Keen 6 Mini-MOD: Aliens Ate My Babysitter ...Again

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NY00123
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Keen 6 Mini-MOD: Aliens Ate My Babysitter ...Again

Post by NY00123 »

UPDATE: YOU SHOULD UNLZEXE THE KEEN6.EXE FILE OR THINGS WON'T WORK AS EXPECTED!
CURRENT REVISION: 3

Time to release some Keen 6 Mini-MOD, which is called "Aliens Ate My Babysitter ...Again", or shortly AAMBA, if you want.

Lets begin with a download link to the first revision (assuming not the only one...): http://ny.duke4.net/files/keen/AAMBA-R3.ZIP
It requires Keen 6, VERSION 1.4.

Now, to what is it all about... Well, for someone reading this, there are great chances you've got to play at least one of the MODs managed by Ceilick, forming two episodes of the unofficial "The Universe Is Toast" trilogy.

It was surely a lot of job, and it resulted in great MODs to play.
I did some mistake, though. Maybe because, sometimes, Keen 7 felt like Keen 4 (especially the first release with the original Keen 4 music tracks). Maybe not.
Well, anyway, I actually did the mistake of expecting certain Keen 6 elements to appear in the successor of Keen 7, which is...right, Keen 8. And also the feeling of it.

You should really not do it as it's an easy formula for a disappointment. Now that I'm ready for it, though, I realize that Keen 8 is a great thing. It brings something new, which it *intends* to do. Or so I understand.

Anyway, this has probably made me feel that I liked Keen 6. And also motivated me to start, at least initially, a level pack for it. Later, after most of the levels were completed, I made a few "color swaps" and also added alternate graphics, with the permission of Ceilick (you may recognize some kind of Lava).

Also, I really want to avoid the reveal of spoilers with cheating. And so, most of the cheats should now be disabled >D

Credits and tools: Ceilick for some graphics, Levellass and others I may not remember/be aware of for patches, CK6Patch, KeenWave, Ck456Tli, TED5, LModKeen, the DOSBox emulator, and maybe others I've forgotten.

BTW, it's possible I'm inspired by something else I've seen.
For instance, you know "The Rapid Level Pack" for Keen 6? Lets say something I could see there in some level, makes a few appearances (just a few), but in a somewhat more evil way :P
Last edited by NY00123 on Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:03, edited 4 times in total.
Mink
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Post by Mink »

Wow, very nice job! I think this qualifies more as a mod than a level pack due to all the graphic alterations, albeit small ones. Speaking of the "new" graphics, I think many of them are well done, specifically the foreground and background tiles in the first level which look like they're from Gnosticus IV. My primary recommendation is to not change graphics simply for the sake of having altered graphics; much of it seemed to lack a general theme as to why the recolorings were done.

Apart from that, I'd also suggest not disabling the cheat codes. Many of us don't always have a lot of spare time, and we'd like to see as much of your mod as possible. The level I've played (still stuck on the first) is very nicely designed, and I'm looking forward to the rest, assuming I make it that far.

I'll have more comments when I've played the rest. Good job so far.
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lemm
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Post by lemm »

I couldn't get past the first level on hard. But I like the ceilicks/pole/flashing death lights. It's hard, but still passable.

Guess I'll try easy instead :p
NY00123
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Post by NY00123 »

To everybody, you can try playing just the first level (excluding the BwB) in all three skills :P
I'd just say it isn't repeated in other levels in the same way, although maybe similar.
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Post by KeenRush »

Great levels! Am in third right now. Very kool. Loved Confusion Arena. The world map has an interesting design.
My newest mod - Commander Keen: Sunset: viewtopic.php?t=8568 | codename H.Y.E.N.A.
NY00123
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Post by NY00123 »

Thanks for the replies so far.
Apparently, after making a tiny edit, the level BASA couldn't be completed.
Furthermore, looks like KEEN6.EXE got in the package by mistake...
A new (second) revision is available with the fix, and without the EXE.

Link: [REMOVED]

Regarding the comments I've seen here so far:
Cheat codes are disabled on purpose. Reason is, I want less people to get disappointed by seeing spoilers thanks to cheating.
Regarding the graphics, I remember that initially, I didn't want to change the originals at all. Just later decided to make a change to give it a new "feel", but these should still be Keen 6 graphics, basically. Oh and I'm not so good with making new graphics (with the same quality as the originals); At least I don't remember I've tried...
Last edited by NY00123 on Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:04, edited 3 times in total.
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Syllypryde
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Post by Syllypryde »

In the first level, it seems half of the level is inaccessible. I am sure there is a secret passage somewhere. I found a drop down area, but it seems to be bugged.
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NY00123
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Post by NY00123 »

No bug :)
I'd say, just try playing The Post Guard in all three skills :P
Regarding the drop-down area, if you're talking about the 'underground', there's a switch flipping these arrows.
When they point up, you can fall through them by pressing jump+down.
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Post by KeenRush »

I can't get the new version start. :confused RF_NewMap: Map too tall! The error appears when I start the game.
My newest mod - Commander Keen: Sunset: viewtopic.php?t=8568 | codename H.Y.E.N.A.
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Post by NY00123 »

Whoops... the result of packaging without testing the way I should :P
Updated file is up. Still considered revision 2 as actual contents haven't been modified.
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Post by Ceilick »

Well, I'm on the last level, playing on easy :p

I have to say though, really great level design; There are some great puzzles in here and I enjoyed many levels more than the original keen 6 levels. And I don't know at all how to get to the secret level/s :dopekeen
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Post by tulip »

I'm also playing on easy now (first I started on normal, but then I found even easy is pretty challenging). I'm about half through it now and I also enjoy most of the levels. It's a little much ping-pong-ing around getting that key to get to this switch and so on from time to time (I think worst there was the Spike dome) but overall it keeps me entertained. The lava river was a refreshingly different level, with a great atmosphere. T'is amazing how you managed to change the atmosphere so much by only changing the colours of the graphics.
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Post by NY00123 »

Thanks for all responses so far.
After spotting a serious bug in some level (that you couldn't complete at all), I actually decided to check all levels, at least on hard, easy and then hard again. Also checked "The Guard Post" on medium.

And so, revision 3 is now up. I've added a FAQ.TXT file.
Link: http://ny.duke4.net/files/keen/AAMBA-R3.ZIP

You *may* be able to load an old saved game, but, if I'm not wrong, the old version of the saved level would be loaded. At least until you replay the level (not by loading from the same saved game, of course).

Almost all levels have been modified. The Blog Planet (World Map) has been modified as well.
Last edited by NY00123 on Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:04, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by KeenRush »

These are excellent levels, as said. Many things I haven't seen before or even happened to think of. :yorp Still haven't completed them all because I haven't been able to access them all -- maybe the new revision solves that problem... Just to say, the next time you should do throughout playtesting of the levels before releasing them, revisions like these are really frustrating... :garg
My newest mod - Commander Keen: Sunset: viewtopic.php?t=8568 | codename H.Y.E.N.A.
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Post by Syllypryde »

I have completed 14 out of 16 levels on easy. I am at the final level Dome of Evil. Just a few other things:

1) I found the secret level. I liked the mystery points.
2) There is a moving goplat where the satellite used to be. I cannot figure out how to get to it, assuming it can be got to. I wonder whether or not it has anything to do with the Super secret level?
3) I cannot find the passcard to the bloogstar rocket. I noticed that the opposite landing pad for the rocket seems to lead to some pathway. A pathway to the Super secret level perhaps?
4) I found and translated the hint for the Super secret level, but the area it specifies does not seem to exist in the level I found the clue. Either I translated wrong, the specified area is hidden, the clue pertains to a different level, or the Super secret level is only accessible in normal or hard difficulties.

Suffice to say, I have yet to discover the Super secret level!!!
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