Welcome to Gronkling's Animal Pack: #1 - RODENTS EDITION, my first actually released pack in at least 5 years!
(https://i.imgur.com/4XopkOG.png)
My small, rodent-themed pack! There are 20 levels, that appear twice each in a bonus EASY mode and the main HARD mode (there is no middle). The hard rank is sorted roughly by difficulty, and the easy rank has a more consistent difficulty.
Each level is tied into a specific rodent, with some fun decoration for each, and each has a specially selected tracker music piece. The levels here are a mix of newly created levels that use modern NeoLemmix skills, and classic levels I made 2016-2018 using only the original skills.
People who have beaten it, with intended solutions:
No one yet!
People who have beaten it, with backroutes:
2020/12/12 - Armani - 11 backroutes first solve on V1, 52 backroutes total
2021/01/09 - IchoTolot - 10 backroutes first solve on V4.2
Updates:
2021/01/14 - V6.2, 5 more Armani backroute fixes
2021/01/13 - V6.1, 5 more Armani backroute fixes
2021/01/12 V6, fourth "Armani Update", 5 more backroute fixes + altered solution for Hard 16
2021/01/11 V5, an IchoTolot + Armani joint update, a huge 17 backroutes fixed
2020/12/16 V4.2, patch, fixed a really stupid oversight created on level 9 by update V4.1 + an extra joshescue backroute fix for level 10
2020/12/15 V4.1, minor "Joshescue Update", backroute fixes for 9, 10, + an extra for 17 that I found Note: Level 9 is messed up on this version
2020/12/14 V4.0, the third "Armani Update" released, 10 backroute fixes
2020/12/13 - V3.0, the second "Armani Update" released, 9 backroute fixes
2020/12/12 - V2.0, the first "Armani Update" released, 11 backroute fixes
2020/12/11 - V1.0 Released
You can find it attached to this post! Have fun! :lemcat::thumbsup::8():
Nice job, Gronkling! :thumbsup: Given that you were the first person to beat my most recent pack, that you once had a pack in development many people expected to be the most difficult one ever, and that I could see from your development screenshot(s) that this was also going to be a very artistic pack, I was very curious to see what you had come up with.
Replays for the first rank are attached! I was positively surprised by the low difficulty on this one - that gave me more time to appreciate your designs of the various rodents! :thumbsup: Especially everything involving your Beast II tileset (the squirrels, various creatures holding acorns etc.). Even though I usually had lots of skills remaining, the puzzles weren't trivial, and especially the last level of Easy did indeed make me think for a bit and rewind a couple of times to try different approaches.
I expect quite a sudden jump in difficulty on the Hard rank, since it really seemed to me like you made the Easy rank deliberately easier. Almost like two different packs in one to cater to different audiences.
I think this is only the second pack to feature the Jumper after my own LOA? I've seen quite a few Shimmiers by now, since I'm playing Lemminas in parallel. I haven't tried "The Lemmings Have Grown" yet, though.
I used a specific Stacker trick a couple of times on these levels, I don't know if that was intended or not... ;)
Specifically, whenever I had to turn around Climbers - which Stackers on their own can't do unless you build into terrain - I would stack first, then dig down the stack once the Climber had climbed onto it, and when there was only 1 or 2 pixels in height remaining, I would mine to have the Miner tank on steel.
Yea I wanted the easy version to just be a really nicely easy version for newer players, so more people could enjoy. There's no set solutions here so all your replays are acceptable!
1 - Solid standard solution
2 - Interesting :P Definitely a more complicated route than most would take
3 - Really cool solution, goes a completely different direction than I'd expect most people to!
4 - A less open ended one, you got the solution that I planned for
5 - Fun, you completely skipped using the disarmer
6 - Nice, nothing unexpected other than digging on the edge for some reason
7 - Fun one, no nuke for you
8 - Very different to the expected route, pretty cool
9 - Nice, went for the easier looking entrance
10 - Cool way to turn the climber around
11 - Odd solution, I respect it 8-)
12 - I had a feeling most non-beginner people were just going to go through the middle layer like that, its possible both ways!
13 - Good, similar to the solution I had for it
14 - Great route, different to mine
15 - Similar to how I had it solved
16 - Another similar one to me, but with some added StackerTrix :8:()[:
17 - Nice standard solution
18 - Great way to do it, not using a basher rather than not using a digger like my solution
19 - Good one, that stacker trick is cool
20 - Great solution, a lot more interesting than the one I had
@Joshescue18
Another nice set of solutions, more similar to mine with a few more like Strato, though the ones for 16,17 and 18 are very interesting.
Oh wow that porcupine looks so cute :thumbsup::thumbsup:
I will take a look at the pack today. :D
Edit:
Really great looking levels! I can definitely see you put a lot of work on to this pack!
Most of the levels from the first rank seem open-ended, so I don't think there's any real backroute. And the difficulty increases drastically in the second rank. :evil:
Levels from hard rank that I might've backrouted :
Hard15 Coypu : don't use a climber and I just feel my solution is a little bit weird. I can see some terrains screaming for shimmier, but I ignored that scream.
Hard17 Hamster : definitely a backroute. I have so many leftover skills.
Beside these two levels, there are some solutions with some leftover skills :
Hard3 pocarana : 1shimmier
Hard7 Viscacha : 1climber 1stoner
Hard11 Capybara : 2gliders
Hard13 Beaver : 1blokcer 1digger
Hard14 Porcupine : 1blocker
Hard16 Cloud Rat : 1climber
Hard19 Mole Rat : 1blocker
Hard20 Rat : 9climbers 1basher
I think these can also be backroutes.
Again, you really made nice looking levels! Especially I love the chipmunk, squirrel, porcupine and hamster. And the levels have fairly decent puzzles too. I think you successfully killed two birds with one stone.:thumbsup: Replays attached.
Haha, just as expected, loooads of backroutes in the second half :XD: Time to prepare the first update
1 - Intended
2 - Intended
3 - Intended, the extra shimmier is just to make the skillset nice and symmetric :P
4 - Intended
5 - Backroute! Updated this level
6 - Intended
7 - Backroute, pretty cool one, but updated it
8 - Intended
9 - Backroute Magnet #1: Backroute! Updated it
10 - Intended
11 - Big old backroute. update
12 - Intended! :D
13 - Backroute, updated with a bit of steel
14 - Semi-intended, you got the first part, but did a different second part. Your version requires a bit of guessing-timing in the second part, so I went ahead and fixed it.
15 - Backroute Magnet #2: Yep, a backroute, but a cool one! Fixed it
16 - Another backroute!
17 - Backroute Magnet #3: Super sneaky backroute! Easy enough to fix
18 - Intended :D
19 - Backroute!!!
20 - And finally... another backroute :forehead:
I updated the pack fixing these backroutes
Resolved all the updated levels
Hard5 Lemming : It seems intended now. Before the backroute fix, the level was pretty neat already but now the level is even more awesome. :thumbsup: The solution is incredibly well hidden considering that the give skillset is very limited.
Hard7 Viscacha : My solution still doesn't use a climber and a stoner.
Hard9 Chinchilla : I don't think my solution is 100% intended since it contains some fiddly RR manipulation and long waiting. But lets see..
Hard11 Capybara : This solution is basically same as before except that I simply release the blocker with leftover bomber.
Hard13 Beaver : Too many leftover skills I think.
Hard14 Porcupine : I bet this is intended now. I use every single skill and my solution does not contain timing part now.
Hard15 Coypu : Same here. Very clever level! I love it.
Hard16 Cloud Rat : Another backroute ;P seems easy to fix
Hard17 Hamster : Now the solution is much more interesting . I have a basher left though.
Hard19 Mole Rat : Definitely a backroute. I think it's even worse than previous one.
Hard20 Rat : Same here.
5 - Intended! I took a while to get everything to line up really nicely so I'm glad there's not too many backroutes.
7 - Another backroute!
9 - Definitely an interesting solution, but I'd never make someone guess the RR like that in my modern levels. I don't do long waiting either, the easiest way to fix this would be to fix the RR but I don't want people to have to wait at the end since upping the RR would mean loads more splatted lemmings
11 - Ah classic "fix failure" :forehead: Hopefully this different approach will work better without making things too obvious
13 - Definitely a backroute, added some more reinforcement
14 - Yeah! Intended
15 - Used every skill, but still a backroute I'm afraid! You can tell as you use my previous fix in a certain part of the solution that wouldn't have worked before. I feel like this level is the most backroute susceptible in the pack, I even gave a special notice about it to my testers
16 - Intended :lem-mindblown: Nah, just kidding, surprised that got missed!
17 - Yea another backroute, reinforced my previous fix with some fun tileset mixed traps
19 - Hopefully fixed, cool stacker trick
20 - Another leaf for that palm tree coming up
Pack updated again
More backroutes incoming :devil:
Hard7 Viscacha : Attached 2 differnt solutions. Both of them use similar trick but first one have a climber, stoner and a basher left while second one use every skill.
Hard9 Chinchilla : Similar to previous solution but does not require RR manipulation and long waiting.
Hard11 Capybara : I think I'm getting closer to the intended solution, but I still have some leftover skills
Hard13 Beaver : I got a no glider solution!
Hard15 Coypu : Attached 2 differnt solutions. First one is almost same to my previous backroute. The only difference is that I use bahser to turn the climber around at the steel. And for my second solution, I think I fianlly found the intended solution! Bahser+jumper combo to seperate a pioneer lemming at the beginning and useing a builder and miner tunnel to make long way for shimmier. If this solution is intended, this level is my fovourite of the pack! :thumbsup:
Hard16 Cloud Rat : several leftover skills.
Hard17 Hamster : No leftover skill this time. I hope this is better than before!
Hard19 Mole Rat : Attached 2 differnt solutions. First one is almost same to previous backroute. I just use digger at the different position and all others are same. And for my second solution, I found completely different backroute.
Hard20 Rat : I might've backrouted this level again too. Attached solution doesn't use a basher and a climber.
7 - First is indeed a backroute, 2nd is close enough to intended though!
9 - Fix fail, hopefully this one does it
11 - Mhm, another backroute :P
13 - MORE fortification added
15 - Solution 1 is of course a backroute, and was pretty hard to fix. Solution 2 is INTENDED :thumbsup:
16 - Backroute
17 - Cool solution... still a backroute!
19 - Another 2 backroutes
20 - These palm trees! So many backroutes caused by their specific shape
First ten levels complete.
Only 2 backroutes :thumbsup:
1 - intended
2 - intended
3 - you managed to save some skills, but in a way that keeps both of the main parts of the solution so I'll consider it an alternate solution
4 - intended
5 - intended
6 - intended
7 - intended
8 - intended
9 - Another backroute for this level featuring horrible pixel-precise guessing and waiting for like 10 minutes :P
10 - First backroute for this level! I don't see any way to fix this one without resorting to pickup skills... so I suppose i'll have to be using those for the first time :8():
Released a minor update to fix 9 & 10, as well as another for 17 that I found myself
Resolved updated levels.
I know attached solutions for Hard7 Viscacha and Hard15 Coypu are intended. Latest update broke their replays, so I just adjusted them a little bit.
Hard9 Chinchilla : This feels intended now ;P
And my previous backroutes still work with some minor tweaks for following levels :
Hard11 Capybara, Hard19 Mole Rat and Hard20 Rat
And I think I found new backroutes for following levels :
Hard13 Beaver : I got no blocker solution.
Hard16 Cloud Rat : I still think my first solution is closest to intended so far(connecting basher with 2 builders.)
Hard17 Hamster : several leftover skills
1 new intended, but 6 more backroutes :XD:
9 - Intended :D
11 - Still a backroute
13 - Backroute
16 - Backroute
17 - Cool trick, but still a backroute (i think this is the most backroute-able level in the entire pack)
19 - Backroute
20 - Backroute! Pretty much the same as what Icho found
@IchoTolot
Yep loads of backroutes :8(): 10, thats half the pack!
Easy ones are of course all fine
1 - Intended
2 - Intended
3 - Cool backroute, but still a backroute ;P
4 - Intended
5 - Intended
6 - Pretty much intended
7 - Intended
8 - Intended
9 - Backroute!
10 - Pretty much intended
11 - Backroute
12 - Intended
13 - Backroute
14 - Backroute! Thought this level was pretty secure but apparently not ;)
15 - Back to backroutes for this one
16 - Horrid backroute
17 - Backroute as usual for this level
18 - Intended :thumbsup:
19 - Backroute
20 - Horrible backroute. Pretty much the same as what Armani found
Update for all these coming some time soon! (There's a lot to fix)
Resolved updated levels
Hard11 Capybara : Finally I used every single skill. I hope this is at least closer to intended. :crylaugh:
Hard13 Beaver : Very similar to my previous solution.
Hard16 Cloud Rat : Seems better than before but I still have 1 climber left.
Hard17 Hamster : No swimmer solution 8-)
Hard19 Mole Rat : One of my yesterday solution still works in current version ??? I just re-attached it.
Hard20 Rat : One basher left. Similar to my very first solution to this level.
11 - Nope still a backroute
13 - I had a feeling this would happen
16 - This is the intended solution but better, so now this is the intended solution (you were supposed to do the dig-sacrifice thing twice, but you did it once, keeping the trick intact, then did a clever thing on the bridge which improves the solution). I'll remove the extra climber and up the requirement by 1 + give you an extra credit in the roller text thing
17 - Yet another backroute for this cursed level
19 - Haha, biggest fix fail yet, I was too focused on the other two backroutes that I didn't properly check that fix
20 - I like this backroute, but it must be fixed
Updated version being added to OP
At least one intended solution everytime. Not bad ;P
Hard11 Capybara : This feels intended for me, but lets see..
Hard13 Beaver : The most satisfactory solution to this level so far. I have a blocker left though.
Hard17 Hamster : I attached two different solutions. First one is a backroute with no doubt. Second one is much better and I think it's a nice solution but I have a basher left.
Hard19 Mole Rat : My solution to this level still works on V6!! See the attachment :evil:
Hard20 Rat : I did use every skill this time! Not sure if this is intended or not.
11 - Intended! :thumbsup:
13 - Still a backroute
17 - 1) Sneaky, I like it :evil: (backroute obviously), 2) just another backroute ;) I wonder how long this level will take to actually work
19 - Dammit :P Curse of lumpy terrain
20 - Cool, but still a backroute
New version added to OP
I hope the trend with at least one intended solution keeps going.
But I doubt any of my solution is intended today. :(
I found very similar solutions overall.
Hard13 Beaver : Nothing change except for two digger placements.
Hard17 Hamster : I still don't see what swimmer is for.
Hard19 Mole Rat : Again, almost nothing change and my backroute survived again. I think you can't block this backroute only with minor terrain changes unless you make them completely flat. I also tried to find different solution and got another backroute.
Hard20 Rat : Totally new solution here. I have some leftover skills though.
13 - Blocked the whole 3-digger thing everyone was doing, wanted that as a last resort since it would be a good distraction but can't see any other way to block this one
17 - More STEEL
19 - I'll try a more aggressive approach this time. And another backroute. For some reason I was pretty confident in this level being secure but I was obviously wrong :P
20 - Very odd and interesting solution. It's not one I'd ever use as an intended solution though due to the amount of waiting and sort of having to guess on blocker placement.
I have finished the pack. I have attached my replays for both the Easy and Hard ranks.
I also have a complete LP of your pack for your viewing pleasure
Link to my LP of the pack: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbp2m4KlFpJvFaH8nIk2mH7x0HbXtrHrE (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbp2m4KlFpJvFaH8nIk2mH7x0HbXtrHrE). Enjoy! :P
Although I've solved the Easy rank after finishing the Hard rank, I must say the corresponding easy levels still aren't that much easier. Indeed, they may be more open-ended, but some of them are still just as tricky/challenging :P Anyway, those replays aren't really of interest other than I say level 7
It's interesting that you don't even have to do anything on the easy version, as the nuke solution works :crylaugh:
Instead, it's the replays for the hard levels that are of interest.
General Remarks on the Pack
A lot of these were very nicely designed. I like how on almost every level the rodent is on the sides. Some of these are ones I've never heard of. The defining characteristic of your levels is that they're quite small with very minimal skillsets, but that doesn't mean they're easy. Indeed, these were quite difficult, and I ended up solving most of them after a lot of struggling. The hardest levels for me were Hard 16 and Hard 20. For the former, a lot of the things I tried would had worked had I had 1 more skill.
I spotted the basher trick with using builders to keep it going very quick, but there were plenty of things that I couldn't wrap my head around that ended up causing me to struggle a lot with it.
For the latter, I don't know if the solution is supposed to be very precise, as I use 4 pixel perfect assignments.
Hard 9 and 12 - Gerbil: Derelict Obstacle Course were also difficult for me, although I don't know if the super precise basher/stacker is intended at the end for the former, while the latter was an extremely difficult one to figure out, especially since a lot of the things I tried kept failing by a pixel or so. I did learn something new in this level, though.
Bombing a basher midstroke and using a nearby lemming to use the basher staircase to bash more of the terrain away so as to be able to build to connect with the ceiling.
My favorites were Hard 1, 4, 5, 11 and 18 - Groundhog: Sport Pod. For the last one, I recall using this trick a lot when I was attempting to solve Niesch's level from the previous contest, and when I remembered this, that was the clicking moment. Had I not seen it before, I likely would had been stuck here for far longer.
Levels that I think I backrouted: Hard 13, 14, 15, 17, and 19.
Now some feedback on some levels themselves.
Hard 1 - Chipmunks: Bridge Building Cheerleaders Nice level to start off the rank/pack. Easy one. I especially love the trick of using a jumper on a climber so that he goes back to the left to be able to mine out the crowd.
Hard 2 - Guinea Pig: Abstract Sculpture Not a hard one, although there is quite a precise basher/bomber assignment here.
Hard 3 - Pacarana: Crystallisers First level of the LP to require more than one video. In my early attempts, I was close, as the only problem I had left was to platform across the flamethrower before anyone else dies to it. The problem was sending someone there early enough to do so. However, it turns out that I was platforming the wrong way the entire time from the stoner. Instead of going to the left, the correct way is to platform to the right after platforming over the top and stoning. Everything else I managed to figure out quickly. Still, this was a nice level ;)
Hard 4 - Squirrel: Cross the Creek I definitely know the trick of using a builder to leave a step past the wall. I simply failed to spot that for a while here. One of my favorite levels of the pack. That's clever to combine that with bombing later to release the crowd.
Hard 5 - Lemming: Sticky Situation Another favorite of mine. Before, I kept trying the wrong idea of building over the exit, when in fact you're supposed to use a builder bridge to help the shimmier get past the exit. Not a difficult solution at all. The only hard part is knowing when to make the climber/floater a shimmier, but it seems that you made the setup quite easy here.
Hard 6 - Springhare: Cya(n) later I don't know if the timing is supposed to be super tight or if I overcomplicated my solution.
Hard 7 - Viscacha: - The Thin Line Nothing hard here at all. The only new part for me here is bashing the stoner terrain away with a basher and interrupting him midstroke so that the others can step up on it.
Hard 8 - Mara: Molten Steel Works Nice level. Nothing too difficult here either. I simply went about bombing the climber wrong for a while, as this would end up blocking the other climbers due to the builder bridge being in the way.
Hard 9 - Chinchilla: Fireworks over the Moor Difficult one, although I'm not sure if the very precise basher/stacker near the right exit is intended.
Hard 10 - Mouse: Tricklayers Nice level that ended up stumping me. Before my successful attempt, the closest I got was a lemming short, as what I tried before ended up getting a few lemmings trapped at the bottom. Instead, nice trick of digging and then building to leave a step so that a climber from the pit can use to dig down into the bottom pit. The only difficult part is timing this so that the crowd makes it past the worker lemming before he digs to allow him and the other climber to climb out of the bottom pit.
Hard 11 - Capybara: Glide Through the Valley Another favorite of mine. I love that trick of building, using a blocker to turn him around, then quickly digging to release the blocker and to be able to glide to land on the top to allow him to build across the gap. It's also used to keep the miner going. The only precise part is the bomber on the right.
Hard 13 - Beaver: Dam the Flood Another difficult one. In some of my early attempts, I was quite close, but the problem I ran into was turning the blocker back to the right towards the exit after releasing him. I definitely noticed that turning around can be a huge problem depending on the level and generally what makes me have trouble with them. This solution I found might be a slight backroute, though.
Hard 14 - Porcupine: Sharp Ice This might be a backroute as well, as I ended up having a blocker leftover and saving 1 over the requirement.
Hard 15 - Coypu: Hold It Together! Should be a backroute as well, since I have several skills leftover. I do like that trick of bombing a faller as that swimmers can fall into the water, as there are no floaters and you can't get to the right side otherwise. I also checked the level later on with CPM after solving, and indeed it seems that it's supposed to happen with swimmers falling off the bottom of the screen. This is the result of the swimmer physics change, as before swimmers didn't fall off the screen.
Hard 16 - Cloud Rat: The Underpass As punishment for backrouting the past 3 levels, I get badly stumped here. This is the first level that I needed to spend time off camera to solve, as I felt 2 videos being stuck on the same level was a bit too much. Normally, I would do 3 videos before resorting to solving off camera, but I had a feeling I was going to be stuck here for a while. Indeed, a lot of things I tried would had worked if I had had 1 more skill. Turns out the only difficult part is timing the first two lemmings so that when cancelling the first digger you dig with the second in such as way so that the first lemming turns back to the left to set up the bridges for a basher to keep going. Before, I kept trying to go over the top, but that always ends up failing no matter what. I guess the level title should had been a big hint that the route is to go below the steel, hence "underpass."
These aren't the only levels of yours that I have played. I've also played your Gronkling6 and Gronkling7 Lemmini packs. For the former, there's only 1 level I haven't solved yet, which is the final one, Bring It Together. There was one other level that for a long time I couldn't solve, The Mystery Machine, but I finally solved that a couple of weeks ago after being stuck on it for a little over 3 years. Indeed, I never would had figured that glitch out on my own had it not been for the Lemmini glitch topic, as that is a result I would not expect at all with the floater skill. Not to mention I had never ever seen it before even though I have played so many levels on Lemmini long before reaching that level of yours in the Bonus rank of RotL.
For the latter, I think I solved all of them. So yes, your levels are definitely quite challenging, but I eventually am able to figure them out. The biggest exception was The Mystery Machine, but again that was all due to not knowing about the glitch that's needed to solve it :crylaugh:
Overall, nice job with this small Animal pack of yours. Looking forward to more content from you in the future and am glad to see you back around here in the Forums after your long extended absence :P