Level design contest #3!

[mobius]

Welcome to the Lemmings Forum level design contest! It is almost a whole year since our first contest!

First off, you don't have to design a level in order to participate.

The contest consists of two phases, a level design phase and the level solving phase. Each phase will probably last about 3 weeks.

In the level design phase, players can design a single level and submit it. The only restriction is that your level must contain 5 or less Lemmings. Any % required (other than 0) is acceptable.

At the beginning of the solving phase, all levels will be posted. Players try to solve the levels, and submit their solutions at the end, the aim being to solve as many levels as possible. Furthermore players can vote in three categories for: best looking and most fun level and most original level. Also you may rate the level on it's difficulty but this will not be factored into scores.

If you don't design a level (i.e. skip phase 1), you can still submit solutions and/or vote on levels. You can also design a level but not submit solutions/vote.


Level design phase.

Deadline
The deadline for level submissions is Sunday Dec 22th. (May be extended upon popular demand or if it turns out I get eaten by a whale, which is a possibility.)

Submission
You may submit only one level.
1. Post your level right here in this thread.
2. End your filename with a number corresponding to it's version (e.g. level1.lvl)
3. Players can attempt your level before the deadline.
4. Everytime you update your level, please post a notification and make clear which version of your level is the newest one (using this numbering method)
5. Late submissions will be excepted but will automatically lose one point in all voting categories, and author will be given a slap on the wrist.

Theme
The topic of the contest is: Design a level with 5 or less Lemmings. Any % required (other than 0) is acceptable.
You may use any of the classic terrains and even one of namida's new terrains which can be found here: http://www.lemmingsforums.com/index.php?topic=879.0
[note: to install and use these graphics you will have to consult namida, ccexplore or someone else knowledgeable about them]

Platform
The game the levels have to be designed for is Lemmix, specifically 'Custom Lemmings' viewer style. http://ericenzwaan.nl/eric/lemmings/lemmix.htm" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">Lemmix
You may use any program to make your level as long as it is in LVL format and 'Custom Lemmings' viewer style. If you have trouble setting up Lemmix or any of these programs, feel free to ask here.

Glitches
Levels must be solvable without glitches. To determine what is a glitch and what isn't, use these lists for reference: non-glitches and glitches. If some behaviour is not listed in the glitches list, you should be safe (unless it's something really obscure; try to use common sense here.) Note however that other players may use glitches to solve your levels, so you should try to protect your level against glitchy solutions.




Level solving phase.

Levels
All levels must be posted here by their authors before the level submission deadline.

Deadline

Monday, December 30. *is flexible*

Submission
-Solving may begin as soon as the first person uploads their level.
-PM your solutions (in LRB format) to their respective authors AND to me. I will keep a folder of all the replays until the end of the contest. you can use the "send to multiple recipients" features to send a message to two people at once.
======EDIT======
Once again, forgot that this forum doesn't have an attachment option on PMs

-One option is dropbox: a free, easy to use program that allows you to upload basically anything anywhere with a link. Really handy, the bearded professors recommend it.
-Another option is to email your solutions to me, (mailto:whatshuh@gmail.com" class="bbc_email">whatshuh@gmail.com) and I will send them to their respectful designers.

-I myself will not participate in the solving phase (at least I won't enter my self for scores though I may attempt and/or solve a few levels)
-

Don't forget to select 'Custom Lemmings' viewer style (right-click -> Change viewer style) when playing a level.
To save a replay after you solved the level in the Lemmix playtester, press 'u' and a replay file will appear in the Replay folder. To view a replay, select the level and go into the play tester, then press Shift+R.
-tips-
F keys are identical to DOS lemmings
press F to enable fast-forward mode
press space bar to skip ahead 10 seconds
press Control+F1 to save a state, press Shift+F1 to go back to that state


Scoring
-Player will get a point for every version of a level they solve for both backroutes and intended solutions.
-I will keep a record of all the solutions made.
-It is up to the designer of each level to decide what is and what is not a backroute. If a designer decides his level has multiple acceptable solutions; all these accepted by the designer will count as intended and NOT as backroutes.
-If player solves the same version of a level in totally different ways; and the designer acknowledges they are different, player will get points for both of these.


Voting

deadline
After the deadline of the solving phase everyone must upload their 'final' version of their level. This is the version that will be judged.
this phase will last one week. Votes must be cast by then.

voting:
submit your votes to me via PM.
I will make my own votes before everyone else and post them in one day before the deadline in an encrypted archive, and I will not change them. I will announce the password for the archive once the deadline has passed. (I have WinRAR but I do not know how to use encrypted archives so I may need help with that...)

Rate every level - give each level a rating between 1 and 10 in each category. 1 is the lowest score, 10 is the highest score. You must vote for every level in this Jam. The level with the highest combined score in each category wins!

categories are:
-best looking
-most fun
-most original
-difficulty (does not effect points)


Awards will go to:
-highest voted level in the three separate categories. So three separate awards here.
-most intended solutions found
-most backroutes found
-level with most backroutes
-level with fewest backroutes


That's it. Have fun!

I encourage everyone to post levels here, and discuss things (don't give away solutions though), to make this contest more lively.


APPENDIX 1:
Please correct mistakes that I may have made in this post. I am completely open to suggestion or changes in the rules.

APPENDIX 2:
during the contest I ask that everybody refrain (within reason) from PM'ing me about matters other than the contest so my box doesn't get too cluttered.

[namida]

I'm heading away later tonight for a week or so, but once I'll see what I can make. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" />

[jammer64]

Yippee! First iteration of my contest entry is completed. Puzzle is rather simple to find out, yet this level needs a great deal of concentration and reflexes http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" /> I believe there are more ways to pass it, still I was tweaking elements for particular solution.

Some details:

Title: Tree House
Tileset: Rock
Lemmings: 4
Time: 2:00
Release Rate: 1
Lemmings To Rescue: 100%

Enjoy!

[mobius]

well well, we already have our first contestant!  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/shocked.gif" alt=":o" title="Shocked" class="smiley" /> thanks for participating.

I will give this a look later. (although maybe I should not since I barely even begun making my own level.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/undecided.gif" alt=":-\" title="Undecided" class="smiley" /> Yeah I seem to be in total lack of a creative ideas lately)

----
Also I want to note that this may have been a bad time to start the contest around the holidays so it most likely will get extended as many people may be away at the end of December when the submission deadline is. Feel free to post and say if you're going to be away or would like more time) (or less time?)

[jammer64]

To start with - officially, Tree House can be solved in two ways - differences are connected with single lemmings rather than whole route as lemmings are separated and start from their own entrances.

Möbius and Proxima have already sent me their replays and I'm impressed. Thanks a lot, guys!

Möbius did it very close to official solution (and much more efficient in terms of builder usage than me) and I gladly count it as intended.

Proxima did it yet more clever way than I could predict but It was so brilliant that I don't want it to be counted as backroute to remove, more an alternative solution. What do you think?

P.S. Möbius - how did You manage to set two builders at the same time? http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" /> I thought that I blinked and missed a bit of action then.

[jammer64]

Gronkling also gave Tree House a go. Thank you, m8! He used only 1 basher and tamed all lemmings in very clever way. Definitely not the solution I would come up with but I love it a lot!

Hence I've decided not to establish any solution a backroute unless it's really nasty cheat that I'm not aware of. All solutions so far demanded reasonable amount of effort and level was completed in about 1:10-1:20. Thus:

- Möbius - intended
- Proxima - intended
- Gronkling - intended

[mobius]

very good. I like  this level, it was definitely harder than I thought at first glance. I usually have trouble with these type of levels. I won't say anymore so I don't give anything away to those who haven't played yet.

To start with - officially, Tree House can be solved in two ways - differences are connected with single lemmings rather than whole route as lemmings are separated and start from their own entrances.

Möbius and Proxima have already sent me their replays and I'm impressed. Thanks a lot, guys!

Möbius did it very close to official solution (and much more efficient in terms of builder usage than me) and I gladly count it as intended.

Proxima did it yet more clever way than I could predict but It was so brilliant that I don't want it to be counted as backroute to remove, more an alternative solution. What do you think?

P.S. Möbius - how did You manage to set two builders at the same time? http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" /> I thought that I blinked and missed a bit of action then.

I just used a hefty amount of pausing. They are not really at the same time.
I'm going to add some pointers for using Lemmix in the first post.

[Crane]

And here is my contribution to the competition - I've hopefully blocked off the most obvious backroutes, but I must never underestimate creative players or missing the painfully simple!

Thanatos Gambit

Tileset: Marble
Lemmings: 5
Target: 80%
Release Rate: 80
Time: 9:00

[jammer64]

Crane took on Tree House according to the plan. Thx, dude! http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" />

Tree House:

- Möbius - intended
- Proxima - intended
- Gronkling - intended
- Crane - intended

[Pieuw]

I played both levels, they're pretty good http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/thumbsup.gif" alt=":thumbsup:" title="Thumbs Up" class="smiley" />
I lack inspiration for mine, I hope I'll manage to make something before the deadline.

[jammer64]

Pieuw is another saviour. I must admit, this solution was really... simple and time efficient (he almost fit within 1 minute). Thanks, dude! Your gameplay is obviously legit, hence:

Tree House:

- Möbius - intended
- Proxima - intended
- Gronkling - intended
- Crane - intended
- Pieuw - intended

[Crane]

Well done to Pieuw for taking full advantage of my oversight and completing Thanatos Gambit with 100% saved!  Revised version will come in a day or so, just in case someone else finds another exploit.

EDIT: And Akseli found another backroute - bah!  Good job though... very good timing with multiple lemmings there.

Thanatos Gambit:

- Pieuw - backroute
- Akseli - backroute

[Crane]

I've patched the backroutes, even though part of the level had to be redesigned slightly to keep the same tool count (I want to keep it as 01 01 01 -- 04 04 04 -- due to the neat pattern, plus 4 = death!).  Hopefully the level still looks pretty to look at and has not obviously been bandaged.  I'll wait to see if any more solutions are sent in, then I'll upload the next version.

[jammer64]

Akseli joined the team of solvers and did it according to the plan. Thanks, man!

Tree House:

- Möbius - intended
- Proxima - intended
- Gronkling - intended
- Crane - intended
- Pieuw - intended
- Akseli - intended

[Crane]

Gronkling sort-of backrouted my level by partially penetrating steel plates (irritating!), and möbius found quite a good backroute.  Not looking good for me so far!

Thanatos Gambit:

- Pieuw - backroute
- Akseli - backroute
- Gronkling - glitch (penetrating steel plates)
- möbius - backroute

Here is the next version - hopefully this fixes all of the known exploits, including some I discovered: