[Lemmings 3D][WIP] Lemmings Plus 3D (All levels complete; now in testing)

namida · August 02, 2019, 08:09:42 PM

This level is one I made quite early in the pack's development, but I recently revamped it to use the Fun Fair graphics instead of the general Circus graphics, and it looks a lot nicer as a result! (I also have to say, the Fun Fair texture set is definitely one of the trickiest ones to use!)

"The Claw" (mid-Taxing)
Save 30 of 60, RR 20, time 8:00
20 turners, 3 builders, 2 bashers, 2 climbers, 4 floaters

namida · August 04, 2019, 12:37:54 AM

Just made the 80th level! It's all testing, backroute fixing and reordering from here on out.

namida · August 04, 2019, 01:43:17 AM

Some random trivia about the levels (based on current order where applicable, which may be subject to change):

- Fun does not have any Golf or Castle levels.
- Tricky does not have any Circus levels.
- Mayhem has 4 Castle levels, the only case of four levels in the same rank in the same style.
- There are exactly 8 levels in each style. Usage of each track varies, although every track is used at least twice.
- Maze, Golf and Circus have one enclosed level each. Space and Army have two each. Pyramid has six.
- Additionally, Maze and Army have one level each that's technically an enclosed level, but visually appears to be outdoors.
- Space has an exactly 50/50 split between the Lemlab style graphics and the regular Space style graphics.
- There are two levels that use Winterland graphics.
- Only a single level in the entire pack uses trampolines.
- 9 levels require saving every lemming. 4 more, so far, have been confirmed possible to save every lemming on, despite not requiring it. (One of these 100% possible-but-optional levels is in the demo; "Sea of Sugar".)

NieSch · August 04, 2019, 09:09:40 AM

Congratulations on finishing the 80th level. Cool project.

namida · August 05, 2019, 03:49:19 AM

A tester completed up to the end of Tricky without much issues. Two levels had borderline routes that I'm still undecided about, and one level had a definite backroute.

Within the first 7 levels of Taxing... two backroutes; plus a third level, a variation on the intended solution that, while fine itself, proves a backroute is possible. >_> Then on top of that, I've found one more in Taxing plus two in Mayhem myself. This is gonna be fun.

EDIT: And, speaking of that, the Tricky level with a definite backroute was "The Nightman Cometh" which is in the demo, so I've uploaded V3 of the demo which includes the backroute-fixed version of this level. All other demo levels are unchanged. ("Space Station" appears safe - an alternate solution emerged, but it's very close to the intended one so I likely won't block it.)

namida · August 06, 2019, 03:09:25 AM

Some significant progress today. Dealt with 6 backroutes (including one of the borderline cases, and one new one that popped up, in Tricky) - 2 known backroutes still remain - as well as fixing up a lot of minor issues, like blocks not correctly set as steel in some levels.

namida · August 08, 2019, 03:42:04 AM

Just sent out the 9th test version, which fixes backroutes in 6 levels (one of which had two completely different backroutes), and non-backroute issues (missing steel flag, etc) in 3 more. There's currently no more backroutes I'm aware of (though I haven't received any replays for Mayhem yet, intended or otherwise), though there are two levels with borderline solutions that I haven't yet decided if I'll block or not - one each in Tricky and Taxing.

At the very least, I think it's safe to say the first two ranks - except maybe that one level in Tricky - are pretty much solid now. A lot of Taxing seems to be good too. Progress, for sure!

There's been one level where I had to entirely discard the original solution and replace it with a new one due to an unfixable backroute, but so far, none where I've had to discard the level altogether.

namida · August 15, 2019, 10:08:20 PM

Getting very close now. Mayhem seems surprisingly solid compared to Taxing - I have one theoretical (not yet confirmed) backroute for one of the late-Mayhem levels that I spotted while double-checking the replays are all valid earlier; and this is a backroute that if it works out, I'll likely just make it the intended solution and remove the one skill in the skillset that isn't needed for it. The only backroutes I've received for Mayhem, were for a level that's now been moved to Taxing anyway.

(EDIT: Of course, I spoke too soon.. now the backroutes are starting to show up. Of course, because backroutes showing up during testing, rather than later, is exactly what I want... I guess I used tempting fate to my advantage here.

)

I've also got the level order more or less finalized now.

I've updated the original post to indicate the new positions of the demo levels in the level order; though I've decided not to bother with further updates to the demo itself. For the record - "No Spare Soldier" and "Entanglement" have changes compared to the current version demo, the rest of the levels are unchanged.

namida · August 18, 2019, 05:33:21 AM

Got another tester's set of replays for Tricky and Taxing today, and those revealed a lot more backroutes. After a round of fixes, and re-solving of those levels by that tester, only one of them remains backrouted, though.

namida · August 18, 2019, 09:37:29 PM

Received some more replays; five backroutes - one of which was on what's probably the pack's most notorious level for backroutes so far, a late-Taxing level; and then two of which were different backroutes for the same level, an early-Mayhem one. Three of the affected levels (including both of the aforementioned ones) are fixed, but honestly, I'm having trouble seeing any way to fix the fourth - it may have to be replaced with an entirely new level. Fortunately, I've got a Mayhem-worthy idea ready if it comes to that.

namida · August 19, 2019, 08:57:04 PM

Every level has now been solved by at least one of the testers. Nine levels have currently known backroutes - one in Taxing (same level mentioned in the previous post, but it's a new backroute), and eight in Mayhem. Of these, at least one tester has also found the intended solution to the Taxing level, and two of the Mayhem levels.

namida · August 20, 2019, 02:06:19 AM

And the above are all fixed. Fingers crossed that this time is the good one!

As mentioned, one level ended up having to be replaced due to backroutes I couldn't see any way to fix. Since it won't be in the final pack, here's the removed level, "Four Towers" (a mid-Mayhem level), along with a replay to show the intended solution. It will replace Fun 9.

If you aren't able to use L3DEdit to load the replay, rename it to "REP.000", put it in L3D's "REPLAYS" folder, and wait at the title screen for the game to go into demo mode; you'll see the solution replay for this level as the first demo.

namida · August 20, 2019, 09:48:56 PM

I created custom demo mode replays (for when the game is left idle at the title screen). Similar to those for official levels, they don't actually solve the levels, they show something that doesn't work then nuke the lemmings.

I also uploaded a video of the first such replay: https://youtu.be/T0la5QeKmcQ

This shows a level that hasn't been seen (except by testers) yet.

namida · August 21, 2019, 09:33:50 PM

Things are looking really good now. There's currently only two remaining levels that keep getting re-backrouted - one of which the backroutes are getting more and more complex, to the point that it's almost a case of "time to stop fixing them, because the backroutes are more obscure than the intended solution". Both of these levels are in Mayhem. (EDIT: And down to one now!)

It shouldn't be much longer until release time, now.