Lix Double-Level Contest 2014

[mobius]

This contest is for C++ Lix only. Build from github or ask Simon if you need outdated versions. Forestidia updated some levels to 2018 tile names, these updates should run in D Lix.


Theme:
Make two levels that are identical except for one skill which must be different. [explained further below]

<span style="font-size: 14pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Phase 1 - Level Creation </strong></span>
[begins now!]

During phase one, to last one month (flexible depending on the outcome), participants must submit two levels that are identical in appearance and terrain layout and skills except:
<strong>The only allowed differences between the two levels is:</strong>
-One single skill count from the first <strong>must</strong> be replaced with a different skill in the second.  All other skills must remain the same.

For example:
If you have 1 climber, 1 floater and 1 blocker in the first. You can have 1 climber, 0 floaters 1 blocker and 1 builder in the second. OR:
You have 5 builders and 0 bashers, the change could be to 4 builders and 1 basher
So you basically trade one single skill for another.
Another good example: Buy One Get One Free parts 1 and 2 by geoo of the community pack does this.
(link broke after forum migrated at end of 2015)

These are options:
-The Amount of Lix saved required may be different. But the total number of lix must be the same.
-The Spawn interval may be changed

-The # of Lemmings, time other skills and counts must all remain the same. The position of all terrain and objects in the level must be the same.
-Your level solution must not rely on glitches.

-Please give your level a title and enter 'CONTEST2014' in the author form. DO NOT enter your name. Level submission will be anonymous. When others play your level they won't know who the author is until after the contest has ended.

-Also: Please send me replays of both levels of your intended solution/s. Let me know if your level(s) are intended to have many or multiple solutions. Say "NO BACKROUTE" if you will consider anything as intended.

Submit your two [mostly] identical levels to me via PM. Send it with the PM via dropbox or a file sharing site of your choosing [this site does not allow attaching files via PM]. I will not reveal who made each level until the contest is fully over.

You may make revisions to your level but please append a number to each revision. You may alter one of the pair of levels separately but they will continue to be considered as a pair.


<span style="font-size: 14pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Phase 2 - Solving</strong></span>
[begins November 8 (flexible depending on the outcome of phase 1)]

I will make a post here with all of the levels (anonymously) available for everyone to download and play. During this time players (that is; anyone, even if you have not submitted a level) can play and upload a replay to any, one, or all of the levels. You may upload:

-only 1 replay per level or version. That is; if a level has 8 versions you may upload 8 replays for each version. But only 1 per version.

DO NOT post a replay in the topic for anyone to take.

Attach your replay file to a PM via dropbox or a file sharing site like filezilla to me. I will give it to the author.

-Each player will receive 1 point for every replay they send in.
-You will get points for each level of a pair individually. But you may only solve one of the pair if you wish.

<em>-While you may upload more than 1 replay for 1 version of a single level you will only be scored for 1 version once. For the sake of freedom you may upload more replays but only 1 will count for your score </em>

During this time every author may update their level any number of times to remove backroutes or embellish the design. Remember to put the version number with your level pair even if only one of the two levels was changed. And remember to send it to me and not post in the thread to remain ambiguous.

Players may upload new replays for the newer versions. Again, remember to send them to me.

Notes:
-A replay for a newer version that is an identical solution to an earlier version will not score points.
-If you have an identical solution to both pair of levels (of one version) they will count as two solutions/replays. But that replay won't be counted any further in any future or past versions.

Also at this time you should post and discuss who you think made each level.  <img src="http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/laugh.gif" alt="" title="Laugh" class="smiley" />

<span style="font-size: 14pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Phase 3 - Voting </strong></span>
[begins December 1 (flexible depending on the outcome of phases 1 and 2)]

-authors must now send me their final version of their levels along replays of the intended solution. This way even players who could not solve a certain level or found only backroutes are able to make an educated vote for originality (and to some degree funness).

I will make another post with all the levels and this will be their final versions for the contest. Authors may not make any more adjustments to their levels after this. And no more replays will be excepted (at least for scoring purposes).
Anyone [players and authors or even anyone who hasn't participated in either first or second phase so far] may vote on each pair of levels with three categories:

appearance
F-U-N funness
originality

Vote each submission (consider the two levels together) a 1.0 (low) through 10.0 (high) You may not vote for your own submission.
You may also make a guess as to who created each level.
-Enter your votes to me via PM.

The winner will be made president of the United States of America

In the event that I die unexpectedly someone like a mod should feel free to take over the contest and run things as they see fit.

[Nepster]

Two questions:
For Phase 1: What is considered a glitch? As far as I can tell, Simon does an excellent job removing all known glitches.
For Phase 2: Is it allowed to hand in a solution to an old version of a level, even if the solution does no longer work in the newest one?

I would like to make the following suggestion: During Phase 1/2 all authors should send you replays of the intended solutions as well. These replays are released at the beginning of Phase 3. This way even players who could not solve a certain level or found only backroutes are able to make an educated vote for originality (and to some degree funness).

[mobius]

1: If Simon or geoo don't know about it and multiple people agree it's bad behavoir then it's a glitch. I assume most of the glitches have been removed but I haven't followed that thread.
2: yes. that is allowed.

An excellent suggestion. I will append the post.

[mobius]

I made a few minor adjustments to the rules on phase 2 and phase 1

Namely: you may have a different spawn interval and save requirement on the other level.

the change to phase two is: you only get points for 1 replay for a version. Though you can still send more replays for one version for the benefit of the level designer.

[mobius]

about two weeks left to enter a level if you wish to submit one for the contest.

Note: I will accept late submissions under a minor penalty. Penalty to be decided later when someone talks to me about it in IRC.

[mobius]

Due to extenuating circumstances [I'll be in African learning how to do dental work on elephants]
the deadline for level creation will be extended a week.

Levels must be submitted by Nov 8

(all other dates will be moved too, to compensate but I'll fiddle with that later. We'll build that bridge when we come to it)
 -------------

Levels have been submitted! How many, and by whom? ..................you'll just have to wait and find out!

[ccexplore]

Sorry for off-topic but, wow that's some fascinating extenuating circumstances (assuming it's not a joke?).   Some sort of volunteer work I'm guessing?  Though I would've thought one would need some sort of vet degree or something as a prerequisite.  Anyway, safe travels (and I hope you aren't in one of those US states with mandatory quarantine policies around the Ebola scare ).

[mobius]

it's only a joke I'm afraid. I can only dream that my life was that interesting.

At first I thought it was silly that you'd take that seriously but then I remembered geoo's actually been in Africa recently. yeah. I admit I'm very envious of pretty much everyone else here. 

[mobius]

check the first post--some rules have been changed.

notably: the scoring for solving levels is simpler.

Two questions:
For Phase 1: What is considered a glitch? As far as I can tell, Simon does an excellent job removing all known glitches.
For Phase 2: Is it allowed to hand in a solution to an old version of a level, even if the solution does no longer work in the newest one?

this is no longer allowed.

[mobius]

5 people have entered levels so far. And there is still time to enter a level of your own! PM me or email me at whatshuh@gmail.com with your levels.

The levels below are anonymous, nobody knows who created them. It's your job to guess who!

To the players:
If you'd like to participate in this round of the contest, simply download the zip file below, play any of these levels, and upload a solution file by PMing me. I will show the replay to the correct author.

-Each player will receive 1 point for every replay they send in.
-You will get points for each level of a pair individually. But you may only solve one of the pair if you wish.

-While you may upload more than 1 replay for 1 version of a single level you will only be scored for 1 version once. For the sake of freedom you may upload more replays but only 1 will count for your score

During this time every author may update their level any number of times to remove backroutes or embellish the design. Remember to put the version number with your level pair even if only one of the two levels was changed. And remember to send it to me and not post in the thread to remain ambiguous.

Players may upload new replays for the newer versions. Again, remember to send them to me.

Notes:
-A replay for a newer version that is an identical solution to an earlier version will not score points.
-If you have an identical solution to both pair of levels (of one version) they will count as two solutions/replays. But that replay won't be counted any further in any future or past versions.

Also at this time you should post and discuss who you think made each level. 

[mobius]

as already stated, I'm very busy now but I am definitely keeping up with this. Just don't be surprised if it takes me a day or two to post with updates.

Meanwhile those who haven't uploaded levels still have time to enter.

[Akseli]

I might as well start the discussion here. I managed to solve all the contest levels just a moment ago and sent my solutions to mobius. Two of the levels (they were from different authors) were tricky enough that I had to think them for over the night. Really nice job all the level makers so far, great stuff!

I think I'm sure about two authors and their levels, but about other ones I just need to guess still. If there were backroutes, remember to send the fixed levels to mobius, so your identity won't be revealed.

[mobius]

I've sent the current replays to their respective owners.

Nepster has solved 7 levels.
Akseli has solved all the levels so far with 8 points.

[solving your own levels don't count so the most you can get right now is 8 points]

[mobius]

The solutions to Amethyst Nightmare Shrine and Temple to the Frog Gods are both intended.

The author of A Day in Lixtown and a Night in Lixtown says:

Thanks for all the replays. Though I liked some of the solutions very much, none was intended . On the other hand, this gave me the opportunity to add the builder-lix, having now finally the correct number of lix in Lixtown. I am very curious now, whether you still manage to solve the levels within one or two days. "

updates to these levels:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/72760678/Lixtown1V2.txt
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/72760678/Lixtown2V2.txt


NaOH has joined the solving phase and solved 5 levels so far.

[mobius]

someone else has submitted a level!

updated pack with new levels and version fixes to Lixtown (already posted above). More updates are to come...