How should death be handled?

[guynietoren]

Or just give Keen hit points. The games can be frustrating to start over after getting hit once. 2 or 3 would be plenty. Spikes should still instakill. Saving mid level always feels like cheating to me. Although Keen has a lot of jumping puzzles this method wouldn't help with.

[tulip]

Or just give Keen hit points.

...just like every other generic platformer. Not having hitpoints is one of the things that makes Keen an interesting title in the genre.

[Grimson]

I always liked the concept of saving only at checkpoints. Would make lives useful as well.

[Scarlet]

Vorticons style, or checkpoints. Reduces those cheaters who want to save every 20 seconds. ^^

[DHeadshot]

Or just give Keen hit points.

...just like every other generic platformer. Not having hitpoints is one of the things that makes Keen an interesting title in the genre.

Could have that regenerating health thing from modern FPSs...?

[Syllypryde]

Galaxy style - gives you the freedom to save whenever you want, but you don't have to use it. Sylly for example only saves between levels out of choice. I hate everything that is forced onto the player, so for me autosave and checkpoints is also a no-go.

That is correct. I like the option to save within the level, but abusing it makes extra lives and game overs useless, not to mention makes the game way too easy, even on hard! I am the type of player who is greedy and most of the time has to get everything available in a level, not to mention I have to completely conquer all levels available in the game. I am not the type of player who only plays the required levels. I play them all! Because of this method of play I have a tendency to die a little more than the average Keener probably does.

Usually the only time I save within level is when I get really stuck in certain areas of a level. Even then, I only save in order to practice. Once I am confident I can pass it, then I start the level over and play all the way through it. Also, I have to beat the game on all skill levels. Once I beat a game on hard, then I go back to easy and beat it on all three difficulties again!

Keen 5, TKOK, DITD, and Mink's Puzzle Pack are the only games I have completed on hard. On Keen 4, I can only complete 14 levels. I cannot beat Pyramid of the Forbidden, Isle of Fire and Well of Wishes on hard. In fact, it literally takes me a hundred tries to beat these three levels on normal!!! On Keen 6 I have only made it to Guard Post One on hard. I always run out of ammo on that level and cannot dodge the Blooguards and Bloogs. However, due to a trick I discovered in Aliens Ate My Babysitter... Again, which also works in Keen 6, and a drop down I stumbled upon in Guard Post One, I now can have the ammo needed to complete the level. Then we will see how far I can make it in the game then!

Patrick

[Commander Spleen]

MKO:

- No lives
- Save anywhere
- Points only added to score at end of level
- Checkpoints irrelevant

[darthslaw]

Save anytime, like Keen Galaxy. Good for practicing (as mentioned), or if you have to exit the game in mid-level. If people want to "save-cheat", that's their own business. It's no different from quick-saves in more modern games (other than requiring multiple keystrokes). *dodges thrown shoes*


Anyway, maybe allow the player to continue on game over? Half or reset the score, reset bullets and lives to defaults, start again from map screen but with levels still completed. It might even deter some of the "save-cheating", since you can never fail out completely.

[Levellass]

Galaxy style. I am not a fan of Nintendo Hard games.

[DHeadshot]

MKO:

- No lives
- Save anywhere
- Points only added to score at end of level
- Checkpoints irrelevant

Spleen has a point...

[RoboBlue]

After you die once, a clip of Keen's pet Yorp crying in front of a tombstone should play. Then when you try to continue, the game publishes all of your private photos and credit card information online. Your identity is stolen by terrorists, and the FBI firebombs your house in the name of national security. Thus, it truly is GAME OVER.

[Dynamo]

Galaxy style.

In vorticons, you almost finish a super tough level and you die just two tiles away from the exit and you have to do the whole thing again. No thanks.

[guynietoren]

After you die once, a clip of Keen's pet Yorp crying in front of a tombstone should play. Then when you try to continue, the game publishes all of your private photos and credit card information online. Your identity is stolen by terrorists, and the FBI firebombs your house in the name of national security. Thus, it truly is GAME OVER.

Sounds like a hardcore mode with one life per game, but more like a virus than a game.

There was a game where if you got hit, the game would delete a random file off your computer. Forget what it's called.

[DHeadshot]

There was a game where if you got hit, the game would delete a random file off your computer. Forget what it's called.

I think I'll make that...

[RoboBlue]

What about a game where every time you get hit, your core temperature increases by one degree Celsius. When you die the computer overheats and shuts down.