[NeoLemmix] PimoLems [Difficulty: Medium]

[kaywhyn]

And finished the remaining 3 ranks and hence the entire pack once again. My entire replay collection is attached. However, it's my first completion of the New Formats NL version where most of the levels differ from the Lemmini version, like some being more backroute proof. Some proved to be quite challenging in its current form! Nevertheless, it definitely reminded me of how great this pack of old is It's crazy how it's nearly been 10 years since it's been out and is still a very highly regarded pack today even if some of them are backroutable on both Lemmini and NL. Pieuw did a great job with it, and Icho did great with the conversion to NL and making adaptations wherever needed to conform to NL standards and to simulate the Lemmini intended solution as closely as possible. Well done, gentlemen!

Let's see how many backroutes I managed to find in my playthrough There's definitely some.

One Rank Feedback

Definitely the rank I was looking forward to playing again after so long, as I love time limits, 1-minute levels in particular. Though these levels are overall short, it doesn't mean they'll be easy! Indeed, some of them still took much thought to get solved, especially as I don't remember most of the solutions, but overall I had a great and fun time figuring them out all over again Unfortunately, some of my solutions scream backroutes here Yes, backroutes in the One rank

Spoiler

One 1 - Swallowing Lemmings Nice level to start off the rank of 1-minute levels. Not that hard to save the requirement exactly, though I rose to the challenge and see how many extra I could save, which is the replay in the collection.

One 2 - Off-Centered Another easy one, though some bombers I kept placing wrong due to taking the natural progress of going down, left and right, which would be too many losses. Instead, the answer is to bomb to turn back to the left, and then bomb far enough so that you drop onto the gray thin floors and then offset the bombers so that you don't fall too far.

One 3 - Square Dealing Reminds me of the second level of Mazulems and another variation of it from somewhere else (I don't remember which pack). Another easy one and one which I one-shot

One 4 - Extremely Lem & Incredibly Close Saved one over the requirement and only used the floater as a delay so that after he finishes digging the builder wall is high enough so that he turns around Spares a builder as well

One 5 - Temple Ruins I kept thinking to max out the RR and release the blocker at a time in such a way so that he gets across the gap to the right at the crucial brick placement, but turns out that even when he overtakes the builder the basher doesn't finish in time before anyone turns around. Instead, the answer was to let the builder worker do the bashing and keep the RR at the default to release the blocker with the final lemming. You still finish on time even when the RR is untouched. Nice level!

One 6 - The Magic Box Ah yes, this level, showcasing lowering the basher continuously with diggers. It's a bit excessive with the repeated digging, and I'm not a huge fan of levels that require too many of the same skill assignments, but that's just me personally. This is nevertheless an iconic level and certainly a trick that comes in handy.

One 7 - Straight Forward I helped both David and Swerdis with this level from a while back, yet when I came upon this level I couldn't remember how to solve it for about 10 minutes! Now that I have, I definitely remember having a basher left. Very similar to the Mazulems level, so it's clear that Pieuw got inspiration from Martin Zurlinden.

One 8 - Baptised with a Perfect Name Another great level. I like how the large wall in the middle at the bottom needs to be bashed from both sides in order to save the most time possible.

One 9 - Lemmings will be Lemmings... Fairly straightforward, though I could had sworn I used a different solution on Lemmini. I think they both include releasing the blocker on a staircase, but I can't remember.

One 10 - Bombing the Whole Way Home Ah, yes, I remember this one being frustrating to execute on Lemmini. I also remember the solution being a bit different on Lemmini? I think I ended up building from both sides of the gap? I honestly don't remember, I'll see when I get to the Lemmini version of the pack in the following days. Anyway, first backroute of the rank here, as it avoids the other builder pickup, though I will note it uses a lot of pixel precision to achieve It's just barely possible and would certainly fail otherwise.

One 11 - Ice to Meet You Save all FTW! Don't remember how I solved it on Lemmini, particularly since lemmings don't turn around on steel there.

One 12 - I See Led People Great level with releasing a blocker with a digger from the entrance, and I love how the timing and solution all work out before anyone gets into danger

One 13 - Lems on the Lam I remember this level stumping me back in the days. For such a simple looking level, this is a deceivingly difficult one, and as I couldn't remember how this level is solved it took me some time before I did. The miner in particular where it's used to get a climber over to bomb to release everyone from the prison is very hard to see here. I like how one of the climbers needs to go out to the left in order to give the next lemming enough time to build over the gap and then the next one after the builder to bash to the exit. Great solution and level!

One 14 - Eroding Time Switch Nice level showcasing that a digger can be canceled with a blocker. I don't remember if I first learned this trick here or if I learned it on another custom level from somewhere else. I like how the RR is intentionally set in such a way that the second lemming falls on the other side of the pole to forge the rest of the path Yes, the digger is super precise here, but that's the only hard part to see and that it's possible to use a blocker to release him and he doesn't become a blocker at all.

One 15 - In Odd We Trust Should be another backroute here I'm sure I remember the solution being far more spectacular than this, where I'm certain the climbers go over and then come back later on. However, as the ceiling is deadly in New Formats NL, now I'm not so sure how else the level can be solved.

One 16 - For Crystal Sake! One of my favorites of the rank! Nice use of a builder at the top to raise the wall high enough to turn everyone back to the left, bombing to make a hole in the wall to climb into and bash through, then build over the water gap to catch the others in time. Well done, Pieuw!

One 17 - You'll Make Do ! Another backroute I'm afraid, unless the basher pickup is a red herring Even then, I'm sure I remember using the basher to speed up the path to the exit on Lemmini, as I think you'll run out of time otherwise. Here, however, it's apparently possible to finish on time even when taking the long way if you max out the RR early enough.

One 18 - Lines & Curves And we have another backroute in a row here, where if you're careful it's possible to save 1 over the requirement, which my replay accomplishes. I definitely remember the solution being far better than the one I used. For example, I definitely remember bashing through at the bottom before anyone else arrives.

One 19 - Step on It ! Hard one which I couldn't remember how to solve for a while but it's still a great one when the solution all works out. I kept thinking to max out the RR and use the third to last lemming to block to turn the last two back to the left. This turns out to be wrong. Instead, you must block and then almost immediately assign him a bomber. In the process, two should turn around and therefore speed up doing both sides of the OWW better before the crowd arrives. Here, it's a save all but two solution

One 20 - There's Rashness in the Method Ah yes, another iconic level that uses a very odd quirk of bashing with the climber during the brief moment when he finishes hoisting on Lemmini. Since this doesn't work on NL, instead the solution needed to be adapted, and this is done by providing two walkers instead. This therefore causes enough of a delay to allow the worker to finish building to the exit on time. Nice level to finish off the rank!

Special Rank Feedback

There are only 5 levels here, but they're all in the Castle tileset. Pieuw only had 3 levels for the Lemmini version, but when Icho converted the pack to NL, he decided to take two of his Castle levels from Reunion and add them to the rank to make a nice number of 5 levels for the rank. They're both found in the Nightmare rank of Reunion.

Not much to say here other than I really like Special 2 and I remember Special 3 being a hard one. I think I remember getting up the level in a different way for the latter on Lemmini, though. For NL, it looks hard, but is actually simpler than it looks.

Spoiler

For the former, the only hard part is bombing in such a way so that one of the bashers drops onto the floating platform to turn around to build to catch the one who went to get the pickups in time before he is lost to the bottomless pit. Almost reminds me of another Castle level in the HeyNotTooRough rank of Reunion.

For Special 1, it's a nice 1 lemming level, although my main gripe is the wonky books terrain, but you can easily use CPM to see where all the nuisances of the gaps in it are. Even without it on Lemmini, it is climber friendly, so no need to worry about some overhang blocking the climber.

Special 5 is a level that I was stuck on for a few weeks when I first encountered it in Reunion. It was the level I was stuck the longest on in the pack back in the days. I believe one difference is that you're allowed one more loss on Lemmini than here.


Extra Rank Feedback

To finish off the pack is a set of 20 levels for the Extra rank, which is almost like a Bonus rank in a way. These are levels which Pieuw felt didn't fit anywhere else in the pack. Just like the 3 ranks before this, the levels start off easy but progressively get more difficult as you go along in the rank.

Spoiler

Extra 1 - Merry Xmas Nice gimmick here of only saving one lemming and only a climber is provided. To be honest, I completely missed the very tiny gap for the bottom exit. My age is showing

Extra 2 - Deep Forest Easy any-way-you-want level and a pretty standard one at that where you're free to come up with any solution given the very lenient skillset.

Extra 3 - In an Anthill I like how you're only given the 3 digging destructive skills here!

Extra 4 - Grassy Path Harder than any of the previous levels up to this point, but still not too hard. Can be a bit hard to save everyone, but it is possible.

Extra 5 - Lemmings in a Box Very similar to the Brick level in the Windy rank, though this can be done without the blockers if you wanted. Way too excessive on the many digger assignments for my liking, but again just me personally.

Extra 6 - The Lemming Gallery I remember being a bit stumped here, especially with figuring out how to get everyone to the exit while also releasing the right entrance. Nice red herring around the left-middle area into thinking you need to use that part to get to the exit. Maybe a bit hard for its position and so could probably work better as a level later in the rank.

Extra 7 - Chilly Lemmings Ceiling route or you won't get the level solved, though it's quite obvious due to the skillset and terrain design anyway

Extra 8 - Dark Valley Can be somewhat hard given the very limited skillset, though it's more intimidating than difficult. I don't think a save all is possible here.

Extra 9 - Be Cruel With Your Workers Nice level with the bombers to get everyone down safely and to get past obstacles. I think I can see how to make the end part easier by using a digger at the top to bomb a faller to make a ramp for the others to get past the first pillar and then finally mine through the one before the exit.

Extra 10 - Backward Train Easy one, though I guess to avoid any timing whatsoever one could just build to get over the well and then bash to release them later.

Extra 11 - Diggin' the Air Solution is obvious that builders must be used to fill the gaps between the floating platforms to extend a digger, but one still must be careful with the builders as it's possible to run out if you're being careless with them. Easier said than done, though! However, I realized that there's a much easier way do the level by digging on the right edge of the large bricks. Should use far less builders this way, though if one wanted to block this then steel would do the trick.

Extra 12 - Fearsome Rain Another one I remember being hard in that the losses add up quickly. Also the builders are very limited and it's not easy to figure out how to use them effectively here while making splatforms for all the entrances.

Extra 13 - Ground City Very wide level and appears very intimidating but it's really not that hard. The excessive scrolling does get a bit annoying, but luckily there aren't many ways for everyone to get into danger. You're limited on the digging destructive skills except for the bashers, where you have a lot, so it's ultimately not too much of a problem. In any case, another any-way-you-want level.

Extra 14 - The Big U-Turn That is one very awesome long basher tunnel to turn everyone around to mine to the exit long before the basher finishes and you lose any others besides him. I couldn't remember how to do the start for a time, but it's just a matter of maxing out the RR early enough to have everyone turn around for another detour and to use the last lemming to forge the path before the others arrive too early to get into danger.

Extra 15 - Drip-Drip Drop I'm not sure if this is a backroute, though it seems that the floater who goes to collect the blocker pickups and is a sacrifice is intentional. Before I just let him die, I kept trying to see if I could save him too, but it seems that it's not possible. I could had sworn I did on Lemmini, though I can't remember. In any case, one of the blocker pickups isn't used here but rather a builder is used to seal off a tiny gap.

Extra 16 - Maniac Mansion Lots of moving parts in this wide level and hence it appears very intimidating and difficult. Once again, save all FTW! Doesn't seem to be a specific intended solution but rather a solve any way you like.

Extra 17 - Precision Bombing Yet another iconic level in that you must get a lemming to fall in the middle exactly right in order to bomb through all sides for the entrances. On Lemmini, I don't remember ever having a trapped lemming that you can't save though I guess I'll see when I play through it on that engine.

Extra 18 - Five Ways to Block a Lem Hard one, and I honestly don't remember this level at all. The high RR certainly makes things challenging. Landing on the thin platform beside the firebox trap seems cheesy, but I don't know how else to go about the level. Seems the miner placement is very crucial so that no one else slips past him besides one lemming, which I used a builder to build against the steel to turn him around.

Extra 19 - Keep an Eye on Them Can be hard but is fortunately a very short and quick level. The 99RR is what makes the level hard. Not easy to figure out how to get down safely either. I think the version here is vastly different from Lemmini. I honestly don't remember the multiple traps at the top on the left side.

Extra 20 - Spoonerism An iconic level to round off the pack, I like the miner and then bombing in it to create a turnaround point for everyone, and then everyone is delayed with a basher to give the worker enough time to build to the exit. That I got down fairly quick and I kind of remembered it, but what took me a while was figuring out how to deal with the builder who turns around due to hitting his head and hence I need another worker for the long staircase to the exit. The answer was the overhang terrain to build going to the right and hit his head on the starting platform.   

Well, I must say it was wonderful playing through the pack in its entirety again after so long but with all the convenience tools of NL It definitely made me remember how great the pack is even today. Despite the rages of the many restarts on Lemmini, I still liked the pack then, and I certainly like it way more now with it available on NL. Once again, nice job to Pieuw for a wonderfully made pack that still holds up very well to this day and to Icho for the nice work on the conversion to NL and adapting the glitch levels to work! Cheers gentlemen!  

[Pieuw]

Thank you Kaywhyn, it was really interesting to read your feedback. I'm glad the pack still holds up today, mainly thanks yo Icho's work!
As you pointed out some levels are a bit frustrating, even on Neolemmix, and I wonder how past me could be ok with putting some of them in the pack
Now have fun with the Lemmini version, and please accept my sincere apologies for this ordeal

[IchoTolot]

V 3.5 is out!

Backroute fixes based on kaywhyn's replays:

- 1 05 (added steel)

- 2 13 (added flamer)
- 2 14 (added trap)

- 3 05 (1 builder is now a pick-up)
- 3 07 (exits now have limiter)
- 3 08 (added trap)

- 4 07 (extended OWW)
- 4 09 (added OWW)
- 4 13 (changed exit area, added OWW)
- 4 15 (added steel)
- 4 17 (added trap)
- 4 18 (added trap, 3 builders are now pick-ups)

- 5 04 (removed the blockers)
- 5 12 (removed the bomber, added a OWW)

- 6 10 (1 builder is now a pick-up)
- 6 15 (removed 1 builder)
- 6 18 (1 builder is now a pick-up)

- 8 08 (added a OWW)
- 8 15 (2 builders are now a pick-ups)
- 8 18 (some terrain changes)

[kaywhyn]

Resolved all updated levels in the previous post My entire replay collection is attached, but you just need to check the 20 updated levels from the previous post. Most of these now feel intended, with the only ones I feel that are still a bit hackish being Hurricane 17 and One 15. In the former, I simply used a builder as a delay and hence it might still be acceptable, but I feel as if that builder could be put to better use. The latter is almost the same solution as last time.

The only real backroute left that I still managed to re-backroute I think is Hurricane 13

[IchoTolot]

V 3.6 is out!

Backroute fixes based on kaywhyn's replays:

- 4 13 (added terrain and fire)

Your replays for 3 05 and 6 10 fail though. Maybe you have accidently sent me an outdated version?

[kaywhyn]

Nope, Hurricane 13 still isn't fixed Also fixed my replay collection by putting in the correct replays for Stormy 5 and One 10. Those should be intended. The only fix I can think of here for 4 13 is to lock the RR, as I had to max out the RR very early in order for it to work. Alternatively, increase the number of lemmings

[IchoTolot]

V 3.7 is out!

Backroute fixes based on kaywhyn's replays:

- 4 13 (RR locked, lem count set to 35)

[kaywhyn]

Hurricane 13 resolved, although sadly with another backroute Same solution as before, just used a basher to tank on the OWA to turn and not die to the deadly ceiling. Seems the problem area is how I use the first builder at the top, so that likely means a fix would be to add a midair shredder trap or even just put more terrain/stuff in that area to prevent sealing off the gap above the hole between the poles.

Also, nice to see that my suggestions for backroute fixes was used, although clearly I forgot about the first builder problem at the top that enables a backroute!

[IchoTolot]

V 3.8 is out!

Backroute fixes based on kaywhyn's replays:

- 4 13 (added steel)

[kaywhyn]

I think we finally got it for Hurricane 13 Just a minor nitpick, and that is fallers can fall through without getting killed by the shredder traps after climbing the last pole before the exit. No need to change it, I'm just pointing out the trigger is a few pixels away from the pole

And yea, I thought about steel being added to the poles, definitely the best and cleanest fix in contrast to what I suggested. I just thought it wouldn't work because of how big the steel pieces are. Which leads me to the question of how you achieved the thin steel pieces. I checked the level in the editor and just can't see how you did that

[IchoTolot]

And yea, I thought about steel being added to the poles, definitely the best and cleanest fix in contrast to what I suggested. I just thought it wouldn't work because of how big the steel pieces are. Which leads me to the question of how you achieved the thin steel pieces. I checked the level in the editor and just can't see how you did that

Make one side with a normal steel piece and an eraser ---> group.

Make the other side with a steel piece and an eraser ---> group.

Then put the 2 pieces next to each other ---> group again - done!

[kaywhyn]

Make one side with a normal steel piece and an eraser ---> group.

Make the other side with a steel piece and an eraser ---> group.

Then put the 2 pieces next to each other ---> group again - done!

Ahh, I didn't think about the grouping feature. Yes, I do see it now thanks to how the ungroup button was not greyed out. You can clearly tell that I don't really use grouping or don't use it enough! Perhaps I should start using it again and then I'll definitely see how the feature really comes in handy when designing levels!

Anyway, seems we're good to go on backroute patching for the time being and that all my solutions are intended/acceptable now