CloneKeenPlus and improved level design (and more...)

All discussion about the Commander Genius project (a Keen interpreter + more).
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Should I implement Bitmaps for entire levels?

Yes
2
50%
No
1
25%
Only backgrounds, I like the original tile designs
1
25%
Better support tiles of higher resolution, so I can create those by myself, and the levels load those
0
No votes
Bitmap backgrounds and 32-bit colour tiles whould be great! I would could create cool levels with that
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 4

gerstrong
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CloneKeenPlus and improved level design (and more...)

Post by gerstrong »

As some of you remember, I tried to implement bitmap backgrounds and as I have been thinking much about that, I decided to draw the first level of Commander Keen 1, with InkScape.

This is an example of what I could do with HQP.

I can make all the tiles invisible and let go the sprites over that bitmap while the player is interacting. What do you think about the idea? It also would allow to create fantastic levels and use isometric floors like in Commander Keen 4-6.

In this technique you are very flexible, because the tiles you see here doesn't have to be of the same style. You can draw them freely.

If you draw these levels, you only have to be careful with the tiles, because even they are not seen, the player still interacts with them. (solid, slippery, etc.)

Image

Please don't ask about engine or physics. You can still post them in other topics of the forum like here:
https://pckf.rigeltechnical.com/viewtopic.php?t=519

I'm always improving the eninge, as some members send me feedbacks all the time. Thanks heaven to those guys. They made CKP very great.

I hope many of you like it and vote for the best idea. I really want to make that project basing on your wishes.

As far I have been implementing the following features and I want to get the rest of them implemented. I'm not sure, if it will be until version 0.3

So far, I have implemented those features:

Original Score Table
Original Story board
Better Controls support. Two Button firing, more button remappings and the possibility that the players speed reacts to an analog joystick
Higher Resolution support

Still missing are:
Mouse support for the menus, like in Keen 4-6 or Dreams
Implementation of OpenGL, for true lighting (Lamps will reflect light)
Gray background which will be changed by a Bitmap in every level. Backgrounds like in Keen 4-6 (HQP)

I'm not sure, if and what I'm really going to implement of those features, because they really weren't voted.

I want to enhance the support for more operating systems before 0.3 and some of those features. When 0.3 is out, I'm going to reveal the plans for 0.4 and also let you vote...
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Roobar
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Post by Roobar »

Wow! You've already got plans for v0.4?

Well personally, IMKO, as this thing about high quality tiles seems interesting, it still remains Keen 1 engine. Than means no grabbing etc. So that opens a lot space for designers, the possibilities are great, but I'm not gonna use it. I'm more interested in the pointed missing features like mouse and lightening.
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tulip
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Post by tulip »

Well, this would really open up some possibilities of improving the Keen 1-3 graphics, especially the isometric view that people liked so much about Galaxy. You could get in trouble with pointitems though, because they are part of the tileset, and get replaced by another part of the tileset.

I also like the lighting idea with openGL.
Image You crack me up little buddy!
gerstrong
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Post by gerstrong »

@Tulip: your point of tiles and items is interesting and surely will bring trouble. I know that. For that problem, I colour key will be required and I have no idea how implement all this together.

I wanted to avoid an extra config-file, but the colour-key has to be saved somewhere.

I think I'm going to avoid that feature and work on OpenGL. It also should help making the game itself faster.
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Next Update of CKP

Post by gerstrong »

I was trying to implement the hq-bitmap feature, but I ran into a lot of problems.

I will rollback that once again.

I need to tie up the source code and pass everything to classes. So please be patient...
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