[NeoLemmix] Save-'em-up Contest #2 (Open Choice)

[namida]

Entries are now closed.
Skill selection is now closed.

Alright, well, the last save-em-up was a blast, but it was very inconclusive as to which pack is the preference for the next contest so - I'm going to go with the option that allows for all of them.

So, to enter, pick four levels. The rules when nominating levels are:
- You must pick specific levels. You cannot ask "pick at random" or pick less than four. (This is because having random selection to fill the gaps would not be practical for open-choice.)
- At least three of your nominations must be levels created by someone other than yourself.
- You cannot nominate a level someone else has already nominated, nor a level that has the same or near-same layout (repeats, or near-repeats like the Just A Minute levels) as one someone has already nominated.
- In order to be eligible a level must (a) have at least one entrance, and (b) have already been released on new-formats at the time this topic was created.

Once entries are closed, I will compile the final list of levels for this contest by selecting 20 levels at random from the levels that entrants have picked. If there are less than 25 selected levels (due to less than 7 entrants), entrants will be asked to nominate an additional number of levels each, such that the total number of levels nominated is at least 25.

Entrants must then each select a skillset. This skillset should be submitted via PM, not posted publicly. You may only reveal your skillset publicly once the playing phase begins. Your skillset may be any eight skills of your choice, except that you may only pick up to four of the skills that are on the following list: Platformer, Builder, Stacker, Basher, Fencer, Miner, Digger.

To clarify here, the timing for selecting your skillset will be "after entries close, but before the final level list is revealed". So, you will know what the candidate levels are, but not exactly which ones are going to be selected.

Once I have received skillsets from all entrants, I will reveal the list of levels, and this is where the competition really begins! Your goal will be to play through the levels, using the set of skills you have selected, and try to save as many lemmings as possible. Across the entire set (NOT per-level), you may use up to 25 of each skill; and you do not need to meet each level's save requirement for your result on the level to count. In the event of a tie, the tiebreaker will be fewest total skills used.

Some changes will be made to the levels:
- All lemmings will be set to normal lemmings (not neutrals or zombies)
- Every level will have 50 lemmings
- All lemming limits on entrances / exits will be removed, as will all preplaced lemmings
- For technical reasons (re: replay autosaving), save requirements will be set to 1

If you submit a result, but then (while playing phase is still open) find a way to improve it, you will be permitted to resubmit. Replay submissions should of course be done privately, to avoid giving other players ideas.

To avoid doubt (as this was asked a lot in the first contest) - there is no requirement to save at least one lemming on every level. You may "skip" levels if you wish (it just means you saved zero on that level).

Entry will remain open until midday UTC on March 26th. Once that passes, contestants will have until midday UTC on April 2nd to confirm their skillsets - to avoid doubt you do not need to wait for me to confirm "entries are now closed, send in your skillsets".

The playing phase will close at whichever comes first - (a) midday UTC on 24th April, or (b) when all entrants have submitted their replays and 72 hours have passed without any players re-submitting.

In any case where the version of NeoLemmix used makes a difference to the result, V12.11.2 will be considered the "authoritative" version for this contest. The correct versions of levels is attached, along with the styles the levels use. These have the lemming count set to 50, save requirement set to 1, skillset and talismans stripped, preplaced lemmings and skill pickups removed, all lemmings converted to normal lemmings, entrance and exit lemming limits removed, as well as the removal of any messages the levels had set up. You can use NL QuickMod to quickly add your custom skillset to all levels.

For the music files, please go to this post.



Entrants (9)
Gronkling
mantha16
Minim
mobius
namida
Proxima
Pooty
Silken Healer
WillLem

Possible Levels (32)
ArtLems / Ancient 2 "The Crypt Of Ramesses II"
Clammings / Arcane 1 "Barrel o' Laughs"
DoveLems / Coward ? "Caution, Work In Progress"
GeoffLems / Fun ? "Mezzanine"
GeoffLems / Mayhem 4 "The Long Beam"
GeoffLems / Mayhem 28 "Dazed and Confused"
Insane Steve's World / Difficult ? "Bolero"
Integral Lemmings / Epsilon 1 "Unconventional Techniques"
Lemminas / Magical 14 "Lemminas Go Forth"
Lemminas / Pandemonium 15 "Nothing Is Impossible"
Lemmings / Fun 10 "Smile If You Love Lemmings"
Lemmings / Fun 11 "Keep Your Hair On Mr Lemming"
Lemmings / Fun 13 "We All Fall Down"
Lemmings / 2P 19 "May The Craftiest Player Win"
Lemmings Open Air / Heavy 22 "Valkea Joulu"
Lemmings Migration / Migraine 10 "Excavation Site"
Lemmings Plus I / Wimpy 29 "Russian Rescue"
Lemmings Plus I / Psycho 20 "No Time To Die"
Lemmings Plus I / Psycho 28 "To The End!"
Lemmings Plus III / Rough 15 "Lem Particle"
Lemmings Plus Omega II / Spiky 14 "Hot Plate"
Lemmings Redux / Manic 8 "Is This A Circus?"
Lemmings Reunion / Ultra-Violence 24 "Heroes Of Lemkind"
NeoLemmix Introduction Pack / O&F 17 "Neutral Response"
NepsterLems / Moon 1 "The Game Of 1000 Balls"
NepsterLems / Moon 4 "Holiday Trip"
PimoLems / Calm 2 "Training Day"
PS3 Level Pack / Tricky 1 "Keep An Eye On Mr Climber"
Oh No! More Lemmings! / Wicked 1 "Lemming Tomato Ketchup Facility"
SEBLems / Revolution 7 "The Legend Of Ray Beeston"
The Lemmings Have Grown / Running 17 "La Princesse Au Petit Pois"
Zemmings / Kiwi Knight 8 "The Great Bomber Escape"

Solutions submitted (6/9)
Gronkling
mantha16
Minim
Pooty
Silken Healer
WillLem

[WillLem]

I'd like to enter

My nominations are:

Author	Pack	Rank	#	Level
Geoffster	GeoffLems	Mayhem	4	The Long Beam
namida	Lemmings Plus III	Rough	15	Lem Particle
Nepster	NepsterLems	MOON	1	The Game Of 1000 Balls
WillLem	Lemminas	Pandemonium	15	Nothing Is Impossible

[Gronkling]

I am entering

david - The Lemmings Have Grown - Running 17 - La Princesse au petit pois
Strato Incendus - Lemmings Open Air - Heavy 22 - Valkea joulu
Nepster - Nepsterlems - MOON 4 - Holiday Trip
Lemmings Redux - Manic 8 - Is This a Circus?

[namida]

I'm entering, of course.

My level nominations are:

Lemmings Plus I - Psycho 20 "No Time To Die"
GeoffLems - Mayhem 28 "Dazed and Confused"
Lemmings Reunion - Ultra-Violence 24 "Heroes Of Lemkind"
SEBLems - Revolution 7 "The Legend Of Ray Beeston"

[Proxima]

Okay, let's give this a whirl

Lemmings Plus I - Psycho 28 - To the End!
Lemmings Migration - Migraine 10 - Excavation Site
Original Lemmings - 2-player levels - Lemmmings 19 - May the craftiest player win
Lemminas - Magical 14 - Lemminas Go Forth

[Minim]

I'll be entering too. Not sure what levels I have in mind however, as there are too many right now to choose from.

[Pooty]

Will locked exits be unlocked, or will you need to press all the buttons?

[WillLem]

Also, what about pickup skills?

[namida]

I'll be entering too. Not sure what levels I have in mind however, as there are too many right now to choose from.

You need to pick levels when entering for this one. You're free to come up with your own way to make some at-random picks if you like, though.

Will locked exits be unlocked, or will you need to press all the buttons?

No reason to alter these. Preplaced lemmings / lemming limits can directly mess with the contest setup; unlock buttons are just another element of completing the level.

Also, what about pickup skills?

Hm. These, on the other hand, could be a problem (keeping in mind the "verifying the results" side of things, too). My gut feeling is that they should simply be removed like preplaced lemmings are.

[mantha16]

ill be in but do we have to pick from the packs that were nominated or any packs?

[namida]

ill be in but do we have to pick from the packs that were nominated or any packs?

Any pack, as long as it exists as a new-formats release at the time this topic was created. That can also be contest entries, rather than "from a pack", if the contest was held in new-formats.

[mantha16]

DoveLems - coward - caution, work in progress
GeoffLems - fun - mezzanine
Lemmings plus 1 - wimpy - russian rescue
insanes steves world - difficult - bolero

[Pooty]

Will locked exits be unlocked, or will you need to press all the buttons?

No reason to alter these. Preplaced lemmings / lemming limits can directly mess with the contest setup; unlock buttons are just another element of completing the level.

The reason I asked this question is because it was the deciding factor whether I would nominate a certain level or not. Now that this has been made clear, I have decided against nominating it. That said, I now have my nominations ready and I will be entering the contest.

ArtLems (Colorful Arty) - Ancient 2: The Crypt of Ramesses II
NeoLemmix Introduction Pack (IchoTolot) - Objects & Functions 17: Neutral Response
PimoLems (Pieuw) - Calm 2: Training Day
Clammings (Clam) - Arcane 1: Barrel o' Laughs

[Minim]

OK. I have now made a decision about what levels. I'm going to include one of my old NL levels in for this contest, along with two others from levelpacks that joined my pack in the backburner.

Playstation 3 Level Pack: Tricky 1: Keep an eye on Mr. Climber

The rest of them are...
Lemmings Plus Omega II (namida): Spiky 14: Hot Plate
Zemmings (zanzindorf): Kiwi Knight 8: The Great Bomber Escape!
Integral Lemmings (tan x dx): Epsilon 1: Unconventional Techniques

[mantha16]

I think I'm might withdraw because the levels that people are picking are too hard for me so there's not much point if I can't even complete the levels