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Messages - Swerdis

#1
@pieuw: Yes, I enjoy it very much. The entire first rank was a pleasure to play (maybe except the final level). Just like the previous pack I played, the puzzle are great and the visuals are very convincing. The pack is also pretty demanding even in the first quarter. So here is the second rank.

Spoiler
Proficio

1 - A Good Lem is a Dead One

Harder than it looks. To my surprise, I had to use all of the bombers here. The penultimate one was especially tricky as it doesn't look necessary there. But it is, as without it, the crowd won't step up and the builder can't cross the abyss without losses. Nice level!

2 - Maintenance Staff on the Loose

Interesting level which I backrouted most likely. I haven't been able to bring the non-climber up, so I simply solved it through the left side.

3 - The Wall

Hard level for me.  Due to the title, I was so committed to the three-bridges wall here that I overlooked the real solution for a very long time. I don't think it's possibly to solve the level the way I initially tried to as this would require two pioneers at the right side. Which can't be accomplished with the provided number of builders. Also, I don't know if the timer is really needed here.

4 - Swim Swam Swoop

Despite the very reduced skillset, a tricky level which took me a while to figure out. The solution is pretty well-hidden.

5 - Fire & Blood

Relatively easy level. Beginning can be tricky though as one tends to overestimate the time the builder needs to close the first gap. This gap can easily be sealed off while the crowd is busy.

6 - Low Tide

Back to hard, again. I had a suspicion that it would be something like this - but it took me way too much time to see that I had to bash from right to left instead from left to right. Good level!

7 - Second-Hand Wonderland

Beautiful-looking non-builder level which is not too hard. I love these rings hanging from the ceiling as well as these little corridors the Lemmings have to squeeze through. And the use of the metal in this level is great, too - it fits perfetly into the landscape. Awesome!

8 - Snowpiercer

Trick-based level and not among my favourites. It's too difficult to execute for my taste though not particularly hard to solve. At least in the head. But maybe that's because I've already seen a bunch of levels like this one before.

9 - From A to B and Nack Again 

A hard nut to crack at first due to the lack of bashers, but that's because I didn't see that it's indeed possible to bash through the big block by only using one. After that, it was pretty easy.

10 - Ancient Astronauts

Nice level with three Lemmings. Trickest part was the beginning, making sure that one Lemmings returns. However, since the third Lemmings doesn't die, I would have preferred a third climber to save them all  - which would be more elegant, in my opinion.

11 - Attack of the Big Root Thingies

Not a hard level, but I somehow overlooked the branch above the exit which allows a pioneer to pass it without using a builder. So the crowd can be saved from this side. Crossing the "water"- in the middle was a bit tricky as well. I failed building from the left side only as the crowd always showed up too early. So I finally did it from both directions.

12 - Paved With Good Intentions

Great basher-puzzle and one of my favourite levels of the rank so far. Very elegant solution!  Saving this extra Lemming as there are three blockers, but ony two Lemmings may die, is the cherry on the cake.

13 - Land of Confusion

Nice visuals here. Didn't even realize the tileset by looking at the title-screen only. The level itself is pretty easy as it's all about how to delay the second Lemming. He must be delayed twice - the second time is not so easy to see. 

14 - Latecomers

I was on the wrong track here as I dug from right to left and bashed through the pillar to the left at the bottom. But this didn't work out since the Release Rate can't be increased. So I tried something different - don't know if it's intended as there are several diggers left.

15 - Blood & Fire 

Repeat of Proficio 5 with the entrance and exit swapped. I found this one way harder. It was a typical example of being too fixed on a certain approach, which made me blind for the real solution. I thought I got the starting area right, but I didn't  - and so the rest of the level wasn't possible as well. I stumbled across the solution when I started to save a builder somewhere. Still think the steel plate beneath the starting platform is too hard to see.

16 - High Tide

Sequel of Proficio 6 and harder than that. Especially the beginning is pretty mean. At first, the pioneer has to have a head start to complete the bridges before the crowd arrives. After that, the pioneer must not be ahead anymore, because of the trap. That's tricky to balance. The final part is quite simple, though.

17 - Bad Reflection 

Easier than the previous two, but a bit hackish. I simply trapped the crowd in the middle which wasn't easy to achieve because of the trap. So the pioneer had his peace and could build to the exit before I bombed the others free.

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#2
Having finished Quest From Kieran recently, I didn't have to ask which pack to play next. Kaywhyn recommended Fiat Lem! to me and si I agreed - even though it's a relatively new pack which is still under steady supervision. The screenshots look very nice. Here we go.

Spoiler
Incipio

1 - Haute Voltige

Without any down-digging skill, this is not a trivial start at all. Took me a while to see that I had to go the far side. Nice level!

2 - VDNKh

Strange name, strange level. Pioneer based and very straightforward. Sprinkled-in metal blocks are a bit annoying, though.

3 - What the Frick Frack Patty Wack?

Metal blocks beneath a basher can vary the basher's direction a bit. That's what this level is all about. Can be a hard one for those who aren't aware of this effect.

4 - Sandstones May Break My Bones

Nice puzzler which looks easier than it actually is. Not sure if mine is the only solution, though.

5 - Formal Semantics of Modal Logics

Gorgeous looking level. I also like the twist that the Lemming from below prepares the path for the Lem above, but then returns to the bottom floor and exits there. Well done!

6 - Quid Pro Quo

Two-Lemming levels are easily the best. A marvellous solution that does the title justice. One word: excellent.

7 - Smells Like Team Spirit

I thought I played a level with this name already in a different pack. The third great level in a row. Especially the end with the meeting bashers that cancel each other out is pretty ingenious.

8 - As not easy as it doesn't look 

Hard level, probably a bit misplaced that early in the pack. I took the bottom route which felt very hackish and not intended.

9 - Brace Yourself, Fall is Coming

Easy level, but very nice use of the Dolly Dimple-trick here. I think it's the only way to get along with the relatively few amount of bridges.

10 - RELEASE THE KRAKEN

Visually a pretty impressive level. There's no real puzzle here, it's just brute force instead. In fact, the save requirement is very lenient.

11 - Bridges in the Sky

Not an easy level as well. Especially the beginning with the blocker on the bridge that must be released with a digger later is not easy to see. Another solid basher puzzle.

12 - Mountains

Things behave a little strange here as how the Lemmings walk on the water or climb the central obstacle. Tricky level, as, counterintuitively, the builder stops the pair from walking to the right, not the bomber or the basher. Another central element is the placing of the bomber which was the hardest to see. A good level, but not quite my cup of tea.

13 - Something Wicked This Way Comes

A work of art, this level. Another beautiful basher-puzzle which is a builder-puzzle as well as the positioning of the two bridges is key here.

14 - Architects of Fortune

Challenging one, to say the least. I like it, but it's certainly not everyone's taste. It was clear from the beginning that the solution must be through the central chain. The upper bridges must not protrude over the edges of the lower bridges - this was the hardest thing to do.

15 - Been There, Done That

Repeat of level 4, this time with miners instead of bashers. I tried to connect two pillars with a bridge to mine through both of them with only one miner, but couldn't manage to make it work. With this thought in my mind it took me a while to find the real solution.

16 - Novelty Act

This level is centered around a pretty unique trick I haven't seen like this anywhere before. Fortunately, it was not too difficult to figure it out, so I had a quick solve here.

17 - Paucity

At a first glance, this level may look hard, but it isn't at all. Bringing the Lemmings down to the bottom is the trickiest part - one bridge is enough for doing so.

18 - Ethereal Refinery

Great level! I normally don't like spamming the same skill over and over again, but in this case it didn't bother me for whatever reason. I had a shortage of floaters first, but I overcame it somehow and even spared some skills.

19 - Convoi Prioritaire

Others have praised this level before me and I can only agree with them. This one is a piece of art (not visually, but the solution). It's not a particularly difficult one, but things don't have to be hard to be beautiful.

20 - Graph Theory

This is the other side of the medal. An annoying level, my least favourite of the rank. It can't be solved through logic and is just try and error. To keep things clear, it was the first time ever that I took a pen and a paper to note down all the paths that I already tried and which led to death. So it was just a matter of time to solve it.

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#3
Having completed QFK today, here is my final assessment. I can make it short: I love this pack. It's a puzzle-centered pack right from the beginning, no fillers, everything is very well-thought. Moreover, this pack proves that great levels still can be made with the original skills only, the potential is not exhausted at all. It's hard to name favourite levels as there are so many. "Rescue Rodents", "Boxed in", "How's It Hanging?" are some to name a few. What I also like about it is the progression of difficulty which feels about right. The levels are well-placed, the final rank is really the hardest one, no doubt about it - which can't be said about every pack. The custom music is also nice, but that's just my personal taste. One of my favourite packs I played so far, along with Lemmings Destination, Insane Steve's World and Lemmings Reunion. Thank you for providing this!
#4
The "Hard But Still Fun"-rank has been fallen finally. This wasn't an easy achievement and I must say that this rank was a significant step up in difficulty. Many hard levels here with the hardest certainly being HBSF 7, followed by 10 and 11. I don't expect the pack to become easier, and maybe I will lose fun here in the final rank.

Spoiler
Not Fun

1 - The Temple of Doom

Very hard start into the final rank. I tried a lot of things here such as bombing the right crowd out or using the basher at a different spot. But finally it seemed that the mine-a-bridge-technique had to be used here which wasn't easy to see.

2 - Tough Mudder

Actually, not a very hard level. But as miners cancelling each other always causes me a major headache, I still found this level tricky in terms of execution.

3 - Increasing Productivity 

Easy and pretty straightforward level without many surprises. It can become a problem to build the final bridge when the crowd is already released, but I avoided this by building that bridge first and placed a blocker on it.

4 - The Great Firewall

Difficult level for me. Didn't see for a long time that I had to bring two Lemmings down because the pioneer has to be turned around with a bomber, not a miner. It's nice to see how the single miner releases the blocker and the crowd at the same time.

5 - Rising Condensation

The concept of catching climbers with a bridge ist pretty well-known, but this is a very nice variation. It's easy to place the first bridge wrong as well as the digger, the obvious path is tempting, yet deceptive. Fantastic level. 

6 - Crag David

Very easy level, but I am not sure if this is really intended. I assume the bridge over the "water" is supposed to be built into the opposite direction which makes the level more complicated.

7 - Brickin' 'eck 

Actually not a hard level. But it took me a while to find out how to bring two Lemmings down at the right side. Sometimes the easiest things are hard to see.

8 - Down The Tubes

Easy level and a very straightforward approach by me. Considerung the amount of bashers available, this path of least resistance can't be intended, though.

9 - Joint Construction

The first part of this level ist pretty straigtforward though this is a great way to force the player to turn two Lemmings into climbers at this point of time. While it was easy to see that both climbers have to build simultaneously from both sides at the top, it was kind of tricky to accomplish that. But the hardest thing was when I thought I already did it - finding a way to turn the final climber around. The final drop for the crowd, however, was not a big problem, only a matter of timing.

10 - Offshore Rig

Breather level and almost a first-attempt solve. With only one basher it was quite clear that I had to pass the exit from the other side and then using a zig-zag-staircase to bash the crowd free - which worked.

11 - Toil

A hard level in my opinion. The one thing which is clear from the beginning is that the single floater has to work at both ends of the level, first to the right, later to the left. But I struggled with the available skills. First, I did not have enough blockers, then I ran out of builders. The real art was to spare one these skills each. Great one, though!

12 - Lemming Sorting Factory

Another very hard level. While there are some hints how the solution might be, this one requires a lot of fine-tuning to not run out of bridges in the end. Also, terrain-removing skills are scarce and have to be used carefully.

13 - The High Ground

Probably tons of solutions here. All I've seen were different, including my own. Biggest problem here are the bridges again which run out quickly. I improvised a lot here so my solution may not look very elegant - but was effective.

14 - Rock Climbers

This one is considered to be the hardest level of the pack. In terms of precision, it definitely is. In terms of the puzzle itself - I'm not so sure. I got the mining part relatively quickly, at least. What held me back was the beginning instead. I thought I had to bash through the rocks right of the entrance for quite some time. Which made an additional blocker at the edge imperative and the level impossible to solve - as I had only one basher left to release two blockers then.

15 - The Ultimate Quest, Take 4

A hard final level in my opinion. Even beforce I started the level I got the suspicion that for a worthy final and the last iteration of this level, the Lemmings had to be squeezed through the trap passage. Which was about right. But again, the precision. Two neuralgic points here: First, the snowman as the place to trap the crowd. Here, the digger has to be far enough from the blocker to not get turned around by him. And secondly the final basher: The crowd has to catch up with him as soon as he is through the snow-obstacle - which is pretty clever, but tough to achieve.
 

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#5
Being through the second rank, I can say that these levels have not been significantly harder than those of the first rank. With two exceptions: "Crystal Cavern" was a very hard level which I probably backrouted. But the real challenge for me was "Pillar Pairs" that took a long time to solve. Again, many great levels here, my favourite was "Rescue Rodents". Let's go for the next rank now!

Spoiler
Hard But Still Fun

1 - Lemming BBQ

If that's the intended solution, this is a marvelous level. I love the way the climber is used as well as how the digger is stopped with the miner. No blocker needed here.

2 - Master Exploder

By no means an easy level. After approaching the solution, I finally was one Lemming down and had a blocker left. So I changed my strategy right beneath the entrance with blocking the crowd and later bashing this blocker  free. This saved the digger who was precious later on and contributed to solve the level.

3 - Once You Pop You Can't Stop

Yeah, my favourite tune for the third time in the pack, that's double fun solving. After rock and snow, it's a bubble level this time - and it's a good one. 7 available bombers seem generous, but I needed them all. I liked the separate cells for the crowd and the pioneers.

4 - Rock-A-Bye Lemmy

For me, a hard one. It's obvious that the Lemmings from above have to be bashed out by one Lemming from the bottom. But one Lemmings must bomb a hole into the crystal -and this can't be the climber as there is only one. The alternative is hidden very well - which makes this one a very decent level.

5 - Uphill Struggle

Tricky. At first, I tried to build in a zigzag-style to reach the top-platform with the three traps, but I wasn't able to make it work. So I solved it through the right side. Not a very elegant solution, I must admit.

6 - Recession-Proof

Breather-level, at least the way I did it. I saw Kaywhyns solution - and wow, there's really a lot of preparation to make that work.

7 - Star Trek

Very hard level and certainly a roadblock for me. The main challenge was to get two Lemmings up to the platform between the big crystal and the exit, because two are necessary to mine the crowd free. So two separate packs of Lemmings have to be created to walk through the traps while they have to be in a sufficient distance from each other. This was hard to achieve as it was totally timing-based. It's by no means a bad level, but probably one which is well-suited for a rage-quit ;)

8 - My First Crush

Far easier than the previous one. I was a bit stupid, though since I tried to rescue those from the right side with a climber from the left side. But in this case, the Lemmings at the bottom will not be together close enough. Ideally, only the two diggers that create the hole for the others should make it to the metal.

9 - Pillars of the Community

When I looked at it, I thought this could be a quick solve, but I was...wrong. The devil is in the details here - so for example the sole climber is needed at different spots at the same time.

10 - Drifting Away

Hard level. Again, the second pioneer is supposed to help on the left side while he also has to mine out the crowd - which seems like a contradiction at first. It's pretty tough to get the distances right here between the two pioneers.

11 - Boxed In

Another pretty tricky one though not quite as hard as the level before. Builders seem abundant, but they run out quickly and four of them should be subtracted in the mind right from the start as it's obvious that they are needed in the end to reach the exit. Also, bashers will run out if someone tries to bash underneath the trap.

12 - Spiral Staircase

I wouldn't call that one a breather, but it's definitely way easier than the previous two. The second basher exists to bash a blocker free which means that blocker has to be placed at a suitable spot. Generally spoken, I'm not too fond of this level - it lacks some magic if you know what I mean.

13 - How's It Hanging?

As critical as I was with the previous level, as enthusiastic I am with this one. Making the first three and the final Lemming pioneers that prepare the path of the crowd at the same time is fantastic, the solution is very well-hidden. Also, it's a level which can be solved by just looking on it, not testing out anything, by pure logic. One of my favourites, at least of the rank. Great job!

14 - The Bridge Is Out

At a first glance, I thought this level could be backroute-prone - and it turned out to be true. I ignored the left exit completely and saved both crowds through the right. Not the most elegant solution as it avoided the key trick, but it worked.

15 - The Ultimate Quest, Take 3

Hard one for me. It's not really obvious, but the bottom route underneath the entrance indeed saves a basher as later the snowman can be overbuilt instead of bashing through the pillar above him. Because of the little snowball there, the player is tempted to do so. This was the key for me to solve the level - as otherwise I had to build backwards over the entire stone formation at the right side which is probably impossible with the provided builders and blockers.

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#6
Solved the first rank during one day. Good levels there, my favourite was Fun 14. There was no real hard nut to crack, but I think this will change soon.

Spoiler
Also Fun

1 - Ancient Ruins

I had slight problems with the first level of the rank. While the right side was easy to figure out, the left side was not so much. Finally, I changed my approach a bit, which worked.

2 - The Tree of Death

Repeat of Fun 2. Things are ramping up a bit now. There's a nice twist here. I was a basher short in the end, before it dawned on me that the crowd has to follow the path of the pioneer, leaving the one-way-block untouched. After this, the level still wasn't done - actually, two pioneers are needed to catch the crowd at the right side. Great level. 

3 - Frozen Arches

"Arches", not "Archers" as I read first - as there are none :) Anyway, this level feels a bit hackish or at least open-ended. I especially don't know what the six diggers are good for. One for digging out the exit is certainly enough.

4 - Pillar Pairs

Very hard level for me. The main obstacle was the placement of the first blocker. He should hold back the crowd without being blown up later - as the second bomber had to be saved. This took a lot of attempts. The final part of the level was easier. I had it in my head what to do, but just couldn't get there for a long time.

5 - Blockers Go To Heaven

Lots of blockers in this level. Easier than the previous one, but still a decent challenge. For my taste, there is way too much precision involved here - the puzzle would not be any worse with more leeway.

6 - Most Valuable Lemming

While I actually appreciate builderless levels, this was one was way too easy for its position. But having both blockers and the digger left, I probably backrouted it.

7 - The Burrowers

Pretty easy one. It's just about creating enough space to let the builders do their work. I like this one, especially since the solution is not too obvious.

8 - Snow Plows

Another one of moderate difficulty and a first-attempt solve. A typical "How to delay the crowd to let the pioneer do his work"-level.

9 - Health and Safety Gone Mad

Losing only two instead of three was not as easy as I thought, I had to think a while about it. But it's a very clean solution. I dig this level.

10 - Rescue Rodents

Favourite of mine. It's amazing to see how everything falls in line in the end - and it's not even a timing-based solution if done correctly. Especially the bashers are scarce here, they have to be used wisely.

11 - Crystal Cavern 

Hard level though not quite as hard as "Pillar Pairs" in my opinion. At first I had the problem to hold the crowd back as bashing through the pile of crystals near the entrance does not save enough time for the pioneer to build and then dig deep enough. So a single builder was the better option to trap them. I wanted to squeeze the entire crowd through the digger's hole, but couldn't find a way to stop half of them from walking to the left at the bottom without wasting the precious miner. So I finally went for a ceiling-solution which is most likely not intended.

12 - Humble Bundle 

Tricky level. Took me a while to see that the basher at the left has to die and therefore the crowd can turn around in this tunnel only once. So in the end it was just a matter of the right timing, but it was not easy at all to get it right. 

13 - Iron Awe

Breather level. Obviously, the blocker goes to the right, so in the beginning two bombers will do. The rest is pretty simple. The pioneer must build a bridge to catch the crowd and then seal the gap to the left. A basher will bring the crowd back into play.

14 - Jacob's Ladder

I played a level with this name in Mobilems (Brouhaha 26)  - which was pretty different from this one. Biggest problem here was that I had only one blocker - took me some time to see that the bomber has to go INSIDE (I've seen other solutions in the meantime). A lot of precision is demanded as well - but in this case it's just the nature of the level.

15 - The Ultimate Quest, Take 2

It's clear that the Lemmings can't be squeezed through the passage with the traps as three would die at least and only two are allowed. I was a bit stupid here since I thought I had either to bash through the snowman or build a bridge over it - both led to material shortage in the end. When I finally saw, that a miner could do the job as well this meant level solved.

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#7
During my long journey through the level packs I stumbled over this pack by recommendation. I was told it's a difficult pack, resembling Lemmings Reunion which I already solved. Let's see if I can make it through this one as well.

Spoiler
Fun

1 - Investing in Infrastructure

Already requires some Around-the-corner-thinking. Not bad for a first level, there seems to be no triviality here.

2 - Trail Trial

One-of-everything-level. Not the hardest one, but every skill is needed. Great music here, this tune reminds me of the one track in PimoLems which is one of my favourites in general. 

3 - The Tree of Life

This level here reminds me a bit of Medi 18 ("Going Under") from Lemmings Plus I. So it wasn't difficult to figure out, but I still like this idea.

4 - Suds Law

Certainly a step up in terms of difficulty. The main problem is that two workers have to be isolated instead of one.

5 - Oven-Ready Lemmings

Another detour is necessary since the direct approach would require too many bridges. Nice one!

6 - That's One Group Solved...

Looks easier than it actually is. This level is built around the idea that bridges, as helpful as they may be, can become obstacles as well. But fortunately, there are blockers.

7 - So Close...And Yet

A level of average difficulty, I think. I made things a bit more difficult here than I thought since I forgot that they are all climbers in the meantime. And finally, I was curious if the Lemmings would step up at the right of the entrance. Interrupting a basher mid-stroke is not a novice trick, though.

8 - Brolly Jolly

I breezed through this one. Much, much easier than the levels beforce, but with a nice Dolly-Dimple-trick to isolate the pioneer.

9 - Have A Bash at This

Direct approach underneath the traps is not possible since nothing can stop the basher. So two climbers have to help...Very nice level though a bit on the easier side.

10 - Wrong Tool for the Job

Which means: no Bashers. It's not easy to find a way to turn a Lemming around - but once done, this level is not hard at all. The blocker should not be placed too far away from the first pillar, otherwise too many Lemmings fall into the water and die. Good level despite the very minimalistic design.

11 - Holes and Coals

This can't be that easy, actually - so I think I backrouted this level. Don't know what Kieran had in mind here.

12 - On the Skew

Only six builders, but a very nice (and not too hard) level. I feel some "Alternative logic" vibes (from Lemmings Plus I). Good tune as well.

13 - Just Dropping In

Nice 2-of-everything level, but a pretty easy one. It's actually quite clear from the start where the skills have to go, and some losses are allowed, too.

14 - Two's Company, Thirty's A Crowd

Favourite! Everything is great about this level. Preparing detours for the crowd to let the workers do their jobs and thus minimizing losses, is real fun - and in the end it all falls into its place. And beyond that, the music is a real ear-catcher. 

15 - The Ultimate Quest

First snow-level of the pack and at this point, all tilesets from the L1 and ONML have appeared at least once. Compressing the crowd is key here which is done best directly in the starting area. Apart from that, not a difficult level that concludes the rank.

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#8
NeoLemmix Levels / Re: All Hallows Eve (2019)
November 25, 2024, 09:18:05 PM
After having finished Lemmings Plus IV, Kaywhyn recommended two Halloween-themed level-packs to me to play next since it was that time of the year. I decided to play Raymanni's pack first and solved it recently. So this one is the next in line and I think I will enjoy it as much as the other - even though Halloween is long gone by now.

Spoiler
Child's Play

1 - Danse macabre

Not an easy level to start off a pack. Took me a while to see the necessity of the second basher - but otherwise the crowd reaches the one-way-pillar too early.

2 - Pumpkin Patch

Now that's what I call a real breather despite the locked exit. I like the atmosphere here with the nice looking pumpkins and the falling leaves.

3 - Feast of the Dead

Again, very simple. The construction skills are just enough to seal all the gaps. Nice artistry!

4 - Knight Time

Very hard level at first, especially since all of the pick-ups have to be collected. But then I turned on my brain and I was able to minimize the losses. Intelligent use of the Release Rate is key here.

5 - The Heebie Jeebies

Since there are no bashers available, the upper road is unanvoidable. Therefore, it's an easy and completely pioneercentric level. Attention should be paid to the fencers as they run out quickly. The music reminds me of Lotus III on the Amiga ;)

6 - The Witching Hour

Pretty chaotic level which is all about resource-managing. At first I thought these uprising ghosts were traps, but they turned to be just background. I didn't realize the existence of the splitters until the very end ;)

7 - Grave Danger

Easy level. Hardest part was to to turn a Lemming around to catch those from above. But there are enough floaters available and I didn't even touch the gliders. The rest was a cakewalk. By the way, the firework-trap is just great.

8 - Across the Abyss

Tricky one. First problem was to trap the Lemmings - I wasted a digger there as I didn't realize the purpose of the walkers. I can say that I discovered the solution step by step here. Assigning the shimmiers was a bit fiddly - otherwise, great level.

9 - Poltergeist

My lowlight of the pack so far. This level seems to be put together quickly, there's no real puzzle in it and it's ridiculously easy. Also, no music for me here.

Hellraiser

1 - The Lurking Horror

This one looked hard at first, but actually wasn't. It was quite clear that the stacks must serve as landing platforms, so with a bit precision everything went smooth.

2 - The Ol' Switcharoo

Surprisingly tricky. Took me a while to make my way thorugh this splitter maze. I wonder if it's possible to solve this one without any shimmier.

3 - The Floating Forest

Hard level for me. I'm not particularly good at pick-up-puzzles and so I did not have an easy time finding a path through this level. In the end I missed two of the skills and spared a basher, so this wasn't quite intended most certainly.

4 - We all float down here

Incredibly easy since only one Lemming has to be saved. I didn't even bother with the neutral Lemming here and don't even know what he is good for.

5 - It is a mystery

Another easy level, but one I really like! Again, I didn't collect all the pick ups here.

6 - I want to get off Mr. Bones' Wild Ride

There were several times I thought I had this level solved, but I narrowly failed. I like this one a lot - it's full of mean details. It already starts in the beginning: One is tempted to use either a stack or a bridge or a platform to stop the crowd - and it seems to work. But it won't and the low save requirement should be a warning. Also, the fencer-extension is not easy to see. But the hardest part, at least for me, was to bring one Lemming over the top. Which is trickier than it looks, considering the skills that are needed for the rest of the level. Great work here! And did I mention the music? It's just the best of the pack.

7 - It Crawls

A nightmare of a level. The basic solution is not difficult to grasp, but the execution is really painful. There's a ton of adjustments to make the shimmier go to the other side. He stops at the slighest unevenness and, what was even more annoying, when there is too little space beneath his feet. At least, the provided skills and the save requirement was quite lenient. Still, I'm not too fond of this one.

8 - Mirror Mirror

Great level which wasn't easy to solve as well. Had to play with the Release-rate here as the preset 20 is too slow to do the level in time. Also, it has to be avoided that the Lemmings reappear on the upper platform once they reached the bottom. Saved the blocker in the end.

9 - The Lemityville Horror

The final level of the pack is certainly no the hardest one. I overlooked the bottom part in the beginning. Later, I thought that both halves of the level should interact with each other somehow, but this is not the case, at least not in my solution. So the level actually plays pretty straightforward, trickiest thing to see are probably the dropping bombers.


All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#9
When I played Lemmings Plus IV recently, Kaywyhn made some proposals which pack to play next. He proposed two Halloween packs, one by Raymanni and one by ∫tan x dx since this event was arriving soon at that point of time. I didn't quite manage to finish the Lemmings Plus pack right on time, but I still decided to play the two Halloween-packs in a row. I'll start with Raymanni's. 

Spoiler
Trick or Treat

1 - Night Shift

For a first level of a pack this one was quite demanding, as the disarmer has to keep the lead. I like the tileset here.

2 - Let's fire it up!

Tricky and fiddly level. The solution was a result of some try and error.

3 - Enter The Mansion

Very easy level. The blocker is unnecessary here. 

4 - Road of the pumpkins

Nice one. Took me a moment to see that the upper road is the way to go.

5 - Taking the wrong turn

Took me while. At first, I couldn't decide which exit to try, but then I saw that only one is possible and the solution lay on the table. The only problem was that it required spot-on precision. A bit too much, for my taste.

6 - Level under construction

Hard one. Increasing the Release Rate to the max seems to be key here. By placing the blocker at the edge there is enough time to build the bridge over the water later on.

7 - The Great Old One

Look much easier than it actually is. Builders and especially fencers are scarce and run out quickly. I used the Dolly Dimple trick in the end to isolate a final builder (which wasn't necessary as they're all swimmers).  The "Old one" looks pretty creepy, so, combined with the music, that's a very atmospheric level.

8- Wizard's tower

No problem here since it's actually clear what to. Floaters may not be sufficient, but some Lemmings are allowed to die - so this level is no real time-cruncher.

9- Attack of the Pumpkin Men 

Easy one as long as the right side is treated first. The pioneer from the left side must not appear on the scene too early which is no problem as the crowd there is perfectly safe in the beginning.

10- The Box of Pain 

Look intimidating, but when I had solved the level, I must say that this one is even a favourite of mine. This is finally a level which requires logical and to some extent combinatorial thinking. Which potential bridges/platforms are compulsory, which can be omitted. And which pick-ups are probably Red Herrings? Great level!

11- The Catacombs 

Hard level. Took some time to find my way around here since this level looks so confusing. It's no easy decision to tell the good from the bad pick ups which lead to dead ends only. I was able to save nine for a long time, with the tenth Lemming being caught in an infinity loop. I solved this by saving an extra builder elsewhere.

12- Pocket Hell 

Great one. Very small, but very challenging. Only one Lemming may die, so only one of the three stoners can be used. This eliminates the bottom round although it's possible to platform through the base of the flame thrower - since two stoners would be needed. So the direct approach is the way to go - even without terrain-removing skills.

13- Zombie zoup 

This one is just a matter of timing. Building to the exit through the falling zombies. Things must be regulated with the blockers and the walkers as the bridges are just enough for all the gaps. Generally, a bit of a breather.

14- The Devil's Mark 

Very challenging level. That's because of the big distance between solid ground and the scarcity of terrain-removing skills. Also, the builders run out quickly. I had the biggest problem with the "claw" at the bottom, but I finally saved this crowd together with the crowd from the left hatch.

15- Night of the living Lemmings

This one was equally hard if not harder than the previous. The problem was not so much to get rid of the zombies, but I was always one skill short with the rest of the level. So I decided to let the zombies walk parallel with the Lemmings as with the initial Release Rate they always fell in the gaps between. This was pretty hard to adjust, but maybe it's even the intended solution. I think so because of the traps to the right of the exit which prevent the zombies from turning around.

16- Only one way to hell

Considered a breather and it's one, indeed. Don't know what about the basher and the remaining platformers - maybe the solution is not quite intended.

17- Roadkill

Interesting and quite exceptional level. With only five stoners this was harder than it looked. I merged the left and the right with the middle crowd which found its way alone - this saved one stoner and one Lemming over the requirement.

18- They came from outer space!

A very iconic level with the Zombie-Aliens landing from above. The peaceful beginning and knowing that this will change soon - this provides for a creepy atmosphere. The level ist kind of hard as well.  I tried to get rid of the zombies by digging on both sides, but this didn't work. I had to adjust it a bit. Also, a pretty sophisticated trick ist needed to help the crowd out of the tunnel at the right side.

19- Trick or Treat?

An obstacle course which looks diffcult, but actually isn't. The ladder at the right side gives a hint that the crowd has to pass it which means the bottom is the way to go. To make this work, the cloners are very helpful as two Lemmings have to be bombed. Saved some stackers in the end.

20- The Belly of The Beast

The final level plays a bit with the expectations of the player as no one would assume that the intended solution requires squeezing through the little gap between the steel blocks. But it seems to be as it's completely impossible to go through the bottom with four bridges only. Once having seen this, the hardest part is isolating the worker. Precision is needed with the miner as well.

Overall, a very good pack which is not easy by any means almost from the beginning. My favourite level is probably "The Box of Pain", but there are several more that would be worth mentioning. I also really like the Spooky-tileset (the Menace-tileset less so) and the music!

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#10
NeoLemmix Levels / Re: Lemmings Plus Series
October 11, 2024, 07:51:40 PM
Due to limited time during the past week, the progress was pretty slow, but at least, I could finish the Twisted-rank. Nothing too hard here, maybe except for Twisted 15 and 18. But the real challenge will start now.

Spoiler
Insane

1 - Loose Links

Certainly a step up in terms of difficulty. For sure, the biggest challenge here is the harsh time-limit. I figured out what could be a solution quite quick, but this was so far off the available time that I discarded it outright. I approached the solution when I had found a way to trap the crowd efficiently.

2 - Space Capsule

Probably not the mother of invention, this solution, but hey...it works. Didn't use most the climbers and floaters.

3 - A Waste Of A Level

Finally, the long series of clockwork and space-levels, that began with Twisted 10 is over. A first-attempt-solve here. I mean it's just too obvious that a pioneer has to go through this maze of steel-blocks on the left side and then bash through parts of the ceiling to save the crowd from the opposite direction. Still a good level, though.

4 - Toxic Tales

Even easier than the previous one and an instant-solve, again. Attention has to be paid to the correct order of the steps, though. That's because two climbers are needed and there is only one umbrella available.

5 - Star Watch

Most likely the shortest level of the pack and the final iteration of the Star Watch series. It's pretty clear what to do here, though it's quite fiddly to make it work since  no Lemming may cross the stack to the right.

6 - The Mystery Machine

Harder than the previous two, but not as hard as it looked. The trickiest part actually was to avoid the three pioneers to climb out to the left in the end and die as there are no floaters.

7 - Dopefish Lives!

The only tricky part here is the beginning and the question how to isolate a pioneer there. Apart from that an easy level.

8 - Platform Panic

Hard level. I came up with the right idea about where to build the platform pretty early, but discarded it later - until I found out that the platform could be stretched with a stacker. Which when cloned also turns the gliders around. A pretty genious thing. What I didn't like about is that it took me forever to select the right one of the two cloned stackers to interrupt him with a walker. I had to educate myself a bit about Neolemmix mechanics until I found out that I had to press the control-button. Didn't know that. But otherwise, it would have been impossible to solve the level.

9 - Lollypalooza

This was a strange level. First, I had no clue what to do here and suddenly, everything fell into its place. This was when I realized that the first drop is splat height by only one brick, thus it was possible to build a bridge as soon as the floater landed.

10 - Comradical!

Great level. It's a race against time, even without a time-limit. The Lemming at the bottom can't be saved, but he has to reach the four buttons before his comrade reaches the trap. Which is not THAT difficult, fortunately.

11 - Tower of Confection

Very hard level, probably the hardest so far. While the basic concept seems to be quite clear, it is very difficult to make it work. That's because there is almost no leeway in terms of splat-height between the different levels of the tower. It's crucial to see that the pioneers at the higher levels have to be delayed by making them bash at different spots. And the first drop must be reduced by bashing the remaining Lemming out - so only three have to go down in the beginning instead of four what I originally thought. 

12 - No Time To Die... IN SPACE!!

I love these levels. The time-limit forces many Lemmings to work on the solution simultaneously. This one wasn't that hard, though.  I could have squeezed out additional seconds if I had released the blocker earlier.

13 - Squish Squash

Easy one. Saved a ton of skills here, so it's not quite intended, I presume.

14 - Artificially Sweetened

Not a big fan of this one. It's difficult, for sure, but this is mainly because of the required precision. Also, it's pure try and error in terms of the Release Rate. It obviously not possible with the preset 50, but it doesn't work with 99 as well. It worked with 85, though, but I stumbled over this by accident. But maybe I overlooked something.

15 - Heat Dispersal

Nice and not overly difficult one. I quickly saw that the ceiling is supposed to be used which was accurate. So the only tricky point left was how to turn the pioneer around, but after some adjustments I got it to work.

16 - World War III

Basically not a hard level as the nuke-solution is quite obvious and the title gives a hint as well. I still had more problems here than I thought as I just didn't save enough. The placement of the blocker was the solution.

17 - If Only They Could Jump...

The typical no-builder-maze, in the tradition of "To the end!" or "No construction zone". By nature, these are difficult levels and this one is no exception. Hardest part was the beginning with using a blocker as a one-way-field and the end which was pretty messy. Great level!

18 - Bomb Shelter

Wow, this was a hard one - as it should be at this stage of the pack. I tested a lot things here which all didn't work, so I laid the game aside. When I came back later, I found a solution which was, to my surprise, less timing-dependent as I thought. Saved a basher and two diggers.

19 - Overclocked Lemming

Easier than the previous, but still no cakewalk. Since there are only three gliders it was clear that one of them must switch the sides. I the beginning I used the stoner wrong, later I overlooked the purpose of the diggers - all of these have been small obstacles on the way to the goal. Due to bad timing, it took me twice as much time as the gold medal requires, but a solve is a solve.

20 - Goodbye Galaxy

For me, one of the hardest levels in the rank and thus the pack. The available skills seem to be abundant, but they use up quickly, especially the terrain-removing ones. The part with the teleporters and bashing backwards from the exit to the crowd at the bottom was the easiest to figure out. But bringing the other two bunches safely down as well, was the real challenge. A worthy ending of a very good pack!

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#11
NeoLemmix Levels / Re: Lemmings Plus Series
September 17, 2024, 02:41:11 PM
Next bunch of levels completed. Though the Bumpy-levels certainly were a step up in difficulty, everything was still moderate. I had slight problems with Bumpy 6,15 and 18, but that's just about it. The Twisted rank is awaiting.

Spoiler
Twisted

1 - Proceed With Caution

Very nice three-pioneer-level. I used the miner-cancel-miner-technique here which I hate, but I learned that it's not really necessary to solve this one.

2 - Lands of Despair

This one is all about delaying so that the two gaps can be sealed before the crowd arrives. So it's naturally a bit tricky in the beginning, but it wasn't too bad.

3 - Crank It!

Good idea, but the execution is precision work. Not hard to figure the solution out here.

4 - I Candy-ven...

Strange level, not just the title. Seems pretty open-ended I assume. The one-way-block is a mystery to me for it's not part of my solution at all.

5 - Cooling Vat

After some initial trial and error, actually quite an easy level. The miner-turn is the key to success here.

6 - The Brilliant Contraption

Not as easy as it appeared. Trapping in the beginning was a problem since I overlooked the 20 climbers for some time. Saved one over the requirement, though.

7 - Corrupt Shelter

It's pretty clear how to penetrate the one-way-mountain. However, avoiding losses in the beginning is not so easy - it must be done with only one skill.

8 - Oh No! More Ricks!

Builder-fest here. The biggest challenge here is to endure this terrible Rick-Astley-tune. Wonder what the five miners are good for as I didn't use a single one.

9 - In Lem We Trust 

Tricky, but very good level. Going through the middle part is not possible which became obvious pretty quickly. So the only way was to make a wall climbable by a digger shaft.

10 - Clocking In 

Nice little level, not overly difficult. The gliders are a bit tricky to handle here, but I guess that is just part of the concept.

11 - A Lemming Once Told Me... 

99-release-rate-level, still an easy one. It's clear that the crowd must be trapped in the pit left from the hatch and that one builder has to be spared to release it.

12 - Invasion Plan 

A level with a time-limit, but it didn't play any role here. Avoided to give the pioneer the glider-ability early, so he didn't exit but blocked instead. Since a platformer can't be turned into a miner without creating a small gap (at least that's true when left-bound), a third climber had to help.

13 - Star Watch

The third level with this title. Despite the one-minute-limit, this is a very easy one.

14 - A Universal Production

Brilliant level. It makes one think that the crowd has to pass somehow through the teleporter, but this is absolutely not the case. Due to the few skills, it doesn't take forever, but it's really activating some brain cells.

15 - Central Heating

Hard, but very good level. Always one construction-skill short until I saw that I had to leave the exit closed to make a Lemming pass it and spare a platformer this way. There were lots of subtle things as well to adjust, but finally I made it work.

16 - Don't Hold Me Back

The name party reveals the solution here. Still not sure if I did it the intended way, cause it has some brute-force-vibes ;).

17 - Climber's Edge

Not so hard. We've already seen a bunch of levels like this in previous packs. One could be tempted to seal the gap at the left side with a platformer, though. Which is not recommended.

18 - Clockwork Maze

Chaotic-looking and certainly a difficult level which I solved surprisingly quick. From the beginning I was sure that I could't afford using a blocker to trap the crowd because I didn't want to lose one of the precious blockers. And indeed, the scarcity of this skill was the biggest problem. I solved the level when I found a way to interrupt a basher with a platformer. Which killed two birds with one stone and saved a walker.

19 - Damned If You Do...

Bit confusing solution which I probably could net reproduce. The gliders helped a lot as well as playing with the Release Rate. Took me a while even to find out which path to go. A decent challenge, this one.

20 - Synchronised Lemming IN SPACE!!

Probably the hardest of the space-remakes so far, especially because of the harsh time-limit. The upper left quadrant was the most challenging to figure out.

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#12
NeoLemmix Levels / Re: Lemmings Plus Series
September 09, 2024, 05:49:41 PM
Nice levels in the "Smooth"-rank which I finished today. Things will get harder in the "Bumpy"-rank I assume.

Spoiler
Bumpy

1 - Chocblocked!

Took me a bit until I saw that the bottom is the way to go. Nice level to start the rank off.

2 - Cosmic Ray Zone

Easy solve. Already played a level like this in another pack, don't know which anymore.

3 - Chocolate Drops

A bit tricky in the beginning. Finally saved two over the top, but it could have been three if I had made use of the second glider.

4 - Star Watch

That level again, but with a modified layout and significantly less time. However, I found this version easier.

5 - Space Race

No problems here as well. The 99-Release-Rate can make things tricky in the beginning, but the general solution is quite self-explanatory.

6 - Chocoholics Anonymous

My first roadblock in the pack. After some time I was convined that the blocker must go to the bottom as well as the walker to turn around the pioneer in the end. So I had to use a miner cancelling a digger at the top. Later I'vs seen that this isn't the only way to go.

7 - Sweet As!

Despite the limited skillset, a tricky level. Timing is key here, also the pioneer has to turn around. The position of the platform isn't easy to see as well.

8 - Lemmania

Third Candy-level in a row. I overlooked here for some time that the Lemmings from the left hatch can be left alone due to the generous save requirement.

9 - Mechanical Split

Easy level since I spotted the main trick almost immediately. Still a nice one.

10 - Zip-Zap Zone

No huge challenge as well. The timing for the bomber is a bit tricky, though. Also, the arrangement of the bridges and the platform in the end assumes some considerations.

11 - Candy Mountain

This one reminds me of Mark Zuckerberg which means "sugar mountain" in German. Finding out where to mine is a bit of trial and error, but overall, this level is not too difficult.

12 - Luck Of The Draw

Breather level. The falling distance is huge so it's easy to see that a glider has to save the crowd from the other side. Didn't play many levels in this tileset so far.

13 - The Hovercraft

Another easy one. However, I was never a big fan of upward-bombing and adding stacker-spamming to this, I must say that i'm not too keen on this level. 

14 - Unhealthy Diet

Great level, especially the left side. While the general plan is quite clear, it's not so easy to see how the pioneer can return as he has to sacrifice himself in the end to save the crowd.

15 - Munitions Deposit

Very nice and deceiving level. Spent a lot of energy to solve it the obvious way, but no, it failed due to the scarcity of walkers. But fortunately, there is a ceiling.

16 - Busted Bunker

All a question of timing here. A first-attempt-solve.

17 - Lem Your Lem Could Smell Like

The solution is a bit different from expected since I went over the top and didn't deal with the splad-pads at all. Easy one.

18 - Over the Edge (Part II)

The first part was a hard level and contrary to othes, I think the successor is pretty hard as well. I too long followed the wrong approach here, then came up with the real solution, but didn't think through it thourougly and went back to the wrong approach again.

19 - Diet Lemmingaid...IN SPACE!! (Part II)

Just as simple as the original level and for sure a breather at this point of the pack.

20 - Ten-Lem Mission

Beautiful level. I love how things fall into place here and the fact that two pioneers have to work on the solution at the same time.

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#13
NeoLemmix Levels / Re: Lemmings Plus Series
September 07, 2024, 06:45:23 AM
After finishing Lemmings Open Air yesterday I feel it's time to start another part of the Lemmings Plus series now. I already solved LP I, II, Omega and VI in this order, so I think the next logical choice would be IV to play them in ascending order, considering difficulty. Here we go. As always, I ignore all of the talismans.

Spoiler
Smooth

1 - Candy Crossing

Easy level to start off the pack. Used a blocker to trap the crowd the first time in ages. This felt strange ;)

2 - The Minefield

Didn't really know what to do here until I realized that these traps were One-kill-traps.

3 - Splatwire

Easy one. One of the Lemmings had to make a detour unfortunately, the level can be done faster.

4 - Just Dig...IN SPACE!!

It's actually more a blend of "Just dig" and "We all fall down."

5 - Star Watch

Certainly a step up in difficulty. Of course, the bottom route is the way to go. The time-limit is there to set the player on the wrong track, going the big round.

6 - Lollipops Playland

Just a builder-festival without any challenge.

7 - The Lonely Island

A bit trickier since all of the skills have to be used (at least I think so). As the digger can be stopped before bashing, this level in this early stage of the pack is not based on timing.

8 - Post-2012

Lots of Wasteland-levels in the beginning of the pack. Since the basher-cancelling-trick doesn't work here, the Lemmings have to reach the exit from the other side. Still an easy one.

9 - Central Boiler

Nice effect with the steam on the water here. The level itself is not too challenging, again. It's all about making a stack accessible for the entire crowd.

10 - Having A Lem Of A Time

The first level with a pioneer that saves the crowd fro the opposite direction. Still easy, though it can be a bit tricky to see how to trap the Lemmings from both sides and release them later.

11 - Wow! Such level!

Hard to believe, but I had some slight problems with this level. Took me a bit longer than I thought, mainly since I tried to make the upper route accessible. Didn't work. Nice layout for people who like dogs (I don't).

12- Just A Snack

Nice one! A really creative and timing- based solution without any terrain-removing skills.

13- Trophy Cabinet

The first level with buttons. Easy one, it's pretty clear where the two builders and the two diggers have to go.

14- Cogs of War

Another easy level though I asked myself if this is the only possible solution with so many skills left.

15- The Goop Pit

Solution can be a bit hard to see since the platformer has to be interrupted by a walker to make him land safely on the steel block. Rest is easy.

16- I'll Be Back...

Only one Lemming and no hatch here. Order of skill-assignment is key here though that should't be much of a problem.

17- Never Touching Down

The title says it all. The gliders must not land on the yellow and black striped platforms, not even a for a split second. I found this a bit tricky with the final obstacle, but after some attempts, it worked.

18- Treat Time

A bit tricky due to glider-mechanics. Finally, only one one-way-wall of the central obstacle has to be destroyed which helped a lot. Saved two miners.

19- Warp Zone

Brute-force-method by me here. I'm sure that's not quite intended, but it was the easiest way to go.

20- Over The Edge

Maybe the hardest one of the first rank. The platforms must be placed well so that the pioneer does not turn around. Also the release of the crowd requires a bit of timing because of the splat height. Good level.

All my solutions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Swerdis
#14
Having started on March 17th, I brought Lemmings Open Air to the end today. The final four levels have alle been quite tricky - and I would crown Hardcore 29, along with Hardcore 26 as my level of the pack. The hardest one - and I'm in good company with this - was definitely Hardcore 20. I'm happy having played this pack. I already liked Lemmings World Tour, mainly for the visuals, but this one was a big step forward in terms of level design. So many great puzzles here. And I don't mind the old tilesets at all as they provide for clear und clean visuals.

I compared most of my solutions with other players like Kaywhyn or Eric and so I'm quite sure I backrouted some levels. Don't know if these will be fixed since it's not a new pack anymore, though. Some levels were probably intended to be open-ended as well. Thanks again, Strato, for having created this pack. It's still a big joy to play this game. I don' feel bored at all and there are still many packs out there that have to be played.
#15
General Discussion / Re: General Comings and Goings
July 25, 2024, 09:42:15 AM
I'm off for a three week holiday in Denmark with my family. Will be back August 18th.