Commander Keen Corner "Recharge your Neural Stunner and get aboard the Bean-with-Bacon."
#1 Posted 28 April 2017 - 05:43 PM
As we know in the very first 90s before Wolfenstein 3D and DOOM, in an era where much software houses were not very different from a group of indie guys that have their office into a friend garage and the copyright laws were not quite yet defined, Apogee and ID realized their influential EGA/CGA platform in exclusive for PC inspired by Supermario and pop culture references: The adventures of the 8 years old Billy Blaze a kid with an IQ of 314 that fight against any kind of menace towards the universe. Even if objectively the real success arrived in 1991 with the graphic restyling of Keen Dreams/Keen 4, If you say "Commander Keen" to someone that it is the first that generally comes in mind.
Official chapters developed by Apogee-ID software (GBC created in collab with ACTIVISION but not considered canonic by Tom Hall itself)
Invasion of the Vorticons saga
Commander Keen 1: Marooned On Mars
http://www.shikadi.n...arooned_on_Mars
Shareware Licensed Download: ftp://ftp.3drealms.com/share/1keen.zip
Commander Keen 2: The Earth Explodes
http://www.shikadi.n..._Earth_Explodes
Commander Keen 3: Keen Must Die!
http://www.shikadi.n...:_Keen_Must_Die!
Keen Dreams
Commander Keen 3,5: Keen Dreams
http://www.shikadi.n...iki/Keen_Dreams
Goodbye Galaxy Saga
Commander Keen 4: Secret of the Oracle
http://www.shikadi.n...t_of_the_Oracle
Commander Keen 5: The Armageddon Machine
http://www.shikadi.n...ageddon_Machine
Aliens Ate My Babysitter
Commander Keen 6: Aliens Ate My Babysitter!
http://www.shikadi.n..._My_Baby_Sitter!
Keen GBC
Commander Keen GBC:
http://www.shikadi.n...y_Color_game%29
Fan Mods
Universe Is Toast Saga by Ceilick & various Commander Keen fans
Based on the originally planned but then dropped ID Software idea for 1992 Christmas which is supposed to have been the last trilogy of entire franchise. Since the great quality, in a partial AscendedFanon trope manner, CK community consider them a natural continuation of the series and use their events as a base to time-placing the plot of most mods.
Commander Keen 7: The Keys of Krodacia (Requires KEEN 4)
http://www.shikadi.n...eys_of_Krodacia
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2009-03-14.zip
Commander Keen 8: Dead in the Desert (Requires KEEN 6)
http://www.shikadi.n...d_in_the_Desert
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2011-11-23.zip
Commander Keen 9: Battle of the Brains (Requires KEEN 5)
http://www.shikadi.n...e_of_the_Brains
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2011-11-23.zip
Useful Links
Public Commander Keen Forum
http://pckf.rigeltechnical.com/
The Commander Keen Forum managed by CK fans as well as the best modders.
Commander Keen.Com
http://www.commander-keen.com/
"This website is made and maintained by a bunch of Commander Keen fans, who are trying to provide the best information and media for all the Commander Keen episodes. You can start navigating on our site by clicking on one of the links found from the left."
Dopefish.Com
http://www.dopefish.com/
EVERYTHING you want to know about one of the most iconic CK enemy.
Commander Genius
http://clonekeenplus...e.net/download/
"Commander Genius is a software piece that interprets the Commander Keen Invasion of the Vorticons and Galaxy series. As fans and developers we try to implement new features, improve the gameplay and give players an experience that feels like playing the original game but a bit more refreshing.
Not just Windows, Linux, and MacOS but other platforms are supported as well!"
It even works with some mods (consult the table http://www.shikadi.n...ommander_Genius) and it is provided of an High Quality Pack https://sourceforge....26.zip/download that improves visual and acustic experience.
This post has been edited by Fantinaikos: 28 April 2017 - 05:45 PM
#2 Posted 28 April 2017 - 05:55 PM
Also PCKF has a Discord server now https://discord.gg/6TAcfjX
#3 Posted 29 April 2017 - 02:26 AM
Chocolate Keen is a reimplementation of the Vorticons trilogy which aims at maximum accuracy in recreating the experience of playing this on a real DOS machine.
Reflection Keen is a source port of Keen Dreams which to the best of my knowledge is so far the only opens-source title in the series.
I haven't heard about Omnispeak yet, apparently it's the product of reverse-engineering. Nice!
BTW, does anyone know if any of Keen Dreams code has been used in the engine recreation projects of Keen 4 to 6?
#4 Posted 29 April 2017 - 10:49 AM
Marooned on Mars - Galaxy mod by Dr. Colossus (remake in galaxy engine of Commander Keen 1, despite "Beta" you can totally finish the mod without encounter any tedious bug, requires KEEN 5)
http://www.shikadi.n...rs_-_Galaxy_mod
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2017-04-08.zip
Stay also tuned for his upcoming remake of Keen 2
http://pckf.rigeltec....php?f=2&t=4024
Demo Download: https://www.dropbox....eenTEE.rar?dl=0
Keen Meets the Meats by DoomJedi, Szemigi, Levellass, troublesomekeen and VikingBoyBilly (Based on the only idealized ID software Keen Dreams sequel, requires Keen Dreams iself)
http://www.shikadi.n...Meets_the_Meats
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2015-05-21.zip
The Eight Accumulators by Bubbatom (requires KEEN 4)
http://www.shikadi.n...ht_Accumulators
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2011-12-13.zip
Commander Keen's Valentine Bash by Levellass (Horror Valentine day crossover between Commander Keen and Monster Bash, requires KEEN 4). Ending directly implies that we should have a sequel called "Where Is Everybody?" but still in hiatus or abandoned
http://www.shikadi.net/keenwiki/Commander_Keen's_Valentine_Bash
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2013-01-04.zip
Atroxian Realm by Gridlock (requires KEEN 4)
http://www.shikadi.n.../Atroxian_Realm
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2016-01-16.zip
The Terror from Outer Space by Dr. Colossus (requires KEEN 4)
http://www.shikadi.n...rom_Outer_Space
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2013-09-29.zip
Episode 58 - The Ruin of Roib by Bernie (Setted in a possible dark future, despite says "Beta" you can totally finish the mod without encounter any tedious bug, requires KEEN 4)
http://www.shikadi.n...he_Ruin_of_Roib
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2013-07-01.zip
Episode 59 - Underworld Ultimate! (Setted in a possible dark future, despite says "Beta" you can totally finish the mod without encounter any tedious bug, requires KEEN 4)
http://www.shikadi.n...rworld_Ultimate!
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2014-05-06.zip
Map Editing Tools and Tutorials
Abiathar Galaxy engine+Dreams editor
http://pckf.rigeltec....php?f=4&t=3023
Dowload: https://abiathar.kee....8/Abiathar.zip
AbiathRPC: real-time Internet level editing
http://pckf.rigeltec....php?f=4&t=4031
Download: https://abiathar.kee...g/AbiathRPC.zip
Keen Galaxy Modding Tutorial by Ceilick (It also indicates a lot of other tools)
http://www.shikadi.n...28by_Ceilick%29
Patching Tutorial by Levellass
http://pckf.rigeltec....php?f=3&t=3614
#5 Posted 29 April 2017 - 12:50 PM
MrFlibble, on 29 April 2017 - 02:26 AM, said:
From what I've heard, the recreation projects were based on the Catacomb 3-D source code (as far as the ID Engine part of the source is concerned). I don't think any of the game side of the code has was taken directly from the Keen Dreams source code, since the only thing Dreams has in common with Galaxy would be the basic movement code (gravity, acceleration and clipping against tiles or other actors) and the Omnispeak source code uses its own function naming scheme, even though the code itself should be identical.
My guess is that these recreations are based on some disassembling that was done before the Keen Dreams source code was released. I remember that someone gave me a partial disassembly/C-port of Keen 4 way back in 2007 or 2008. The fact that the Cataomb 3-D source was GPL'ed before the Keen Dreams source might also have had some impact on this. Edit: According to Github, the Omnispeak project started in 2012, but the Catacomb 3-D source wasn't released until about two years later, in 2014.
By the way, I remember posting on the PCKF that reverse engineering the Keen 4-6 source code would be possible, given that the Catacomb 3-D and Keen Dreams source codes were released and that they had a lot of code in common with Keen 4-6. But now I realize that this was long after the work on Omnispeak started.
This post has been edited by K1n9_Duk3: 29 April 2017 - 12:50 PM
#6 Posted 29 April 2017 - 03:46 PM
Had pretty ambitious plans for some of the levels but just moved on to other stuff.
I'll just drop a dump from one of the maps and a video that shows it for those who are interested.
This post has been edited by oasiz: 29 April 2017 - 03:47 PM
#7 Posted 30 April 2017 - 03:49 AM
K1n9_Duk3, on 29 April 2017 - 12:50 PM, said:
Wikipedia mentions that Bio Menace runs on the licensed Keen engine. Is that true? Have there been any attempts to write an engine recreation/reverse engineer that game? It appears that the recent reverse-engineering projects of this kind are pretty successful.
Can anyone please outline the differences between Omnispeak and Commander Genius? It is my understanding that the former is more accurate due to the reverse engineering part?
#8 Posted 30 April 2017 - 05:49 AM
Quote
If you consider making both a Commander Keen x Bio Menace mod on Galaxy engine and a demo of a gritty Commander Keen on Bio Menace engine as first attempts, that seems to be quite true. Unless it's all about a simple patching but there must be a little more.
Commander Keen X Bio Menace by Szemi (requires KEEN 4)
http://www.shikadi.n...en_X_Bio_Menace
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2016-02-16.zip
Keen Crisis Earth DEMO by Paramultart and Ceilick (requires Bio Menace)
http://www.shikadi.n...en_Crisis_Earth
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2012-12-25.zip
Quote
In case you mean in which way they apply their concept of balance between fidelity, features and eventually improvements read the wikis should be enough to make yourself an idea.
If you want to get more technical, there is some (I suppose related) documentation.
Commander Genius
Building CG using LLVM and the Clang compiler
http://donpcde.ddns....with-llvmclang/
Building CG for Windows
http://donpcde.ddns....nder-windows-7/
Omnispeak
Source Code
https://github.com/sulix/omnispeak
#9 Posted 30 April 2017 - 11:14 AM
MrFlibble, on 30 April 2017 - 03:49 AM, said:
It definitely is. The main menu, pause screen, and dialogs all resemble each other. Beyond that, I can confirm that friends have explored the game's executable and found it to be based on Keen Galaxy.
I have heard similar claims about the game ScubaVenture but nothing substantial.
#10 Posted 30 April 2017 - 12:44 PM
Hendricks266, on 30 April 2017 - 11:14 AM, said:
Nope, ScubaVenture uses the F.A.S.T. engine (written by Gerald Lindsly), which is also used by Monster Bash. The documentation that was released among with TED (the editor by John Romero that was used for most Id software games up to Wolf3D) claims that TED was used to create maps for ScubaVenture, but I strongly doubt this is true. The F.A.S.T. map format has absolutely nothing to do with the formats handled by TED. I wrote a level viewer for Monster Bash & ScubaVenture, so you can take my word on that.
And yes, BioMenace definitely uses the Keen Galaxy codebase, with some parts of Keen Dreams as well (the grenades in BioMenace use the same bouncing physics as the flower power balls in Keen Dreams).
#12 Posted 01 May 2017 - 04:46 PM
A New Dope by KeenRush (Rated as one of the best for quality and challange, requires KEEN 3)
http://www.shikadi.n...wiki/A_New_Dope
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2007-03-14.zip
See also the levelpacks Some Dope Levels by CK Guy and A New Dope Levelpack by shikadi
Alternative "The Universe is Toast" saga by different authors
Commander Keen Episode X by Xkylyr Rauh (requires KEEN 1)
http://www.shikadi.n...nwiki/Episode_X
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2002-06-30.zip
See also the levelpack: Community Keen X Levelpack
Commander Keen Episode Y: Extra Dark by Grelphy (requires KEEN 1)
http://www.shikadi.n...nwiki/Episode_Y
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2003-06-19.zip
Commander Keen Episode Z by Ceilick (requires KEEN 1)
http://www.shikadi.n...nwiki/Episode_Z
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2009-01-30.zip
Commander Keen Episode Null by Xky Rauh (Events takes place between Episode X and Episode Y, requires KEEN 2)
http://www.shikadi.n...ki/Episode_Null
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2004-03-11.zip
Episode Dash by Xky Rauh (Based on timed levels so you have to rush to the exit or you will die [there is a time-increasing bonus along the road anyway], requires KEEN 3)
http://www.shikadi.n...ki/Episode_Dash
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2004-10-22.zip
Aqua Keen trilogy by Dawg (Underwater adventures of a Twelve Billy Blaze)
Aqua Keen 1: Red Tide (requires KEEN 1)
http://www.shikadi.n...een_1:_Red_Tide
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2012-10-29.zip
Aqua Keen 2: Seas Will Cease (requires KEEN 1)
http://www.shikadi.n...Seas_Will_Cease
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2012-11-20.zip
Aqua Keen 3: Doomsday: 12-21-12
http://www.shikadi.n...msday:_12-21-12
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2013-04-03.zip
Community bugfixes and improvements for the original games
Keen 1, 2, 3 Bug Fix Versions by Mondae Sundae (requires original KEEN 1, 2 and 3)
These patched version of the first 3 Commander Keen games are ridded of all bugs and flaws, they should be compatible with the mods and recognized by Commander Genius/Omnispeak. You can even decide if replace some level of KEEN 2 and KEEN 3 with an easier or an harder version.
Download KEEN 1 Bugfixed: http://www.mediafire...Keen1BugFix.zip
Download KEEN 2 Bugfixed:
http://www.mediafire...Keen2BugFix.zip
Download KEEN 3 Bugfixed:
http://www.mediafire...en3BugFixV5.zip
Changelog post: http://www.pckf.rige...opic.php?t=3746
Keen Dreams Plus by Ceilick (It improves Keen Dreams replacing two enemies and adding four new levels, requires to be applied on standard Keen Dreams)
http://www.shikadi.n...een_Dreams_Plus
Dowload: http://www.shikadi.n....2011-02-15.zip
Keen 5: The Armageddon Machine Deluxe Edition by Nisaba (it vastly improve the KEEN 5 experience fixing bugs, art and grapich errors and reintroducing missing contents. Further details in the included .PDF, requires to be applied on standard KEEN 5)
Dowload: https://storage.driv...1fe8471.9.6.zip
#13 Posted 03 May 2017 - 01:04 AM
Fantinaikos, on 30 April 2017 - 05:49 AM, said:
Thanks, but the Commander Keen Wiki doesn't really go into that much detail. In fact, the page for Omnispeak seems to be outdated as it only describes the project as
Quote
Whereas at this stage Omnispeak appears to support the entire second trilogy (yeah, I know trilogy is not exactly correct, but you know what I mean, Keen 4-6).
Anyway, from what I gather Omnispeak aims to accurately recreate the originals,
#14 Posted 03 May 2017 - 04:38 AM
Personally, play the first 3 Keen games without change at least some hud options and use the HQ pack it's very hard to me. The original jump sound in particular makes the ears bleed.
#15 Posted 04 May 2017 - 08:42 AM
http://www.ebay.com/...0-/262966170711
John Romero has confirmed their authenticity:
https://twitter.com/...048100253106176
#16 Posted 04 May 2017 - 09:14 AM
"In early January 1992, before we decided to make Wolfenstein 3D, we planned on making the third Commander Keen trilogy, "The Universe Is Toast!". This is the VGA parallaxing technology demo that used VGA versions of Keen 4's background texture. The project was actually seriously underway with entire directory hierarchy and 230 files in it before we decided to make Wolfenstein 3D instead.
The demo only shows one level that we made with parallaxing graphics. We only worked on this project for a couple weeks before switching to Wolfenstein 3D"
Topic of discussion
http://pckf.rigeltec....php?f=1&t=3834
Video
https://vimeo.com/148926335
Conversation with Tom Hall on twitter about it
https://twitter.com/...294626289778688
#17 Posted 19 July 2017 - 07:48 PM
#18 Posted 20 July 2017 - 04:37 AM
Lunick, on 19 July 2017 - 07:48 PM, said:
......I can only say......
What's wrong with the developer?
#20 Posted 20 July 2017 - 10:39 AM
Player Lin, on 20 July 2017 - 04:37 AM, said:
Mental illness is a very strong disease.
#21 Posted 12 January 2019 - 11:29 AM
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2013-07-15.zip
Download without music (less buggy): http://www.shikadi.n....2013-07-15.zip
Commander Keen Xmas 2010 by Szemigi, Ceilick and Levellass (requires Keen Dreams)
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2011-01-12.zip
Foray in the Forest by Mr.M & Nisaba, intended to close the gap between Keen Dreams and Keen 4 (still a DEMO but just for the fact that is partially based on the 1992 Keen 7 Tech Demo material Romero published it's worth playing)
Download: http://www.shikadi.n....2017-03-14.zip
Suburb Shenanigans by Bubbatom (requires Keen 5) Apparently the first of a trilogy.
Download: https://www.dropbox.....v.0.3.zip?dl=1 (This is a fixed and stabilized version by Nisaba and others actually, original is very bugged. Worth to mention that Nisaba also released an updated version of Dr. Colossus Keen 1: Marooned on Mars - Galaxy mod.
http://www.shikadi.n....2018-10-10.zip)
Only for coherency obsessors: Bubbatom seems to have taken too much liberty and forgotten that the mod should be setted in 1991 given the story states that Billy is still 8 year old but there are elements that look too modern for the 90's. The best thing to do, since is quite clear that he lives in a particularly wealthy neighborhood, is to think that those Widescreen looking TVs are parodies of expensive Fujitsu Full-color Plasma Hybrid Display (even if they seems blatantly bigger than 21-inch/53 cm), collocating the mod in 1992. Obviously before his Birthday, which wouldn't be on 14 December corresponding to the first Commander Keen game release. Other things like CFL lights and Robot Vacuum Cleaners may be rationalized with the fact that the neighbors are so rich that they can afford prototypes not yet released on the market, but this is more an exercise of mental gymnastics.
Commander Keen - Doom of Mars by Dr. Colossus (crossover sidescrolling shooter made in Game Maker)
Download: http://www.shikadi.n...oomOfMarsV2.exe
Dropped DOOM 4 DOOM mod Dopefish addon by Major Cooke. Only belching audio demos are present.
https://forum.zdoom....hp?f=43&t=55858
DN3D recreation map of the first level of Keen 1 by sirhenryjonesthe8th, Keen's Raygun replace RPG.
https://forums.duke4...mander-keen-3d/
Benvolio's Workbench Blog. A bunch of good mods for Keen1, Keen2 and Keen4.
http://www.maguidhir...fionn/benvolio/
A cool video of the 3D printing artist Andrew Sink where he prints out a Commander Keen Railgun.
#22 Posted 09 February 2019 - 02:29 AM
It has new remastered music and sound effects. Interestingly, the button originally used to toggle the PC Speaker sound effects was re-purposed for the AdLib effects. The AdLib one was re-purposed for the remastered effects.
According to Nintendo's game page, Lone Wolf Technology LLC is the developer and publisher of this port: https://www.nintendo...n-dreams-switch
Other details can be found in this PCKF thread: https://pckf.com/viewtopic.php?t=4827
This post has been edited by NY00123: 09 February 2019 - 05:43 AM
#23 Posted 09 February 2019 - 04:00 AM
#24 Posted 09 February 2019 - 04:17 AM
#25 Posted 09 February 2019 - 10:31 AM
#26 Posted 09 June 2019 - 05:15 PM
New Commander Keen game for mobile devices announced by Bethesda.
https://www.gokeen.com
Tom Hall responds to the annoucement:
https://twitter.com/...907336750567424
https://twitter.com/...892418773065729
This post has been edited by Mack: 09 June 2019 - 07:06 PM
#28 Posted 09 June 2019 - 07:31 PM
This post has been edited by Zaxx: 09 June 2019 - 07:31 PM
#29 Posted 09 June 2019 - 07:50 PM
Nuh uh.
Just let these old franchises die. It's clear nobody can bring them back in the way they deserve. Except Doom, apparently. Though we'll see if all this expanded lore in Doom Eternal is actually good for the franchise or not. I'm currently excited. This looks like crap. though.
This post has been edited by MusicallyInspired: 09 June 2019 - 07:51 PM
#30 Posted 09 June 2019 - 09:55 PM
This post has been edited by Mack: 09 June 2019 - 09:56 PM