So, we've identified 3 separate issues here.

Issue 1: Hotkey display

We do in fact have a default hotkey [Y], but all hotkeys are overwritten by the user config. So, if a user copies over a hotkey file without the 'Cancel Playback Mode' key specified, it will be blank.

I think the best solution here is to print the hotkey onto a button rather than a simple text label. If the hotkey is blank, the button displays '...' (otherwise, it displays whichever hotkey is set). This should prompt the user to click the button, which opens the hotkey config dialog:



We can probably do even better than this, but this seems a decent enough fix for now.

Implemented in NLCEPlayer commit 90648d9.

Issue 2: Use directory picker to select folder

This is now fixed. We open a directory picker rather than asking the user to select a replay within the directory (which is both confusing and misleading - we're loading all replays in the directory, not just one).

Implemented in NLCEPlayer commit 4c05ce9.
Also implemented for Replay Manager in NLCEPlayer commit e153480.


Issue 3: 'By Level' doesn't playback replays correctly, whilst 'By Replay' does

This one will require further investigation.

I tested the replays supplied by darkshoxx and they played back as expected for both 'By Level' and 'By Replay', although I did observe the following issues:

• It takes a while for playback to begin when running the replays 'By Level'. I'll see if there's a way to speed this up
• We should probably show something like 'Beginning Playback...' somewhere in the UI, otherwise it looks like nothing happens. Long waits will exacerbate this
• One of the Steel Works replays appears to be broken (i.e. it doesn't solve the level). Since physics are identical between NL 12.14 and NLCE, this shouldn't be happening. One possibility is that I might be using an edited version of Steel Works to play back the replay.

After testing some of my own Lemmings Redux replays, I found that 'By Level' does indeed play replays correctly; the replays were matched to the levels correctly (even when a level appears multiple times), but the ordering was incorrect - for example, The Crankshaft was played before Just Dig!. Not sure as to the reason for this, but clearly the playlist system needs another look.

So yeah, this third issue is proving to be one of those elusive things that's a problem for one user but not another. Ideally, I'd have feedback from multiple users regarding Playback Mode, but so far I only have my own tests (I ran several tests on different packs when developing Playback Mode and fixed any issues detected) and darkshoxx's bug report to go on.

I'll release 1.2 in the next few weeks with the first 2 issues fixed, if not the third. What's the deadline for the showcase?

I think it'd be better to continue the discussion on the 5 levels demo in the correct thread.

Quote from: HPWsoft on July 01, 2026, 04:56:37 AMFor Fizzles, I still want to keep the core direction mobile-first and more real-time than NeoLemmix. I do not currently plan to make paused skill assignment part of the main gameplay, because that would change the feel of the levels quite a lot.

But your concern about the moving skill popup is very valid. If later levels offer four or five possible skills at once, clicking the correct icon above a moving Fizzle could become too fiddly, especially on touch devices. That is something I need to handle carefully.

Possible solutions could be larger skill buttons, a more stable popup position, better spacing, limiting the number of visible choices depending on context, or another mobile-friendly selection layout. The goal should not be to make players fight the interface. If a level is difficult, it should be difficult because of the puzzle decision, not because the correct icon is hard to tap.

So I will keep the pause design as a separate question, but I fully agree that the skill selection UI must stay readable and reliable once more abilities are available.

Another solution to make assigning skills easier may be to allow to assign skills from the non-moving bottom skill bar in addition to the popup above fizzle ?
Select a (moving) fizzle, have the (non moving) bottom bar highlight which skills are currently available to that fizzle, click on the bottom bar to assign skill to the selected lemmings.
This could be a flow different from Lemmings and not too prone to wrong assignements.

Curious to know if Ichotolot got intended solution on DECIMATION ?

At least curious to know if the left exit is used at any point during the level ?

We've solved everything. Thanks everybody for joining!

I've attached replays from the stream for these levels:

A Step Down With Difficulty -- one of our solutions uses only 15 skills
Oh No! Another Hardcore Molten Problem -- kaywhyn, I'll reply tomorrow!
Oh Yes! A Hardcore Molten Problem
Prologue
Ring of Fire
Subjugation
Unstable Egress

This should ideally go with the other replay postings into Playing Phase for the 2025 levels, but that's locked.

-- Simon

Quote from: namida on July 01, 2026, 09:14:57 PMI would do a search for historical forum posts by DragonsLover. I don't know if he did this track specifically, but he did a lot of Lemmings midis back in the day.

Indeed, I was curious about the Ohno modded tracks you used for Lemmings Plus II, as I had never heard them the way they sound in the pack. I grew up with Dos, and hence I know they're some modded version of the Ohno Dos tracks. Some sleuthing around led me to discovering that Dragonslover did them and then you asked if you could use them for your pack They're really nice!

Oh Yes is close to intended that it's an acceptable solution, while Oh No is completely intended. Well done!

LOL why do people insist on making my Oh Yes harder than it needs to be? Dexter was almost right about the leftover blocker.

Spoiler

Change to "eliminates the timing completely" and that would had been accurate. I don't require that the builder and miner meet at the exact same time at all! That's what the blocker is for, use it people!

Basically, after the builder turns around to the left, you simply park and make him block at a spot so that when the miner frees him after using the builder staircase to keep going, the miner tunnel's low and deep enough to turn him back towards the exit

I also don't require the stacker to be the splatform. Instead, you can simply build back far enough so that the fall is no longer fatal but then you need to interrupt him with the stacker so that everyone turns towards the right and doesn't get into danger with the trap  

For Oh No, it's possible to do it with just two climbers, but as I haven't been shown any backroute that the third climber causes, I decided to leave it in and would take it out only if it causes backroutes

Spoiler

Simply have the first climber turn around to the left first before digging. Then the rest of the solution can be done the same as before, with the platformer over the small lava pit finishing way ahead of time of the long basher from the right so that he can platform up the gap before the exit on time before the second climber arrives

Yea, I envisioned a level with the repeat where the only way to rescue the crowd is to get help from the other side due to how the basher destructive mask works. Hence the result was Oh No

Icho simply organized all the authors' levels by ABC order. This thus creates confusion due to how Oh Yes comes after Oh No alphabetically but that the former is meant to be played before the latter because the latter is the repeat version instead of the other way.

Once again, I got the impression from your groans that you're blaming me for my designs, when in fact you should play the levels before judging. I guess I'm not used to such reactions from people who play my levels on stream, particularly since it's still more common for me to play other people's levels and hence they watch me rather than me be the viewer watching others play my levels. It is true that Oh Yes uses parts of the level that Oh No doesn't, but that is intentional Keep in mind that decoration is perfectly valid level design when it comes to deceiving and throwing players off guard into thinking it's integral to the solution when it actually isn't I simply wanted to go beyond just the main areas for Oh Yes and Oh No in an effort to make them look nice. Dexter's tilesets are wonderful to look at and make levels with! I pretty much knew from the start I wanted to use his Hoard graphic set for the Oh Yes and Oh No levels

It's also amusing people are associating me with a certain level design when I really shouldn't be, as I only have 2 or 3 such levels out of the around 50 or so total I have made in the last 5 years

Spoiler

Levels that involve extending skills

Anyway, thank you for streaming and the nice compliments on my levels! Also for the resolving of my Oh Yes after I backroute fixed it    

Quote from: darkshoxx on July 01, 2026, 08:18:54 AMHere's the playbacks I used. Maybe it's because two are for the same level?

Thanks for these. 2 for the same level shouldn't matter. The red flag is more that it doesn't work when 'By Level' is selected, but does work when 'By Replay' is selected. It could be that 'By Level' is broken, then (although it worked fine for me during testing).

I watched the stream posted by Simon and you're absolutely right: the 'R' is purple when Playback Mode is active and there are no more actions in the replay stream. It's to let the player know that Playback Mode is still active even if they cancel the replay mid-playback; Playback Mode itself persists until it is cancelled.

Quote from: darkshoxx on July 01, 2026, 08:18:54 AMCan you post a link to the github, then I can raise it as an issue there.

On second (well, third!) thoughts, you don't need to bother with this. I prefer to handle issues via the Forums anyway.

I'll investigate this tonight and tomorrow and hopefully come up with an answer, if not a fix.

I would do a search for historical forum posts by DragonsLover. I don't know if he did this track specifically, but he did a lot of Lemmings midis back in the day.

@MASTER-88
I've pm'ed you my solution to "Level 19 Decimation".
It seems intended to me, but I first wanted your confirmation that it's not a backroute before posting it.

It took me an hour, but let's say a lot of people trained me for this particular type of solution and I got a nose for when to suspect it.

I wouldn't call it too precise as well! There are a few tight timings, but all in all it's still ok due to the level not being too long.
Great level! 
I my case it was very hard, but I've seen a lot worse as well. Difficulty is a bit of a perspective thing anyway.

Stream is over!

Recording will remain for 14 days at: https://www.twitch.tv/simonnaar

-- Simon