Dead in the Desert

Dead in the Desert

Modded episode	Keen 6
Protagonist	Commander Keen
Author(s)	Ceilick
Status	Complete
Release date	2009-07-21
Latest update	2011-11-23
Discussion(s)	PCKF: development (2006), development (2009), release Keen: Modding
Number of levels	18
Secret levels	1
New gameplay?	No
New graphics?	Yes
New levels?	Yes
New sounds?	Unknown
New music?	Yes
Download	newest Version 2 (mirror) Version 1 (mirror)
Vote	4.00 (8 votes)
Other mods in this series	The Keys of Krodacia, Battle of the Brains

Dead in the Desert is the first complete Keen 6 mod, produced by Ceilick with music composed by Mr.M and ZidaneA. It is the second episode of the unofficial "The Universe is Toast" trilogy, and is often referred to as Keen 8. It was released on July 21, 2009, and a second version on Sept. 14, 2009.

Story

The Story continues where The Keys of Krodacia left off. After falling right into Mortimer McMire's hands, Commander Keen is transported across the universe to the desert planet Calidune. Landing safely on the planet's surface, Keen meets an alien creature who believes himself to be Commander Keen. After a brief argument over their identities, Commander Keen agrees to help the imposter by searching Calidune for a power source in order to power a fake Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket off the planet. This seems to be the only way Keen can escape the planet and stop Mortimer McMire!

Level List

Map of Calidune

• Keen wanders across Calidune
• Keen treads up the Dusty Dunes
• Keen crawls down the Arid Hills
• Keen clambers up Red Rock Mountain
• Keen blows through Tumbleworm Alley
• Keen dives into the Cobrit Pit
• Keen squirms through the Cactus Forest
• Keen crosses the Lava Lake
• Keen sweats through the Molten Passage
• Keen trips along the Rocky Road
• Keen scales Stalagmite Peak
• Keen bumps into The Boulder
• Keen blasts into the Hydro Palace
• Keen ducks into Hydro Corp 1
• Keen searches the Hydro Factory
• Keen investigates Hydro Corp 2
• Keen descends the Devil's Cavern
• Keen battles for the Ship

Actors

• 
  Bresh

  Blooglet replacement.
  
• 
  Cactoid

  Bloog replacement.
  
• 
  Cobrit

  Babobba replacement.
  
• 
  Giant Cactoid

  Fleex replacement.
  
• 
  Imposter Commander Keen

  Nospike replacement.
  
• 
  Imposter Commander Keen (world map)

  Grabbiter replacement.
  
• 
  Lavaworm

  Ceilick replacement.
  
• 
  Loquax

  Blooglet replacement.
  
• 
  Mirbot

  Flect replacement.
  
• 
  Portable Gem

  Orbatrix replacement.
  
• 
  Sand Wraith

  Bipship replacement.
  
• 
  Scarab

  Blooglet replacement.
  
• 
  Snoz

  Bobba replacement.
  
• 
  Spikard

  Blorb replacement.
  
• 
  Squib

  Gik replacement.
  
• 
  Stomper

  Blooguard replacement.
  
• 
  Tumbleworm

  Blooglet replacement.
  
• 
  Wraith Tadpole

  Bip replacement.
  

Points Lolly Twistpop 100 points Pink Lemonade 200 points Hotdog 500 points Rainbow Sherbet 1000 points Cake Slice 2000 points Ice Cream Tub 5000 points

Items Neural Stunner More ammo Gems Unlock doors Water Bottle Collect 100 to get an extra life Water Pitcher Extra life Lantern Required to go through the dark cave Keycard Activates the elevator in the factory Battery Required to power up the weird Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket and escape from the desert

Hazards Cactus Spikes Drills replacement Lava Acid Pool replacement Factory Water Acid Pool replacement Retractable Stalagmite Flame projectors replacement Retractable Stalagtite Pounders Replacement Spike Spikes Replacement Hydro Cannon Cannons replacement Hydro Phaser Electrodes replacement

Music

Track	Length	Title	Composer	Levels used
1	1:28	Carchase	Antone S. Walloch (Arranged by Mr.M)	Battle for the Ship, High Scores
2	0:33	Robotic Keenery	ZidaneA	Hydro Palace, Hydro Factory
3	1:42	Brimstone Alley	Mr.M (ft. J. Greek)	Lava Lake, Rocky Road, Devil's Cavern
4	0:46	Water in the Desert	Mr.M	The Dusty Dunes, Cactus Forest
5	1:55	Vortiblue	Mr.M	The Molten Passage, Stalagmite Peak
6	0:48	Snakes on a BwB Megarocket	ZidaneA	Calidune
7	1:43	Ceilicked	Mr.M	Hydro Corp 1, Hydro Corp 2, ending sequence
8	1:08	Sun, Sol, Soleil	Mr.M	Red Rock Mountain, Cobrit Pit, The Boulder, Star Wars scrolling story text
9	0:41	Dunes	Mr.M	The Arid Hills, Tumbleworm Alley

• MIDIs of the game music

Levels

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Technical Information

• Graphics: custom graphics by Ceilick
• Levels: 17 levels, 1 secret level, 1 unreachable level (High Scores screen), new worldmap (Calidune) level
• Tools used: ModKeen 2.0.1, CKPatch, Keen: Next, MSPaint, Ck456Tli, KeenWave, KeenScr, IMF Creator, Startext, and The Neural Stunner

Version differences

A second version was released on Sept. 14, 2009 (actually earlier, but it took a few days for Ceilick to fix some bugs that he'd accidentally introduced). List of differences:

• SGA signs for bridges and elevators in the hydro levels for better coordination
• Slight hydro level adjustments
• Boss' stunned body is no longer required to be shot to win
• Removed the giant boulder in boss level
• Lava lake no longer has the shortcut, but the lava falls is more spaced for easier crossing (easier, not easy)
• Giant Cactoid has shorter search period
• Menu now has a notice to look for external help file
• Stompers cause earthquakes, frequently
• The Ceilick replacement can now be found in the secret level
• New scorebox courtesy of Mr. M
• Removal of the Impossible Bullet trick (thanks to levellass' hard work)
• Many minor graphical fixes

See Also

• The Keys of Krodacia - The first episode in the unofficial "The Universe Is Toast" trilogy.
• Battle of the Brains - The third episode in the unofficial "The Universe is Toast" trilogy.