ClamLix

[Nepster]

Learn to Fly - spamming floaters at the end isn't intended; maybe fixing the SI will prevent this method?

No. Constant SI 50 saves again 19 Lix (20 should be possible as well). SIs not divisible by 10 reduce the number of Lix saved, but the same method still works.

Digger cancelling: Would like to discuss this in IRC with you sometime, in case any similar problem comes up with with pneumatic-hammer digging.

Digger cancelling is currently possible with pneumatic-hammer: You just have to start the new digger precisely on the first frame after the old digger removes some terrain.

[Clam]

Perhaps Dig Deep can be fixed after all - at the cost of making it look rather ugly . See attached.

[Nepster]

Hopefully this solution is better.

PS: The description of ClamLix still says "lemmingsforums.com".

[Clam]

ClamLix updated 2016-01-31

In response to recently found backroutes and upcoming changes to Lix.

Download Zip


New level: Sandy Knolls

New levels:
Easy five-step plan! (Humane) - easy builder level
Sandy Knolls (Arcane) - not-so-easy blocker level

Moved to outtakes:
Interval Training - relies on variable SI; if this stays then the level will go back in
Fill the Floor - ditto
Learn to Fly - not happy with the level, removed while I think of something to do with it
From the Void - ditto (turns out I'd changed it since the last update, and somehow managed to make it worse)


Noteworthy changes:
Infinite Timer - renamed to Timeless Classic
Hello, Goodbye - rearranged terrain to avoid the need for a time limit
I've got the world on a string - removed ledge that allowed Nepster's backroute
Nothing to Lose - widened top area for timing reasons
Lazy Gypsy Bums - sped up the start and done away with the climber
Fire up the Bomb Squad - added steel at lower right
Set Fire to the Rain - added a saw to prevent building from the lower left
Builders Without Borders II - overhauled to work without needing to adjust SI

Noteworthy non-changes:
Dig Deep - has been left as is (without the steel bars). Digger cancelling may be changed in future, though this is far from resolved.

Misc:
Updated description text with the correct website! Amusingly, the German version already had it right

--

[Proxima]

I've been going through the levels (at least, those I can solve) to make replays for D Lix and note problems such as lix counts that should be reduced.

Humane 1 to 8 are all save 20 of 40, and still have lix spawning when I finish building the route, ranging from 7 to 27. To keep the statistics constant across the levels, it seems to me a good compromise is to make them all save 10 of 20.

Humane 10 (A step too far?) is 40/50, should be reduced to 30/40.
Humane 12 (Works on so many levels) 50/60 -> 30/40
Humane 13 (The endless steps) 40/80 -> 20/40 and give 20 imploders
Humane 14 (MORE WEE CREATURES) 35/50 -> 20/30*
Humane 19 (Underbelly) 20/25 -> 15/20

* Normal solution is lose-8 and finishes with 32 in hatches. Reducing to something like 10/20 would have the problem that you could ignore one hatch and save only one side. Lose-2 is possible but should remain as a challenge; requiring it is too hard for Humane. I've made replays of both solutions.

Replays for all Humane levels attached.

[Forestidia86]

I know that this pack isn't supported anymore but I looked into playing the Arcane difficulty (on v. 0.9.1). I solved 24 out of 25 levels so far.
The remaining level has to do with jumper physics. Has there anything changed concerning that between 0.9.1 and the time the pack was last updated which could break the level? It's of course very well possible that I just haven't gotten the idea yet. But I just wanted to know if it's worth thinking further or if it's likely that the level is broken.

[Simon]

What exact level do you suspect impossible?

I have researched Death Slide before, and believe it is impossible. Last year, I showed my best attempts to Clam, asking whether my idea should work. He said that yes, my attempts had the right idea, and that a physics change in 2016 likely broke the level.

Your 24 replays would be an excellent contribution to the proof collection! I'll be more than happy to ship ClamLix in the normal download once we have covered everything.

(Thanks for the 40 lemforum-Cunning replays and your feedback!)

-- Simon

[Forestidia86]

Yeah, it's the level "Death Slide".
The levels were all somehow special and memorable but they were often very execution heavy and super precise as well. Some were really fun and clever and others felt a bit random and finicky. In total it was as fun as exhausting to go through these levels.
I have attached the 24 replays but I think I have some backroutes.

Edit: Removed one replay in the attachment.

[Forestidia86]

I looked into playing the Insane difficulty:
2 levels seem to contain trampolines and are therefore showing missing terrain (18 - "Inside the fourth wall" and 20 - "Wrap your head around this one!").
Out of the 23 remaining I solved 16 and attached the replays. For the rest of the levels I really need a longer period of time of thinking and my head really needs a rest now.

[Proxima]

Versions of those levels without trampolines are here.

[Forestidia86]

Thanks Proxima, solved the no-trampoline variants.

[Forestidia86]

I have looked through Flingsane difficulty as well and solved 11 of 16 levels.
One level shows missing terrain (9 - "The Great Wall of Lix"). It seems to contain the old oriental tileset.
I managed to solve another Insane level. The solution of which is attached as well.

Some remarks:

Spoiler

In "Skyline Skydiving" you don't have to assign anything. I'm not sure if that's intended since it doesn't use flinging mechanic then.

The lix count of the Insane level "Dig This!" seems a bit high. It's like some hectic assignments in the beginning and then long waiting for all lix to come out.

[mobius]

@ Forestidia86: could you give us any comments on the difficulty curve of the pack? (so far)

[Forestidia86]

What do you mean with difficulty curve?
Within one difficulty? It didn't really seem to me like that but that is a matter of strengths and weaknesses I think. So I'm not sure if I can answer it properly.

Some personal impressions concerning difficulty:

Spoiler

The hardest level of Arcane was for me 14 -  "LixBot Lab" (combined precise execution and hard puzzle).
7 - "Over and Under and Out" had a hard puzzle.
16 - "Turning the Screws" was about that one tricky idea concerning blocker mechanic. 9 - "Runner Stunner" was a about one tricky idea as well.
12 - "Compression Method Infinity", 13 - "Builders Without Borders", 20 - "Send in the Square Squad" and 22 - "Beaten into shape" were nightmarish executionwise.
The first few levels really seemed a bit easier though 3 - "Things can only get Batter" was scary executionwise. 23 - "Sandy Knolls" felt easier as well.
I think I backrouted at least 18 - "Shopping Cart Race" (my solution trivializes the level and doesn't use the quirk of wrapping around) and 25 - "Santa's Workshop" (very hackish solution and skills left).
The Arcane difficulty generally felt more execution oriented than puzzle oriented. It's more about excitement and doing crazy things in lix. But things feel a bit random in some levels then.

The Insane difficulty on the other hand seems much more puzzle oriented. It's about tough puzzles designed to think a longer time but therefore have better reproducablity if you know the solution.
I would say it's the heart of the pack with clean to the point puzzles.
There the first level "Made to (mis)meassure" felt a bit harder whereas 2 - "Run around the block", 4 - "Redlined" felt indeed a bit easier for me. 8 - "Bumpy Ride" and 25 - "Hang in there!" were on the "easier" side as well.
16 - "Hall of Stalling" was about one tricky assignment idea. 10 - "We all fall down eventually" was a bit finicky but the puzzle was not that hard.
The levels that I haven't solved yet are: 6 - "Builders' Cracks", 7 - "Hello, Goodbye", 9 - "Pick me up", 11 - "Switchback Mountain", 15 - "Nothing to Lose", 19 - "Square Squabble"   
The two no-trampoline variants to 18 - "Inside the Fourth Wall" and 20 - "Wrap your head around this one!" seemed much easier compared to the other levels in Insane. I don't know if they were harder with trampolines. They are nevertheless cool levels.

The Flingsane difficulty is about a certain game mechanic. So it's difficult to pinpoint. Maybe here is even something like a difficulty curve.
I haven't solved there (apart from the level that has missing terrain): 8 - "Another Pick in the Wall", 13 - "Two bridges, too far", 14 - "Set Fire to the Rain"  , 16 - "Fling Me"

I haven't really played the Humane difficulty to this point.

Edit 2: Since I have talked about having a backroute in the level "Shopping Cart Race" I have attached a probably more intended solution.

Edit 3: I have a less executionheavy solution to "Send in the Square Squad" attached, which

Spoiler

doesn't use flinging. It still contains long waiting though. Sorry for the long period of doing nothing in my first replay of this level by the way. I probably have done something else in the waiting time. The now attached replay is much cleaner. 

It still feels a bit finicky but can probably done better.

[mobius]

those are exactly the kind of feedback I wanted; thank you