Simple Plot Is Simple, Also Map (Episode 1)

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CommanderSpleen
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Post by CommanderSpleen »

Yes, Keen starts in the middle in that map.
Deltamatic wrote:the player could play both bridge levels and then complete both quests to get across both bridges
Yes, this was a concern to me as well. The prank targets also need to be made inaccessible until the quest is assigned. But lemm is confident that this can be handled with patching. The way I see it, each of the "bridge" nodes can provide a separate item, but completing one of the levels removes both items.

A dark forest level could obstruct one of the prank targets, and require a light source in order to enter. Though it's unlikely Keen would be caught on a strange planet without some kind of light. Anyway, whatever the nature of this obstacle, we can save an inventory item (if necessary) by inferring that the item is provided along with the pepper/cola.

The ruins idea is a good start. Hmm, a standard blocking ruins level would make for a fun mechanical puzzle. Bridges, hidden passages, moving platforms, etc.
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doomjedi
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Post by doomjedi »

lemm wrote:How about a glowing chili pepper :p
Anything you might like?

Image
Last edited by doomjedi on Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:05 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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doomjedi
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Post by doomjedi »

CommanderSpleen wrote: Anyway, whatever the nature of this obstacle
I can probably throw up some general map obstacles, just up my head...

1. Cemetery, you can pass only by getting special protection item/cross/whatever from the bad spirits...
2. Minefield you need a metal-detector or minemap to pass
3. Forest of poison gas - you'll need a gasmask for
4. Cold Forest - you'll need a warm coat for
5. Another idea for metal detector - a gate with a lost key, which you need to find near it - with metal detector.
6. Poison Moskitos forest - you'll need a special protection creme to pass
7.
.....
...
..

That beyond ideas already used in Keen mods (which we might consider reusing), like swimming suit, climb hook....
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Deltamatic
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Post by Deltamatic »

The item you need to pass the cemetery could be an invitation to a funeral that's happening.
Poison gas could slowly spread across a level.
Land mines are an interesting hazard that hasn't been used before in Keen games as far as I know.
Maybe for the archaeological site thing, the alien sphinx is actually a giant robot, and Keen has to activate it so it walks to one side (in the level) and allows him to walk past it (on the world map). Don't know how this would be pulled off, but it would be awesome if it would start moving with Keen still inside it, so he needs to be quick on his feet to stay alive.
lemm
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Post by lemm »

CommanderSpleen wrote: A dark forest level could obstruct one of the prank targets, and require a light source in order to enter. Though it's unlikely Keen would be caught on a strange planet without some kind of light. Anyway, whatever the nature of this obstacle, we can save an inventory item (if necessary) by inferring that the item is provided along with the pepper/cola.

A cool effect we could have in dark levels would be to draw an illumination sprite around keen. It's just gray pixels arranged in a halo pattern (without a mask), so it brightens all the pixels behind it.
Anything you might like?
I LOVE the red cola can with the slug on it! Is it possible you could make the chilis glow like a light bulb controlled by a dimmer switch that is being rotated back and forth? Maybe a 4/6/8 frame animation?
But lemm is confident that this can be handled with patching.
Just so everyone knows, there won't be any patching of the world map itself. To restrict movement, keen will enter a level, and if he doesn't have the item, he will be kicked back out (as I can't actually prevent him from entering a level if it isn't DONE). Based upon the items that keen has (completed quests count as items too), I can make a level done/not done on exit, the game lost/won on exit, change items that keen has, or move keen anywhere on the world map on exit (ahead, or behind of the level he just exited, for example). But the point is that keen has to enter a level for all this inventory checking to occur, even if it is just a toll booth level.

The ruins idea is a good start. Hmm, a standard blocking ruins level would make for a fun mechanical puzzle. Bridges, hidden passages, moving platforms, etc.
This light source that keen has to collect could be some sort of luminescent insect that hangs out in the ruins level. The only problem is that it flies up and away from keen. To catch it, keen has to toggle switches and bridges to trap it a narrow passage. Touching it brings up a dialog, ends the level, gives keen the light item.
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Deltamatic
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Post by Deltamatic »

Go anywhere on the world map at exit?! That's fantastic! I studied possible map scenarios and thought that it was impossible to be sure the player would do things right, but now we can have the player sent back before the still-non-passable level if he rejects the mission and sent after the still-non-passable level if he accepts it.
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doomjedi
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Post by doomjedi »

lemm wrote: A cool effect we could have in dark levels would be to draw an illumination sprite around keen. It's just gray pixels arranged in a halo pattern (without a mask), so it brightens all the pixels behind it.
Wow...cool effect :)
I LOVE the red cola can with the slug on it! Is it possible you could make the chilis glow like a light bulb controlled by a dimmer switch that is being rotated back and forth? Maybe a 4/6/8 frame animation?
I didn't fully get you there....what do you mean? Glow is rotated, or chilis are rotated and what kind of glow you mean..........?
EDIT:: Oh, I think I got it....sorry... But should I keep the 16x16 pickup sprite structure? I can't make to many glow levels without increasing the pickup sprite size...
UPDATE: I think I got what you mean - gradually increasing number of glow pixels around it?
But you have to select the pepper variation you like most first

This light source that keen has to collect could be some sort of luminescent insect that hangs out in the ruins level. The only problem is that it flies up and away from keen. To catch it, keen has to toggle switches and bridges to trap it a narrow passage. Touching it brings up a dialog, ends the level, gives keen the light item.
Again....amazed by your creativity
Last edited by doomjedi on Mon Apr 19, 2010 6:15 am, edited 2 times in total.
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doomjedi
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Post by doomjedi »

lemm wrote: I LOVE the red cola can with the slug on it! .
The "Slug Soda"? :) Heh....note there is blue "Lick Soda" near it as well :)
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doomjedi
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Post by doomjedi »

More ideas:

1. Invisible Bridge (over deep canyon) you need special goggles to see

2. Monster you need to give him special food in order to pass. Or to put him to sleep with sleeping arrows.
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Deltamatic
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Post by Deltamatic »

The monster thing has already been done in Keen 6.
With invisible blocks and goggles to see them, there could be a lot of hidden areas in levels earlier than the goggle level that aren't necessary for getting to the goggle level.
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Post by Draik »

that might be possible, and would be cool as well.
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Post by lemm »

It could be done.
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Post by CommanderSpleen »

The goggles are a brilliant plan. I'm all for it. The nifty light effect sounds great too, as well as the means of acquiring it.
lemm wrote:To restrict movement, keen will enter a level, and if he doesn't have the item, he will be kicked back out (as I can't actually prevent him from entering a level if it isn't DONE).
Remember that using the flags patch we can place blocking tiles that are removed when a given level is completed, at arbitrary locations instead of within a 2x2 DONE square.

doomjedi: The glowing chilli would be done by drawing an outline around it which changes colours--say dark red, red, yellow, red.
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doomjedi
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Post by doomjedi »

CommanderSpleen wrote: doomjedi: The glowing chilli would be done by drawing an outline around it which changes colours--say dark red, red, yellow, red.
Aaa...got it.
But you didn't yet pick the chili variation you like the most...single chili, double, tripple, same color, different colors?
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Post by lemm »

same colour, double chilis
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