Similarities between Vorticon and Galaxy series and episodes

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Hisymak
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Similarities between Vorticon and Galaxy series and episodes

Post by Hisymak »

I think that this could be something very obvious and well-known for everyone who played all Commander Keen episodes, but still, I could not resist writing up this post anyway.
So, basically, you know that both Vorticon and Galaxy series have three episodes (1+2+3 and 4+5+6).
The first episode of each series is shareware, while the other two are paid.
Both Keen 1 and 4 take place on a planet. The levels featue various environments on the planet (cities vs. villages, shrines vs. pyramids etc.) and native creatures ("animals"). Your objective is to collect specific "items" scattered around the world in random order (ship parts vs. council members). There is a secret level which can be reached by a secret "teleporter" hidden in a specific level.
Both Keen 2 and 5 take place on a space ship/station.The environments are sterile and uniform interiors of the artificial space structure, full of robots, hazards and lethal aliens (Vorticon elites vs. Shikadi). Your objective is to destroy electric devices scattered around the structure in order to prevent destruction of earth/galaxy. The game over screen is the destruction. The BWB megarocket is inaccessible. There are many moving platforms and robots that walk around and can push you (Scrub vs. Little Ampton) or shoot you (Guard Robot vs. Robo Red).
Both Keen 3 and 6 take place on a home planet of the aliens. The levels feature various environments on the planet (villages, cities, factories, forts) built by the inhabitants (Vorticons vs. Bloogs). The objective is to beat the last level which has very specific design and has a specific challenge. The secret level is located on a secret isolated island/station which can be reached by riding a creature/satellite which is cyclically travelling between a spot near final level and the secret level. Both these episodes are the most buggy episodes (level design errors vs. collision detection bugs) due to being completed in a rush.

So... Have you noticed all these similarities? Can you spot any more of them? Do you think the similarities are just coincidences, or this is how the series were designed intentionally?
Last edited by Hisymak on Wed Jan 05, 2022 14:05, edited 1 time in total.
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Pandakeen
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Re: Similarities between Vorticon and Galaxy series and episodes

Post by Pandakeen »

I've always noticed this (especially with 2 and 5). I don't know how intentional it is.
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Nisaba
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Re: Similarities between Vorticon and Galaxy series and episodes

Post by Nisaba »

Yeah, I noticed all this early on. But now that you've shared this detailed side-by -side comparison things got even more clear too me. I have the impression that the Galaxy series is like a come true plan they weren't able to manage in their early Vorticon days. In many aspects all three Galaxy games feel liken an upgrade as you've already mentioned. But of course the Vorticon saga still has its own and very specific spirit. And I think all six episodes play out well, even though Keen 6 feels a bit off, story wise.
But, yeah. Great comparison. Appreciated
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XkyRauh
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Re: Similarities between Vorticon and Galaxy series and episodes

Post by XkyRauh »

I've definitely thought about this exact parallel, with all the criteria you listed, multiple times. :) I suspect it's why the notion of "Do the Vorticons trilogy in the Galaxy engine" comes so easily to mind.

The only thing that doesn't work for me with the comparison is the Vorticons AI--it's so much more complex than anything in Keen:Galaxy...
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Roobar
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Re: Similarities between Vorticon and Galaxy series and episodes

Post by Roobar »

If Commander Keen 4, 5 and 6 were to be released today and because of these shared similarities, but obvious engine updates, they would have been called Commander Keen HD 1, 2 and 3 😂
Last edited by Roobar on Fri Jan 28, 2022 7:59, edited 2 times in total.
Benvolio
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Re: Similarities between Vorticon and Galaxy series and episodes

Post by Benvolio »

Haha! And maybe Keen Dreams would be Definitive Edition?

This is probably a very tenuous association but I always felt at least loosely a resonance with the original Star Wars trilogy. Obviously all three of these films have a full gamut of settings in relatively similar proportions. But if I think of memorable scenes, in IV it's the various terrestrial quests and challenges on dusty, instantly familiar Tattooine. In V it's ominous space technological threats and scenes like the **SPOLER ALERT** "I am your father" scene occurring in massive futuristic machines in outer space. And then we end up in VI on a luscious alien world, with Earthlike features yet increasingly overrun with dangerous technologically advanced conflict, which nonetheless embroils the more primitive locals in its mayhem.

Anyone else get this sense of things???
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Quillax
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Re: Similarities between Vorticon and Galaxy series and episodes

Post by Quillax »

I remember several years ago, someone started a topic about this same subject, although Hisymak here pointed out extra details that I never noticed. In that topic, Levellass said that this is a common theme in video game trilogies. I don't know a whole lot of game trilogies, though, so I don't know how accurate that statement is.

I remember a couple people have said that trilogies, supposedly, usually have the second do something different from the first while the third is a return to form. I guess that could be applied to Keen as well in some ways, like the setting, game over screen, BwB accessibility, and in Galaxy's case, polish (although I'd say that's more to do with Keen 5 being id's last Keen game). Also, 4 and 6 provide much exploration to do, especially in certain levels (like Chasm of Chills and First Dome of Darkness), while 5 is more linear in some ways (like the world map). 1 and 3 have a secret level, while 2 doesn't.

Thing is, if you go deep enough, you could probably find similarities between almost all games, or almost all films, etc. You could probably see how every Bugs Bunny cartoon, or every Popeye cartoon, has some similarities. Formulas exist because they make it easier to come up with ideas, cut back on reinventing the wheel, and can make several installments of a series look a bit more united. It's okay to use formulas as long as each installment isn't exactly the same; there still needs to be a way to differentiate between them. Like how Bugs Bunny has a wide array of settings and opponents; it's not always Bugs vs. Elmer in the woods and even then, I can only recall a few cartoons that are like that. (There's Rabbit Fire, another one like that, and some cartoon where Elmer tried out hypnosis. Am I missing any?)

Remember too, Keens 4-6 were made by the same people that just did Keens 1-3, so there's bound to be some similarities. I'm sure someone here can identify similarities between all of my mods, including ones I may have never noticed myself. I know I can identify Benvolio's mods through insanely huge levels (though, his later mods do better with the levels), simple and cartoony graphics, beautiful new palettes, and real-world settings (though, there are a few exceptions).

Back to the original subject, where does Dreams fit in? I'd say it resembles 1 and 4 the most, because of a familiar setting and multiple things to collect.
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