Level design contest #1 - results!

[Akseli]

I guess this is an obvious backroute for Tier Drops v2.

[Crane]

Ah geez, nice find - I didn't think they could fit through there.  Hopefully this addresses it.  Hopefully this level won't require as many revisions as Prize Catch - this level is meant to be a little simpler and more elegant.

Geoo, if you want the official solution, I've made a replay of it that I can PM to you if you're interested.

[geoo]

So what's the plan now? Each of our final revisions goes into a Custlemm pack?

Yes, I uploaded the pack with the latest versions of all levels here: http://lemmings-db.camanis.net/levelpack/ag1zfmxlbW1pbmdzLWRichELEglMZXZlbFBhY2sYwq8FDA/" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">http://lemmings-db.camanis.net/levelpack/ag1zfmxlbW1pbmdzLWRichELEglMZXZlbFBhY2sYwq8FDA/
(The trigger area of the latest trap you added wasn't working, so I lowered its index to make it work again.)

[Crane]

Aah, cool.

[geoo]

Ah geez, nice find - I didn't think they could fit through there.  Hopefully this addresses it.  Hopefully this level won't require as many revisions as Prize Catch - this level is meant to be a little simpler and more elegant.

Geoo, if you want the official solution, I've made a replay of it that I can PM to you if you're interested.

Thanks, you can send it if you want, but I'll just try until I find the intended solution myself. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" />

Solved this new version, saving 3 skills.

[ccexplore]

Here's a backroute (uses glitches) and a likely intended solution for v3.  I haven't looked at geoo's yet, but the backroute may well be similar if not same as his.  I do like the non-backroute solution. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/cool.gif" alt="8)" title="Cool" class="smiley" />

[ccexplore]

One more backroute solution for Tier Drops v3 which is glitch-free but with 2 leftover skills.  Can be modified for 100% (with slightly more glitchy moves).  [edit: added a variation of the backroute with slightly glitchier moves, 4 leftover skills and saving 100%]

[Crane]

The non-backroute replay is indeed the intended solution - good job.  The bombing and digging tricks with the steel up top are easily fixed by moving the steel plates down below to the left slightly - the bomb-bash-dig one may require an extra steel area, but the bombing trick through the one-way wall will need evaluation.  I'm a bit confused though, why does bombing work there? The lemming is standing on steel - in fact the steel area extends a few units above the steel plates - do one-way walls override steel?

(Tested - bombing the blocker doesn't work, so I am pretty confused and not quite sure how to fix this exploit...

...other than thickening the wall and making it obvious that you shouldn't bomb or dig there - ideally not what I want to do due to aesthetics and symmetry, plus it makes the level easier to solve, but I may not have much choice, especially if the level is ever ported to Lemmini.

)

[ccexplore]

Blockers can cancel nearby steel and one-ways.  You blow up one of the walker lemmings that got squeezed between the wall and the blocker.  The lemming has to be closest to the blocker when it explodes to benefit from the canceling, so it's slightly tricky to time.

You have limited options to fix.  Besides thickening the wall, it might work if you make the floor thinner so that the bomb crater breaks through the floor, but that still makes it "obvious" that the bomber can't be used, plus it hasn't been ruled out yet whether you can start the explosion slightly higher if you use the climber and builder on the exploding lemming.

[Crane]

Blockers can cancel nearby steel and one-ways.  You blow up one of the walker lemmings that got squeezed between the wall and the blocker.  The lemming has to be closest to the blocker when it explodes to benefit from the canceling, so it's slightly tricky to time.

You have limited options to fix.  Besides thickening the wall, it might work if you make the floor thinner so that the bomb crater breaks through the floor, but that still makes it "obvious" that the bomber can't be used, plus it hasn't been ruled out yet whether you can start the explosion slightly higher if you use the climber and builder on the exploding lemming.

I might try some "thin steel" then.  I don't think you can use a Climber or Builder because the steel area extends a few pixels above the floor (but not high enough that it affects bashers).

Here is version 4 - I do feel the safeguards I've put in to patch up the exploit are a little tacky and obvious - if it comes to the worst, I can cut my losses and just put a solid steel floor back in.  The other changes:

- Steel areas next to drops extended outwards (so fallers can't blast holes in the plates).
- One-way arrows moved upwards slightly - they look neater as a result and also stop a previous backroute equally as well as lowering the steel above them (which has now been raised back up as a result), while still acting properly as one-way arrows.
- Steel plates above the one-way arrows moved slightly to the left and upwards slightly (see point above).
- Extra steel block between the two leftmost trapdoors to patch a backroute.

What do you think? Should I cut my losses put a solid steel floor back in, especially since the exploit is hard to pull off?

[geoo]

I haven't watched the other solutions posted yet, but here's a solution to version 4:

[Crane]

Good find, geoo.  Here is revision number 5.  I have changed the way I address that infamous glitch that ccexplore exploited, admittedly in quite a cruel way!  I just felt the last fix was messy and not aesthetically pleasing.

Please let that be the last of the backroutes!  Been fun making and fixing these levels though.

POST SCRIPTUM: I can't simply lower the floor because that causes problems with the trigger areas.

[geoo]

The route which I suspect is ccexplore's glitch route from your discussion works again, you'll have to increase the size of that hole ever so slightly.

And another solution which might just be the intended one. Took me a while to find it, quite nice!