Assigning function vs lemmings' crowd

[jammer64]

Any protips how to assure you're going to assign basher/builder/miner in the right direction inside 100 lemmings crowded/blocked in small area? It's real hell to pull off both in stock and custom levels. I do apologize if it doubles some rudimentary tutorials or belongs to another section

[Flopsy]

If you hold down the arrow key on your keyboard of the direction you want to assign the skill in then you will only select Lemmings facing in that direction.
This is of course assuming you are referring to the NeoLemmix engine.

[IchoTolot]

If you are indeed using NeoLemmix:

The directional select is also part of the advanced options on the skillbar (the blue left/right arrows).

There is also the option to select a Walker from a crowd (Ctrl) and to highlight a lemming (right-click on a lem).

I can highly recommend taking a look at the NeoLemmix manual which lists all fuctions from the advanced skillbar, hotkeys over options to precise frame-stepping for easy pixel precise assignments: https://www.lemmingsforums.net/index.php?topic=4081.0

[jammer64]

Thx a lot! I've gone through manual several times but missed it somehow

[Proxima]

In Lemmings games in general:

* The best method is to set things up in advance so that lemmings in a particular part of the crowd are only going in one direction; this is most easily achieved by using a builder, if you have one to spare. (If you need to build the crowd out, then build the first bridge early and later continue it.)
* Alternatively, aim your cursor at the very edge of the crowd, and you will only select lemmings turning around and heading away from that edge.
* You can also look for the lemming drawn above all the others; this will be the last lemming out, who has selection priority.

[namida]

To add to the above:
- You can combine the NeoLemmix selection modifiers. For example, hold Ctrl and Right Arrow then right click to highlight a right facing walker.
- When you've highlighted a lemming, right click a skill to immediately assign it to the highlit lemming.
- Lemmings with permanent skills or currently performing an action have selection priority over those who aren't.

[jammer64]

Thx a lot, guys!

Question bothered me as one of my custom levels - 'Moss & Iron' - requires miner both to block and release crowd. With NeoLemmix aid it's pretty simple, otherwise not that much (especially after I've tweaked playtime and available functions to absolute minimum for sake of final version)

[IchoTolot]

Question bothered me as one of my custom levels - 'Moss & Iron' - requires miner both to block and release crowd. With NeoLemmix aid it's pretty simple, otherwise not that much (especially after I've tweaked playtime and available functions to absolute minimum for sake of final version)

Don't be bothered, I would guess the majority of custom levels for NeoLemmix are made with Directional select in mind and without it would be rather tedious.

I would even say a good portion of the custom content nowdays requires the usage of frame-stepping, skill-shadows, replays.... to at least some extend.

I would explain it in the following way:

NeoLemmix (NL) is more puzzle-focused than Lemmings 1 (L1) which I would call more execution-focused.

In NL (and also Lix I would say) we tend to quite often demand rather precise tricks and assignments with a minimal set of skills, but offer the help of things like directional select, frame-stepping, skill-shadows, replay function.....etc as a help. Solving the puzzle and identifing the used tricks and mechanics is therefore the core while the execution is secondary.

L1 is more forgiving in the precision, complexity and skill set department and the solution is often not that hard to see, but as a tradeoff offers no helpers --> a fail results in a restart from 0. As a result your correct execution matters more (that includes getting the correct facing Lemming in a crowd for example), while the puzzle is often secondary.

[jammer64]

I solve levels in traditional way with a lot of repetition, maybe that's why I usualy fail, hahahaha!

[namida]

I also feel the need to mention:

(especially after I've tweaked playtime and available functions to absolute minimum for sake of final version)

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "tweaked playtime" here, do you mean time limits? If so - I'd point out, the general community standard these days is to only use time limits if the level really needs them (either because the time limit itself is the main challenge or at least part of it (eg. levels like Just A Minute), or because the time limit is there to prevent backroutes or excessively-inefficient routes, or occasionally for thematic reasons (eg. All The 6's, which has a 6-minute time limit for thematic reasons rather than anything relating to the actual gameplay)). If all the time limit achieves is requiring more-precise execution or for the player to RR99 earlier, it's better not to have a time limit at all. Indeed, probably only about 5% of NeoLemmix levels these days - at most - have time limits.

[jammer64]

Good to know that - I was totally unaware of such standard, participating for the first time in level design contest here couple of years ago Yup, my pack is going to be very oldskool/arcade in this respect and, probably, most fun played in one go as on good old Amiga At least I playtest it that way and trim time limits accordingly to my record playthroughs

Once more, thank you very much!