Droidlings - Graphic Sets

[Johannes]

It has taken a lot longer than planned, but I've finally reached the point where I can start to share some contents from "Droidlings", my in-progress Android remake of Lemmings. First up: 3 of 5 new graphic sets!

For those of you who don't remember this thread from half a year ago, "Droidlings" will feature small, not overly intelligent androids with the same set of skills and problems as our beloved Lemmings. Provided with the appropriate data files, the game will also be capable of loading Lemmings levels.

Since I needed to hire an artist to help draw the graphic sets, the game will be available on the market as a both a paid app and a free "lite" version with a limited selection of levels. However, I am releasing the graphic sets to the public in order to get feedback, and, hopefully, to get some help in designing levels.

Please note that by using these graphic sets, you agree to let me use any levels created with these graphic sets for "Droidlings", or for any other purpose as I see fit.

In order to use the graphic sets with Lemmix, you will need to append the contents of "LemmixStyles.ini" to the LemmixStyles.ini file located in the Lemmix directory. You might also need to adjust the common path directory of the pack, depending on where you extract the Droidlings subdirectory. By default, CommonPath=C:\Lemmix\GameData\Droidlings\.

If you use some other editor/player, you will have to figure out how to use the graphic sets on your own http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/winktounge.gif" alt=";P" title="Wink-Tongue" class="smiley" />

The Examples subdirectory contains a few sample levels, one for each graphic set. Hopefully the levels are not too simple, even for the lemmingsforums crowd...

Looking forward to hearing your feedback and suggestions, and hopefully to seeing a few new levels!
Cheers,
Johannes

[mobius]

this sounds interesting. I might remake some of the levels I made for Lix or Lemmix (if I can). If it turns out I can't I give permission to use the ideas behind any of mine.

[Simon]

Hey,

at first, Lemmix failed to load the levels, requiring a nonexisting file (forgot the exact error message). Solution was to edit the style information, erase GraphicSetArchive=Droidlings_Xxxxx.lga
and just set GraphicSetArchive=.

Lemmix replays are attached for the three example levels.

In the brick set (used in Don't quit on me), the exit has a few flickering pixels in its rocky area near the top. The rock exit doesn't have them.

I like the city and rock tilesets best, they look extremely versatile.

-- Simon

[Johannes]

Thanks, I've updated the zip with the appropriate changes. I'll have to delay fixing of the pixel flicker until I get home though, I hope it's an easy fix.

How do you open replays for custom levels in lemmix? Is it possible from the level editor? Or do you need to somehow load the levels in the lemmix player? For some reason none of the keyboard shortcuts available in the lemmix player work within the editor preview (F2) for me.

Once I've finished the remaining two sets, I'll host a contest for level design, probably with some amazon gift certificates as a prize. Any levels made up to then will automatically be entered, so no need to wait. Stay tuned http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/cool.gif" alt="8)" title="Cool" class="smiley" />

[Simon]

Lemmix test player hotkeys:

[r] = Restart level.
[R] = [Shift] + [r] = Load replay. Must be done while already playing the correct level. Pops up a file select box.
[u] = Save replay. Filename is based on the level name and the user isn't prompted.

Lemmix Replays have no information about which level they're for.

-- Simon

[Johannes]

Nice, thanks!

And you found the intended solution at least for one level (Afraid of heights)...
I hope I fixed the backroutes on the other two levels, let's see what other backroutes remain http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/winktounge.gif" alt=";P" title="Wink-Tongue" class="smiley" />

[Simon]

Two replays for the updated levels, and a backroute for Afraid of Heights.

-- Simon

[Johannes]

Wow, 3 backroutes for 3 levels http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/embarrassed.gif" alt=":-[" title="Embarrassed" class="smiley" /> You really are harsh http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/thumbsup.gif" alt=":thumbsup:" title="Thumbs Up" class="smiley" />

The missing steel in "Afraid of heights" was due to a bug, not sure what happened there, but it should be fixed now.

For "Don't quit on me", I raised the height of the central pillar a bit more, which should make building over impossible...

In "The way is shut", I have no idea how to get rid of/avoid that top-of-the-level-glitch without redoing the top-left side, so I guess I'll have to leave it. Droidlings makes everything outside of the arena steel, so the glitch you used won't work http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/devil.gif" alt=":evil:" title="Evil" class="smiley" />

Thanks for testing! I'm amazed at how difficult it is to eliminate backroutes!

Oh, and the flickering pixels in the brick set's exit should be fixed as well. Thanks for spotting it!

[geoo]

I see you went through the work of making the graphics work in Lemmix and Custlemm, I guess it'd have been easier to do this for Lix (only downside is that you cannot have multiple sprite sheets, so you either have to play with the lix character graphics, or repeatedly swap files), I also prefer Lix' controls. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" />

Anyway, I had a go at these levels; I especially like the rock and city graphics. Time limit in the rock levels required me to execute basically the same solution twice though.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/undecided.gif" alt=":-\" title="Undecided" class="smiley" />
Basically everyone designing levels will have to go through the experience of repeatedly eliminating backroutes; some of my levels have had 6 or 7 revisions, and ccexplore's Brickout is at around a dozen and counting.

[Johannes]

Since Droidlings needs to be able to load the original data files (for when the user provides the assets from the original game), I decided to store the new graphics sets in the same format to make loading uniform. Honestly I never really considered a different format, but now I've got the tools to quickly generate .dat graphic sets, so it's not much of a hassle.

Oh, and yes, of course, 3 new backroutes for three levels http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" /> No idea how to fix the city one, but I've hopefully taken care of the other two http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/XD.gif" alt=":XD:" title="XD" class="smiley" />

Thanks!

[Simon]

Attached is a solution to the most recent Don't quit on me.

Fixing the steel on the rock level is a good thing. We discussed the level earlier in IRC, and were about to rage in case the hidden bashable area was the intended route. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" />

I also advise to take out time limits of most levels, unless they're the only way to fix a backroute. If you don't want to deviate from L1's time-limit-enforcing format, simply give 9 minutes. (further reading)

-- Simon

[Johannes]

Yay, finally a solution that's more or less like I intended http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/cool.gif" alt="8)" title="Cool" class="smiley" /> My solution dug the other way (from right to left), but your's uses the same concept and actually uses a builder less.

I wasn't too happy with the steel underneath (looked too clunky, I may need to work on the graphics some), so I instead used windows to prevent the route below. Hope that doesn't open up any new backroutes...

Time to start working on some new levels!

[Johannes]

Another level for you to find backroutes to. The snake pit.

Have fun!

[Simon]

Solution for Snake Pit. 8 minutes is a sane choice for the time limit. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" />

-- Simon

[Clam]

I'm able to backroute snakepit (just) by stretching the bridge, replay attached.