Official Lemmings Forums Level Design Contest #1 (Playing)

[namida]

Alright, level submissions for the first contest have now closed, so it's time to start playing the levels and deciding what ones you like and so on!

Here are some rules for this topic:

1. You are allowed to discuss anything you like about the levels, be it your ideas on solving them, your opinions on the appearance of the level, etc.
2. Any details relating to the solution of the levels, unless very vague, must be spoiler-tagged. For example, "I liked that trick" is fine, "I liked that trick near the end" is probably also fine (though use some discretion), "I liked that cloner trick near the end" should probably be spoilered, and "I liked the trick where you clone the lemming then bomb both versions while the zombie is falling" definitely needs to go behind a spoiler tag.
3. Posting replays of your solutions is perfectly acceptable.


So, now on to the levels... If you were wondering, I've listed them in alphabetical order of the creator's names. We have four NeoLemmix submissions and one Lemmini submission; no one submitted any Lemmix or SuperLemmini levels.

The downloads are in a ZIP attached to this post. For convenience, a copy of the Shadow tileset for Lemmini has also been included in the ZIP.

Precarious Construction (Part 2) by Crane
Format: NeoLemmix
Graphic set: Tree

Shadowrun by IchoTolot
Format: Lemmini
Graphic set: Shadow

Careless Oasis by keiya
Format: NeoLemmix
Graphic set: Desert

General Tsao's Lemming by möbius
Format: NeoLemmix
Graphic set: Psychedelic

Lost in Colourland by Nepster
Format: NeoLemmix
Graphic set: Psychedelic


To run NeoLemmix levels, you can either rename them 0101.lvl, 0102.lvl, etc then use LookForLVLFiles (with NeoCustLemmix), or load them in the NeoLemmix Editor and use the playtest mode. You don't need to download the styles or anything; NeoCustLemmix already includes them.

To run Lemmini levels, copy the "Shadow" folder into the Styles folder (if you don't already have it) to set up the style... as for how to run the level itself, I'm not entirely sure as I haven't used Lemmini in a while. IchoTolot's post just below this one should be able to tell you what you need to know for that.


Voting will open in about a week; this is to give everyone time to get familiar with the levels first rather than rushing to vote. There's no specific criteria as to what you should be considering when you vote - it's just which levels you like the most overall, no matter what your reasoning behind it may be.

The voting structure - though this is not "set in stone" so feel free to discuss it if you think it should be done differently - will be that votes are done in two rounds; the first round contains all the levels, and each user gets 3 votes. This will probably last 3-4 days. Whichever two levels have the most vote shere will go through to the second round, which will last the same time but one vote per user; this will determine first and second place. In the event of a tie in the second round, the one that had more votes in the first round will win; I haven't yet thought about how to handle if there's a more-than-two-way tie in the first round, or if the two levels tied in the second round also tied in the first. Suggestions on that are welcome.

[IchoTolot]

To play my level you must simply click on load level and choose the level itself after you copied the Shadow style into the style folder    (music will be random this way)

And saving replays only seems to work if the level is in a pack (I've recorded a video of each level I have made with the intended solution until I strip them all together in my pack). So I can upload the vid on youtube if everyone has played through it, to see if it has been backrouted.

[IchoTolot]

Ok here are my replays for the other levels  (attachment    all played as 0101.lvl in the player)

[mobius]

To play my level you must simply click on load level and choose the level itself after you copied the Shadow style into the style folder    (music will be random this way)

And saving replays only seems to work if the level is in a pack (I've recorded a video of each level I have made with the intended solution until I strip them all together in my pack). So I can upload the vid on youtube if everyone has played through it, to see if it has been backrouted.

U can save replays without a pack. After completing the level ; replay once then go to ur lemmini folder and find the replay file. Copy and rename it. That's it.

It's the same in super lemmini but the file is called "temp"

[namida]

Ok here are my replays for the other levels  (attachment    all played as 0101.lvl in the player)

NeoCustLemmix doesn't do any verification as to whether you're playing the "same" level or not, so it doesn't matter how one plays the level, they can still view your replay. (Other NeoLemmix players (eg. Lemmings Plus III onwards, or the NeoLemmix players of the official games) *do* check for the correct level.)

[IchoTolot]

Ty for the tipps    will make a replay of my level later or tomorrow.

[Crane]

Ugh - backroutes.  I confess I'm getting frustrated at my oversights.

[Nepster]

@IchoTolot: Thanks for the replay , even though it is a backroute. I will post a replay of the intended solution a day or two before voting starts.

@namida: What about backroute fixes? Are we supposed to post them here during the contest or should we on the contrary refrain from posting ones, because it is the level we handed in that are going to be voted on?

@All: I have made replays as well and here they are.
Furthermore some comments on the levels. Note: Even though they are hidden, they contain only very mild spoilers. Nevertheless I would recommend trying all levels before reading the comments.
Precarious Construction (Part 2) by Crane:

Spoiler

Nice layout. However the solution is not really special and something you would remember for years to come. Edit: Just seen Crane's last post and I suspect that my solution is a backroute as well.

Shadowrun by IchoTolot:

Spoiler

Reverse the comment on Crane's level: A brilliant solution, but not quite an eye candy and having to select (actually twice and precisely!) the i-th lemming (for some 5<i<15) in a 99RR-lemming crowd takes away some fun. A RR of 95 (perhaps with only 15 lemmings) would have been better in my opinion.

Careless Oasis by keiya:

Spoiler

The easiest and most beautiful looking level in the set. Try to get 100%.

General Tsao's Lemming by möbius:

Spoiler

A elaborate version of a theme I first encountered in Ben Conways level "Good neighbours" (Conway11.dat) and later in one or two more levels. Even though the left third is not terribly interesting, this level adds some twists to the theme just mentioned. Especially the diggers seem rather useless on the first glance.

[namida]

@namida: What about backroute fixes? Are we supposed to post them here during the contest or should we on the contrary refrain from posting ones, because it is the level we handed in that are going to be voted on?

The level that you entered is the one that's going to be voted on. Feel free to post a fixed version once the contest is over, or to post a replay of the intended solution if you prefer. (Do keep in mind that backroutes don't always break a level's popularity, prime example being Mayhem 13.)


I myself am hoping to get a proper look at these levels later today.

[mobius]

sorry but how do you save replays in NeoLemmix? Shift R doesn't bring up a menu like it did in Lemmix.

[IchoTolot]

Press U while playing to save a replay. Press L to choose a replay to be played while playing the level   (knowing that thx to namida  )

[Crane]

I'm sorry, but I'm not cut out for this.  I'm just terrible and deluded.  I can't even spot simple and obvious solutions like that, and I can't even solve anyone else's levels (except Careless Oasis, and I even failed that on the first try due to bad skill placement).  My own score:

0 for Precarious Construction (Part 2).

[namida]

Like I mentioned in the other topic, backroutes don't nessecerially make a level bad. It just means they have an unintended solution. Mayhem 13 is the best example of this - despite at least two backroutes, it's still a very well-liked level. Likewise, this isn't just about "hardest level" - it's about "best level", which means that if your level is fun to play and/or people like the appearance, it still has a shot at winning.


Anyway, I had a quick go at these levels (except Shadowrun as I haven't set up Lemmini on this PC yet), and I must say, they're pretty  challenging. I came close on Precarious Construction (Part 2), but didn't manage to beat it yet - I got 96%, but that's the best I could acheive so far. Careless Oasis I did manage to beat; while it is a simple and small level, I did like...

Spoiler

the trick of, when releasing the crowd, having to bounce the builder off the left blocker.

General Tsao's Lemming, I had some ideas on but I haven't been able to put together a full solution yet. And Lost in Colourland has me pretty damn stumped so far.

[mobius]

namida; what does left clicking do? what is that arrow that appears?  on that note; how do you select only walkers?

Anyway--I looked at some of the levels and agree with namida's comments. I haven't really tried hard on any yet. I really liked the design and look of Precarious Construction (Part 2) [why the part 2? unless it's a secret] This level looks familiar to me.. but then most levels do to me because, Idk why. And I find no immediately obvious solution.
Lost in Color land looks really hard from the start. Looks odd in the editor because of the exit. [but looks good]
I haven't yet look at Icho's but I will.

Nepster solution to my level is not intended. Don't know how difficult it is, I'll wait for more comments/backroutes. This level isn't really one that's easily backroute fixable at all.
[at least

Spoiler

both exists were used and all climbers/floaters were used. I was very afraid a much more major backroute like breaking that aspect of the level was going to happen

I think I forgot to mention; it's heavily inspired by two older levels; Technoir by Lacktardo and Fall Guy by BulletRide

[namida]

namida; what does left clicking do? what is that arrow that appears?  on that note; how do you select only walkers?

That's right-click (though if you have your mouse set to left-handed, I think it swaps these); but anyway, it "highlights" the lemming. When you have a lemming highlighted, you can assign a skill to it by right-clicking the skill. (EG: Right click "Lemming A", then right click builder, and Lemming A will build.)

To select only a walker, Ctrl + Click.

If you prefer the normal right-click and click to select a walker, turn on the "Right click / Ctrl Invert" in the settings. If you do this, then Ctrl+Click will highlight a lemming, while right click will only select walkers.

As an extra note that may be useful for some, in NeoLemmix you can also pause/unpause by middle-clicking.