Galaxy Tools

A mod, or modification, is the alteration of content in order to make it operate in a manner different from its original version. They can include new items, modded weapons, characters, enemies, models, tile-sets, levels, music, story lines and game modes. The following tools and information can be used to create mods of Commander Keen episodes 4-6, Keen Dreams, and Source Mods.

Game Editing

This section is organised by category. If an editor supports more than one type of editing (such as graphics editing and sound editing) it will be listed under both sections.

Level Editors

TED5 (DOS) level editor written by id Software
Keen: Next (K:N) (Win32, WINE) level editor developed by z-1 in 2007
The Photachyon Transceiver (TPT3) (Win32, WINE) level editor developed by CK Guy in 2008
The Omegamatic (TOM) (Win32, WINE) level editor developed by Mink in 2010
Abiathar (Win32, WebInterface) level editor developed by Fleexy in 2014

Graphics Editors

uGrab (CLI, Win32, WINE), mainly for modifying source mods
ModKeen (DOS, Source Code), LModKeen (Linux Port) for extracting and re-importing graphics
Keengraph (DOS, Win32, WINE) for extracting and reimporting graphics
KeenGrout (DOS, Win32, WINE, Source Code) for adding/removing a grid to the Keen graphics tileset
Intro Text (CLI) for modifying the intro animation graphics
K5Splode (DOS) for editing the galaxy explosion pattern

Sound Editors

Abiathar (Win32, WebInterface) program to import\export sounds and music files.
KeenWave (DOS, compiled Linux binary) program to import\export sounds and music, currently a beta, comes with an Adlib sound player.
WDC (Win32) for editing sound effects, music and text files

Music Editors

AdPlug standalone DOS program and a Winamp / XMMS plugin for playing Keen's IMF music.
IMF Player (DOS, Source Code) as the name suggest: an IMF Player.
imfplay (DOS, Source Code) as the name suggest: an IMF Player.
IMF2WAV (DOS, Win32, Source Code) converts any IMF file to Wave format.
IMF2MIDI (DOS, Win32) converts IMF songs into MIDI files.
MIDI2IMF (CLI) converts MIDI songs into IMF files.
DRO2MIDI (CLI, Source Code) improved program based on IMF2MIDI
DRO2IMF (DOS) converts DRO files to IMF files.
IMF Creator (CLI, Source Code) converts MIDI songs into IMF files.
IMFCrush (CLI, Source Code) reduces the file size + converts IMF songs to a different rate and/or format.
OPL3 Bank Editor (Linux, Windows, macOS, Source Code) creates / edits various music instrument bank formats.
WDC (Win32) for editing sound effects, music and text files.

Story / Game Text Editors

uGrab (CLI, Win32, WINE), mainly for modifying source mods
ModKeen (DOS, Source Code), LModKeen (Linux Port) for extracting extracting data chunks
Keengraph (DOS, Win32, WINE) for extracting data chunks
TheDraw + KeenScr (DOS) for editing the loading and final text screens.
Startext (DOS) for editing the 'star wars' story and the Oracle replies
The Neural Stunner (Win32) for editing some basic patches
LNAMES (CLI) for editing level name and level entry texts
Orbatext for editing and optimizing level name and level entry texts
LText (CLI) for scanning and generating a text patch/pointer
WDC (Win32) for editing sound effects, music and text files

Patching tools

CKPatch (DOS) for patching the executable files
UNLZEXE (Win32, CLI) needed to decompress the executable files
UNP (DOS) needed to decompress the executable files

Other editors and editing tools

Abiathar (Win32, WebInterface) can edit tile properties
CWSDPMI may be needed to run ModKeen and other modding programs.
Galactile (Win32, WINE) a tile properties editor (successor of Ck456Tli and CK456DTli)
Galaxer1 (Win32) a terrain editor (extension tool for Abiathar)
GalaxyView (Win32, WINE) a level viewer for Keen Galaxy
Instant Carma Windows based decompression tool
Fixmhead needed to fix 'maphead.ck4' in TED5
TEDSetup (DOS) for making files compatibe with TED5
TliExtend (CLI) a tileinfo extension utility (extension tool for Abiathar)
WDC (Win32) for editing sound effects, music and text files

Modding Tutorials

OS Compatible

Most of the above listed tools are written for MS-DOS or Windows based systems. The bracketed ancillary information show for which operating system (OS) these tools are meant to be. To run these applications one could use the native system they are based on. Alternatively there are ways of emulating the needed OS. For eg. MS-DOS based tools can be run via DOSBox.

For Linux users (Mac-OS?) the usability differs for each application. Those might be either compatible, portable or provide another ability to run them like compiling the source code on a Linux based system. The following footer texts explain the needed requirements:

CLI: Tool is command line based.
DOS: Tool is originally written for a MS-DOS environment and can be emulated by using DOSBox.
Port: A Linux port for this Tool exists.
Source Code: The source-code is available within the download package and can be compiled.
Win32: Tool is native Windows tool. It might be compatible with WINE.
WINE: Tool is a standalone application which just needs the WINE program starter to work properly.

Alternative one could use a Virtual machine to simply emulate the needed Operating System. There are several options to choose from. The most popular might be Virtual-Box, VMware Workstation or QEMU.

Game Information

For details on the file formats used by the games, see the Commander Keen 4-6 section on the ModdingWiki.
There is a list of patches that can be incorporated into mods to change the game's behaviour.