Our Team

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Deltamatic
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Our Team

Post by Deltamatic »

Commander Spleen, unless four votes materialize for somebody else without a single other vote for him, is the CKCM project leader. So now the major things we need to establish are:

Who's the head art person?
Who's the head patching person?
Who's the head levels person?

Sounds, beta testing etc. don't seem to be as important. Music is impossible in the Vorticons trilogy as far as I can tell, unless there's some sort of external program that runs simultaneously, but that's a bit over the top.

Any volunteers?
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shikadi
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Post by shikadi »

who did add something in the respective major thing? i vote for those.

did spleen accept the leadership?
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CommanderSpleen
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Post by CommanderSpleen »

Alrighty. Sounds like a plan.

I'm meant to be managing the tileset, so I'll continue to do that as well. But since we're going to be using the multi-tileset patch, that needs to be figured out. Anybody else want to help maintain them?

AFAIK, Levellass is looking after the sprites. She and Lemm might be able to handle the patches. doomjedi seems to have some excellent sprite graphics happening, which are most suitable so far.

Levels are a slightly complicated matter, since they're so dependent on the map design, plot structure and tilesets. So we need to figure out what each one's purpose is within the game world, what obstacles it contains in terms of progress on the map world, and whether it provides a means of overcoming another such obstacle elsewhere. Then we can build up a tileset for each (perhaps trying to keep two or three to a theme, in a similar style to Monster Bash).

Perhaps we can make a couple of people admins of this sub-forum so several people are able to edit the first posts of each thread in case the main person in charge of them is unavailable.

Also, is it possible to make a sub-sub-forum or something where we can move the canon stuff in order to keep it separate from the general discussion?

Music is an option. Napalm has made a TSR that plays IMF files in the background. The idea is for it to read the level number from the game's memory to determine which song plays, but that is yet to be implemented and he doesn't seem to have much interest in it.

Anyway, those are my thoughts for now.
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Post by Draik »

Sub-sub forums are only possible in phpBB3 (maybe a mod for phpBB2), and admin-ship is global. What you actually want is mod-ship in a given forum, which is easily done.
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CommanderSpleen
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Post by CommanderSpleen »

Indeed, moderator status is what I should've said.

Failing sub-sub-forums, I guess we could see about splitting off a new section containing two forums: CKCM discussion and CKCM development. Or something that that effect.
Mink
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Post by Mink »

I vote for Levellass and Lemm as patching leaders. They're certainly the most technically competent.

I'd love to participate in level creation once we have enough graphics to do so, but that probably won't be for a while, considering we haven't even decided on all of the environments.

I think it's important that even if someone is a project leader or involved in one specific department, (s)he is still allowed to contribute to the other areas.

As for canon info, perhaps the KeenWiki page could be used? I know it's not ideal since anyone can edit it, but it might work.
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Fleexy
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Post by Fleexy »

I definitely vote Lemm for Patching Head.

I would like to apply for Level Design Head, or at least a Level Designer.

Maybe we could have some poll topics like "Lemm for Patching Head?" that after an alloted amount of time the votes would be tallied, the person appointed or, well, not appointed, and the topic locked. Any other ideas on organization?

--Fleexy
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CommanderSpleen
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Post by CommanderSpleen »

Perhaps we could open the floor to some experimental level designs. Just taking what graphics we have and throwing them together to generate some ideas to be used in other levels. This has already been done once with that awesome tree-city level. Sketches and general puzzle or theme ideas would also be welcome. The idea wouldn't be to make usable levels. We'll just create images of the levels and use them as concept art later on down the track.
I think it's important that even if someone is a project leader or involved in one specific department, (s)he is still allowed to contribute to the other areas.
Yes, definitely. It's just that one person will compile all the contributed information into one central resource.
As for canon info, perhaps the KeenWiki page could be used? I know it's not ideal since anyone can edit it, but it might work.
A wiki section should definitely be done. We need to discuss and submit the content somewhere though, so an extra forum still looks like a necessity.
Maybe we could have some poll topics like "Lemm for Patching Head?"
It's either Lemm or Levellass at this stage (assuming they're interested in the position). For now we can leave it up to them to decide who is 'in charge'. But I think they should be quite capable of working as equals in that regard. The rest of us can make requests and they can tell us if they're feasible and perhaps suggest what alternatives may exist otherwise.
I would like to apply for Level Design Head, or at least a Level Designer.
This may be a position that needs further discussion, as there are a number of people who would likely be able to fill it.

The map and story are the important details right now. Once they're done, we can move on to creating a list of level themes. Deltamatic is doing a good job with these at the moment, so I vote he remains in charge. I'll go through and consolidate them in the near future to comply with the overall vision and simplify where necessary. In the meantime, feel free to contribute to the discussion here.
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Post by lemm »

CommanderSpleen wrote:But I think they should be quite capable of working as equals in that regard. The rest of us can make requests and they can tell us if they're feasible and perhaps suggest what alternatives may exist otherwise.
Sounds good to me.
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doomjedi
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Post by doomjedi »

I'm currently going to be in the Sprite Department. I even don't mind to be a leader of that department....but it's up to you, I don't mind either way.

But we need additional sprite artists...I'm having fun making pickup items, enemies, new keen actions ...and even some small tiles, platforms and maybe even "world map"-related scenery....but as far as big backgrounds go (mauntains, big trees its....), and title screens - I less like doing those. This is just one example.

So I'll keep doing what I do...but we need more sprite artists, as I won't cover all sprite&art-related areas, for the reason of personal preferences.

When story and level themes will be finished, I'll be able to be more directional in my art, and less general.
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shikadi
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Post by shikadi »

I Wuld like to make levels for the ckcm, but i am not realy thinking of of becomming the head of any of the major Departements.
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Grandy02
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Post by Grandy02 »

In case of the head patching people, I'm all for Levellass and Lemm, too.

I don't think I want to be the head of any major department, but I'd definitely like to create some levels and possibly also some graphics when there is still space left.
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Post by levellass »

Well I'll do my best for any patch requests that come my way, though I suspect I will be most useful in Keen 2-3, since Lemm is running rings around me in Keen 1 (Or maybe he just thinks of things first.)

I can do anything else *except* levels, which tend to be my weak point.
lemm
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Post by lemm »

As I see it, there are two options (this is for sprite behaviours only):


A) Split patching between sprites. Ie. lemm does yorp, garg, levelass does tank bot, butler bot, and so forth. Actually, any person or team of people could be assigned to a sprite.


B) Levelass accumulates all the community suggestions and maps out all the behaviours for all the sprites, and makes very detailed notes, maybe pseudocode as well, funneling all conceptual stuff from the entire community into one document, Then lemm takes that detailed plan and implements it in assembly. Lemm does no thinking, only implementing.

In my opinion, option B will be far better. Of course this is just my idea; obviously, levellass, spleen, and community, unless you are okay with that, we won't do it that way. But I prefer it because:

1) It gives executive creative control to people who have made mods.

2) It frees me up from thinking; I can do what I do best, which is just the "doing." Of course I'll still suggest ideas, but I will suggest them openly as any other member would, and I absolutely won't give my creative ideas any special status when it comes to implementing. Levellass and Spleen would get the final say on all creative stuff.

3) It gives me complete control over implementation of sprites. If we have two (or more) people trying to hack something together.. well I think you can see how that might be a mess.

Again, please take this as a suggestion; this is how I think we will get the most done and make the best mod. Also, I hope I am not sucking any fun out of this by suggesting "jobs." But, you know, it's been over 6 years, so we need to get some stuff done here...


Anyways, please tell me what you think, (and be honest, not polite ;-) )
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doomjedi
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Post by doomjedi »

I'm all for it :)
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