Level of the Year: 2023!

[IchoTolot]

For a list of nominated levels so far, please see the nominated levels topic.

And it's this time of the year again!

This is a bit different from the usual contests. You don't create a new level for this one; instead, levels released during 2023 get nominated and a winner picked from them. To be precise, the eligible dates are from 1st Janurary 2023 to 31th December 2023.

The following conditions must be met in order for a level to be eligible:
1. The level must have either been part of a large pack released during the eligible timeframe (1st Jan 2023 to 31th Dec 2023), or in some other way had its first public release during the timeframe. Private releases (such as sending to prerelease testers) do not affect eligibility either way. *
2. The level must be available for an engine that is usually eligible for the contests. Or in other words: NeoLemmix (new format version), or single-player Lix.
3. The level must be designed by a single author; collaboration levels are not eligible.
4. The creator of the level must not have specifically requested it be excluded.
5. The level must not have been nominated for LOTY2015/2016/2017/2018/2019/2020/2021/2022.

* To clarify here: If it was released publicly prior to 1st Janurary 2023 as part of a demo or preview, but the full pack was released during the eligible period, the level is fine (as long as it wasn't nominated for LOTY2015/2016/2017/2018/2019/2020/2021/2022).

Being a derivative of an ineligible level (as long as it's from the same author, the new author has a permission from the original one, or an official level) does not disqualify a level; as long as the level in question is clearly intended to stand as a seperate-but-related level rather than a newer version of the same level. Basically just don't send in carbon copies of ineligible levels.


To nominate a level, please PM me with your list of nominations. If you wish to modify your nominations at a later date, please resend the whole list of levels you wish to nominate, not just the changes.

Each user may nominate up to six levels from authors other than themself, up to a maximum of three levels per author. Anyone who nominates at least four levels by other authors may also nominate one of their own levels. (These self-nominations do not count towards the six nomination limit.)

So the maximum nomination value is: 6 levels from other users and 1 level of your own.

Note that levels that won a level design contest during the eligible timeframe get an automatic nomination, unless their author requests otherwise.

Nominations will be open until the end of April 4th 2024 (UTC). No additions / changes to nominations will be permitted after this date, with one exception: If a level someone has nominated is found to be ineligible for any reason and this is not discovered until after the deadline, they will be offered a chance to nominate a different level in its place.

Similar to last year, the voteoff will occur in three stages:

Stage 1
The levels will be put into random brackets, and the top ~50% from each bracket will qualify for Stage 2.

Stage 2
This will also be done in regular voteoff style. The aim here will be to get down to around a couple of remaining levels, so exact details will depend on how many levels are entered.

Stage 3
This will be done in an elimination format over multiple rounds; each round, one level gets knocked out, and the others continue onto the next round, until we have a winner.


The prize on offer will be US $10.00 for first place.

Also note that, in the interest of being reasonable, the "don't discuss levels involved in contests anywhere on the site during the voting period" rule does not fully apply to this contest; instead, it will be "do not discuss them at all within the LOTY2023 topics during voting, and don't discuss them in relation to the contest anywhere on the site".

So, that's about it! Any questions, ask here; and feel free to start nominating levels!

[IchoTolot]

Eligible Level Packs

This is simply a rough list of levels that are eligible. They have not nessecerially been nominated, and the majority probably won't be. Please note that this is probably not a complete list, especially in regard to Lix levels; if you can think of anything that should be added, let me know!

NL and Lix

Level Design Contests: Level Design Contest #27, Level Design Contest #28, Level Design Contest #29

Turrican: Mikes Lemmings Version 2 - Only the 16 new levels!, Levels released in 2023 in the "levels by Turrican" thread (10 levels)

NieSch: All You Need Is Lemmings (except for Blocker from Hell, Wee Walk in Winter Wonderland, Giant Leaps for Lemkind, Let's Go for Gold, Please Keep Your Distance, Have a Blast, Aerial Antics)

LemFan: Lemmingshades, OddLems

Armani: Lemmings Halloween 2023

Duuddu: Unusual Lemmings

kieranmillar: Kieran's Abandoned Zone (v3), Quest From Kieran (Except: Increasing Productivity and Brickin' 'eck)

Crane: Lemmings Cranium   - Only the new releases and not old contest entries!

GigaLem: Festival Millas 2022 (Released in Janurary 2023)


Don't forget to check out the Random level sharing topic as well!

The Levels by Turrican would be another level collection topic worth checking out.

A list from Crane: Levels in Lemmings Cranium that are not eligible (off the top of Crane's head):

Cute 15: House of Holly - previously released in Holiday Lemmings '16.
Cute 16: Eeny, meeny, miny... OH! - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Cute 30: The Final Countdown - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Curious 5: The gate trap lemmings (part 2) - based off a SUNSOFT level
Curious 11: Crystal Caves - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Curious 17: Island Hopping - collaboration (I credited Paiy for helping me patch backroutes).
Curious 20: Deep Freeze - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Curious 23: Stop, Look and Listen - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Curious 27: Sharing a Climber? - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Curious 30: Blast Furnace - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Cunning 3: Lemming Cathodes - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Cunning 14: Faithful Friends - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Cunning 17: Nemesis - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Cunning 23: Oil Refinery - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
The entire Challenge rank - subsets of existing levels
Chaos 1: SUNSOFT Swindle - previous LOTY entry
Chaos 2: Polar Pass - collaboration and previously released in Holiday Lemmings '16.
Chaos 9: Overflow - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Chaos 15: Dropship 12 - previous LOTY entry
Chaos 19: JAILBREAK! - previously released in Revenge of the Lemmings.
Chaos 26: Are you kidding me?! - previous LOTY entry
Chaos 29: Christmas Spirit - previous LOTY entry and previously released in Holiday Lemmings '16.

+ "Glide Slope" I was notified here that the level was already in contest #15

[kaywhyn]

^ Looks good. Some additional input I can provide

-  Simon's Inside Your Router should be added to the nomination list, as it was the LDC #27 runner-up and therefore is an automatic nomination.

-  As Niesch's Who Wants to be a Pioneer is on the list, good to know that I explained properly to Niesch that it's still fine for nomination (see his post and my reply to him below it from his All You Need is Lemmings topic: https://www.lemmingsforums.net/index.php?topic=6519.msg100947#msg100947. To clarify, he released the level back in 2021 in the "random level sharing topic" but it was not nominated for LOTY2022, therefore it's fine for LOTY2023.

- Along with the above, in the eligible list post:

NieSch: All You Need Is Lemmings

After his pack's name, we can add (except for Blocker from Hell and Wee Walk in Winter Wonderland) since they were both the LDC #26 winners and therefore were automatic nominations for LOTY2022 and hence cannot be nominated for LOTY again!

- Finally, isn't Kieran's Quest From Kieran pack eligible? It was an in-progress pack back in the days which he released a demo for back in 2017, halted work on the pack for years, and finally released the full pack last year in 2023. Did I miss something?  

[IchoTolot]

-  As Niesch's Who Wants to be a Pioneer is on the list, good to know that I explained properly to Niesch that it's still fine for nomination (see his post and my reply to him below it from his All You Need is Lemmings topic: https://www.lemmingsforums.net/index.php?topic=6519.msg100947#msg100947. To clarify, he released the level back in 2021 in the "random level sharing topic" but it was not nominated for LOTY2022, therefore it's fine for LOTY2023.

Then it was explained wrong and it is not eligible and an oversight by me:

1. The level must have either been part of a large pack released during the eligible timeframe (1st Jan 2023 to 31th Dec 2023), or in some other way had its first public release during the timeframe.

So it did not have its first public release in 2023.

Added Simons level and "Quest From Kieran" to the lists.

[NieSch]

There's more levels from "All You Need Is Lemmings" that are also not eligible:

Giant Leaps for Lemkind
Let's Go for Gold
Please Keep Your Distance
Have a Blast
Aerial Antics

[kaywhyn]

-  As Niesch's Who Wants to be a Pioneer is on the list, good to know that I explained properly to Niesch that it's still fine for nomination (see his post and my reply to him below it from his All You Need is Lemmings topic: https://www.lemmingsforums.net/index.php?topic=6519.msg100947#msg100947. To clarify, he released the level back in 2021 in the "random level sharing topic" but it was not nominated for LOTY2022, therefore it's fine for LOTY2023.

Then it was explained wrong and it is not eligible and an oversight by me:

1. The level must have either been part of a large pack released during the eligible timeframe (1st Jan 2023 to 31th Dec 2023), or in some other way had its first public release during the timeframe.

So it did not have its first public release in 2023.

Well, that's why I asked to be sure, as it totally went opposite to what you said on Discord with Niesch's level

I was focused on the asterisk part:

* To clarify here: If it was released publicly prior to 1st Janurary 2023 as part of a demo or preview, but the full pack was released during the eligible period, the level is fine (as long as it wasn't nominated for LOTY2015/2016/2017/2018/2019/2020/2021/2022).

So, single levels released in the Random Level Sharing topic don't count as either a demo or preview? Makes sense. Similarly for the contest collection packs and therefore contest entries aren't allowed unless they were released in the eligible timeframe, for which LDC 27, 28, and 29 all were. If that's the case, then I believe there's some more from Lemmings Cranium that aren't allowed, so Crane would need to go through his pack again and let you know.

There's more levels from "All You Need Is Lemmings" that are also not eligible:

Giant Leaps for Lemkind
Let's Go for Gold
Please Keep Your Distance
Have a Blast
Aerial Antics

Why are the first and third ones aren't eligible? The first you released last year, which does fit the eligibility timeframe, while the third one I don't see it released anywhere else other than in this level pack of yours I might had missed it somewhere else, of course!

[NieSch]

I released them a few years ago in the random level sharing topic. They were earlier versions that I later removed from the topic.

[IchoTolot]

To clarify it once more: As the contest is named "Level Of The Year 2023" the golden rule is "had its first public release during the timeframe (of 2023).".

The asterisk part namida added back in the day for some edge cases. The "level sharing topic" is 100% a public release - not a demo or a preview - that's why I also include it up the text: "Don't forget to check out the Random level sharing topic as well!".

Let's say I would rather get rid of the asterisk part in the ruleset and make it clearer than allowing a plethora of levels that were created not in the year in question here.

[kaywhyn]

Ok, thanks for the clarification One more addition for kieran's QFK pack: except Increasing Productivity and Brickin' 'eck, as these were already nominated for LOTY2018

Let's say I would rather get rid of the asterisk part in the ruleset and make it clearer than allowing a plethora of levels that were created not in the year in question here.

Yes, I agree that the asterisk part can be dropped. It would lead to less confusion in the future as to what's eligible and what isn't! Only levels from January 1 through December 31 of that year. Plain and simple!

[Crane]

Hmmm, may be tricky to determine in places since a few levels went through early prototypes before being finalised.  I guess it's up to IchoTolot's discretion as to whether a level is eligible or not when it's voted for.

[IchoTolot]

Remember to prepare your nominations soon! 

[Crane]

I think it's easier if I list my levels that are eligible from Lemmings Cranium:

- Cute 13: "The Needs of the Few" (repeat of Curious 24)
- Cute 20: "Tia Na Nog" (repeat of Chaos 22)
- Curious 10: "One Step Back"
- Curious 12: "Just Try It!"
- Curious 24: "Mincemeat"
- Curious 26: "Virtue?"
- Cunning 4: "Supersaturation"
- Cunning 12: "Around the Block"
- Cunning 16: "Just a Little Closer..."
- Cunning 19: "Shim-Shimminy, Shim-Shimminy"
- Cunning 22: "Water Hammer"
- Cunning 25: "The Ziggurat"
- Chaos 4: "Containment"
- Chaos 7: "Don't Bother!"
- Chaos 12: "Chilly Disposition"
- Chaos 13: "Cliffside Hostel"
- Chaos 14: "There's One Small Problem..."
- Chaos 17: "Divisive Action"
- Chaos 21: "Think Fast!"
- Chaos 22: "Hallowed Ground"
- Chaos 24: "Halls of Reflection"

[IchoTolot]

As I was just adding a few levels to the nomination list via some pms that have gotten to me:

1.) Another reminder to send me your nomination list even if it is just one level (I already got a few of those! )
2.) I extended the deadline to April 4th due to me being away at the end of the month.

[kaywhyn]

@Icho

PMed you my nominations list and also made an edit to the post in the LOTY2023 Nominations topic to include mine, but I still wanted to PM my list to you just so you have them!

[Crane]

The current nominations list I don't think contains all of the nominated levels... does it?