2.5D Keen

Ronnie · Post by **Ronnie** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 5:50

New Build: http://josephmcarney.com/test/KeenTest32.html
Linuz Build: http://josephmcarney.com/test/KeenTest32.tar.gz

Yorps, PatPats, and Pause menu back in! Let me know what you guys think!

I'll be focusing on bugs again now that I have all the features back in. I don't know, it seems odd to say it, but I think I'm almost done with the first level! Should start thinking about the next step.

Post by **Keening_Product** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 13:47

Wow, it's no longer just a testing ground! This is really cool! I like the Pat Pat animation and how they reach up to try to get Keen when he jumps over.

Accidentally incinerating a yorp was a bit of a shock, but that's just me.

I like how the redesigned level takes into account the pogo height and all.

Very good work. I look forward to seeing the finished product!

Ronnie · Post by **Ronnie** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 4:02

Quick peek at the first 'cave' level before I start lightmapping and props. I have some fun stuff planned for the Yorp statue that stands near the top.

Roobar · Post by **Roobar** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:45

I know you're putting a lot of effort, but why are you using this texture? It looks like a prok meat more than anything else.

Grimson · Post by **Grimson** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:45

I really, really like the layout. Will you mimick the "lighting" of the cave levels so the only light source are the lights hanging from the ceiling?

troublesomekeen · Post by **troublesomekeen** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 12:06

So cool to see the entire level from this pull-back view! A vertical oriented level is something new for this project! And it's so good to have the Yorps and Pat-Pats back! All the controls are working swell for me.

Ronnie · Post by **Ronnie** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 15:11

I know you're putting a lot of effort, but why are you using this texture? It looks like a prok meat more than anything else.

I agree, the texture doesn't look great. It's a placeholder texture I'm using until I can either find someone to texture it or texture it myself (though I'm an awful texture artist). It's just a Wind Waker texture that I adjusted to be more red.

Will you mimick the "lighting" of the cave levels so the only light source are the lights hanging from the ceiling?

Probably not. I'll have the lights on the props as well, but I'm not sure yet. I'll be posting more updates this week hopefully.

Thanks for putting my Keen on your signature Trouble

Ronnie · Post by **Ronnie** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 4:43

New Build: http://josephmcarney.com/test/KeenTest33.html
Linux Build: http://josephmcarney.com/test/KeenTest33.tar.gz

Level 2! Let me know what you think of it all, I know it's hard to judge when the rock textures are place holders. But any input is helpful!

troublesomekeen · Post by **troublesomekeen** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 5:10

Ronnie wrote:Thanks for putting my Keen on your signature Trouble

He's a bit tall, but it gave me a reason to add the PCKF text. Happy to have him aboard.

Of course, this may look a tad silly when I change my cignature again.

My instant impression when loading the second level was
"Oh. Ahh... I'm in a cool place." These two levels alone are a million times better than Donkey Kong Returns.

I notice that most Keen levels start out with Keen to the very left-most or right-most part of the screen, with nothing behind him -- nothing blocking his entrance from where he entered the level. Indeed the only thing that stops Keen from exiting a level the same as he entered it is the level boundaries themselves. The player never asks him/herself "How did I get into this level?" because there is always what looks like a path leading into the level behind Commander Keen.

Look at this random level from Keen 5 for instance.
http://www.shikadi.net/keenwiki/File:Ck5lv05.png
He is standing to the left-most part of the level, facing right. Is there a wall behind him? No. Thereby we see where Keen "came from" when the level begins.

This isn't a knock against your Level 2 here. In fact, between the yellow and black beams and boxes, we can see where Keen might have entered the level. Anyways. I'm just talking about nonsense, since I couldn't think of anything else to say. But what I think I'm getting at is trying to tie the world map and the levels closer together. If the level is predominately green, we should see a greenish place on the world map. If the level is a dome, Keen should start off the level at the entrance of -- or just outside of the dome and walk in, as seen in Keen 6.

This could be problematically limiting in the way of level design, so sometimes Keen spawns in the level falling into it, like in Keen 5. But again, we know where Keen entered the level from: the air duct.

Anyhow... I forget why I even... I... Hmmm.. Nevermind.

Ronnie · Post by **Ronnie** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 19:23

New Build: http://josephmcarney.com/test/KeenTest34.html
Linux Build: http://josephmcarney.com/test/KeenTest34.tar.gz

Trouble, I don't think you were rambling! That's a really good point, and it's something that I've been trying to keep in mind. If you look at my level one, I have that big garage door type thing at the start, though Keen starts below it... hmmm. But I hope the airlock type doors are a good transition to the world map. As far as their nodes on the map, I plan one just having domes, and caves. I haven't made the cave node yet, so the dome's a stand in for now.

I replaced the Yorp statue with a yorp hologram. I got a thing for holograms.

Roobar · Post by **Roobar** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 20:02

There's something wrong with pogo jumping. You cannot turn around while in the air or if your turn, it's too slow or after you hit the ground.

As for the new build, the hologram looks cool, but does it makes sense?

MoffD · Post by **MoffD** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 20:07

Possibly a yorp AI that leaned how to communicate with Humans?

Roobar · Post by **Roobar** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 20:25

Sooo... Billy isn't the first human to fly to Mars?

Ronnie · Post by **Ronnie** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 22:39

Maybe you guys can explain to me the purpose behind the statues that give you messages when you run into them like this guy:

I'm not by any means a Keen Lore expert

I always just assumed they were some kind of sentient or intelligent AI that was more curious toward Keen than hostile.

There's something wrong with pogo jumping. You cannot turn around while in the air or if your turn, it's too slow or after you hit the ground.

In Keen1 you can't change direction midair while using the pogo stick. Only when Keen is grounded or about to become grounded is he able to switch direction.

Roobar · Post by **Roobar** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 22:56

Ronnie wrote:In Keen1 you can't change direction midair while using the pogo stick. Only when Keen is grounded or about to become grounded is he able to switch direction.

That's not true. You can change directions. Test it. Usually right after you reach your high or even before that. In your game, while you are facing one direction and in air, you cannot turn around or change direction no matter whether you're moving upwards or falling. You'll turn left or right after you bounce from the ground. It's not like that in the original game.