Level solving contest #3 (and results)

[geoo]

Welcome to the 3rd installment of this contest!

This is a bit of an experiment, but I created the same level in both Lix and NeoLemmix. I understand that there are physics differences and that some solutions that might work in one engine might not work in the other, but I hope most solutions will work the same and that many minor differences can be worked around, making it a fair game. At least I don't think there are any systemic biases giving one engine a clear advantage.
That said, if people are unhappy with this, I will restrict the contest to a single engine (based on popular opinion).

EDIT: I added a second version of the NeoLemmix level. The only difference is two little steel bumps on the top steel platforms. This is to account for the difference that you cannot assign miners/diggers on steel in NeoLemmix, while in Lix you can. You can submit solutions to either of the two NeoLemmix levels.

Goal: Try to solve the level using as few skills as possible. Tiebreaker: Higher number of lemmings/lix saved.
(Note that this is different from the previous 2 contests, the main criterion and the tiebreaker have been swapped!)

Submission deadline for solutions: Sunday Feb 17th, 6:00 am UTC
You can submit solutions for one or both engines. Submit to me via PM. When you submit, submit a replay, as well write down the number of skills used and number of lemmings/lix saved.

At the end, I will post a complete ranking list (determining the next contest host) as well as engine-specific ranking lists in case some solutions from one engine end up not working in the other.

PS: I made the NeoLemmix version in a text editor, because the NLEditor in Wine doesn't display any objects or tiles, and placing invisible tiles is kinda useless. That's why it's lacking any decoration.

Submissions so far:
Minim
SQRon
Simon/Forestidia
Crane
Ramon

Results in this post further down the thread.

[Flopsy]

This level looks great geoo, thank you for making it in NeoLemmix as well, I'll certainly have a crack at this one

[geoo]

Just a quick update, due to some physics differences (namely, in Lix miners/diggers can be assigned on steel while not so in NeoLemmix), I made a second version of the NeoLemmix level where the in the prime spot for exploiting this in Lix there are steel bumps now so something similar can be done in NeoLemmix. You can submit solutions to either of the NeoLemmix versions, and existing submissions remain valid. For the new version, see attachments of the first post.

(This is also a reminder to submit solutions )

[geoo]

Just a quick reminder: you have until Sunday Feb 17th, 6:00 am UTC, so less than a week left!

[geoo]

Less than 24 hours left to submit!

[geoo]

Time is up. 5 players participated (seems like even with the freer engine choice participation is waning), and these are the results!

Player	Engine	Number skills/saved
Crane	NeoLemmix	12 skills, 49 saved
Simon/Forestidia	Lix	14 skills, 47 saved
Minim	Lix	15 skills, 48 saved
Ramon	Lix	21 skills, 49 saved
SQron188	NeoLemmix	25 skills, 52 saved
SQron188	Lix	26 skills, 53 saved

Congratulations to Crane, our winner! In his submission PM he counted 13 skills, but checking the replay it turns out even one fewer skills was used!
For comparison, I tried to reproduce his solution in Lix. Due to more lenient steel detection in NeoLemmix, one extra skill has to be used in Lix to make
the solution work, and instead of double miner cancelling a miner is turned with a blocker, which should result in one fewer lix saved. But maybe due to
some timing difference the Lix solution I got saves 2 more, so 51 lix (and uses 13 skills).

See attached for everyone's solutions, as well as the Lix version of Crane's solution.

Crane now has the chance to host the next contest, or pass on the privilege to Simon and Forestidia.

[Crane]

Oh wow, nice! Thank you.  I'll have to have a think about this one, what with making a level and all.

And this is why a "Fewest skills used" tally would be nice for NeoLemmix.

[Simon]

Thanks!

Very interesting idea by Crane to bridge across the top. Looks expensive -- why bridge if there is wood below to cross the gap -- but that method can omit all holding pits.

Good level.

And this is why a "Fewest skills used" tally would be nice for NeoLemmix.

Lix, too, needs better support for such challenges. After a solution, Lix should always display number of skills used, lix saved, and possibly physics updates taken both until the winning exiter and until the final exiter.

These challenges are inspiring the game development. It's good to see what metrics matter: The number of skills used, even if it's not a record, even if it saves fewer lix than other solutions.

-- Simon

[SQron188]

I haven't viewed the replays yet; I went and solved the level once more with a result of 15 skills and 51 Lems/Lix, not that it's relevant to the contest, but to the level - yes it is, I suppose.

[Crane]

Okay, I have a plan for the next solving contest, but it uses a level that's been nominated for "Level of the Year 2018", so I want to hold off on starting it so I don't influence the vote.