Keen's Solar System - GrandmasterJ


     This map is a scrap, an experiment, a proof of concept. And boy howdy does it prove the concept, as long as that concept is 'make a model of the solar system'. Nothing much else in the map.

SCMapDB page

Authors: Keen

Date of release: 2007

Maps in package: 1

Map review of Keen's Solar System

(originally posted on SCMapDB)

by GrandmasterJ | May 3, 2026 | 1763 characters

    The map description says its a proof of concept and not really a playable experience. Well I decided to give it a whirl anyway with zero expectations and I was impressed.

    Players start in a slanted room with an intangible floor at one end and players take fall damage when going to the next room. But that's a gameplay critique and this map is a proof of concept, so lets look at the main attraction. This map has a massive solar system revolving around a dark room, the planets are made of sprites and are two dimensional but it still looks really good. There is a large amount of asteroids and other things floating around, satellites orbiting Earth and Mars, alien space ships hidden in plain sight, fictional planets on the very fringe of the display. The sun is a massive middle feature with a lot of revolving sprites, this is warned against on the map page, but going into the sun traps players in an empty room.

    That's the map. It's really not much but what is there is impressive. I spent a lot of time just looking closer at the solar system and I was immersed. Concept proven, this is a good solar system. This needs to be put into a real map or given some real functionality to stand on its own.

Pros:

  • The solar system model worked incredibly well
  • the level of detail is incredible
  • the individual pictures of each object in orbit are really nice details

Cons:

  • players get trapped in the sun
  • players take fall damage entering the main room
  • this isn't in a real map and is instead just an organ without a body to inhabit

Score: 7 / 10

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