Lemmings Plus Series

[namida]

I've just noticed that the version of Psycho 1 "Variety Day" in Lemmings Plus Flashbacks (where it's placed at Hard 5) doesn't quite match the version in LPI, as it was modified to fix a backroute exclusive to the NeoLemmix version when LPI was officially moved over. I'll have to fix that...

EDIT: Done.

[namida]

I finally updated the NeoLemmix website with the "new" versions of the LPIII (and its bonus pack) levels (the differences being cutting out the empty space on the sides, and snapping one-way walls to terrain pieces in rough edged levels (most noticable on Martian levels that have them).

[namida]

Some more fixes on Lemmings Plus I; fixes two backroutes that arose due to the NeoLemmix conversion, plus one incredibly simple backroute that I have no idea how I overlooked for so long (it's probably existed since the first version ever).

Affected levels are Medi 27, Danger 3 and Danger 23.

http://www.neolemmix.com/old/lpi.zip

Hopefully there aren't too many more of these...

[namida]

In addition to my gameplay videos of (currently) GeoffLems, I've started a series where I talk about my thoughts (and background info) on the levels in the Lemmings Plus series.

You can find the playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVWvcY0oGEFy2xdl_GFAQXAvMRjFgHcO3

Just thought it might be interesting for any fans of the series, as well as other level designers who want some insight into my thinking process for these levels (though admittedly there's not much to be said in that regard for the earlier levels).

[namida]

Due to a bug in V1.30n relating to animated exits (specifically, the Rock and Psychedelic styles would be affected), all Lemmings Plus games have been updated to NeoLemmix V1.30n-B. The update is most important for Lemmings Plus I and Lemmings Plus Flashbacks; all others, the last official version was before this bug was introduced. The download links are the same as always.

[namida]

All of these have now been updated to V1.30n-D. This shouldn't matter too much for most packs, but it might be significant for Holiday Lemmings Plus and Lemmings Plus Omega, as the new update adds an option to use fixed shortcut keys for the skills instead of keys based on their positions on the skillbar.

[namida]

Now that the NeoLemmix Editor has a mass-conversion tool, who would be interested in SuperLemmini versions of Lemmings Plus I and II? (The others wouldn't be possible due to heavy use of NeoLemmix-exclusive features). Lemmings Plus I could pretty much be done right away, while Lemmings Plus II would need to wait until the graphic set tool supports exporting SuperLemmini graphic sets.

Lemmings Plus I could be done almost exactly as-is. The only levels I can think of off the top of my head that may have issues are Psycho 16 and Psycho 24.

Lemmings Plus II does use three features (albeit only at a rate of once per rank each) that SuperLemmini doesn't support; gimmicks, frenzies and secret levels. The Floater Frenzy levels should be workable (albeit a tad easier) by simply dropping Frenzy from them; while the others could be done perhaps by replacing the gimmick level in each rank with that rank's secret level, thus getting two birds with one stone. The bonus pack levels from Trial and Challenge could also be included, while Flight 7 and Rush 4 could perhaps be used if needed to replace levels that don't work in SuperLemmini.

(EDIT: On second thought, SuperLemmini doesn't support the one-way fields either... not too many levels use them though, and some of the ones that do could work without them with slight alterations (eg. Genius 19).)

(EDIT: After a brief look at SuperLemmini's graphic set format, it would appear it in fact DOES support the one-way fields! The only exists-in-traditional(-but-is-never-actually-used-in-a-graphic-set) object it doesn't support is the anti-blocker field; and that's assuming it isn't supported but just not documented; at any rate LPII definitely doesn't use those.)


EDIT: So, some thoughts have come up while I've been going through these packs again for the V1.31n-B update. Specifically, LPII Cunning 4 would be the most frustrating level in Lemmings history in SuperLemmini, due to the combination of timed bombers and having to replay from the start (yeah, there's action-replay, but you can't just savestate or jump back a few frames like you can in NeoLemmix). So, most likely, I'd replace that one with "When You Wish Upon A Lemming" (secret level in the Flight rank in Lemmings Plus II Bonus Pack).

[namida]

I'm currently working on upgrading all of these to NeoLemmix V1.31n-B. They'll be uploaded as they're completed; but due to mechanics changes they need quite a lot of re-testing (for example, in Holiday Lemmings Plus, four of the six Arctic levels turned out to need new replays (the two that didn't being Arctic 2 and Arctic 5) although no modifications to the levels themself were needed).

Starting with the smaller packs first, apart from Lemmings Plus Flashbacks which I think can safely be assumed to work if LPI, LPII and LPIII all work too.

(x) Lemmings Plus I
(x) Lemmings Plus II
(x) Lemmings Plus II Bonus Pack
(x) Lemmings Plus III
(x) Lemmings Plus III Bonus Pack
(x) Holiday Lemmings Plus
(x) Lemmings Plus Flashbacks
( ) Lemmings Plus Omega

The mechanics changes primarily relate to blockers and bombers... I'm finding it interesting how, some levels that make very heavy use of these don't even need a single change to the replay (eg: Genius 6), yet some where these skills play only a very insignificant part have to be almost or entirely remade from scratch (eg: Cheeky 21). xD

Gonna take a short break before I check LPI and LPO. The updates for all the others have been uploaded to both DropBox and the NeoLemmix Website; the new level image for Genius 19 has been uploaded too (though you probably won't notice the difference unless you look very closely). Fierce 15 doesn't need a new image as only the skillset is changed.


Levels with changes:
LPI: none
LPII: Genius 19
LP2B: none
LPIII: Fierce 15
LP3B: none
HLP: none
LPO:

[namida]

I'm feeling kinda tired, so I might leave Lemmings Plus Omega's update for tomorrow. The rest have all been updated to V1.31n, and I've confirmed that every level is possible (and all the secret levels possible to reach) under the new mechanics, as well as updating the provided replays. Out of all of those combined (plus Doomsday Lemmings), only a single level turned out impossible; Genius 19 of LPII. It's been altered slightly so that it's possible again. Fierce 15 of LPIII has also been modified, as one less miner is needed now for the intended solution, so I took one away.

EDIT: Lemmings Plus Omega has now been updated. No levels needed to be modified.

I'd say in total, about 20% of the levels needed minor alterations to the replay (eg. they may have had to be partly redone, anywhere from about half way through to "just the last few moves"), while only about 3~5% needed entirely new replays to be made from scratch or almost from scratch.  Out of the entire Lemmings Plus series *and* Doomsday Lemmings combined, only a single level actually became impossible due to the V1.31n+ mechanics changes, and one other needed a skillset change due to mechanics changes negating the need for one of the skills.

So, if Lemmings Plus is any indicator (which it probably isn't, since not everyone makes the same kind of levels, of course), only about 0.18% of levels will actually need revising due to the new mechanics changes.

[namida]

Although I haven't encountered or heard any cases of Lemmings Plus games being affected by the "phantom trigger areas" bug - in fact I don't think it even appeared until V1.32n (the latest official versions of Lemmings Plus games were V1.31n-B), as a precaution I've updated all of them to V1.32n-B.

[namida]

So, as I've mentioned as a possible feature several times, I'm adding an Achievements-like feature to NeoLemmix. And the first games to get these will be the Lemmings Plus series - LPIV will have them on release, for the remainder I'm doing them in order. All achievements will relate to a single level, so there's no "beat every level" type ones. However, as a somewhat symbolic thing, there will be an achievement in each main game (plus Omega and maybe Holiday) for beating the final level.

I won't reveal all of them, but here's 5 sample ones I've come up with for Lemmings Plus I. Note that current version players will *not* remember you've done this, so be sure to save a replay if you're trying them now.

Bronze: Complete Mild 13 without any builders.
Bronze: Save 100% on Wimpy 13.
Silver: Complete Wimpy 25 with no more than 3 builders.
Silver: Save 100% on Wimpy 30 without any floaters.
Gold example: Complete Medi 1 with no more than 4 builders, and no more than 2 each of any other skill.

[namida]

I've uploaded a V1.34n update of Lemmings Plus I (haven't done any of the others yet), which adds talisman support, and gives 23 challenges to try.

Before I release any other V1.34n updates, I'd like to let people have a go with this and see if they find any issues or have any recommendations on how the feature may be improved.

[Wafflem]

As I said before in the Achievements topic, this is a wonderful feature! I really can't wait to see it in the other Lemmings Plus games, most especially Lemmings Plus Omega.

On another note, how come you made Lemmings Plus Omega a side series when it used to be a main series? It's the one game that truly introduced the new NeoLemmix skills and helps people get acquainted to them (as well as makes very good use of the other NeoLemmix features). Also, I remember that one of the facts on the NeoLemmix site said that it is essentially LPIV but not called LPIV.

[namida]

Because there's an actual LPIV now. Or will be very soon, anyway. At the time, Omega was intended to be the closing game of the Lemmings Plus series, but now that the series has been resumed and an actual LPIV is being made, it didn't make a lot of sense to me to keep classing it as a main game. (And if you want to be technical, Holiday Lemmings Plus was the one to introduce 7 of the 8 new skills; it didn't have any levels that used Mechanics but all the other 7 appeared in it.)

I can assure you however that Omega will be getting talismans too, as will HLP and the two bonus packs. It's only Flashbacks that possibly won't, though I may also consider copying over to it any talismans relating to the levels included in it. As far as Lemmings Plus I goes, there are only two levels that appear in Flashbacks that have talismans associated with them (Wimpy 10 "Labyrinth of Despair", complete with no more than 3 of each skill, Gold (and also the hardest talisman in LPI); and Medi 16 "The Oddstack", complete in under 3 minutes, Bronze).


The Wimpy 10 talisman was actually inspired by the Lix version of this level (I believe it was remade by Proxima?), which only has 3 of each skill - but it adds a few more skill types, also with 3 each. The added skills are Jumpers, Batters, and most crucially, Platformers. In actual LPI, of course, your only constructive skills are builders. Initially I had that talisman as four of each skill, but then I got an idea of how 3 of each skill might be possible even without the extra skill types Lix gives you, and spent quite a while trying to find a way - and eventually found one. The solution I found uses the full 3 of each skill, although since it saves 92% (two lemmings more than required), you can reduce the number of floaters used - but you'll still need the full 3 of everything else. That talisman is right up there in difficulty with the Fierce levels in LPIII, if not harder.

[Wafflem]

I would recommend including Talismas in LPF. Since Lemmings Plus Flashbacks is supposed to be for introducing people to Lemmings Plus, including the Talisman will also be a great way to introduce people to solving the side challenges in each level.