CustLemm Level List Game

[Shvegait]

I wasn't sure whether or not to put this in the Level Designing forum or not, but the other Level List Game topics are here, so I think this makes more sense for consistency. Even though this isn't a level list game in the same sense, I'm just calling the thread this again for consistency.

This time, instead of reviewing levels from official games, we'll instead review user-created Lemmings levels. This topic will be limited to CustLemm/LemEdit levels. If someone else wants to start a Cheapo one, go ahead.

Since Timballisto suggested the idea and wanted his packs reviewed, we'll start with his first pack. (When I downloaded it, the levels weren't even in a pack, just individual levels. Timballisto, you might want to put them into a .dat pack for everyone's sanity. Btw, I'm calling your pack Timb01 instead of pack1...)

To get the screenshots, I just got different views of the level in DOSBox, took several screenshots, then put them together. It's not too difficult to do, but I've gotten pretty fast at it and wouldn't mind making screenshots for different people's levels on request.

Without further ado...



Timb01 - Level 1 - The Iron Puzzle

10 climb, 10 float, 5 bomb, 4 block, 3 build, 10 bash, 10 dig

80 Lemmings
87% to save
RR 1
Time: ? minutes (>10)

Good: It stays true to its name.
Bad: More than 10 minutes? You could finish it in just 1! Also, the hidden traps turn out not being hard to avoid at all.


A note: I'll be putting up all the screenshots for this topic on this server space that I have access to. The other screenshots for this pack can be found at this address:
http://www.jx3.net/tdg/shve/levelpics/
File name for the picture is Pack ID (in all lowercase, case sensitivity matters) + hyphen + level number.png

So timb01-2.png is the next one.

[Timballisto]

cool! &#A0;Oh, and after looking through all the pics I realized

"...Man...those levels were horrible!" &#A0;well, in difficulty atleast.

So, pick on em all you want- they needed help. &#A0;I'm glad to say I think I've gotten better at making levels .

I'd also like to note that my levels aren't supposed to be more difficult as they go through the pack.  I don't know how to put levels in order.  What's the order of levels played?  Is it 1,5,2,3,4,0?  Actually, when does the 0 level get played?

[Isu]

The levels in custlemm should play in the order you saved them in the pack. (0,1,2,3,etc...)
That particular order is familiar to the order of the levels in level009.dat (The datafile containing the first Fun levels). Here is a complete list to the order of the levels in "level009.dat".

Level in pack -> Level in game

#0 -> Level 30 Mayhem
#1 -> Level 1 Fun
#2 -> Level 4 Fun
#3 -> Level 5 Fun
#4 -> Level 6 Fun
#5 -> Level 2 Fun
#6 -> Level 3 Fun
#7 -> Level 7 Fun

#8 -> Not Used
#9 -> Not Used

In other words, the order is 1, 5, 6, 2, 3, 4, 7.
The most annoying thing is that this system is not consistent in all the packs. Lemmings loads each level pack differently (See "Mike, I want to ask you" topic). When I find the orders of other packs I'll let you know.

Levels #8 and #9 are not used in any of the level00X.dat files.

Oh, and Shvegait, there is already a cheapo level list game.

[Shvegait]

Oh, and Shvegait, there is already a cheapo level list game.

While this is true, only the "Crazy" set was reviewed, because they were the levels that came bundled with Cheapo. But yes, perhaps it should just be adapted to review other levels as well. Not sure what I was thinking

Timballisto, your levels were in a zip file with level names "Jeff1", "Jeff2", etc. I just put those in order in the set, and that's how they are numbered here. If that's unsatisfactory feel free to change it, it's your set after all. Not all levels have to necessarily be in order of increasing difficulty, though.

[Conway]

This looks like a fun game! Are we reviewing all the levelpacks, one after the other, from each designer, or just one at a time? Like, we could do all Timbalisto's packs, then all of the next member, or we could just do his first pack, then somebody else's pack, and so on. Anyway . . .


  Timb01 Level 2 - Lemmings on the Roof
  Save: 75/80
  Time: 8 minutes
  RR: 1
  Skills:
    Climbers: 1
    Floaters: 1
    Bombers: 2
    Blockers: 3
    Builders: 8
    Bashers: 1

  Good: Much more of a puzzle that the previous level, and a nice built up layout.
  Bad: The actual solution is more boring than the apparent route!

  Also, we could each extract images of our own levelpacks and send them to Shvegait if we want them reviewed. I'll have to find time to do mine later on . . .

[Shvegait]

Conway, I was thinking of going one pack at a time and then switching up the authors (or maybe a couple of packs at a time, but not necessarily all of them). This way we spread the feedback around, and also are able to keep everyone involved. If we were to do all of your levels in a row, for example, we'd be here for quite a long time, and you'd be unable to participate (though I'm sure it still would be interesting to you)... know what I'm saying?

About images, I don't mind going through everyone's packs and taking screenshots, etc. I've got a pretty fast and consistent method for doing this and it really only takes a minute or two for each level, depending on size of course. Plus my classes are just ending now and I'll have a bit of free time to kill for a little while.




Timb01 - Level 3: &#A0;Lost mines - Through the furnace

2 blockers, 20 builders, 5 bashers

80 Lemmings
87% to save
RR: 20
Time: 7 minutes

Good: The starting area is interesting. It can be tough to isolate the lemmings, especially if you're going for 100%. Also, you only have a limited number of bashers, so you can't be wasteful. This level starts a little story for the lemmings that goes on for the next few levels.
Bad: It winds up being pretty easy because you only need to save 87%. Also this is one of those levels where one lemmings does everything while the rest are held back by a blocker.

[Timballisto]

I have an idea

Since I was priveleged with getting the first review, I can keep track of this for awhile.

I think we should have a few simple rules as follows:

1.If you want your pack reviewed, say so and which one, and then I'll add the request to the end of the list of reviews in line.

2.You can't review the same pack twice unless for some reason the majority of the members want to.

3.If you sign up for a review, you can't sign up for another one until atleast two other reviews are requested.

For this to work, we should try to keep the reviews moving at a fair pace, as I know several people have made tons of level packs.

Thanks for the reviews.  The bads give good criticisms so far and will help me with future levels.

[Shvegait]

Hmm, I had a slightly different idea in mind.

Instead of having to ask people to review your levels, how about nominating other authors' level packs?

So I could propose that we do Conway's first pack after this one. It's more fun this way, imo, than the other, which feels like work almost.

What does anyone else think?

[Timballisto]

That's good for me.  Sure, why not do Conway's next.

[Conway]

I agree with Shvegait. It's far better and more democratic to nominate a levelpack to be reviewed than for the author to have to ask. Maybe the rules could look like this:

  1. At any time while a pack is being reviewed, a member can suggest the next levelpack.

  2. If you don't want your levelpack(s) reviewed, you must explicitly say so. If the author of a nominated levelpack doesn't permit or refuse the review, we can assume it's okay. Otherwise we could be waiting indefinitely to review packs from members such as Jaunjo, Gareth or Steaver, who have made some great levels, but hardly ever visit.

  3. You cannot review the same pack twice unless for some reason the majority of the members want to.

  4. You cannot review two levelpacks in a row from the same author.

  5. As with the Lemming Level List Game, you must give a good and bad point about the level you are reviewing.

  6. As with the forum rules, no double posting, ect . . .

  7. You cannot review your own level, but I suppose that goes without saying!

  I'm okay for any of my levelpacks to be reviewed. I'll get on with those screenshots if you haven't already, Shvegait.

[Shvegait]

Those guidelines sound good. I somehow doubt we'd ever have a case to re-review a pack, unless it was updated. And like in the other Level List Games, anyone can feel free to make a comment on an already reviewed level even if they didn't review it

Conway, your first pack's screenshots are up, by the way.

[Conway]

  Timb01-4 - Lost Mines - Going Underground!
  Save: 20/40
  Time: 5 minutes
  RR: 50
  Skills: 10 of everything

  Good: Nice, short layout.

  Bad: 50%? That's almost insulting! Try 100%; now there's a decent challenge!

  Shvegait, thanks for the screenshots!

[DragonsLover]

What is the quickest way to get screenshots of our levels?

Is it better to get screenshots from LemEdit or from CustLemm?

[Conway]

Custlemm doesn't work in Dosbox, does it? And as far as I know, it needs to be windowed to get a screenshot.

[Timballisto]

I've done full screen shots-although how I don't know :p