[DISCUSSION][PLAYER/EDITOR] Cull spawn order options?

[namida]

Currently, NeoLemmix offers the option to set a custom spawn order in levels, rather than using the default one of "cycle through all non-fake windows in order".

However, as far as I know, this option has very rarely, if ever, been used. If the option were culled, the same functionality can be achieved by overlapping multiple windows on top of each other; which is already nessecary if you want not just a custom spawn order but also different permanent skills (eg. Blissful 15 of LPV or Coarse 15 of LPO2) or different initial directions.

This option has also been particularly bug prone, and the move to a text-based level format may make it even more bug-prone for those who want to edit the level files manually or with custom tools. It means one less thing to maintain on the existing editor while it's still supported, and one less thing to implement in any new editor.

So - are there any objections to removing this feature?

[Simon]

rm -rf this extra hatch-ordering. Instead, change the z-order to change the spawn order. In extreme cases, preplace lemmings instead of extra hatch with custom hatch-ordering.

How do you implement L1's ABBA spawn order on 2-hatch levels? Ignore because NL and Lemmings have different physics anyway?

-- Simon

[IchoTolot]

How do you implement L1's ABBA spawn order on 2-hatch levels? Ignore because NL and Lemmings have different physics anyway?

Use 2x2 hatches on top of each other, paired 1 and 4 as well as 2 and 3.


I always use hatches on top of each other or place them in a different order to get the spawns I need. Never used that custom spawn option so from my point it can be culled.

[namida]

Instead, change the z-order to change the spawn order.

This is already the behaviour if no custom spawn order is specified.

How do you implement L1's ABBA spawn order on 2-hatch levels? Ignore because NL and Lemmings have different physics anyway?

Yes. Actually, IIRC the ABBA order only applies to Orig; whereas OhNo and Cust would use an ABAB order (and if we go right back to the early days, NeoLemmix is based off (via pre-NL LPII) the clone of OhNo, not the clone of Orig). In fact, even some copies of Orig have the ABAB order.

[namida]

Since there don't seem to be any objections, I'm going to cull this feature. New versions will remain able to load levels that have window order info; it will "translate" them into a proper rearrangement of entrances. (Note for Nepster: This only applies with LVL files; NXLV files simply will not ever have spawn order info.) Updating LVL files is recommended, of course.