rectangle
*241-244 hazard square
*for exit, use tiles 481 and 494 to form the teleporter (it will be patched to finish level)
*you can use scrub sprites

No other sprites except for the Keen starter sprite.
No collectibles or ornaments, nothing but the tiles mentioned above.
Only one exit in the level.
Player will have pogo, infinite lives, and the teleporter exits the level (as mentioned).
THERE WILL BE NO AMMUNITION, KEEN WILL NOT EVEN START THE GAME WITH ANY.

Only one level per person! You can send a replacement to your level if you create a better one, but otherwise it's just one level per Keener! The aim is to showcase Keeners as a whole, not ten levels by the most productive person.
Final deadline is Sept 20th (2017) (This mirrors the previous pack's total time.)

EDIT:Looks like I'm collating these. Either PM me with links, or send them as an attachment to the gmail email of levellass. (I'm sure you can figure it out. Did you know there are web trawlers that can turn the 'at' in email address descriptions back into an '@'? Amazing!)
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KeenRush
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by KeenRush »

:lol No, definitely don't send your levels to me. I've said at least once and more likely ten times that I won't have anything at all to do with this pack (other than making a level).

Yay, now I can be a smart alec! 8)
* Does the level have to fit in Keen 2 memory so that the game can open it without crashing? Just asking because you didn't specify. :freud
* Does the level need to be in Keen 2 level format or can I submit something in my own format to describe an infinite 2d structure? :dopekeen
* Can the level be so difficult that only AI could theoretically pass it? :evil
My newest mod - Commander Keen: Sunset: viewtopic.php?t=8568 | codename H.Y.E.N.A.
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Fleexy
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by Fleexy »

Thanks for taking initiative, Levellass!

Just like last time, I put together a workspace that functions correctly on any modern Windows version. Download it here. You'll need to supply your own KEEN2.EXE, but everything else is included. Use the provided Abiathar editor to edit k2.adeps. To convert the Galaxy levels back to Vorticons, run vortify.bat. Then you can run Keen 2 in DOSBox and enter the first level just like normal. I included a trivial sample level that shows all the game elements you're allowed to use. You can resize it if you like using Level | Properties. The background plane can be ignored, the foreground plane has all the normal tiles (renumbered to look like a wide Galaxy tileset), and the infoplane has sprites.

Of course, I would recommend using an editor actually designed for Vorticons levels (like Mindbelt) if possible, but this setup is purely .NET applications, so it should run without trouble on new Windows versions. Let me know if you run into any issues.
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Roobar
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by Roobar »

OK Nisaba, now that Fleexy has set up Abiathar for this level competition, I suggest we start making billion-gazillion levels for our own map pack before everyone else made their entries and play each other levels, vote for them and submit the best ones of them for the competition :crazy :crazy :crazy
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by Nisaba »

@Roobar:
I just created a dozen fake accounts. this way the victory is mine! :mortlol


ps.: As a side competition I am opening a competitive bidding to come up with an neat cover idea. images can be posted here and will be voted by the community. regardless of the result, I will appoint the winner myself.
out now (link) : Image
shikadi
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by shikadi »

Will you get ammo to shoot scrubs?
nothing usefull here
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by KeenRush »

^ That's an important point. The rules don't indicate there will be additional ammo, but the game begins with Keen having 3 shots. Should there be 3 shots in the beginning of every level, no ammo at all, or even infinite ammo?
My newest mod - Commander Keen: Sunset: viewtopic.php?t=8568 | codename H.Y.E.N.A.
Plasma Captain
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by Plasma Captain »

My first instinct is to vote no ammo. But 3 shots per stage could increase puzzle variety, I suppose. Definitely not infinite ammo, in my opinion.

Also yay, this is happening!
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by Fleexy »

I would also prefer no ammo.

In the less practical department, will the graphics for the teleporter be adjusted? It looks a little jarring to put the teleporter (which has a black background) in a space with the gray background.
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by Levellass »

I would lean towards no ammo, and a patch to ensure this is the case. In the initial level pack shooting was not really a mechanic and we are seeking a MINIMALIST approach, not maximum variety. (Otherwise this would just be a plain levelpack.) So my instinct is to patch out ammo unless there's major support for it.
KeenRush wrote: Tue Jul 11, 2017 6:20 * Does the level have to fit in Keen 2 memory so that the game can open it without crashing? Just asking because you didn't specify. :freud
* Does the level need to be in Keen 2 level format or can I submit something in my own format to describe an infinite 2d structure? :dopekeen
* Can the level be so difficult that only AI could theoretically pass it? :evil
* No, though this will be counted when judging the level.
*No, though again, it'll be included as=is, so if the game can't run it, our loss...
*Yes, I was tempted to do something like that myself last pack, but decided to settle for mere annoyance. Maybe this time...

Fleexy wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2017 13:58 In the less practical department, will the graphics for the teleporter be adjusted? It looks a little jarring to put the teleporter (which has a black background) in a space with the gray background.
I wasn't thinking of altering graphics; the original levelpack didn't. I WAS thinking of using the Vorticon elder message tile, but that's essentially invisible (So not really a goal to work towards.) In fact, given the aesthetic of the last pack, perhaps this should be adjusted to use tile 155 (Black square)? It may be worth having an ('official' or not) vote on this and the ammo question before anyone gets too far in building levels.
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Plasma Captain
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by Plasma Captain »

Maybe just use the black background tile. I'm personally not opposed to having the teleporter tiles changed though; aesthetically, it could be interesting for each collection to have a different background. Ultimately, though, I don't feel like it matters as long as the result looks decent.

I guess it's not really that bad right now, if you imagine it as a cylindrical tube with openings for Keen to enter from the sides.

I don't feel like allowing three shots per stage sends this into normal levelpack territory - that seems like a bit of a stretch - but at this point I'm just playing devil's advocate.
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by PaquoCastor »

I think 147 might also work, plus crimson and obsidian go together color theory wise. The blue teleporter makes great contrast with all that red, with scrubs and all.

Making a level work with three shots seems to make things unnecessarily complicated, so the level I'm crafting (it's practically done) doesn't depend on those. However, it could possibly break certain levels, or make others. I guess it depends on what people are working on, but no ammo does seem like the thematically better choice.
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Levellass
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by Levellass »

Right, I think black background and no ammo are the way to go here. (Best lay it down now before people put too much effort into levels.)
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Levellass
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by Levellass »

Whelp, I now have the first submission (Aside from my own.)

Progress!
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Re: Keen2 insane minimalism level competition/collection (final deadline Sept 20th)

Post by KeenRush »

Cool. Still haven't started mine but I'll get one done before the deadline.
My newest mod - Commander Keen: Sunset: viewtopic.php?t=8568 | codename H.Y.E.N.A.
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