Atroxian Realm (Version 1.2 Released)

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Levellass
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Post by Levellass »

I hear ya Grid, so much stuff backed up and so little time to do it. Well at least one other mod should be out this year. But oh, OH the pace of life!
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Gridlock
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Gridlock »

I was rather hoping to have an updated version ready in time for the one-year anniversary, but if I put out an update it'll just be for minor bug fixes related to tiles and miscellaneous tweaks. I have one more story image from T-Squared that I'd like to add to the ending sequence as well. The memory issues, the Ghost attacking glitch, and occasional lag (it's probably related to the adlib sound code in some way, but it's incredibly difficult to pin down) are probably not going to be fixed for that build, but I might still bug lemm about it and see. It'd be nice to get rid of memory-related crashes and that lag, but those will be very tricky to fix.

Not sure when this update will be ready. Yes, I know it's already been a year :dead, but at least The Alphamatic (AR mini-sequel) is getting close to completion. I'll probably give an update on that soon, but I'm thinking about a Keenday (3/14) release.

In the meantime, I thought I'd recommend a YouTuber named hairmonster who's currently doing a very entertaining playthrough of the game. He's doing a great job but getting criminally few views. Check it out:

https://youtu.be/-QBIGar40wA?list=PLE54 ... KQwlyjd1BQ
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Armageddon Begins Again. The Alphamatic has arrived.

Atroxian Realm: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3536
The Alphamatic: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4086
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Syllypryde
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Syllypryde »

I did watch the YouTube play through you mentioned. He does figure out how to solve the levels, but he missed most of the secret areas and I know he did not find all 24 hyper stars. Then again, since I playtested for you I already knew where all the secret areas were before the official release. You pretty much kept them all intact. I have beaten the game on all 3 skill levels. Twice each on easy and normal and once on hard. I am doing my second run through hard right now with 16 levels complete. However I have not been able to go any further because I am having issues with Dosbox 0.74.
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ktch0
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by ktch0 »

Started playing this a couple of days ago and really enjoying it. Top notch work so far.
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proYorp
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by proYorp »

I seem to have found a couple bugs.

Image
You can walk between the trees to the right of the Kridonea Gateway, and out into this place. Just a tile placement error, it looks like.


Now here's a very strange one. Load up this savegame and just watch what happens. I recommend turning on God Mode as quick as you can.
The ghost somehow teleports into this place and shocks the moving platform, turning it into a shocked Axosis. It then behaves exactly as an Axosis, except it still seems to have all the properties of a moving platform. You can ride on it, and if you turn God Mode off while riding it won't kill you.
I suspect this is somehow related to the resurrecting Axosis glitch. This area is relatively near it, and it seems that once this crazy new glitch occurs, the ghost keeps returning to the former goplat to resurrect it instead and completely ignoring the original Axosis even after it gets up.

Also odd is the fact that I made this save a month ago and somehow didn't notice this anomaly. As a result I don't remember exactly what I was doing that may have caused it, and even after much experimentation around this part of the level I've been unable to recreate the glitch.
I do know I was messing around with cheats in a last-resorts attempt to find the 3UP in that level, the only one I couldn't find without cheating. (I suppose what must've happened was I just decided I was done experimenting with that particular place, saved, and immediately loaded my "real" savegame. So the very fact that I even have a save at this point is either dumb luck or divine intervention.)
So who knows if this can even happen while legitimately playing. At any rate, I hope you find this information useful.
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Ceilick
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Ceilick »

Well, I've done it, minutes ago I finished Atroxian Realm, FINALLY, after a year and half and two computer crashes/loss of save files. And I can finally offer full congratulations, Gridlock! What a fantastic adventure.

Because it's taken so long, forgive me if I'm short on remembering everything upfront that's compliment worthy (so much of it is). What's sticking in my right now:

I don't know if I was just adapting to your level design style or if the environment or whatever was the reason, but I found the later levels in the city of Kridonea the most satisfying to play. That's not to say other levels were bad, but I found myself getting lost and frustrated less often the further I got into the game. That goes for the puzzles as well; I really started to appreciate the bridge and switch puzzles. Doubling back/retreading the same paths was almost never fun though :p

I loved the unique style of both the Kridonea Ruins. I felt they were a departure from both the rest of the levels in the game and, I felt, from the style of the original games altogether, and they were brilliant. Using them as a 'break' from the other levels, as well as the narrative flow they carried, was a fantastic choice and fit perfectly into the game and felt keenish even if nothing like them has really existed in Keen before.

Super congratulations on creating a legitimately hard, fun boss battle. I'll admit to being skeptical it could be pulled off in development. You succeeded, excellent work.

Speaking of Atroxus, the story sequences and meeting him throughout the game was very well done. Interactions with him were something I absolutely looked forward to while playing.

The corrupted Krile (Guard Drone?) is possibly one of the most frightening enemies in Keen not because it looks scary but because of how it moves (and fast!). Well done on that.

I'm a little scatter brained at the moment (as you can probably see), but I'd be happy to comment further if you'd like more specific reactions and impressions.

Great job!

Also congratulations Lemm for the technical development behind the mod. Without you we wouldn't get to see Gridlock's vision actualized. Thank you for your work!
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Gridlock »

Hey, I definitely appreciate the thought. Glad you could finally get through it (that stinks about the savegames though). Now that this already came out a year and a half ago (can't believe it's already been that long), it's been easier to look back on what worked and what didn't.

I do agree that backtracking in these levels could be a bit much. There are some cases where I think it's okay, like Security Layer where the path forward changes once you're forced back to the starting area. Granted, I do think that level is a bit too long. However, in other spots, especially after you get the green gem in Kridonea Gateway and have to retread ALL the way back to the green gemholder, it's just excessive. I'm hoping that people will find the levels in The Alphamatic more streamlined, if still challenging.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the storytelling approach and how things might change moving forward. I think there's a discussion to be had about the role of text and dialogue in Keen games. Environmental storytelling was important in this game, but a lot of the major story moments were very text heavy, and I think this has been mixed for some people. The original Keen games had very little text and kept things short and simple. I'm honestly amazed how little content the Keen 5 help story has, and yet it conveys everything you need to know. My approach, for better or for worse, has increasingly been to try to tell more complex stories and further flesh out the characters and moments with longer dialogue sequences. I'll be curious to see what people think of this approach with Keen's friends in The Alphamatic, where tonally things aren't as dead serious.
Image
Armageddon Begins Again. The Alphamatic has arrived.

Atroxian Realm: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3536
The Alphamatic: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4086
Ceilick
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Ceilick »

Glad to hear you feel you're improving on your level design! I think indoor levels are particularly where your style shines and expect your Alphamatic levels to be exemplary.
I think there's a discussion to be had about the role of text and dialogue in Keen games. Environmental storytelling was important in this game, but a lot of the major story moments were very text heavy, and I think this has been mixed for some people. The original Keen games had very little text and kept things short and simple. I'm honestly amazed how little content the Keen 5 help story has, and yet it conveys everything you need to know. My approach, for better or for worse, has increasingly been to try to tell more complex stories and further flesh out the characters and moments with longer dialogue sequences.
I think Atroxian Realm might be the first, if not one of the first, to really explore that. And while I'd consider it a success, I know it's taught me some things in terms of how to approach it. Particularly: the importance of being brief, the importance of avoiding or keeping short any text/dialogue that's there only for the sake of formality (what the player expects the characters to say or talk about. Basically anything the player can predict will be said.), the importance of refraining from having Keen simply reacting to exposition but to actually be involved in it (this was a big one, in terms of the story, the player may play as Keen, but Keen really isn't a substitute for the player in the game; I want Keen to know things I don't, I want Keen to form conclusion I might not, etc, as long as he's not being obviously stupid or ignorant. Keen should be smarter, at least barely, than the player). Atroxian Realm did a lot of this right, at times wrong (I think), but ultimately was a good experience, for me.
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Nisaba »

takashy01 wrote: Wed Sep 27, 2017 19:15 Help, when you clicked the download link to "atroxian realm" I get that article does not already exist on the page or which has been changed to private, please anyone who can help me, i have a download link to work or something to be able to download atroxian realm!! >: :goth
it seems that there is an issue with dropbox once again. alternatively you can download the game from over here:
http://www.shikadi.net/keenwiki/Atroxian_Realm
(BTW: you can find the download link in the info box to the right)

@Gridlock:
It might be a good idea to link to the wiki in you first post as well. I always try to keep the mirror download links up-to-date.
out now (link) : Image
Gridlock
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Gridlock »

Fixed. All the links have been updated to Dropbox's new file sharing system. I've also included a link to the Keenwiki page under Downloads.

Also, Hairmonster has made two cool AR remixes so far that everyone should totally check out:

https://youtu.be/RdJKQPICoAY?list=PLLNg ... MdKZHDfH-s
Image
Armageddon Begins Again. The Alphamatic has arrived.

Atroxian Realm: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3536
The Alphamatic: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4086
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Nisaba
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Nisaba »

somebody around who can translate things real quick, please:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyKADogRl5k
out now (link) : Image
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Zilem
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Zilem »

Nisaba wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2018 17:01 somebody around who can translate things real quick, please:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyKADogRl5k
That would require that one of us can Russian
Sadly auto translate to text doesn't seem to be available for this video...
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XrackProject
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by XrackProject »

I dont understand why this video got so many dislikes... ?
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Roobar
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Roobar »

Maybe because it's Russian?
Gridlock
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Re: Atroxian Realm

Post by Gridlock »

For Keen Day :birthday , I am finally releasing an updated version of Atroxian Realm (version 1.1). It's been over 3 years since the game's initial release, so that might be one of the longest turnaround times ever for an updated version, but I suppose late is better than never. :-o

Download:
Atroxian Realm (v1.1)

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=down ... JRDBbyt25P

WARNING: The modified executable is NOT compatible with the saved games from the official release version. You should create a backup of your saved games before trying out the modified executable.

------------------------

Huge thanks to K1n9_Duk3, who approached me about fixing the pesky sound-related lag bug and was then willing to fix a bunch of other code bugs in the game. This was the main motivating factor in getting me to finish this new version. He also suggested some other improvements, a few of which could still be implemented in future releases. Either K1n9_Duk3 or I will be releasing the updated source code shortly, but these fixes could potentially be beneficial for any other projects current using this engine. I'll let K1n9_Duk3 elaborate on any further details.

For those of you who have already completed Atroxian Realm, you won't find any drastically new or altered content (unlike what I'm planning for The Alphamatic), but there are several fixes and a few improvements/additions.

Some of the most notable changes:

- No more random slowdowns or jerky scrolling.
- Improved memory management to avoid crashes.
- Added an additional story image to the ending sequence that T-Squared had started but ultimately didn't make it into version 1.0
- Atroxus is 25% slower and no longer spawns shockwaves on Easy difficulty
- Explosion from killing an Axtroxian can now kill Keen (as originally intended, but not implemented in version 1.0)
- Fixed several typos and mispellings in the story texts
- Fixed Krile Ghost bugs.
- Fixed falling platform bug.
- Fixed floating Magmine (after loading a checkpoint) bug.
- Stunned creatures now do the little jump without a delay (Hornet, Atroxite).
- "Commander Keen" text stays blue at the end of the Terminator intro.
- Two button firing works.
- Minor cosmetic changes.
- Several tile bugs in levels have been fixed. I might have missed some since most of the screenshots that were linked in this thread are now dead links.
- A few level design tweaks, including additional checkpoints in Kridonea Ruins Part 2


The full changelog of source code changes is also included in the download.

------------------------

If you do find anything wrong (or I just forgot something), please let me know. This time, I don't think it'll take me 3+ years to address any further bugs.

On a personal note, it's rather odd to consider how much time has already passed since the initial release. I had kind of moved on from this game in the past couple of years, but it's been a nostalgic experience revisiting it. It's been wonderful to be able to share this with people here and even discover other people across the Internet who've tried it, and that means a lot to me. I've worked on a lot of game projects (and I'm now doing it in a professional capacity), but I think this might still be the project I'm most proud of. Thank you to everyone who helped and everyone who played it!
Image
Armageddon Begins Again. The Alphamatic has arrived.

Atroxian Realm: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3536
The Alphamatic: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4086
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