NeoLemmix (Player: V1.26n-C | Editor: V1.26n-B)

[Tsyu]

Added a NeoLemmix-ised version of it to Extra for the next update. It's the first level in "Other" now.

I'd put it at or near the end, considering its difficulty.

[namida]

I'm trying to order them based roughly on chronological order.

Anyway, I'm working on a SYSTEM.DAT editor menu for NeoLemmix Editor now. As you probably expected, I'm adding the ability to define graphic set names in the SYSTEM.DAT file for the graphic-sets-by-name feature. However, I'm not going to make this fully customizable in the editor (advanced users can do so with a hex editor if need be), but rather, it simply will have the option to load any style defined in NeoLemmixStyles.ini (eg: you can choose ONML style if you want the brick=0, rock=1, snow=2, bubble=3 setup).

EDIT: Here's a screenshot so far; do note that I haven't implemented edit space for the following yet:
- Result texts
- Congrats screen texts
- Scroller texts (you can now have up to 16 custom lines on it, instead of just a single one)

(Note: All of the above texts can now be up to 36 characters, instead of 32.)

Also note that it's not functional at all yet. Only the layout has been designed; the only thing behind-the-scenes that's done on the editor side is coding in the structure of the file.

EDIT: Since posting this, I've added a checkbox for enabling the LVL File and mass-image dumping (still need to implement the option though), as well as preset buttons for the mechanics which will set the following options (without changing any others):

Orig
- Off: Fix one-way right bug
- On: Timed bombers, 60px Fall, X=24, A>B>B>A, Climber>Shrugger Glitch

OhNo
- Off: Fix one-way right bug, X=24, A>B>B>A, Climber>Shrugger Glitch
- On: Timed bombers, 60px Fall

Cust
- Off: Fix one-way right bug, X=24, A>B>B>A, Climber>Shrugger Glitch, 60px Fall
- On: Timed bombers

LPDOS
- Off: Fix one-way right bug, Timed bombers
- On: 60px Fall, X=24, A>B>B>A, Climber>Shrugger Glitch

LPII
- Off: Timed bombers, X=24, A>B>B>A, Climber>Shrugger Glitch
- On: Fix one-way right bug, 60px Fall

(Note with the last one that there's no option to disable the pause-for-time and nuke glitches in Flexi, so those two details of LPII Mechanics won't be set by the LPII preset.)

As already mentioned in existing documentation (and hinted at by the (T) in these menus), these mechanics options (except the timed bombers one) only apply to Traditional Lemmix. On that note, I also slightly changed the text of the timed bombers option - it now says "Timed Bombers/Stoners", to reflect that stoners are also affected by the setting.


EDIT: Added an updated screenshot.

[namida]

It's starting to become functional. Although load/save isn't yet implemented, the in-memory values can be edited for the options checkboxes / radio boxes and in-game texts (the stuff at the bottom of the panel).

EDIT: Now, pretty much everything except the input boxes near the top-left and the Save and Load buttons are working. The New button is only partially working - it does clear the data, but this isn't yet immediately updated on screen (but say, if you change which text is active at the bottom, it'll now be cleared when it loads the one you've changed to).

EDIT: Preset buttons weren't working, but they are now. Same issue as with the New button; it doesn't update on-screen, only in memory. This is because the function to set the displayed values based on the memory ones hasn't been coded yet; it only exists currently as an empty placeholder that does nothing.

EDIT: Everything except Load, Save and generating the style name list is now fully functional, including properly updating the displayed values when New (or a preset) is clicked.


By the way, before anyone asks: I do not plan *at this time* to implement a similar thing for SuperLemmini's level pack INI file. However, the keywords here are "at this time"; I probably will do it later on down the track.


EDIT: Okay, the SYSTEM.DAT editor is now fully functional (except the style name list, which I'll do later). Now, to get the player fully utilizing this new format (it already partially can, as many things were simply a matter of modifying the structure used to load the old one).

EDIT: All new features are now implemented in the player, except for name-based style selection.

[Wafflem]

Great job in the SYSTEM.DAT addition, this is just what this editor needs, especially for a lot of us who have been wanting to create their own Lemmix players!

Also, great job with the red arrows in the Snow style. I wonder if you will also be able to apply that to the Traditional Snow style, like how you also added the Snow objects to the Xmas style.

One Way To Freedom seems to be a lot easier under NeoLemmix mechanics, due to the ability of instant bombers.

[namida]

I definitely can apply it to the traditional version Snow style, though I might see what the general opinion is on doing that before making any changes to it that affect existing levels/objects (unlike the Xmas style modification, which was simply adding new objects in a way that has zero impact on any existing content). I've put a poll up, and also asked for feedback, in the traditional Lemmix topic.

Anyway, that's enough for today. Time for some FFX-2, or maybe some sleep... haven't decided which yet. Definite todos before the next release are improving the style trigger areas (I've already done one style) and the countdown graphic widths. I might also look at moving *all* players (except Cust) onto using a SYSTEM.DAT file, as that means less hardcoded stuff - I think pretty much everything that needs to be editable can be edited in SYSTEM.DAT or the levels themself now, apart from a few hardcoded details (such as the 66% requirement on Sixes Not in Extra, or showing the Congrats message on a non-final rank in Orig and OhNo even though the final rank isn't a secret one; LPIII's Timid 5 is no longer hardcoded but is instead set in the level file itself now).


Another minor issue is that I'll want to have an update for Traditional at the same time (or at least reasonably soon afterwards), that way we won't have a situation of having to use LemMain for one version but NeoLemmix Editor for the other. I'll probably also release a LemMain update at the same time to remove that feature from it, as well as add a couple of new things that shall remain unrevealed for now...

[namida]

Another change I'm making alongside the trigger area adjustments, is making the fire one-way arrow graphic 24 pixels tall instead of its current 21 pixels tall. No change to their trigger area though - it's already 24 pixels tall, so I'm just making the graphic match (additionally, you'll notice that they line up accurately from a graphical point of view if there's a 3 pixel gap between them vertically; which is why I'm expanding the graphic rather than reducing the trigger area). This has no effect during gameplay since the extra space is transparent; it just makes the borders line up more neatly when editing levels.

[Wafflem]

In PSP 32 of the Neo Extra player, the exit's head is cut off. This needs to be fixed.

[namida]

I'll check that out. Due to the trigger area adjustments (and in case the LPDOS glitch has popped up elsewhere that I haven't noticed), I'm probably going to be rechecking *all* levels before the next update, except the LPIII and LPIII Bonus Pack ones since those styles aren't being modified (except maybe making the water trigger areas extend one more pixel vertically). Huge task, but it has to be done sooner or later.

EDIT: All Orig styles plus Snow and Xmas are done now. Still need to do Brick, Rock, Bubble, Sega and the LPII styles.

EDIT: All official styles (including Sega) are done.

EDIT: All styles are done. The updated versions can be downloaded here. Note that these are fully compatible with the existing versions of NeoLemmix and NeoLemmix Editor; you don't have to wait for the new version to use them.

Most objects in the official, LPII and Sega styles have their trigger areas slightly adjusted. The only adjustments in the LPIII styles are the water object in the martian style and the fire object (that looks like water) in the lab style; and only very minorly so - their trigger area is one pixel taller than it was before.

I do still need to apply the updates to the Genesis styles, though. Done. In case anyone wants them, the Genesis styles with updated triggers are here. Please note that they do NOT contain the new objects, and never will unless someone decides to add them. The only NeoLemmix-isations on them are the adjusted trigger areas and autosteel support.

[namida]

Just finished fixing all the MAIN.DATs (the countdown digits, as well as adding two new graphics, although one of them probably won't be used until the release after the next one), as well as sorting out the lemming counts in levels where there's only pre-placed lemmings or where there's more pre-placed lemmings than the lemming count - in these cases, the lemming count is adjusted to the number of pre-placed lemmings in the level. (Be aware that the save requirement is *not* adjusted in any way.)

By the way, since I have to go through all the levels anyway, I probably will adjust the sizes of existing levels - most likely including LPIII and LPIII Bonus Pack.

Also - I worked out what the cause was of the steel problem in LPDOS. It's a problem where 1 is added to the width and height of a steel area whenever the level is dumped, which was done multiple times for the LPDOS levels while updating the format; I'll fix this in the next update. So, it won't affect autosteel levels, but will affect those which use manual steel - which is why it was most noticable in LPDOS, because most levels' steel is done manually there.

EDIT: Fixed it up on all the official game players; still got to do the Lemmings Plus ones.

EDIT: Okay, steels are fixed on all games. As for looking through the levels (and making adjustments on many of them - be it level size, one-way arrow positioning, fixing oddities with the appearances, whatever), I've done Fun and Tricky so far.

EDIT: Well, that's all of Orig done. Most levels simply have empty (or near-empty) space on the sides cut out, but I did find some things worth changing, and in others I've made slight modifications to the decorative elements. There's one level - and those who are familiar with other versions of the game should have no trouble guessing which one - where I actually *increased* the width.

[namida]

On a slightly-different note, I implemented the Infinite symbol for infinite skill counts.

Another feature I'm going to add - and most likely, this includes in Flexi (since there's no reason not to) - is the ability to have a completely hidden rank. This differs from a secret rank in that the levels in it are not playable in any way (as opposed to merely being secret levels). What's the point then? You can oddtable those levels, so for example, I'll use it when I do the updating the levels in the LPII and LPIII Bonus Packs - including a copy of the LPII / LPIII level and oddtabling it makes things simpler, but I don't want the level to actually be *playable* in the bonus pack, for example. I'll probably even include this option in Traditional, too.

Also, I can confirm now that the following features, while all but the last still planned for eventual inclusion (the last one I'm still undecided about if it's worth it, since I don't think I'm ever going to make use of it), won't be in the next update:
- Volume control
- Multiple sound channels
- Config menu
- Highlight lemming
- RGB-based graphic sets

The following haven't been implemented yet and may or may not be in the next update (probably will, though):
- Rescued lemmings blink
- Instant slowfreeze/radiation option for Flexi


There's also one last new feature in levels that I'm considering that I haven't mentioned yet; I know I said I wasn't going to add any more but I see this one potentially being *extremely* useful - the ability to make a terrain piece "invisible" to one-way walls (ie: if a one-way wall covers all or part of the piece, it won't affect it); this could be useful when making one-way walls in graphic sets with uneven terrain. Obviously if this is implemented, it'll be used in a lot of places when updating the levels, so if I am going to implement it, it'll probably be in the next version.

[Wafflem]

Another feature I'm going to add - and most likely, this includes in Flexi (since there's no reason not to) - is the ability to have a completely hidden rank. This differs from a secret rank in that the levels in it are not playable in any way (as opposed to merely being secret levels). What's the point then? You can oddtable those levels, so for example, I'll use it when I do the updating the levels in the LPII and LPIII Bonus Packs - including a copy of the LPII / LPIII level and oddtabling it makes things simpler, but I don't want the level to actually be *playable* in the bonus pack, for example. I'll probably even include this option in Traditional, too.

Will this rank also work for bait-and-switch levels like Timid 5 (e.g. put a useless-looking builder level in the hidden rank, but when you attempt to play that level as shown in the preview screen, it will turn out to be a Rickroll level)?

[namida]

Yes. That isn't something I'd want to use myself (I'd almost see the level as wasted if it can't be accessed somehow), but it'd actually be more work to make it *not* possible to use with bait-and-switch, so there's literally no reason for me not to allow this if people want to use it.

Also: Despite the name in the editor, Bait-and-Switch doesn't *have* to be used for Rickroll. I'm sure there's more creative uses for it (maybe some kind of "haunted" rank where levels disguise themselves as each other?).

[namida]

So, the "one-way-proof terrain" feature...

I should probably go back and apply this to a few certain levels in Orig. If I'm not mistaken, the ones where it might be useful are Tricky 27, Taxing 13 and Mayhem 30... any others that anyone can think of?

[Wafflem]

Probably the one-way wall on the bottom-left in Tricky 9 / Mayhem 6 and the small one-way wall in Fun 24 / Mayhem 3.

[namida]

Good point - they definitely could use it.

On another note, I'm adding another option, so it can be selected whether one-way walls can apply to all pieces except those that are excluded, or one-way walls are only applied to pieces that are specifically included.