What is the minimum number of skills needed to beat each level?

[ccexplore]

And of course, due to the difficulty of analyzing the level, it's entirely possible there might be a faster solution we overlooked.  What we really need is a computer simulation that determines, given the spacing between the basher and a lemming behind the basher, how long would that lemming take to get past the bash tunnel and exit.  With this information available, it would then be possible to establish a distribution of lemming spacing that has the desired outcome, or prove that one doesn't exist.

A light bulb just went on, and I realize I don't need a full-blown computer simulation.  Lemmix has what I need to make this work!

Attached is a 2-skills solution for Mayhem 16, "Just a Minute..." that works in Lemmix, meaning no pause trick or slow fade-out necessary.  Here's how I worked it out using Lemmix:

1) I start with an attempt solution that has the basher come out and start bashing as soon as possible, and RR 99 for everyone following the basher.  17 lemmings did not make it to the exit in Lemmix.  Nevertheless, I save the replay.

2) I now modify the level to add a bunch of extra skills I don't actually intend to use in my solution, but allows me to "mark" Lemmings in the Lemmix replay.  In my case, I added 99 builders.

3) With the level modified, I played back the replay from step #1, but this time near the end, I assign builders to the last 17 lemmings that cannot exit.  And I save the replay.

By assigning skills to those lemmings, they will show up in the replay.

4) Looking at the text version of the replay, which identifies which lemmings (in order they entered into the level, with "0" being the first) I assigned builders, I found the exact 17 positions in the RR 99 sequence that does not work.

5) I then make the necessary RR adjustments to "skip over" those bad positions, moving those 17 lemmings out of those positions and into the back of the crowd.  (Back of the crowd looks safe, since the last 2 lemmings to come out of the trapdoor in the failed solution did make it to the exit.)

6) Armed with this new plan, I revert back to the original level and try it out.  And lo and behold, it works!

[Yawg]

Genius. Sheer genius. I am humbled, good sir... http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/XD.gif" alt=":XD:" title="XD" class="smiley" />

[LemSteven]

I just spent a few hours working through Crazy.  Here's what I have so far:

4:  5
5:  8
6:  8
8:  11
9:  8
10:  11
12:  5
13:  4
14:  10
15:  4
16:  7
17:  8
18:  8
19:  6
20:  11

I have a feeling it may be possible to improve some of these, particularly 20.

[ccexplore]

Crazy 14 can be improved to 9 with a simple refinement of the standard solution.
Crazy 20 can be improved to 9 also.

Replays attached.

[Clam]

A light bulb just went on, and I realize I don't need a full-blown computer simulation.  Lemmix has what I need to make this work!

Attached is a 2-skills solution for Mayhem 16, "Just a Minute..." that works in Lemmix, meaning no pause trick or slow fade-out necessary.

Wow. That's quite amazing.


I have three improvements to the Crazy levels. Take off one skill each for 9, 10 and 18. My 10-skill solution for Crazy 10 is the "ceiling route" that I did a while back for the Challenge thread

[edit: Crazy 18 replay removed, see below]

[LemSteven]

Ah, I see what you did on Crazy 10.  My eleven-skill solution used pretty much the same basic idea, except it had a different way of holding back the crowd and therefore required use of the climber.  Good job!  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/thumbsup.gif" alt=":thumbsup:" title="Thumbs Up" class="smiley" />

[Clam]

Continuing my march through the original levels... Here's some more Taxing.

11: 12
12: 10
13: 8
14: 23
15: 11
16: 13
17: 4
20: 7

[ccexplore]

I just realized that using the nuke glitch, Fun 27 can be passed in DOS Lemmings with just 2 floaters.

[Clam]

Take off one skill each for 9, 10 and 18.

*slaps forehead*

Take off another one from 18. That's 6 skills now.

[LemSteven]

Here's the rest of the first half of Wild:

1:  4
2:  10
3:  8
4:  11
6:  4
7:  8
10:  5

And a special note on Wild 1:

As far as I know, it requires the direct drop trick.

[Clam]

Wild 6 can be done with 3. Replay attached. 

[namida]

Taxing 21: 7. I've tried EVERYTHING I can think of to get below this, nothing works. It's pretty much just the original solution. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

[namida]

Mayhem 13: 6 skills. Very easy to find IMO. My play uses a minor glitch, but it's very possible without triggering the glitch, with almost no change.

Mayhem 18: 17 skills. While not impressively low, it's a lot more efficient than any other solution I've encountered. Note that on versions that allow 100 Lemmings per level, if you still only have to save 90%, it's probably possible to drop that to 15.

[namida]

I'll keep an updated table in this post. I've been through the Fun levels, and already turned up some interesting results - 20, 23 and 25 are scores I'd consider challenge-worthy.

I got 20 and 23 (and even came close - but unfortunately, couldn't quite make it - on beating your record by 1 in 20), but I'm completely stumped as to how you did 25...

[Clam]

Here's the rest of Taxing as I see it:

26: 12 (see replay)
27: 9 (by the outside route)
28: 8 (see replay)
29: 6 (similar to Tricky 3)
30: 7

I got 20 and 23 (and even came close - but unfortunately, couldn't quite make it - on beating your record by 1 in 20), but I'm completely stumped as to how you did 25...

I'd be interested to know how you went about trying to improve on Fun 20. My solution doesn't appear to have any potential for improvement.

Fun 25 with 2 skills takes a bit of fine placement. Remember, though, that half the lemmings can die and you'll still pass.