Too many sprites.

Request patches for Keens 1-3.
Post Reply
User avatar
levellord
Crazy pAtChEr
Posts: 1401
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 11:35 pm
Location: NewZealand
Contact:

Too many sprites.

Post by levellord »

Heres an odd level effect that comes from overloading Keens ability to handle sprites. Open a new level and put in 13 ice cannon sprites and at least 2 doors right next to each other (I use 4) When Keen gets all the keys and runs through the doors real quick, ALL sprites on the level will be destroyed.

This will work with fewer ice cannons and more other sprites, so long as the level contains just under the critical amount of sprites. It works by overloading and thus clearing the Keen engine's off the screen sprite memory.

With this small areas can be made impossible to get to (because an enemy blocks the way) until the end of the level.
KeenRush
Patch Maker
Posts: 1988
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 2:52 pm
Location: Sand Yego
Contact:

Post by KeenRush »

Hmmm, I haven't noticed that. Well, one "trap" to avoid in level designing for me.. :)
User avatar
CommanderSpleen
Posts: 1017
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 12:11 pm
Location: The Land of Sparkly Things
Contact:

Magic Sprites.

Post by CommanderSpleen »

Might be a rather wacky level element that can fit into CK:MB.

Does the game erase sprites that were put in first or last?

>Commander Spleen
User avatar
levellord
Crazy pAtChEr
Posts: 1401
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 11:35 pm
Location: NewZealand
Contact:

Post by levellord »

The game erases ALL sprites in the level, Keen excepted.
User avatar
CommanderSpleen
Posts: 1017
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 12:11 pm
Location: The Land of Sparkly Things
Contact:

Post by CommanderSpleen »

Ah, indeed. *pays closer attention in future*

>Commander Spleen
User avatar
adurdin
Site Founder
Posts: 549
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 11:27 pm
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Contact:

Post by adurdin »

Not for me; for me it causes Keen to crash back to DOS.
User avatar
levellord
Crazy pAtChEr
Posts: 1401
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 11:35 pm
Location: NewZealand
Contact:

Post by levellord »

In that case your version cannot handle quite that many sprites; remove 1 ice launcher and replace it with a yorp. If it still crashes, repeat. If the effect doesn't occur, add another yorp. For instance, when running DosBox I use 12 ice launchers and 3 other sprites.
User avatar
ckguy
Posts: 465
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2003 11:20 am
Location: Wakefield, RI, US
Contact:

Post by ckguy »

I was making a Keen 3 level ... at one point, I had too many sprites, and because of this ...
  1. The shooting-gun things didn't shoot.
  2. The doors "popped" open without "scrolling: down.
  3. Possibly other forgotten effects.
Hmmm ... I'll upload that level to my webpage sometime soon ...
User avatar
XkyRauh
Posts: 1114
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 9:14 pm
Location: San Diego, California

re: sprite overload

Post by XkyRauh »

I don't think this is very responsible map design technique... particularly if it has the potential to crash a user back to DOS.

Be careful, guys... :-$

--Xky
KeenRush
Patch Maker
Posts: 1988
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 2:52 pm
Location: Sand Yego
Contact:

Post by KeenRush »

Yeah, agree with Xky..

Oh, and Xky, could you pleeease check your Hotmail e-mail?
User avatar
levellord
Crazy pAtChEr
Posts: 1401
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 11:35 pm
Location: NewZealand
Contact:

Post by levellord »

If done right it will never crash to DOS. The door popping open effect is a good indicator of sprite capacity. Its not so much not a good idea as an unexpected idea; who would expect there would be away to remove those anoying gargs that stop you from getting all those points..
Yowza
Posts: 153
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 11:21 am

Post by Yowza »

I think it sounds like a good idea...
User avatar
XkyRauh
Posts: 1114
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 9:14 pm
Location: San Diego, California

re: KeenRush

Post by XkyRauh »

KeenRush--I don't really check my Hotmail account often... but I just did this morning, and ended up deleting everything. Please send whatever it was again, with "Keen" somewhere in the subject header, so I'll be sure to see it. Sorry :-(

--Xky
KeenRush
Patch Maker
Posts: 1988
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 2:52 pm
Location: Sand Yego
Contact:

Post by KeenRush »

It had Commander Keen on the subject line, but I know how Hotmail fills up with spam.. Ok, check your mail ASAP. :) - Oh, and I'm really sorry I had to post about this here..
Post Reply