Hi!
With this humble thread, I would like to help all the level designers who want new ideas for making their new levels: why don't build a level inspired from a good/suggestive phrase or quote? The development and/or the solution of the screen could be taken literally from the level name

.
Let's start suggesting names! Like "
Up The Hill Backwards" *
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* This is the name of an optimistic David Bowie's song. I love that song! =)
It's not a bad idea, but I think level designers tend to go the other way around, starting from a level idea and then come up with a good/suggestive title based on the level idea (or in some cases, just stick a random title to the level). While I've only made only one or two levels, I can definitely say that on all of them, it was idea first, title second.
It's no different from, say, writing a novel. It's hard to imagine how many good novels were written starting from a given title. Far more likely that you'd have some general plot and concept for the novel, and only then (and possibly much much later) would you work out a fitting title for it.
But I guess as a brainstorming tool to jog one's mind into coming up with something they might not have thought of before, it could work for some people.
Not sure how useful this is, but if nothing else, someone could use this list as a start-off for creating interesting titles for your next level, even if you don't choose to actually use the title to inspire your next level:
- "if only they could <insert action here>"
- "hungry for more lemmings"
(I kinda want to keep this one for myself, but whatever) - "elevator out of service"
- "catch-22"
- "teach an old <insert name of skill here, or maybe just "lemming"> new tricks"
- "nowhere to go but <insert direction here> <insert optional question mark here, if you're thinking of having a misleading title>"
- "bizarro world of lemmings"
(another one I'm likely to use myself in the future) - "after the rainstorm"
(I already used this one in a Cheapo level, but feel free to adapt it in your own) - "hidden in plain sight"
- "boom or bust"
- "broken symmetry"
- "it's raining cats and lemmings" (or something like that)
- "the void"
- "a clockwork lemming"
- "lembusters"
- "the lemsons"
- "L.E.M.M.I.N.G.S"
(meant to be a generic title conveying nothing about the level itself)
(list to be expanded...)
I predict this thread is simply not going to get a lot of contributions. As I've demonstrated within the span of like 15-20 minutes, titles are ridiculously cheap to come up with. Despite our seemingly single-minded involvement with Lemmings sometimes, the fact is, our non-Lemmings life, society and culture is sufficiently rich and interesting that there are endless sources to draw level titles from.
I think the only worthwhile takeaway from this is, if you really do find yourself having a "writer's block" over a level, you
could try this approach of first coming up with a title (or borrow one from real life) and see if you can manage to create a decent level out of it. Since coming up with title is so easy, eventually you're bound to come up with something that manages to spark your brain enough to get out of the rut.
Someone already did Catch-22. IIRC, it was a level where in order to get down to where you have to build a safe landing area from on a long drop, you have to already have a safe landing area, and there was some genius trick to get one lemming down there.
Anyway, there is the odd time when I've come up with the name then built a level to suit. A level I'm still working on the exact design of, titled "Express Lane", is one example of this. I have most of the general idea for it, but I'm still working on exactly how to pull it off. "No Time To Die" and "Death Row" (levels from Lemmings Plus 4, which seems to be lost now as I can't find the disc I have it backed up on - although Death Row is in the released demo) are also examples of levels built from a name.
Anyway, there is the odd time when I've come up with the name then built a level to suit. A level I'm still working on the exact design of, titled "Express Lane", is one example of this. I have most of the general idea for it, but I'm still working on exactly how to pull it off. "No Time To Die" and "Death Row" (levels from Lemmings Plus 4, which seems to be lost now as I can't find the disc I have it backed up on - although Death Row is in the released demo) are also examples of levels built from a name.
But wouldn't it be fair to say that you got those titles starting from the general idea for the level? So it was more like:
vague level idea => title => more concrete implementation of idea in level
So the title just kinda facilitates things. I think Ron was thinking more along the lines of
you're not thinking at all about levels => some title, phrase, or quote from real life => eureka! level idea born!
And to encourage some creativity, remember that you don't have to interpret the titles in my list the same way as in real life. For example "Catch-22" may not be referring to an impossible situation in the course of solving the level, but perhaps that you're required to save literally 22 lemmings on a level, and it's not obvious how.
Here is one link with a user thinking of all sorts of level ideas. I can't be bothered to put them down here I'm afraid.
http://www.varley9.freeserve.co.uk/lemmings/levels.htm
With all respect to ccexplore, I have to disagree. I don't know, I guess different minds work differently, and mine collects quotations voraciously, and often I'll be able to think of some Lemmings-related variant on a quotation or title that just screams out to be used. And it is different from writing a novel, because it's small and if your idea turns out not to lead to a great level, all you have is one level that's less than awesome. Several of my Cheapo levels originated this way. (And that, I'm afraid, is why I'm not going to be contributing much to this thread -- any titles I've still got that I haven't used, and I have a fair few, I want to keep for myself.)
A few of mine that I've used:
"On the Lemdon Underground" -- entrance and exit on the same platform, you had to go under to get there
"Night of the Lemming Dead" -- a level where bombers were the only terrain-destruction skill available, like Genesis Tricky 21
"We're off to see the Lizard" -- a rock terrain level with lizards, obviously
"Through the Lemming Glass" -- a mirror-image level in the style of Upside-down World
"The Lemming, the Witch and the Wardrobe" -- a vast snowy landscape
Interesting; seems like my mindset reflects my engineering background as your mindset reflects your humanities background.
If I think of any particularly neat titles I'll add them to the list. I'll still say though that titles are the one part of level designing that people need the least help on.
I don't know. At least one level I've made recently, I had a lot of trouble coming up with a name for, and still don't know if I like the name it has... ("A Perfect Nightmare")
These are names I've used for my levels and a description of the level which helps describe the level, which should be uploaded sometime today.
Wire combining (A level with the crystal set and thin blue lines of terrain with ghost buster traps on each end)
The Dark Side of Lemmingland (The hell background with lava everywhere and fire where neccessary)
Squeeze Me! (Red brick set and traps at the bottom of the level that crush lemmings)
Unearthed (Underground set where you need to break through terrain to find the exit)
I have so far got these ideas implemented in my third levelpak which is almost finished
To get through a ceiling... (A level where you need to use bombers to get through terrain upwards to the exit)
No looking down (Only 2 floaters, one lemming has to build a bridge to ensure the survival of the other lemmings)
Dead in a few seconds (Lemmings fall several feet after hatching then die, a bridge needs to be built to save the remaining lemmings)
More to think of but there's some ideas

EDIT: Here's two more ideas that I've inserted
Irritable Lemming Syndrome (Release Rate at 99 meaning you have to be carefully clicking on a blocker, during this test I accidentally did the third lemming in the line, but you need to save all but one lemming on the level
Optimism is your answer (A bit tricky, several lemmings die with you needing to build a platform to save them, also to build over a blocker to get to the exit who you made to get the second floater to build)
Still trying to think of a level to suit it (or maybe I'll just use it for a random title), but a nice name I thought of lately is "Dying Not Reccomended".
I've already made 'Mission Lempossible' for my 4th levelpak

EDIT: I made a level idea and the level is going in my 4th pack
Artwork gone wrong: An upside down trap, trapdoor and exit with some upside down terrain pieces while others are the right way up
This level will be in the works for my next pack too
Boom Boom Pow: Bombers required to pass level.
I could actually use some help with something title-related. Specifically, I'm trying to figure out whether there's a particular English word that means something like "a tower of a castle where somebody's imprisoned in". Kinda like the concept of "dungeon" except it's not underground but rather high above ground. Think Rapunzel. It's possible no such English words exist (ie. you can't get any closer than just "tower"), but if you know of one, let me know.
I've thought of a level name that I'm using in my 4th pack. It's called 'Eater of Luck'. This level will use rock set and the lemmings will be getting eaten by a lizard as they are falling from a trapdoor. This level name comes from the bounty hunter 'Dannik Jerriko' in Star Wars: A New Hope.
My next level pack?
1. Death and dying all around - Many lemmings will have to die to complete level. - Fire
2. Fall and Fail - A level that could involve some clever tactics to get to the exit (a seemingly simple task) without dying. - Pillar
3. Headhunters vs. Lemmings - A level where the lemmings will have to dodge many traps - specifically, the one in "You Live and Lem." - Dirt
4. White+(Blue+Green)=White+Red - A level where you have to compact lemmings together to squeeze past icicle traps - Snow
5. Flow Not Controlled - A level that appears to be flooded. 99 RR. - Crystal
6. Lizard needs a diet - A level, requiring 100%, that involves lizard traps. - Rock
7. Sinkhole! - A level where you must keep lemmings from falling into a "sinkhole" requiring clever use of skills. - Pillar
8. Brick*10^99 - A brick level with RR 99. - Brick
9. Magma Chamber - Lemmings dodge fire traps, among other things. - Fire
10. The Final Showdown! - Crystal level, using many bombers to get through the level. - Crystal
My next level pack?
1. Death and dying all around - Many lemmings will have to die to complete level. - Fire
2. Fall and Fail - A level that could involve some clever tactics to get to the exit (a seemingly simple task) without dying. - Pillar
3. Headhunters vs. Lemmings - A level where the lemmings will have to dodge many traps - specifically, the one in "You Live and Lem." - Dirt
4. White+(Blue+Green)=White+Red - A level where you have to compact lemmings together to squeeze past icicle traps - Snow
5. Flow Not Controlled - A level that appears to be flooded. 99 RR. - Crystal
6. Lizard needs a diet - A level, requiring 100%, that involves lizard traps. - Rock
7. Sinkhole! - A level where you must keep lemmings from falling into a "sinkhole" requiring clever use of skills. - Pillar
8. Brick*10^99 - A brick level with RR 99. - Brick
9. Magma Chamber - Lemmings dodge fire traps, among other things. - Fire
10. The Final Showdown! - Crystal level, using many bombers to get through the level. - Crystal
Nice level names there. Sounds like a challenge
Thanks - I'm going to start working on them... This will make the first pack with my new view on making the epicXX packs (make packs not geared towards the fangame, and then throw the better levels into the fangame packs).
I'll write down some more levelnames that people can use if they want to.
Treepath (A level with trees that the Lemmings have to get past. Sounds good for either rock set or Fun 22 vgaspec file)
Intoxication (Pink set and some acid kicking about somewhere on the level, maybe everywhere)
Unholy Lemfessions (Using hellset and flamethrowers, lava and fire traps)
Fortified Lemmitory (Dont know what graphic set it could use, maybe Gold, Pink or Red Brick set but have some traps lying around)
Bullet for my Lemmatine (Well I don't know anything about what set is suitable but the a heart formed from terrain is a good idea)
Lost in the dunes (Using gold set, maybe a concealed exit would be useful for the title)
Starry night (A crystal level with plenty of stars)
Nukage Processing (Pink set and acid placed in certain places)
Widest gaps (Any set suitable for this name, Long distance between terrain when building)
Lemburger Hill (Pink set maybe? Dont know really about set but loads of hills or mountains or something may be good)
Beachy Head (Gold or Underground set, a cliff with a rather long drop, this name reminds me of a beauty spot in Eastbourne)
Bullet for my Lemmatine (Well I don't know anything about what set is suitable but the a heart formed from terrain is a good idea)
I thought of something! How about the marble set using pieces 55 and 56.
For Starry night I've already got one of those in my 12th levelpack. Here's the link:
http://camanis.net/lemmings/levelpacks.php?info&pack=58
Bullet for my Lemmatine (Well I don't know anything about what set is suitable but the a heart formed from terrain is a good idea)
I thought of something! How about the marble set using pieces 55 and 56.
For Starry night I've already got one of those in my 12th levelpack. Here's the link:
http://camanis.net/lemmings/levelpacks.php?info&pack=58
The level name doesn't say Starry night dude. Marble set for that sounds cool
Though this is not in reply to any message here, I wanted to mention that Ive done alot of levels with names based on various titles (movies, tv, music, and even games). Unfortunately many of those ended up being a total flop (hardly challenging levels), with the only good feature being the overall design on the levels.
I could put down a list of what I have done.
Has anyone been able to access my levels lately?
Though this is not in reply to any message here, I wanted to mention that Ive done alot of levels with names based on various titles (movies, tv, music, and even games). Unfortunately many of those ended up being a total flop (hardly challenging levels), with the only good feature being the overall design on the levels.
I could put down a list of what I have done.
Has anyone been able to access my levels lately?
What are your levelpaks called? I'd be interested in identifying them

Quite recently I have been thinking of the final level for my 4th pack. I am going to use possibly crystal graphics or the bubble graphics. For a crystal level I was going to call it something like this
The Blue Frame of Illusion (A challenging level with lemmings doing several challenges, such as evading traps and bashing or bombing through terrain.
I could put down a list of what I have done.
Has anyone been able to access my levels lately?
I have done (which I did back in early 2008) a few of them which were downloaded in the Lemmings File Portal. I've remembered some of your levels including the Pipeline expressway and Lemming City (which I wanted to rename "The city of Lemmsville" for my own benefit).
You will find my levels under the name VanClan on the File Portal (levelpacks section). They were part of my first pack, but I had more levels ready to go and I didnt get around to uploading the second one because it wasnt completely finished. I dont know if they are still able to be viewed even if I upload them.
More level names to come
Escape from Hell (Hell set, lemmings break through terrain to get to top of level)
Enslaved Lemmings (Lemmings trapped in a box, or even maybe trapdoors with lemmings needing rescuing)
Lake of despair (Using hell set, maybe difficult to pass)
Sewage System (Using underground set and several steel blocks with small terrain pieces on them)
Satan's keep (Using hell set, maybe a large layout of the level)
here's a big list of level titles I collected for myself but I thought I'd share it

actually this is only half of my list

it's big
[some of these were intended for or came from other games so may seem out of place but, ya never know]
I'm Batman
Fire & Forget
Barbequed
Dropped Dead
The Sting
Enemy at the Gate
Frontier Justice
Shoot the Breeze
Hard to Kill
Hotshot
I Fry
Vanguard Party
that's a Wrap
Riftwalker
With Friends like These...
Crash & Burn
Cooking the Books
Hot Potato
Masquerade
Kutu of Ekakin
You can Build It
Tripple Steel
We can Build You
We can build it for you wholesale
Saved by the ______
Rode Hard Put Away Wet
Trust your feelings
Robbin' Hood
Shock Treatment
Rude Mood
Scuttlebuttin'
Say What?
Bad Like Jesse James
Stealing Home
Hall of the Sun/ Order and Succession/ Hidden Links/ Night sky/ Chaos/ Death/ Ascendency
Pain and Frustration
Harmony of the Hussuna
Assembly of the Planners
Path to Mahimah/ Utsavah
Battle of Baden Hill
Die Another way
Dead Reckoning
Moving Force
The Three Amigos
Wet Work
Water Works/ Water World
There can be only one!