Playing levels via the command lineTo start a level directly with the command line, use this syntax:
java -jar [superlemmini.jar path] -l [level path]
Both paths must include the file name.
For now, levels loaded in this manner cannot use mods. I plan to remedy this sometime in the future.
How to use the mod featureThe mod feature allows you to create assets that are used only in certain level packs. For example, maybe you want the lemmings to look different, or maybe you want to add terrain pieces to a default style (which requires modifying an INI file); tasks like these are best done using the mod feature.
To create a mod, go to the folder where you performed the initial resource extraction and open the "mods" folder. Create a new folder there and give it any name you want (this will be your mod's name). Inside that folder, add the files that you want to have in your mod, using the same folder structure as the main resource folder.
To use a mod in your level pack, open levelpack.ini and add a new line containing "mods = ", followed by a list of mods that you want your level pack to use. It should look something like this:
mods = mymod1, mymod2
Mods are listed in order from highest priority to lowest priority.
To see an example of this in action, see the Genesis level pack, which includes its own mod.
Lemmini level compatibilityBecause of the changes in SuperLemmini, some levels may not play properly, especially if they use custom or modified styles. Here are some of the things that may need to be changed:
General
- Never have the user overwrite any of the default resources! If you wish to modify them for your levels, use the mod feature instead! (And don't include any of the default resources in the mod unless they are supposed to be modified, renamed, or moved. Not only is doing so in violation of the license agreement, it can prevent updates to those resources from taking effect in your levels!)
Styles
- The "xmas" style is included with SuperLemmini, so your levels do not need to (and should not) include that style unless it was changed. (And note that it's called "xmas", not "christmas". If you used that latter name for the style, then you may need to adjust your levels.)
- The original Lemmini used the middle of the lemming for object collision detection. In SuperLemmini, this has been changed to just below the lemming's foot, which is what the original games did. For this reason, you will likely need to adjust your style's trigger areas. The maskOffsetX_n and maskOffsetY_n parameters (where n is the object number) can be used to move the trigger areas.
- The sound that's played when a lemming hits one-way arrows now depends on the sound_n parameter. Assuming you're using the default sounds and sound table, set the value of sound_n to 3.
- Likewise, the trapdoor sound is now defined in sound_n. The sound that you probably want is 5.
levelpack.ini
- The files awesome.mod, beasti.mod, beastii.mod, and menace.mod have been moved to a subfolder called "special." For this reason, if the music list includes these, then you must append "special/" to the beginning of each of those entries. Failure to do so can result in a crash.
Levels
- The style called "special" no longer exists; the special graphics are now implemented in a fasion similar to the original games. If you have a level that uses the "special" style, you must modify it in the following manner:
- If the terrain piece isn't placed at exactly 608:0, then move it there. You may also need to move the objects and the starting position.
- Change the value of the "style" parameter to "brick".
- Add a new parameter called "specialStyle" and set its value to the appropriate special style ("awesome", "beasti", beastii", or "menace").
- Remove the terrain piece.
- Look through the object entries for objects with an ID of 2. Change those to 7.
- If the terrain piece was inverted or multiple pieces were used, then the instructions above are not appropriate for your level. If this is the case, then you will need to create a new style using the graphics from the dirt set and the special styles, which are found in the subfolders of the styles\special folder.
And, most important, test your levels! Many adjustments to physics, styles, and other things were made in SuperLemmini, so what worked in the original Lemmini might not work in SuperLemmini.
BackgroundsInformation on the background format is in the level documentation that's included with SuperLemmini (docs\level format.txt), just after the steel section.