Split off Heart66 easy pack (https://www.lemmingsforums.net/index.php?msg=108978)
Genuine question, as it's something I've never been sure about, but why is several levels sharing the same ID such a problem? If level 5 and level 11 share the same ID, the auto-generated NXRP files are differentiated by name and each will still play when selected for their corresponding levels, no? If it is such a problem, is there any easier way of fixing it than by manually checking for dupes and opening the problematic NXLV files in NLEditor to re-generate the ID with the Random ID button?
Levels having the same ID is a problem when it comes to verifying your replays with the NL mass replay check because it confuses it. Basically, when a replay is generated for a level, it has the exact same level ID as the level. Thus, if you have two levels with the same level ID, you will have two different replays with the same level ID, even if the level title is different. Nxrp files are text files, and hence you can verify the level IDs by opening the replays with a text editor, such as Notepad.
The underlying idea with the MRC is when you run it on your replays, it checks the levels by finding the one with the matching level ID as the replay. When it finds a match, it checks the replay to see if it solves the level and then it can spit out three different outcomes for the replay: Pass, Fail, or Undetermined. However, in this case, the mass replay check finds two levels with matching ID and hence the MRC will instead check the first replay with the corresponding level ID on the repeat level with the same level ID instead of checking the newer replay with the different level title despite having the same level ID as the replay for the original level.
The result => It can get very messy reading the text file that's generated after the MRC is done running when there's multiple levels with matching IDs.
That's why to prevent confusion with the MRC, it is advisable to always generate a different ID by using the random ID button in the editor, even for repeat levels. In this way, the MRC will run more smoothly when checking your replay collection for a level pack.
Thanks for the explanation, kaywhyn :thumbsup: That probably explains why it didn't seem like such an issue to me, because I've never felt the need to use the MRC. If (when?) I get to creating levels, I guess I will do. Maybe players as well as creators use it to check replay folders, but I never have, so far.
When two levels in the same pack share an ID, it confuses the mass verifier, okay.
What is with levels across different packs? Is it okay to duplicate one of the IDs outside the pack, as long as the pack, among itself, has all-different IDs?
Assuming it's okay to duplicate IDs outside the pack: How do authors with N packs verify solvability? Verify each pack individually, and point for each pack to a different tree of replays?
-- Simon
In addition to what kaywhyn said, when you play two levels with the same ID one after another, the engine thinks you are still playing the same level and will start in replay mode. Sure, this isn't a huge deal as you can click to cancel the replay, but it's confusing for new players and best avoided.
Quote from: Simon on Today at 10:15:53 AMWhen two levels in the same pack share an ID, it confuses the mass verifier, okay.
What is with levels across different packs? Is it okay to duplicate one of the IDs outside the pack, as long as the pack, among itself, has all-different IDs?
Assuming it's okay to duplicate IDs outside the pack: How do authors with N packs verify solvability? Verify each pack individually, and point for each pack to a different tree of replays?
-- Simon
Across different packs, duplicate IDs do not really matter.
Replays are being checked in the mass replay checker out of one folder for one pack, so as long as a pack itself has no duplicate IDs everything is fine.
That way we cannot really run out of IDs.
The extremely rare case it could matter is if you create a compilation pack with levels from different packs, but I have yet to see an ID-collision there.
For replay verification of N packs: I go to each of the N packs in the level selection tree and click on the Mass Replay Check button for each one and select the respective folder. So I verify each pack individually as you stated.