Level Design Contest #31 - Playing Phase (Discussion Topic)

[ericderkovits]

@Armani

Since I made a V2 of my rule 1 level your solution here fails.

[Crane]

@Flopsy: Yep, that's very much intended - well done!

[IchoTolot]

@Armani: Next to intended way for my R1! Great job!

I would even say 100% intended, but one little difference that I still want to fix is that precise fall you made that is not nessesary. I rather avoid that pixel-precision at that place.

One minor adjustment in your solution and you got it though. 

[ericderkovits]

Solved Armani's Rule 1 level.

[kaywhyn]

I've updated the contest collection pack to include the V2's of my R1 and R3. Thanks again to Icho for already including the other updated levels Also, the strato_generalmd style needed for my R2 has finally been included in the styles manager of NL. As such, the strato_generalmd style attached in the OP is no longer needed, as you can just download it through the NL styles manager, but I'll leave it there just in case you want to grab it from there instead. Either way works

R1 - Yea, I feared that R1 could be backrouted, and indeed only one solution that was sent to me (not posted in this topic) is intended. All other solutions to this level posted in this topic are all backroutes. For V2, I added a wall, OWAs, and steel, as well as change the wall in the middle left area. Somehow I feel the level can still be backrouted and hence these changes won't be enough, but let's see!

R2 - All solutions for my R2 are 100% intended. Finally, after 10 LDCs and every level of mine being backrouted at least once, I finally release a level that hasn't needed a V2 or more yet!

R3 - Oh man, all solutions I've seen are all different than what I had in mind, and they're all so impressive too However, Gronkling's solution saves a little too much skills, and as much as I hate to, all other solutions that go through the same area as his I unfortunately have decided to block. Yes, this is an open-ended level, but here I would like most or all of the skills to be accounted for. At least the major ones. With that, some fire traps were added in that area.

Along with that, thanks to Gronkling and another solution that was sent to me (again not attached anywhere in this topic), another change that was made is increasing the save requirement to 19. I then tried my solutions I had in mind again and indeed I did have suspicion that it was possible to save more than 18. I'm not sure why I didn't see that earlier Thus, Gronkling and another member have helped improve this level in a way that I'm more satisfied with now

I'm also quite surprised to hear from some people that they found this level hard There are at least 3 different ways to solve the level, and save for one that uses a bit of a trick (which even then it's still a really well-known one with just the classic 8 skills), nothing super fancy is needed! So, think simple is my advice here!

Overall, I wasn't even trying to be super hard with my entries this time. As I hope is the case, it was intentional on my part to dial back and tone down the difficulty of my entries for this LDC, as I had an observation that my recent ones have been much harder than I anticipated. Whether or not I managed to succeed here for the most part seems to hold true so far, and in my analysis my R1 should be the most difficult this time

I'm also not certain if I managed to do Dexters' new tilesets and zanzindorf's Cloud tileset justice, but then again I'm always thinking my levels aren't good visually due to me not being an artist, which I haven't been, and still am not.

@Flopsy

Wow, what an unexpected but pleasant surprise! Thanks so much for playing two of my levels and the really nice feedback/compliments on my R2 and R3

I remember a suggestion you gave me of considering looking into Lix. I'm not quite there yet, but eventually I do plan to get more fully into Lix, especially as I'm starting to run out of NL level packs to play  

Feedback

R2

It's A Wet World (kaywhyn) - solved this rather fast but I did use all of the skills, I have used this blocker trick in one of my levels before so I was immediately onto the containment trick used here. It's a great blocker trick so thumbs up from the King of Blockers!

Ah, yea I think I know which one from SEB Lems you're referring to And yes, blockers are far more versatile than I think, and the pack certainly did a great job teaching me new stuff/tricks with it! Before your pack, though, the one needed for my level here I learned this by a level from PimoLems

Feedback

R3
To The CPU Terminal (kaywhyn) - initially tried to go diagonally up through the middle to the right but that was too builder intensive. Then I realised there was terrain outside the green walls and then it was a very easy solve after that. Props for the good choice of 3D Lemmings music too, I love this track!

It was either this track or the other computer track of L3D, but I ultimately went with the one you hear playing on this level. I like this as well, though my favorite L3D track of all would have to be the standard circus one

Also, your solution would had been more acceptable than not, but sadly due to Gronkling's saving more skills than I wanted on this level I had to block it It's still quite impressive, though! The new save requirement of 19 should be a bit more of a challenge, but it's not that much harder I don't think. To reiterate, from my own testing I have at least 3 different intended solutions here! So, find one and take your pick. Or keep finding as many as you like!
 

Had a try at the contest levels this time and I found a surprising amount of them to be solvable this time, a grand total of FOUR which is quite good for me so I'm proud.

Hey, not bad at all!  

Rule 1 I just didn't bother with because I don't really understand the new objects and I didn't have the patience to try and work out the levels with the new objects either so I skipped the rule entirely.

I get it! Just the fact you played two of my levels is still plenty for me I have a suspicion I won't be using the new objects too much either, whether in contests or outside of them, if at all. I've always enjoyed the challenge of figuring out how to stop a climber/floater or any kind of specialist from getting into danger after he has prepared the route for the others and once assigned the permanent athletic skills.

[Armani]

attached my solutions to r2 levels

Right Left Right

a little bit repetitive for my liking but still a decent level.   I have some leftover skills though.

Build Up to Get Down

I figured out the main idea immediately but it was a clever level. I like how every stackers falls into place perfectly

Copper 9 Cabin Fever Labs

I kept sacrificing the floater and hence I was always one skill short! This is a decent level, kind of remind me of your other level Trinity Tower.

It's a Wet World!

Nice and easy level. It's fun to see a blocker using both of his hands

[kaywhyn]

@Armani

100% intended for my R2. Great job!

[IchoTolot]

@Armani

Intended solution for my R2 level! 

[Armani]

played through rule 3

Snarled pipeline

This was an interesting level. I had fun figuring out the correct path the crowd should take and the worker lemming should take.

Paradox

I have a good feeling about my solution being intended
 Such a simple looking level with challenging solution. I love it

Come Home Lemmings Part 2

interesting level involving shimmier going through the teleporter. I have a spare fencer.

Decayed Grid

I accidently one-shot this level. Climber climbing over the leftmost wall, two bombers from above to release the crowd, they all look intended to me

Orbita Solis

Nice level with only classic skills It was tempting to send all the crowd to the mesh terrain on the right side instead of left one.

To The CPU Terminal!

I tried to go for save all solution and fortunately it worked! It was very satisfying to figure out.

[Armani]

also resolved updated levels. They all look intended to me

All Your Skills Are Belong To Us!

First one should be a backroute. The second solution on the other hand I think is intended. Especially turning the swimmer lemmings around mid-air with a well-placed blocker seems like the main trick of this level!

[ericderkovits]

@ Armani
 
Your solution to my rule 1 level is intended

also added a Silver Talisman to my Rule 3 level

[IchoTolot]

@ Armani

Intended solutions for my R1 and R3 levels! Great job! 

[Armani]

@gronkling
Second try!

[Flopsy]

Finally solved Colorful Arty's level, this was an incredibly fun level to try, nice one Arty!

feedback

I liked the concept at the start where you had to sacrifice Lemmings zig zagging up to the bashable pipe, you had to be very precise here too and I had to use a little RR manipulation to get this.
It took me ages to figure out the digger bomber trick on the pipe to the lower left of the trapdoor. I must have spent nearly 2 hours on this level but it was satisfying to get and the fact that you had to time the digger towards the exit was a nice touch.
Also, the waterfall to the upper left of the level isn't placed correctly because Lemmings are able to walk by it. I did not exploit this in my solution though, it wasn't really useful in my opinion.

I did try also Icho's R1 level for a long time also but couldn't solve it, I absolutely despise the slider more than I hate gliders now! Thanks Icho   I think this is probably all I'm going to solve this contest.

[Colorful Arty]

Congrats to everyone who has solved my level! All solutions shared are completely acceptable. This level is fairly open-ended, so as long as you don't break the level completely it's okay to deviate from the one I found. Flopsy's was almost the same as mine, except he was able to save an extra lemming by doing things a little out of order.