[NeoLemmix] Lemmings United [Difficulty: Hard-Extreme]

[IchoTolot]

Looked at the next three levels - I say "looked at" because I only actually solved one of them.

Individual level feedback

0221 "Tonight It Is Showtime" - I honestly don't have the faintest clue what I'm meant to be doing here. There doesn't appear to be any way to get a lemming down to the bottom without first using a builder. However, there's no way to get the second builder pickup without using another builder, except by digging straight down, and I can't see any way to safely manage the crowd while doing this other than two digger tunnels, but having them offset like this means falling straight past the pickup. Unless I'm overlooking something that should be obvious, this level is far too hard for the 2nd rank.

0222 "Basher Laboratory GRO" - Yeah, I don't really think using that trick in a setup that requires 11 bashers, with other elements of the solution both before and after it, while requiring it to be done at the right timing, was a good idea. To be honest, I don't really think using that trick at all, outside of maybe a setup that just uses one or two bashers, or in a proof-of-concept level containing nothing but the trick, is a good idea. Aside from one minor element near the end, I could tell how to solve this level as soon as I saw it, but actually executing it was a nightmare. Sorry, but this is by far the worst level in the pack so far.

0223 "Go On, Make Their Day" - This one looks like it probably has a fair and reasonable-for-the-position solution, but I'm a bit burnt out after the last two to try much for now... I'll continue later.

Comments:

Spoiler

2 21: I am actually quite surprised that this level gives you much trouble as currently it has not proven to be a major roadblock and this level actually exists because of a trick I learned from you in one of your early ranked levels. I will judge it after it is solved.

2 22: Intended solution, except the climber just could have done the exit path earlier without having to bash on the steel a few times. How exactly are you executing it that it requires much timing. I simply just assign a basher whenever a lem stands on the most right pixel of the basher mask and that is all that needs to be done to execute it. I think we have different trick preferences here as I was quite impressed with this trick when I saw it in one of Gronkling's levels.
I can at least say that this is the most extend to which you have to use this trick in this pack.

[namida]

Re: 0222

It's not timing in the sense of everything needs to be perfect, but rather - release the crowd too early? Have to do the whole 11-basher setup again. Or too late, same thing. Or as another example - I didn't originally realise I needed to build-swim-build back, because I assumed I'd use the basher-stairs again near the exit. To change this, yet again, I had to do the basher thing again. Even with the replay editing features, this gets frustrating very quickly. This might not have been so bad if the basher thing was done as the first or last thing in the level (because in that case I can either cut off after it, or not do it unless everything else was right, respectively), but when it's in the middle of the solution...

[IchoTolot]

Re:

Spoiler

There is no need to time the crowd and I never saw anyone attempt this, therefore I didn't even consider this to be a problem.
You can have that 1 lem do ALL the work then release. No need for doing the basher trick before everything is set up and ready for the crowd. So no redoing is nessesary that I assured while creating the level.
I've attached a replay to demonstrate this.

[IchoTolot]

V 3.1 is out!

The following levels have received a backroute fix:

- 4 37 (some terrain changes)
- 4 40 (solution heavily altered - this includes terrain, skill, timer and save requirement changes)

[IchoTolot]

V 3.2 is out!

The following levels have received a backroute fix:

- 4 37 (added a climber pick-up skill and therefore -1 climber)
- 4 40 (readded the OWW)

[IchoTolot]

V 3.3 is out!

The following levels have received a backroute fix:

- 4 41 (made the solution more efficient --> -1 climber, -1 builder, -1 basher, added a walker and a builder pick-up skill and therefore -1 walker and -1 builder)

[IchoTolot]

V 3.4 is out!

The following levels have received a backroute fix:

- 4 41 (-1 glider, also a time limit of 4:00 has been added [The level is even possible to solve in just under 3:00])

[namida]

Resolved 0208, solved 0221. I haven't yet looked at 0223 again (or anything after it).

Individual level comments

0208 "Let The Room Get Chillier" - Feels like it might be intended, not sure. I'd definitely say this is a more advanced trick than you're thinking it is...
0221 "Tonight It Is Showtime!" - If this is intended, then it's definitely way too hard for the position. But I suspect this might just be the most elaborate backroute ever, especially in light of the fact that it misses 3 of the pickup skills (including the builder) - though it does use every initial skill and every pickup skill it does get.

[IchoTolot]

V 3.5 is out!

The following levels have received a backroute fix:

- 2 21 (added the builder as pick-up skills and so -1 builder) I also hope this fix will also reduce the entropy on this level as you won't have builders anymore at the start.

Comments to namida's feedback:

Spoiler

- 2 08 is intended, but no RR change is nessesary.
I don't think this trick is too advanced here as I've had a person with not very much-  experience record his solving on video and he did not have much trouble here. Solving time was only ~17 minutes and he had to newly discover it; reference though it is in german: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm633b94le0&list=PLsuchTlhr9Yz5TZEnkDLypwINNF5l2rMe&index=19

- 2 21 Yes it's a big backroute. I hope with the fix taking away the builder at the start will stop a lot of unintended ideas and therefore reducing entropy and difficulty.

[namida]

0221 resolved.

Spoiler

Feels like this one might be intended. But yeah, this is by far the hardest level up to this point. This trick feels far more obscure than most of the other ones around this point.

[IchoTolot]

Then I will reconsider the positioning, but probably wait after you solved the rest of the rank to maybe find a suitable swap with a level that might be too easy for it's positioning.

[namida]

Solved up to 26; 27 has me stumped again. I think I've figured out one of the major tricks on it, but still can't see how the rest of the solution fits together.

Already given feedback on 21 and 22; for the rest:

Individual level feedback

0223 "Go Ahead! Make Their Day!" - Great level!
0224 "Victory Is Inevitable" - Far too easy for the position, but still a good level.
0225 "Path To Abandonment" - I suspect this is a major backroute.
0226 "Speak To The Hand" - Likewise.

[IchoTolot]

V 3.6 is out!

The following levels have swapped their position:

- 2 07 <--> 2 24

The following levels have received a backroute fix:

-2 25 (-1 stacker, +1 basher, some terrain changes; this was a little problem child during testing and I think the stacker is the cause here --> let's get rid of it )
-2 26 (some terrain changes)

[namida]

Resolved.

Individual level feedback

0225 "Path To Abandonment" - Re-backrouted.
0226 "Speak To The Hand" - This one, on the other hand, might be intended; though I could also see it being a backroute too. Good level if this is intended! On a side note, minor trigger area glitch - have a climber dig the far right side of the main structure, then watch what happens re: interaction with the spikes. I can't see any backroutes that arise as a result of this though.

[IchoTolot]

V 3.7 is out!

I've added the standard music rotation in case a person doesn't have the music tracks.

The following levels have received a backroute fix:

-2 25 (added some steel)

The following levels have received a little terrain fix:

- 1 28
- 2 26 (in both cases it was possible to walk under a set of spikes)

Comment on namida's feedback:

Spoiler

2 26: This is not intended, but you used the trick I wanted with the trap ---> replay saved and you contributed the 2nd official solution, even if I would consider it a bit more complicated than the original one.

Spoiler

You could have just dug at the right edge at the top after you turned with a platformer there --> digger bashes left + mines to the crowd, while a 2nd climber does the bridge+disarm