Level Idea

[Timballisto]

I got an idea for a level or level pack.  What if there was a level that multiple people worked on?  One person would start it, and then when they were done pass it to the next person via email or upload.  It would keep going like that.  Before the level was even started though, it would have to be decided who would work on the level and the order of people who would work on it.

There'd be some rules:

Limited number of new terrain piece per person
Limited number of new objects
No altering any existing things
Limited number of skills allowed to be added

Does anyone have an idea of how we could work out statistics and level names?

[Conway]

This sound interesting. Perhaps each contributor could have a quota of 5 skills to add, and somebody would have to decide on the number of lemmings, someone would decide how many could die, and someone would decide upon a release rate. The title isn't really important, I don't think. How about just 'Collaborative Level'?

[Timballisto]

Collaborative level sounds good I suppose.  Everything else seems fine.

I think the rest of the rules should be:

10 terrain pieces
4 objects (unless you're starting - you can put in 1 exit and 1 entrance extra)

If we agree shall we start one?

I'm willing to start a level or work on another one someone else starts.

[Timballisto]

Okay. &#A0;So is this good?-


order

1.me
-lemmings given
-terrain set
2.Conway
-lemmings needed
-RR
3.Isu
-time

[Isu]

Cool Idea Timb'. I'm in! B)

I'm cool just as long as i don't have to start it.

[chaos_defrost]

I'm in, if it isn't too late...

[Shvegait]

Sounds fun  

I have to wonder if the final product will be anything worth playing though

[Conway]

Okay.  So is this good?-


order

1.me
-lemmings given
-terrain set
2.Conway
-lemmings needed
-RR
3.Isu
-time

  But we'll all be working on the terrain, won't we?

[guest]

I think I'm interested as well.

Just one thing:  I think it should be the last person in the chain who decides the time limit.  Because it might be hard to design a level with a pre-given time limit.

By the way, is this for LemEdit or Cheapo?

There's also a similar issue with exits.  I think it might be best if we allow everyone the option to move the exits around, so that it can be easier to accomodate your additions to the level.

I don't know how well this will work, but that's why we should try and find out, right?  

[Timballisto]

...wow.  I got a lot of feedback on this thing and I got it fast.

Um, so in regards to all mentioned issues-


terrain-

Of course we will all work on terrain.  Otherwise it would be pointless to do this.  I just mean that to make things less complicated person 1 will choose the terrain set that will be used to create the level.  For example, someone starts off the level and decides that the level will use the bubble set.  That is the set used.

Exits-

There are ways to work around this problem.  You could make the exit inaccesable somehow and then make a new exit.  You could make another separate trap door to exit area (kind of like one side goes to one exit and the other to one on the opposite side).  If this still bothers you, then personally I think we should get done with one level and then see how much of a problem this issue turns out to be.   Otherwise a huge argument could start over this and we'd never make a level!!!

lemedit/cheapo-

Good question.  Technically I guess it could be for either.  It would be alright with me but I wouldn't really want to start out with the level.  This may cause problems for some people, but that's okay.  This is okay because the people who prefer lemedit can just work on levels together and those who prefer cheapo could group up as well.  That way everyone gets what they want.

Time-

I have already thought of that and if you haven't already noticed I gave the last person in line the time job.

How well this will work-

That really depends on the people making the level and how well they build into each others' ideas.  My original idea was to see what would happen if a small simpler level idea was taken and then expanded upon by other people.  The end result could be of any quality, which to me seems to make it worth a couple tries even if we do mess up.

Deadline for joining groups-

is suppose the max amount of people working on a level would be six, considering the fact that I have six volunteers to pioneer this new thought including myself.  So, Insane Steve, you're in.  Shvegait it sounds like you're in but I'm not sure.  You can drop from the group later if you're not in  but for now I'll just stick you in.

Oh, and, guest, The person before you in the list will eventually need your real email address to send you the level.  Of course if you don't want to give it to whoever that is then I suppose we could always upload the level versions.

Mkay.  Here's the list as of yet-

1.me
-terrain set
-lemmings given
2.conway
-RR
3.Isu
-Lemmings needed
4.Insane Steve
5.Shvegait
6.Guest
-time

[Conway]

For the issue of the door/exit: What if one person decided where they will go when all the layout is built, and he is the only person not to have a hand at the terrain? That way, no one could be deciding exactly how the level will played and what route will/can be used.

[guest]

For the issue of the door/exit: What if one person decided where they will go when all the layout is built, and he is the only person not to have a hand at the terrain? That way, no one could be deciding exactly how the level will played and what route will/can be used.

Perhaps.  But who would volunteer for such a boring job, if he's not allowed to contribute terrain?

One possible way to minimize issues with having an exit that other people can't modify, would be the following:  if you decide to put an exit, unless you're the last person in the chain, make an effort to leave some open space around the exit where the next person can do something with.  That way, the exit would not place too much of a constraint on the people following you.

It's also true that the next person can always make things interesting by introducing a new entrance somewhere, so perhaps the exit issue isn't quite as bad as I originally thought.

[guest]

lemedit/cheapo-

Good question. &#A0;Technically I guess it could be for either. &#A0;It would be alright with me but I wouldn't really want to start out with the level. &#A0;This may cause problems for some people, but that's okay. &#A0;This is okay because the people who prefer lemedit can just work on levels together and those who prefer cheapo could group up as well. &#A0;That way everyone gets what they want.

The main reason I brought this up is because LemEdit place certain limitations on you.  In particular, a LemEdit level can only support up to 16 active objects (the remaining 16 will just become decoration with no actual effects on the Lemmings), up to 4 entrances, and 32 steel areas.  So if this is based on LemEdit it would be good for the participants to keep in mind these limitations as they develop their part of the level.

Other than that, I really don't care which one we use.

Oh, and, guest, The person before you in the list will eventually need your real email address to send you the level. &#A0;Of course if you don't want to give it to whoever that is then I suppose we could always upload the level versions.

Although I do usually put in fake e-mail addresses in my posts, occasionally I do put in a real one: guestlevels@yahoo.com.  

[guest]

following: &#A0;if you decide to put an exit, unless you're the last person in the chain, make an effort to leave some open space around the exit where the next person can do something with.

Let me clarify "open space".  I don't mean you have to leave a gigantic ring of nothingness around the exit.  Instead I just mean a relatively uninteresting area near/around the exit you throw in, such as a long, boring walk to the exit or something.  It could even be interesting visually; the point is to leave the area near an exit you introduce be "open for development", be it for others to enhance gameplay or enhance the look (or both).

[Proxima]

Mkay. &#A0;Here's the list as of yet-

1.me
-terrain set
-lemmings given
2.conway
-RR
3.Isu
-Lemmings needed
4.Insane Steve
5.Shvegait
6.Guest
-time

If you have six people, why not do it like this: (1) style (2) number of lems (3) RR (4) number to save (5) time (6) level title (and intro screen text, if Cheapo)? That way, you gain the option of having a title chosen at the end that reflects the level in some way; as well as letting everyone have some share in the level statistics....