2.00 scriptable actions [pre-scripted lemmings?]

[mobius]

I'm just throwing this idea out there for now.

Simon reminded me of a rather interesting [but very complicated] game mechanic of some rare games like Enigma. Where the level creator can make a "script" which makes certain things happen by themselves during play. This could be either interrupted by the player/ or the creator may prevent interruption.
In games like Enigma this is [I imagine, don't actually know] is quite complicated for the creator, probably needs to learn a simple language like action script for Macromedia Flash. But for other games like Marble Drop or Chips challenge 2 essentially the same thing can be achieved by much simpler means. This is because these games already contain moving parts with their own rules. But Lemmings has this to an extent; Lemmings follow a certain set of rules. A script for a Pre-scripted Lemming may not need to be real lengthy or complex. It would look something like a replay text file, which is easy enough to edit by users.*

I'm thinking scripted lemmings can use skills not otherwise available in the skillset for that level.

Any interest in this as a feature or doesn't it have much value?

*An easier way for users to do this would be to have the editor go into a sort of but not quite play test mode where the creator plays and assigns this single or multiple lemmings the pre-assigned skills [essentially acts out the actions they will do in the game] in real time. Then this information is saved and plugged into the scripted lem entity. Obviously this method is harder to code for the editor itself [I would assume]

[Simon]

For this kind of scripting, the host game exposes functions that can alter the game's state. Scripts by level authors may call these functions, often depending on conditions the authors make up. Lua and Python are commonly used for this. You could roll your own replay-like language if embedding full-fledged programming languages seems like overkill.

Arbitrary scriptable events can introduce solution twists you're forced to explore first. This is welcome in action games, where your knowledge of what's happening is limited anyway.

But I feel that such tailoring clashes with contemporary Lemmings level design: You should be able to solve most of a level by pausing near the start, then look and think. Hidden traps and scripting would seriously screw with that idea.

Clones had scripted events. Terrain would move if your Clones reached certain areas.

-- Simon

[namida]

I had considered something like this for the purposes of allowing truly custom gimmicks, and perhaps even custom skills, but I'm not sure if it's;
a) worth doing - how many people would actually use it, and how often?
b) likely to result in more frustration than anything else for the user

This is not likely to be a feature that makes it in too soon; if there really is a lot of interest, it can perhaps become one of those things that I design while keeping in mind that I might want to add later.