It switches the music to the same track every time after failing!

Megaritz · March 29, 2007, 06:59:34 AM

I am playing the first Lemmings game, downloaded from Abandonia, with DosBox. When I play and fail any level, regardless of which music was previously playing, in the next attempt to play the level, it will switch to the music track that plays in Level 1, and play that for all further attempts at the level! Then, it goes back to whatever music track it was on before when I get to the next level. When I get into the taxing and mayhem levels, and have to play levels over and over to succeed, I will literally be listening to the level 1 music for the vast majority of the time!

I know it's a good song, but I'd really like to avoid that problem. Does anyone have a solution (other than simply succeeding the first time, every time)? I'd really appriciate any help with this problem...Please help me, I don't want to start hating that song!

ccexplore · March 30, 2007, 01:56:48 AM

Yeah, it's an unfortunate, well-known problem in the game. I believe I have a hacked copy of lemmings that fix that problem, but it'll take me a few days to fish it out (and to make sure it doesn't have other unwanted changes).

DragonsLover · March 30, 2007, 05:49:58 AM

I have an alternate executable that solves the problem. However, the cheat code doesn't work and I guess that the safe fall distance is wrong too.

ccexplore: Remember when I was talking about doing a "corrected" version of the game? I think it would be useful for now. You see? I'm NOT the only one. If you could do a Lemmings version where:

- There's a version with CD support and another one that doesn't have
- Musics are okay
- Safe fall distance is okay (60 pixels)
- Cheat code and Version code are available
- Missing objects are back

That would be really appreciated and I think it will always avoid you to fish for a correct version when needed. I don't understand, you have the capabilities to change anything in the game and you don't do anything to correct that.

OneWeirdDude · March 30, 2007, 06:55:32 PM

I hate to say it, but that's not a bug. The reason it does that is to penalize you for failing. You get an unlimited number of tries for each level, so there's rather few ways of punishing failure, but this is one of them.

And if I'm not mistaken, I think I noticed someone talk about the "lenient", 66-pixel safe-fall version? I prefer the "stringent", 63-pixel-fall version, because otherwise the game is too easy.

With all due respect,
W.

DragonsLover · March 30, 2007, 09:08:12 PM

OneWeirdDude: You're wrong. One of the Lemmings programmer, Mike, has said that originally, the game should have 60-pixel safe-fall distance. He said that the +3 pixels is a mistake in the programmation when a Lemming falls.

As for the music, it is REALLY a bug. Try playing the Atari-ST version or Amiga version and you'll not have this error in these versions. Why under DOS then?

OneWeirdDude · March 30, 2007, 09:16:00 PM

Quote from: DragonsLover on March 30, 2007, 09:08:12 PM
OneWeirdDude: You're wrong. One of the Lemmings programmer, Mike, has said that originally, the game should have 60-pixel safe-fall distance. He said that the +3 pixels is a mistake in the programmation when a Lemming falls.

As for the music, it is REALLY a bug. Try playing the Atari-ST version or Amiga version and you'll not have this error in these versions. Why under DOS then?

I thought the "punishment" idea for starting the music over made perfect sense. Oh well.

Anyway, the We All Fall Down levels are effortless under 66, but more challenging under 63. And it's the same version that has 63 that restarts the music, if that makes sense. Call we strange, but I like it that way.

Who is this Mike (Dally?) and where did you read this?

With all due respect,
Double U.
:cool:

Megaritz · March 30, 2007, 09:33:33 PM

I don't quite understand. So is there no downloadable version yet that has the music bug fixed, AND has a proper safe-fall distance that doesn't ruin levels like "We all fall down"?

OneWeirdDude · March 30, 2007, 09:44:24 PM

Quote from: Megaritz on March 30, 2007, 09:33:33 PM
I don't quite understand. So is there no downloadable version yet that has the music bug fixed, AND has a proper safe-fall distance that doesn't ruin levels like "We all fall down"?

Fraid so. Sorry. You want to play the WAFD levels properly, you have to settle with the "punishing" version.

Double U.

ccexplore · March 31, 2007, 04:34:00 AM

Quote from: Megaritz on March 30, 2007, 09:33:33 PMI don't quite understand. So is there no downloadable version yet that has the music bug fixed, AND has a proper safe-fall distance that doesn't ruin levels like "We all fall down"?

There isn't a copy that's widely downloadable by the public. However, I should be able to create you a version that has the music bug fixed + the correct safe-fall distance for WAFD. But I'm a little busy now so please be patient.

DragonsLover · March 31, 2007, 05:17:58 AM

No problem! I can wait!

Megaritz: A little suggestion of mine, take an Atari ST (like Steem) or Amiga emulator (like WinUAE), download the Lemmings roms and play the game. For both versions, they can allow 100 Lemmings instead of 80 and there are no missing objects in the game. Also, skills menu is better and there are no bugs.

Under ST, musics and sounds aren't the best, but the TOS roms are easier to find.

Under Amiga, musics and sounds are much better (even better than Dos), but the Kickstart roms are harder to find and are even considered not legal for download. However, if you know where to search, you could find 'em.

ccexplore · April 01, 2007, 09:13:50 AM

Turns out I already made the hacked versions back in November, I think in response to DragonsLover's nagging. :tongue: I even remember either PMing or e-mailing him the files, but either way I guess he never got it.

Anyway, here it is again:

http://www.geocities.com/guestlevels/lemmings/lem_music_fixes.zip

As you can see, the zip file actually contains 3 possible fixes, all of which fix the "back to Fun 1 music after failing" problem. I recommend using lem-fix2.exe as the replacement, but any one of them will work.

DragonsLover · April 01, 2007, 07:47:06 PM

Yeah I did receive them. I forgot.

However, could you do a tiny thing much: just specify "Cheat Activated" when entering BILLANDTED. That's all! No more!

ccexplore · April 01, 2007, 10:04:06 PM

Quote from: DragonsLover on April 01, 2007, 07:47:06 PMHowever, could you do a tiny thing much: just specify "Cheat Activated" when entering BILLANDTED. That's all! No more!

Sorry, not right now. The BILLANDTED cheat already works on the original game and the fixed copies I uploaded, just that it doesn't say "cheat activated" when cheat is activated. Which kinda makes sense since it's not something the game really wants you to know about. I don't know at this point which part of the code handles passwords, and I'm not sure if I can find room in the EXE to put in new text. I'll upload it in the future if I manage to be successful.

Megaritz · April 02, 2007, 04:28:49 AM

ccexplore, I used the lem-fix2 file, and it works! Thanks a lot. My problems are solved. I don't even have to start the music over when exiting the game.

Yippee!