=========================================================================== COMMANDER KEEN FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. by Brian Milner [Version 1.10] Last Revised on: 16th Sep '93 =========================================================================== 1) Introduction 2) Keen 4 Stuff 3) Keen 5 Stuff 4) Keen 6 Stuff 5) Keen debug keys (Cheat Mode) 5.1) Keen 1 5.2) Keen 4 5.3) Keen 5 5.4) Keen 6 5.5) Keen Dreams 6) FTP locations =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 1) Introduction Recently there has been a wave of Keen questions on the comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.* newsgroups. I checked about, and there doesn't appear to be a Keen FAQ available via FTP. Therefore I present this alpha-version Keen FAQ. Here I've assembled all the tips, hints, cheats, and debug keys I've heard about on the newsgroups. I've included the author's email address where I can remember it. If anyone has any additions or corrections, please would they email them to my address (at the bottom of this file). Particular thanks to mark@pacifier.rain.com (Mark Jacobson), who posted the list which constitutes ~90% of this FAQ as it is now. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 2) Keen 4 Stuff Go to the Pyramid of the Crescent Moon, stand on one of the crescent moons on the floor, and wait for a suprise. makes you climb poles & swim faster. First 'village', under houses in tunnel by lava pool, there's a hidden gap you can reveal with the +Y cheat, and jump through with the +J cheat, which leads to ~9 extra lives. How to get to the inaccessible pyramid: in the Pyramid of the Crescent Moon, go to the bottom, and gather all the inch worms at your feet. 12 inches make a .... . Jump on the .... and see what happens. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 3) Keen 5 Stuff Top left hand corner of the first level - look for the hidden tunnel with and reach it with jump cheat. It's hidden just on the left hand edge of the level, past a lazer bolt gun. I've never managed to reach it without God Mode and Jump Cheat :( It leads to the right hand side of the screen, where there's ~9 extra lives. Once you take the tunnel, you can't get back to the main screen, you have to exit from the extra lives area. There's a fuse at the top of the hidden level. (I don't know how to get to this level except using the Warp cheat). Break it, then warp to the final level & complete the game. Compare the ending with the version you get if you don't break this hidden fuse. Try decoding the strange signs - a few of them are funny or helpful. At one point you find the whole alphabet written out in these 'runes'. Try decoding the piece of paper you get at the end of Keen 5. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 4) Keen 6 Stuff The sign by the cookbook says "How to serve Humans". This is a reference to a Science Fiction story. The hidden level in this one is past the final level in the top left hand corner of the main screen. Get the ticket, then stand there. A rocket picks you up and takes you to the extra level. In one level, the pipework in the walls spells out "Romero", one of the guys who worked on the games. I think there's more names hidden here & there. harrison@lclark.edu (Mark Harrison) Go to the Bean with Bacon Megarocket screen. Up on the right hand side there is a hidden shute that will take you to a secret level underground. You will have to use the pogo stick to jump high enough to grab the edge of the shute though. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 5) Keen debug keys (Cheat Mode) "Gleaned from the net and assembled by mark@pacifier.rain.com" (Mark Jacobson) 5.1) Keen 1 CHEAT MODE: +[SPACE] = Gives Keen a pogostick, all of the keycards and lots of ray gun charges. = Enters GOD mode. While in GOD mode creatures cannot kill Keen. Also if you have the pogostick and are currently bouncing on it you can hold down CTRL to fly through the air. NOTE: Fire, spikes and open holes will still kill Keen. NOTE: Anything inside of <> means to hold those keys down. A + means to press the key located behind it in addition to the keys you are holding down. [SPACE] means the space bar, not the letters SPACE. NOTE2: These have been tested with KEEN 1 only. They may or may not work for Keen 2 and 3. See bellow for cheats that work with Keen 4 & 5. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 5.2) Keen 4 5.3) Keen 5 5.4) Keen 6 DEBUG MODE: = BOSS mode. This can be done anytime I don't know if it was documented or not. Makes it look like your in DOS if your BOSS walks in. A+2+ = Debugging keys (need to use this one first or the others below don't work...) Except KEEN 6. Keen 6 doesn't need this just use the keys bellow. +J = Extended JUMP mode +D = Record DEMO mode. Press it again to save the demo. +T = Sprite Test. Use cursor keys to scroll through sprites. +P = Pause. This one allows you to use screens capture programs. +S = Slow Motion (Pretty Useless.) +V = Extra VBLs (I think some sort of frame rate for slow machines.) +C = Tells how many objects are active and inactive. +I = Free Items (gives you all the jewels and a wetsuit) +N = No clipping (float right through walls and ceilings and floors ... NOTE: makes you disappear if you're already on the main floor) This is good for the map because you can skip levels and walk through obstructions. +G = GOD mode (nothing can kill you in this mode) +W = Warp to level (numbered 1 to 18) +Y = Show secret passages. Leaves normal spaces as they are, places Keen can walk are turned to garbage. Useful for finding secret passages. NOTE: where a sequence is in <>, you press and hold that key in addition to the other keys in the sequence. Also, don't press the + for those sequences -- that's just to make things prettier on screen. There is also a practice mode available that will give you infinite lives to practice a certain level. The only problem with this is that if you use the control panel, you can only play paddle war or return to the game or the system locks up. Also, if you leave the level in any way (finishing it, etc) the system will lock up. To practice, boot the game with: KEEN4E /TEDLEVEL ?? where ?? can be any number from 0 to 18. 0 - Shadowlands 11 - Pyramid of the Moons 1 - Border Village 12 - Pyramid of Shadows 2 - Slug Village 13 - Pyramid of the Gnosticene Ancients 3 - Perilous Pit 14 - Pyramid of the Forbidden 4 - Cave of the Descendants 15 - Isle of Tar 5 - Chasm of Chills 16 - Isle of Fire 6 - Crystalus 17 - Well of Wishes 7 - Hillville 18 - Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket 8 - Sand Yego 9 - Miragia 10 - Lifewater Oasis The same is available for Keen 5. KEEN5E /TEDLEVEL ?? 1 - Ion Ventalation System 8 - Neutrino Burst Injector 2 - The Security Center 9 - Defense Tunnel Teln 3 - Defense Tunnel Vlook 10 - The Brownian Motion Inducer 4 - Energy Flow Systems 11 - The Gravitational Damping Hub 5 - Defense Tunnel Burrh 12 - The Quantum Explosion Dynamo 6 - The Regulation Control Center 13 - The Secret Korath III Base 7 - Defense Tunnel Sorra 15 - The High Score Table ^^ Yes you actually play it. 14 and 16-18 cause it to crash. This is also available for Keen 6 KEEN6 /TEDLEVEL ?? 1 - Bloogwaters Crossing 11 - The Bloog Aeronautics and Space 2 - Guard Post One Administration 3 - First Dome of Darkness 12 - Guard Post Three 4 - Second Dome of Darkness 13 - The Bloogbase Recreational District 5 - The Bloogdome 14 - The Bloogbase Management District 6 - Bloogton Manufacturing 15 - Bloog Control Center 7 - Bloogton Tower 16 - Bloog Lab Space Station 8 - Bloogfoods, Inc. 17 - Bean-With-Bacon Megarocket 9 - Guard Post Two 18 - High Score Table 10 - Bloogville ^^ Yes you actually play it. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 5.5) Keen Dreams From "anon" Keen Dreams has a cheat system exactly like KEEN6. The levels when you use the warp feature are: 0 - Land of Tuberia 1 - Horshradish Hill 2 - The Melon Mines 3 - Bridge Bottoms 4 - Rhubarb Rapids 5 - Parsnip Pass 6 - "Level 6" 7 - Spud City 8 - "Level 8" 9 - Apple Acres 10 - Grape Grove 11 - "Level 11" 12 - Brussels Sprout Bay 13 - "Level 13" 14 - Squash Swamp 15 - Boobus' Chamber 16 - Castle Tuberia Levels 6, 8, 11, and 13 all go to the same place. I don't know if they planned more levels than they used, or if the registered version uses these levels. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 6) FTP locations ftp.uwp.edu:/pub/msdos/games/id/k6demo.zip Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter Demo keen.zip Keen 1: Invasion of the Vorticons keen4cga.zip Keen 4: Goodbye Galaxy (CGA Version) keendm01.zip Keen Dreams nic.funet.fi:/pub/msdos/games/apogee/1keen.zoo /keendm01.zip If anyone finds them elsewhere, mail me. +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Brian Milner, The Computer Centre, Brunel University, West London, UK | +-------------voice +44 (0)895 203062 fax +44 (0)895 252691---------------+ | An elastic band and a dab of toothpaste make a | | cost-effective substitute for chewing gum. | +----------------------brian.milner@brunel.ac.uk--------------------------+