Experimental Releases for Physics Bugs

[namida]

Another new one. This one introduces the new replay format (which has been quick-tested but not thoroughly tested yet). Old format replays are still supported for loading, but it only saves new-format ones. It also includes all of Nepster's recent changes.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5x5cd99pxgm54q8/NeoLemmix_Experimental_VExNf1.46n.zip?dl=0

As far as I know, no packs have been tested against the very latest physics fixes, but NepsterLems and Deceit's Lemmings have been tested against physics very close to the current ones so should still be solvable, if you're looking for a pack to properly play on this. As far as I'm aware, neither of these packs use styles outside of the ones supported in this version.

Supported graphic sets are same as above, plus the LPIV sets (or in other words - all graphic sets that ship by default with the stable version). The background in Dirt levels is not intended to be permanent, but it's more to show off this feature; if you don't like it, delete the "dirt_bg.png" file in styles/themes. The VGASPECs that weren't already supported before, still aren't (or in other words - it's still only the Orig, Prima and Covox ones that work). I don't want to release the tools needed to convert custom graphic sets at this stage as it's likely the format is going to change more, but I'll look into converting some of the auto-downloadable ones with the next update.

Known significant issues:
- Traps / teleporters with custom sound effects (eg. the teleporter in LPIV_Space, the landmine in LPIV_Wasteland) are silent
- The mass replay checker is broken
- Using a destructive skill very close to the edge of the level may cause the game to crash

If you'd like to see constructs in action, you can see an example in styles/pieces/marble/terrain/escher.nxcs (it's a slightly modified, for testing purposes, version of the block in the middle of Fun 11 / Taxing 18). You can refer to it in a new-format level file (to obtain such a file, just do a mass level dump from any NXP that only uses the supported graphic sets) the same way as you'd refer to any other terrain piece; just change the "SET" and "PIECE" lines to "marble" and "escher" respectively. Both escher.nxcs itself and any new-format level file are plain text files, so you can modify them with any text editor.

Also, there's currently no support for UI actions in replays. If the discussion topic leans towards having support, I'll add it in to the new replay system.


Please let me know if you get any access violations when performing backwards frameskips. I noticed this issue in some past ExNf versions, but haven't seen it happen in quite a while now, so it's possible Nepster fixed it, or that one of us unknowingly fixed it as a side effect of another change (since the actual cause was never determined). Even better if you can work out how to consistently reproduce these, but simply alerting me to that it's still happening is still very useful.

[namida]

Here's a minor update to the above one.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6godvlwls89df3p/NeoLemmix_Experimental_VExNf1.46n-B.zip?dl=0

The mass replay checker is now working again, and (at least as far as I can tell) destructive skills near the edges of levels no longer cause crashes. Also, the previously-unnoticed issue of preplaced lemmings not showing up in mass dumped images / on the preview screen is fixed too.

The issue with custom sound effects has not yet been fixed.

One new issue I discovered, is that preplaced lemmings are placed one pixel too high. This is probably an issue with the style conversions, not with the game itself, so I need to look into that more before I apply any fixes.

I also still need to fix the positioning of some of the Santa lemming sprites...

(EDIT: For the record, I mass-tested a large collection of NepsterLems replays that Nepster sent me (though they only cover levels up to the end of the 4th rank, as I requested that he only send them for levels I've beaten myself) and the overwhelming majority of them still work. So, I would be very surprised if NepsterLems isn't solvable even on this newest version, since it's been tested against a version not far behind and the only major physics change lately relates to a skill that isn't used in NepsterLems.)

[namida]

Here's a new experimental version. This is basically (minus some still-to-be-done bugfixes) the upcoming V1.47n update.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zh5syt1nc4wb0dc/NeoLemmix_Experimental_V1.47n_Exp.exe?dl=1

NXPs compiled for V1.43n-F will give a compatibility warning on this version. Here's an experimental Flexi Toolkit that marks them as V1.47n-compatible. (If you want to mark it as compatible with both, look under the "Advanced Options" button. For marking as V1.43n-F-only, use the stable version.) It doesn't yet support NXRP replay files for the replay manager.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvj2e7wxw71mcyg/FlexiToolkit.exe?dl=1

[namida]

Updated both the experimental player and experimental Flexi.

Player:
- Fixes a bug with some graphic sets crashing (it's somewhat random what ones will have the issue, and re-saving it from GSTool may fix a broken one (or break a working one); but at any rate, this update fixes the issue altogether)
- Fixes the bug where lemmings aren't drawn on the minimap
- Background colors are supported even for old-format graphic sets (need a not-yet-released experimental of GSTool to do this)

Note that autodownloading of graphic sets doesn't work in this copy. I've fixed this for the next experimental version.

Flexi Toolkit:
- Filename of imported replay files is now used when adding (but not when replacing; it keeps the one of the replay being replaced)
- NXRP replays are supported


EDIT

Another update to Flexi Toolkit:
- You can now download graphic sets from the NeoLemmix Website directly into your project

[namida]

Uploaded another update to the player. Fixes:

- Graphic set auto-downloading now works again
- Fixes the swimmer-climber bug and implements the currently-strongest proposal for relaxed platformer assignment checks (note: the latter is not yet 100% confirmed as a permanent change)
- Fixes the cut off pixel of terrain at the bottom and right of the screen
- Fixes several issues relating to preplaced lemmings, converted-from-Lemmini levels, and those two things combined with each other

EDIT: And another!

- Fixes the issue with non-default Autosteel settings not working
- Implements adjustable volume for sounds and music

[namida]

Uploaded another update which integrates some recent fixes by Nepster (including a fix to that trigger overlap bug), as well as glider shadows.

[Nepster]

Warning: Do not yet rely on the behavior of overlapping trigger areas (which has yet to change), nor on the blocker-force-field interactions (which cannot overlap at the moment, but this may change again in the near future).

[namida]

In general, I would not advise relying on V1.47n behaviours at this stage. For anything you intend to release in the near-future, I would recommend primarily targetting V1.43n-F (and thus, only using behaviours / features / etc that it supports) for now, but you can also test that it works with V1.47n if you like.

If it's a more long-term project (let's say, if you don't intend to release for a couple of months or so), you can probably target V1.47n, in which case, take heed of Nepster's warning.

[Proxima]

Can't we just say don't rely on the behaviour of overlapping trigger areas, ever, as it's bad level design? The player shouldn't be expected to know the inner workings of the game mechanics. Erik Hermansen, the creator of DROD, put it this way in his advice to level architects: Don't expect players to be DROD scientists. I would say this goes for most puzzle games.

[namida]

Can't we just say don't rely on the behaviour of overlapping trigger areas, ever, as it's bad level design? The player shouldn't be expected to know the inner workings of the game mechanics. Erik Hermansen, the creator of DROD, put it this way in his advice to level architects: Don't expect players to be DROD scientists. I would say this goes for most puzzle games.

I would agree for the most part; one exception would be with water overlapping other objects (due to swimmers). Even V1.43n-F handles this correctly.

[namida]

Experimental editor release (at last): https://www.dropbox.com/s/ditkyiemhm93ss7/NeoLemmixEditor.exe?dl=0

I haven't implemented support for graphic set mixing yet. Nor have I removed some no-longer-supported features. So the only real difference is that it has support for locking the release rate.
(EDIT: Newest update has now removed the gimmicks menu, and the "Ghost" option for preplaced lemmings / entrances.)

You'll need to download the stable version of the editor, then replace the EXE with this one.

Please be aware that playtest mode currently does not work properly with custom graphic sets. This is a known issue.

[namida]

Uploaded an update for both the player and the editor to fix the issue with playtest mode on custom styles.

Please be aware that attempting to use playtest mode with this new editor experimental and an older player version (whether stable or experimental) will not work, and vice versa.

[namida]

Updated the experimental again. Includes Nepster's recent physics fixes, a fix for the issue of new version's settings overriding old version's, a fix for the crash on levels with custom window orders, and custom sound effects now work.

[IchoTolot]

Updated the experimental again. Includes Nepster's recent physics fixes, a fix for the issue of new version's settings overriding old version's, a fix for the crash on levels with custom window orders, and custom sound effects now work.

Which link contains the new version?

Does the first post in this topic got the most recent one? As that version seems outdated to me.

I don't really know which link in which topic (as there is the "upcomming update" topic as well) contains the actual newest version anymore

The first post in each of the 2 topics should contain the newest exp version to player and editor, then it should be clear to everyone (if they do not already, I don't 100%ly know )

[namida]

Here are the latest links:
Player: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zh5syt1nc4wb0dc/NeoLemmix_Experimental_V1.47n_Exp.exe?dl=1
Editor: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ditkyiemhm93ss7/NeoLemmixEditor.exe?dl=1
Flexi: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvj2e7wxw71mcyg/FlexiToolkit.exe?dl=1
GSTool: https://www.dropbox.com/s/cam8ncyjnoloj30/GSTool.exe?dl=1

Note that the Editor is only the EXE; the rest of the files you can use the copies from the stable version.

Also, there is a known bug with teleporters taking longer than they should to trigger the receiver / release the lemming in this latest experimental version (not present in earlier versions). I've passed details on to Nepster.