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

[namida]

ARGH.
I -HATE- Tricky 13 right now.
I've tried two frame-perfect positions to time the last move at, which if successful, would've beaten the current record by 1. Neither of them works. Either way, one part turns out to be /just/ too high for the lemmings.

In case someone else can improve on it and get it working, I've attached the replay of how I did it. Or in case someone actually has the required insanity to attempt it in DOS where there may be a slight mechanical difference that allows it to work.

[ccexplore]

I've already tried what you're trying to do (and I won't be surprised if ClamSpammer thought of it too), but as you say, it's too high, and there's no difference between DOS Lemmings and Lemmix in this regard.

However, you did inspire me to take yet another look at that level and I finally worked out how to do it with 7 skills.  Replay attached (get ready to slap yourself in the forehead as I did...... ).

[ccexplore]

28: 8 (see replay)

Taxing 28 only needs 7 skills.  I imagine you didn't do this just to avoid the tedium of doing the replay for this one (attached).

[LemSteven]

I nearly got Fun 26 down to 4, but it looks like it's just out of reach.  One of the lemmings leaks just before the other one lays down the last brick necessary to clear the path to the exit.  If the top two blocks in the obstacle in front of the exit were one pixel lower, it would be possible.

[ccexplore]

Here's yet another level improved to 7 skills (hmm...7...must be my lucky day ):

Wild 7 (replay attached)

For the second basher assigned on the top to bash all the way through, he must start bashing at a pixel-precise location, which you can determine from the replay by seeing how far his first stroke reaches.  (And in case you're wondering, my sketching clearly shows that you cannot get through that obstacle with only one basher.)

[Clam]

However, you did inspire me to take yet another look at that level and I finally worked out how to do it with 7 skills.  Replay attached (get ready to slap yourself in the forehead as I did...... http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/winktounge.gif" alt=";P" title="Wink-Tongue" class="smiley" />).

I don't consider that worthy of a forehead-slapping. I think that's extremely clever. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/thumbsup.gif" alt=":thumbsup:" title="Thumbs Up" class="smiley" />

Taxing 28 only needs 7 skills.  I imagine you didn't do this just to avoid the tedium of doing the replay for this one (attached). http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" />

For some reason, this sort of trick just doesn't cross my mind when I play a level... http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/sad.gif" alt=":(" title="Sad" class="smiley" />

[namida]

I've already tried what you're trying to do (and I won't be surprised if ClamSpammer thought of it too), but as you say, it's too high, and there's no difference between DOS Lemmings and Lemmix in this regard.

However, you did inspire me to take yet another look at that level and I finally worked out how to do it with 7 skills.  Replay attached (get ready to slap yourself in the forehead as I did...... http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/winktounge.gif" alt=";P" title="Wink-Tongue" class="smiley" />).

Indeed, I can't believe I didn't think of that. Even more so when I did consider building across to meet the top of the other bridge, and couldn't reach. I never even thought about having them land under it.

[ccexplore]

Here's a 9-skills solution to Havoc 15.  The seemingly pointless last builder is actually necessary to establish the basher's starting position so that he will bash all the way through.  (That basher needs to start off at least 7 pixels away from the wall, and a build brick is only 6 pixels, hence the extra builder.)

[Clam]

I've been busy working on the start of Mayhem...

1: 22
2: 13
4: 3
5: 12
6: 9
7: 12
8: 8
9: 11 (similar to Fun 29, but a bit more thought required)
10: 12
11: 9
12: 5 (direct route through the steel)

I have an idea of how you might be able to take one off Mayhem 1. I've uploaded two replays for this level: a 22-skill solution, which is my best effort thus far, and a 26-skill solution, which, as far as I'm aware, is the fewest possible without glitches. If you look closely, you'll notice that the glitch-free solution actually takes one skill less to get the lemmings across the water, at the cost of a few (expendible) lemmings. This is because the lemmings gather inside the hole to the left of the water, which means no blockers are needed. My theory is that if you can gather up a 72-in-1 lemming, plus at least one other (preferably two) in the hole, without using any extra skills (i.e. by changing the release rate and builder timing), then you can save a skill here and still execute the final part in the same way.

Also attached are replays for 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10. Try them first if you like

[Dullstar]

I've beaten the original lemmings game before, so I'll see if I can improve on any of these.  I doubt it though.

[ccexplore]

Mayhem 2 can be done with 12 skills.  I'm surprised Master Slider ClamSpammer didn't get this one. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/winktounge.gif" alt=";P" title="Wink-Tongue" class="smiley" />

[Clam]

I tried using the sliding glitch, but I couldn't find a way to improve on my "no sliding" effort. "Master Slider ClamSpammer" was too concerned with Mayhem 1 to go back and try this again.
And it worked out. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" />

I've done exactly what I mentioned in my earlier post - I gathered enough lemmings in the same exact position to leap them up to the exit and save the required percentage. The process actually isn't too dissimilar to your Mayhem 16 solution. Here's how I did it:


- Start with the first part of the 26-skill, glitch free solution.

- Use release rate changes to create 5 groups of lemmings (whose positions match up exactly) in the pit, starting with the first non-floater that falls safely into the pit. For now you can leave these groups at one lemming each.

- Build out in the same way as I did in the glitch-free replay, using the floater lemming each time.

- Mark the lemmings in the order they emerge from the pit. Save a replay and check this order in the text file (the last one will be #0 - the floater and builder).

- Load the replay, stop replaying before the part where you marked the lemmings, and check the spacing between the lemmings as they enter the pit (using bombers to clear them away so you can see better http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />).

- Work out the release rate changes needed to eliminate these gaps. This may take a couple of tries, since the different spacing may mean the builder disrupts this.


This isn't guaranteed to work for a given setup, but in this case it did.

Attached is a replay of Mayhem 1 completed with 21 skills. Now please don't go and find an easier way to save a skill on this level - unless it's compatible with this method of course. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" />

[ccexplore]

Nice work! http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/thumbsup.gif" alt=":thumbsup:" title="Thumbs Up" class="smiley" /> Yeah, I can see how figuring out and doing the replay (yet another RR-change-on-every-lemming...) for that one would've taken up all your time and attention.

And now, an 11-skills solution for Mayhem 7.

[Clam]

Heh, I love how they fall off the screen when you nuke them http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/laugh.gif" alt=":D" title="Laugh" class="smiley" />

[Clam]

ARGH.
I -HATE- Tricky 13 right now.

I hate Mayhem 20 right now. Is there really no way to do this without using every available skill?  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/angry.gif" alt=">" title="Angry" class="smiley" />


Filling in a few gaps...

Mayhem 14: 16. The best "glitch-free" route takes 17. No replay for this one, I'm afraid, since it uses the cursor-steel-digging glitch.
Mayhem 17: 9
Mayhem 19: 11