Lemmings Forums
Lemmings Boards => Lemmings Main => Topic started by: EricLang on September 15, 2006, 07:41:03 AM
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So here it is, the Lemmix Standalone Player (beta).
http://home.hccnet.nl/ericenzwaan/lemmix/LemmixPlayer.exe
(edited: my ziptrial is over :))
Should work on all modern windows PC's.
All levels, graphics and sounds are included in this beta version. Later there will be a version which reads the contents from the original lemmings data.
Soon there will be a version for ONML Lemmings.
A few short notes (not complete I guess, but covering the most important):
Ä Explosion particles are not drawn yet.
Ä There is a temporary Level Code system. The real one has to be worked out.
Ä playscreen/resultscreen: "u" = save replay (in subdir Replay)
Ä playscreen: "R" = load replay
Ä playscreen: "r" = start replay
Ä playscreen: space key = jump 10 seconds
Ä playscreen: "s" = toggle sounds on/off
Ä playscreen: "m" = toggle music on/off
Ä playscreen: return = mark save state
Ä playscreen: backspace = go back to save state
EDIT: in addition to the levelcodes codes like "Taxing19" work too in this beta.
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Works Great!
One thing, though; could you make a slightly different Nuke shortcut, like Shift+F12 or something? I keep wanting to pause quickly and end up grazing F12. Oops. :laugh:
Other than that, great program. :thumbsup:
Also, I wanted to thank you many times over for the "instant ten seconds" feature; it's made me enjoy levels like Fun 19 again. :)
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One thing, though; could you make a slightly different Nuke shortcut, like Shift+F12 or something? I keep wanting to pause quickly and end up grazing F12. Oops.̆ :laugh:
The correct behavior as observed in the actual DOS game, is that nuke is only activated if the user "double clicks" on F12 (ie. press F12 or click on the nuke icon twice in succession).̆ I mentioned this already in e-mail to Eric and it will be fixed.
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Interesting... Is that really what the DOS game is like? Why can't you select when pause is on?
Can you implement a speed-up feature instead of the ten-second feature? I think it's more interesting and less prone to error when you can speed the game up.... similarly to the windows method of an extra button on the dashboard, but there are other ways, such as on the mac, holding down shift speeds the game up. I always really miss that feature on other systems.
Oh, and I like the music, it's almost exactly like what I'm used to, which surprised me slightly, having heard loads of rubbish conversions on the internet and in certain places...
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Finlay: You can select skills and change the release rate while the game is paused using the function keys. F1 & F2 decrease/increase the release rate, F3-F10 select skills, F11 pauses and F12 nukes.
Also, press f to go into fast forward mode
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aha, thanks. I'm not at all used to selecting skills with the keyboard though, and I prefer the speed up mode when it's hold-down and not toggling, but whatever. Can you map "p" to pause, as well?
(Just as an aside, Mac ONML uses both shift and caps-lock to do the fast-forward, so I'd only ever use caps-lock at the very end of the level, and shift during the level when I need it sped up, but then I prefer shift anyway. That's also because it's very annoying when you forget to switch caps lock off...)
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Nice! It'd be cool if you could get the Lemmings running the scroller on the main screen animated. You might hide the cursor on the main and level screens as in the DOS version or use the Amiga cursor instead...
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Nice! It'd be cool if you could get the Lemmings running the scroller on the main screen animated.
I almost finished the scrolling credits in the main screen. It is not as smooth as the original, because of the windowed mode. Of course the same credits as in Lemmix must be visible.
You might hide the cursor on the main and level screens as in the DOS version or use the Amiga cursor instead...
I'll hide it. (I never saw the Amiga version) Speaking of other versions: How could I play the Genesis version? I noticed it has a lot of different levels, which I do not know.
aha, thanks. I'm not at all used to selecting skills with the keyboard though, and I prefer the speed up mode when it's hold-down and not toggling, but whatever. Can you map "p" to pause, as well?
"p" could be used for pausing and I'll think about selecting the buttons with the mouse when paused. Some of these settings will become user definable as long as they do not disturb the game-mechanics. Speed up will not be so handy with shift, because I want that key to produce capitals without speeding up :).
Maybe the alt key? Maybe a usersetting. Don't know yet.
Also, press f to go into fast forward mode
Yeah, forgot to mention that.
The correct behavior as observed in the actual DOS game, is that nuke is only activated if the user "double clicks" on F12
Yeah, done already. I'll upload a new beta somewhere next week.
Oh, and I like the music, it's almost exactly like what I'm used to, which surprised me slightly, having heard loads of rubbish conversions on the internet and in certain places...
You have to think Mindless for that, I think.
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You might hide the cursor on the main and level screens as in the DOS version or use the Amiga cursor instead...
I'll hide it. (I never saw the Amiga version) Speaking of other versions: How could I play the Genesis version? I noticed it has a lot of different levels, which I do not know.
Grab an emulator from Zophar's Domain (http://www.zophar.net/genesis.html), then grab the Genesis ROM (http://it.travisbsd.org/lemmings/files/lemmings_gen.zip) from my site.
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Uploaded new beta with some minor changes:
Ä Added the white rectangle in the minimap.
Ä Adjusted the total size of the game image (1584 instead of 1664)
Ä "u" = savereplay works in the playscreen now.
Ä A (more or less readable) replay textfile is generated too when saving replays (like in Lemmix).
Ä Small adjustment to the hotspot of the cursor which now finally must be perfect in the gameimage as well in the skillpanel.
Ä Added "Double key press" F12 for nuking.
In case you're wandering about the differences between Lemmix and LemmixPlayer:
I seperated the sourcecode of the editor from the code for the player.
Still to do for perfect cloning:
Ä some small adjustments to the levelcodescreen
Ä levelcode system
Ä explosion particles
Ä scrolling credits.
Ä did I forget anything?...
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I also uploaded the beta for ONML
http://home.hccnet.nl/ericenzwaan/lemmix/lemmix.htm
(edit: and uploaded again, solved very stupid level-order bug (I hope) in ONML)
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The main screen and the screens before and after playing levels look a little screwed for me as they are resized to full width and I use a resolution of 1152*864 (ok, admittedly, it's an unusual one, but I can work best with it).
And the middle part of the ONML bricks set's exit is shifted 2 pixel lower than it should be.
Other than that, it works fine.
I'd appreciate customizable key settings (additionally to the F-keys) as everyone has different preferences, some are left handed, some right handed, and then there are the strange guys like me who are right handed but use the mouse in the left hand...
However, while it would be easy to find a place those settings could be set for the integrated player in the Lemmix Editor, it might be not as easy for these two version (maybe in the main -> F4 settings?).
Ah and you could carry over 0xdeadbeef's good idea to use double click RR to set it to max. resp min. While I found a quick way for the Playtester (Pause, FF, change RR, FF off, Pause off), switching from e.g. 01 to 99 takes quite some time.
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And the middle part of the ONML bricks set's exit is shifted 2 pixel lower than it should be.
Other than that, it works fine.
I was just going to post that, so I will anyway... :tongue:
Exit is displayed incorrectly, CPU usage is a bit high (but acceptable) and stays the same even when fast-forwarding.
(http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9106/lemmixonmlmc4.th.png) (http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lemmixonmlmc4.png)
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The main screen and the screens before and after playing levels look a little screwed for me as they are resized to full width and I use a resolution of 1152*864
Because those screens are 640x350 in DOS, there is pretty much no supported resolution in modern machines that would have the same aspect ratios, and so some amount of stretching will occur on any display resolution.̆ I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "a little screwed" but I don't see how 1152x864 will fare any differently from other resolutions.
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Nice job. I like the gradient added to the building blocks :)
Would it be at all possible to replicate the zoom-scrolling mode from DOS Lemmings? As in, holding down the right mouse button while holding the mouse in the scroll zone causes a twofold increase in scroll velocity.
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The minimap lemmings are displayed incorrectly on some levels...
(http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7897/lemmixplayerhw8.th.png) (http://img246.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lemmixplayerhw8.png)
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Thanks for the feedback. I'll answer this week.
Actually the animated exit has some black pixels, which erase the pixels "below".
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If anyone could provide me of the printscreens after succesfully finishing mayhem30/havoc20 (of the original games of course) I would be very glad.
I have the texts but not the layout.
And does anyone know if the original game is starting at fun1/tame1 again after the congratulations?
BTW: all mistakes (exit, minimap) are solved, but not uploaded yet. I'll let you know here...
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Uploaded 2 beta versions (0.4.0.0).
I hope all mistakes are gone.
@Mindless: your printscreens were not very instructive :) too small.
@Geo: I'll make a list of user-definable settings and try to make a screen for it. the "F4" screen is a good idea. The 640x350 screens are shown stretched but with the same width/height scale as the originals.
@Covox: I didn't know this scroll behaviour. I'll check...
2006-09-18:
Ä Removed rendering bug. now objects are all erased before drawing. (this fixes a object-nooverwrite drawing bug)
Ä Corrected minimap drawing (removed too much stretching: hscale is now 1/16, vscale 1/20, so the right side is not very precise but that's also the case in dos-lemmings) (EDIT: check mayhem30)
Ä Changed: fastforward will not work when paused. when FF and a pause is made, FF is turned off. when hyperspeed is turned on, fastforward is turned off.
Ä Changed LevelCodeScreen. Good code results in autoclosing the screen after a second. Wrong codes can be corrected. (this is not the same as in dos)
Ä included (beta) version information in menuscreen. I use quite random alpha/beta version numbers, until finally there will be a real version 1.0.
Ä gradientbridge colors are drawn now also in the animation.
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The main screen and the screens before and after playing levels look a little screwed for me as they are resized to full width and I use a resolution of 1152*864
Because those screens are 640x350 in DOS, there is pretty much no supported resolution in modern machines that would have the same aspect ratios, and so some amount of stretching will occur on any display resolution. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "a little screwed" but I don't see how 1152x864 will fare any differently from other resolutions.
At 1280x960 it looks quite a bit better, at least I cannot see any bad-looking parts on first glance. With a little screwed I mean that some pixels from the original game appear to be twice as thick as the other ones, e.g. the F from F4, the upper bar of it is two pixels thick, and the second one only one pixel.
Ah, and what code system (other than [Stage][Number]) is currently used?
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I generated a code for each level. So there is no system (yet).
But if you finish a level succesfully you can see this codes...
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With a little screwed I mean that some pixels from the original game appear to be twice as thick as the other ones, e.g. the F from F4, the upper bar of it is two pixels thick, and the second one only one pixel.
Yep, that's the unavoidable issue of having to do non-integer stretching on the vertical dimension due to the odd 350 of the original. Bitmap fonts (which is basically what the text on those screens amounts to) just don't scale well.
One possibility perhaps is if Eric allows the user-settable option of not doing non-integer stretching. This means the image will look compressed compared with the original, but won't have the issues you observe with the text.
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Are we stilll going to be able to use Rating+Number for the level codes after you implement the new codes? I like that system a lot better than having to write down a bunch of new codes.
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Are we stilll going to be able to use Rating+Number for the level codes after you implement the new codes? I like that system a lot better than having to write down a bunch of new codes.
Well, the point of the level code system is that you're not supposed to be able to get past a level you haven't solved yet, so the current interim system in the clone is basically a cheat.
And you don't have to write down anything yourself--the game's over a decade old and pretty well-known; a quick search on Google should yield you the full list of level codes in an eyeblink. (I'm assuming that Eric's clone will use the same level code system as the original game.)
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I've solved all the levels. Hundreds of times. I shouldn't have to put in a long and annoying password to get to the level I want to play.
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I've solved all the levels. Hundreds of times. I shouldn't have to put in a long and annoying password to get to the level I want to play.
"Mayhem30" is only two letters shorter than the 10-letter level code.̆ So maybe annoying, but long?̆ ̆Not really. :winktounge:
Moreover, you can always play the levels in the playtest mode of the Lemmix editor. I think the purpose of the DOS Clone should be to replicate the experience of the game. The sort of cheat you describe belongs more in an editor/playtester setting.
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@Mindless: your printscreens were not very instructive :) too small.
Click 'em... they're thumbnails. :laugh:
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(edited: my ziptrial is over :))
Grab a copy of 7-Zip (http://www.7-zip.org/download.html). It's free, open-source and can create zip or (the superior) 7z archives.
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I've solved all the levels. Hundreds of times. I shouldn't have to put in a long and annoying password to get to the level I want to play.
"Mayhem30" is only two letters shorter than the 10-letter level code. So maybe annoying, but long? Not really. :winktounge:
Well it does take a longer to type out a bunch of random letters like "GINLNNIIJL" than an actual word like mayhem30. Not to mention the time it takes to look up the password.
Moreover, you can always play the levels in the playtest mode of the Lemmix editor. I think the purpose of the DOS Clone should be to replicate the experience of the game. The sort of cheat you describe belongs more in an editor/playtester setting.
The Lemmix editor doesn't have sound. (Unless he added it to a later version?) If the DOS clone has stuff like save states, fast forward, jump ten seconds etc. there's no reason there shouldn't be easier passwords, since you can't really argue that its trying to replicate the original experience.
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I have not yet made my mind up about the levelcodes. I think I want to have the original codes built in by default. In cheatmode we could use the "mayhem30" levelcodes. I even could save this cheatmode state in a config-file, because I agree with nobody that typing codes is not fun. This would not interfere with a remake for example, because that would have another cheatcode. Well you see, I'm not finished thinking on this.
The gameplayer of the Level Editor is "behind" now, but will be updated in the near future (with music etc.).
@Mindless: thanks for the tips (what are these dating girls doing above the lemmings screenshot, when I click on your thumbnail?)
I'll have a look at the zip-program.
@Geo: I could change the method of stretching, but mostly it only gets worse.
The Lemmix editor doesn't have sound. (Unless he added it to a later version?) If the DOS clone has stuff like save states, fast forward, jump ten seconds etc. there's no reason there shouldn't be easier passwords, since you can't really argue that its trying to replicate the original experience.
Well actually it is. But I think some added features do not harm the experience, although messing around with time is damaging the "slowness" of the original.
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The Lemmix editor doesn't have sound.
Sound has always been there in the editor's playtest mode, you just have to set it up yourself.̆ It is true though that there's no music there (at least not yet).
If the DOS clone has stuff like save states, fast forward, jump ten seconds etc. there's no reason there shouldn't be easier passwords, since you can't really argue that its trying to replicate the original experience.
That's somewhat true.̆ Fast forward though is already available in certain official versions of Lemmings such as Window's.̆ Save states falls under the umbrella of action-replay and that too is available in versions such as Window's, although I'd have to argue too that I'd rather only allow replay and not savestates for the clone, even if the rest (savestates, etc.) are really just enhancements on replays.
In contrast, I find it a bit of a stretch to see cheats as an "improvement" or "enhancement" on levelcodes.̆ If you are going to make cheats the default in the player, you might as well remove the levelcode interface altogether since it'd be a moot point.̆ I personally would like something like the level selector in the editor if I want to jump to particular levels (because, I don't know about you, but I would still need to look up the level number if I want to go to a particular level!).
That being said, I do understand that pragmatically, everyone who cares has probably already played the levels already and could do away with the levelcodes.̆ I will also share that the few occasion I played the Windows version, one frustration I have is that in that version, they don't even have passwords--they keep track of your actual progress via files, and their system don't even let you jump to random levels via password--you'd have to "skip" the preceding levels one by one until you reach the level you want.
One possible compromise is a "activate cheat" levelcode, which actually exists in the original DOS game too.̆ I think it's "BILLANDTED" or something.̆ Even in the original game, activating cheat mode merely allows you to "win" any level by pressing I think Alt+F5 or something while playing that level (somewhat like the "skip this level" feature in Windows Lemmings).̆ But for the clone, perhaps we can have levelcode "ERICLANG" activate a cheat mode that allows the "MAYHEM30" cheat codes.
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Maybe Eric can add in the ability to scroll through the levels that you've already completed on the level select screen using the arrow keys? The SNES and Genesis versions let you do this. Then maybe he could put an option in a .cfg file to have all the levels unlocked by default.
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(what are these dating girls doing above the lemmings screenshot, when I click on your thumbnail?)
Good old imageshack has to support themselves somehow, but I actually don't see the ads.
Grab a copy of Firefox (http://getfirefox.com) if you don't already have it. Then get Adblock Plus (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1865/) and filterset.g updater (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1136/) and you're on your way to ad-free web browsing...
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@Mindless:
I use FireFox. Adblock does not de-activate hese idiot commercials.
I'll try the other one too.
However: The winzip replacement works ok!
Currently working on levelcodes and usersettings and some loose ends.
And I am going to use DirectX, if I can manage that. Screenoutput will be much faster then.
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@Mindless:
I use FireFox. Adblock does not de-activate hese idiot commercials.
I'll try the other one too.
However: The winzip replacement works ok!
Try http://www.pierceive.com/ (Filterset.G).
It should filter them. (Well, it should filter just about every ad on the internet, so.. :wink:)
EDIT: I see Mindless mentioned it first. Oh well; it's popular. :)
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Does anyone have the level codes for "DOS Lemmings Clone for Windows." Or, where could I get them Thanks gandb777
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I'm using Windows 98SE and I don't see any cursor displayed on the screen.
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@Craig: read first post of this thread or homepage for codes.
@Dragonslayer: My Lemmings on Win98 has a cursorproblem, I know. I am going to fix that but currently I'm busy with some other things...
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Ow, COME OOOOOON!!! :laugh:
Ok, I'll wait! :angry:
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Another suggesion:
Can you make the skills bar and the text looks like the "High Performance PC" mode?
Is it almost finished too?
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I'm investigating the situation about the cursor... (not fulltime since your last message...). It is not easy to test because I havent got a Win98 PC in my house. Sorry, it is not almost finished. If I have the solution I will immediately upload :)
I will have a look at the high performance pc mode. I never saw it.
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It's almost the same thing as the Amiga or Atari-ST, excepted maybe for the text bar (letters and numbers look differently).
Oh, and btw, I've found a little way to get a cursor. I just need to press the Windows key and the Windows menu appears. I just need to move the cursor in the menu and then get it back in the game. Of course, it isn't the appropriate cursor, but it works. Unfortunately, I must do that for every level and everytime I fail.
Another suggestion : clone the Amiga version of Lemmings instead of the Dos one. The Dos version isn't as good.
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Still did not find the way to handle the cursor in Win98.
Maybe I will add the Amiga toolbar. Personally I dislike the Amiga buttons because they are so dark. I'll check and see, if the lemmings-tech-docs contain info about the toolbar.
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How come everyone goes on about the DOS version not being as good when Mike said the DOS and Amiga versions were in development at the same time?? Keep up the DOS clone! It's looking great. I run it in WINE on Linux, it works brilliantly. Faster than Lemmini even. In certain circumstances, it runs faster than Lemmings running in Dosbox. Just brilliant. By the way, I like the DOS toolbar in boring old dumb mode. Lol. I agree, the Amiga one is too dark.
(PS: What is the advantage of 100 Lemmings as opposed to 80 other than waiting longer for them all to get home?)
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Thanks.
I have been very lazy last month, because of playing World of Warcraft.
But I will continue development of the clones and the remake (which is still almost finished, lol)
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How come everyone goes on about the DOS version not being as good when Mike said the DOS and Amiga versions were in development at the same time??
Huh? :huh: :huh: :huh: Unless by "everyone" you mean "DragonsLover", I don't know what makes you think we hate the DOS version. Especially since most of us have only played the DOS version anyway!
In certain circumstances, it runs faster than Lemmings running in Dosbox. Just brilliant. By the way, I like the DOS toolbar in boring old dumb mode. Lol. I agree, the Amiga one is too dark.
Well things like this should be customizable in the future. If someone want their toolbar to look like the Mac version (say), why not?
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I've just downloaded the original and ONML remakes and really love them! However, here are some thoughts and points I'd like to tell:
- On the Lemmix homepage, it is said that "the real levelcode system has to be worked out". You probably know, but just in case you don't: There is a program called Lemmings Code Generator (http://www.lemmingsuniverse.net/downloads/lemgen.zip) which comes with source code (BASIC) and excellently describes how the levelcodes are calculated.
- If you stille need the screenshots of the ending sequenzes (after Mayhem30 / Havoc20) you mentioned above, I can provide you with them.
- There is one small bug I've found: If you are, let's say, in Fun2, then exit to the title screen and select onother rating (let's say Taxing), you start in Taxing2 insted of Taxing1 which would be the original games' behavior.
- Finally, I've got one question: Are you going to release a remake of Xmas Lemmings also?
Again, thanks for your work, I really enjoyed your remakes!
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@PIG:
Thanks for the reaction.
- I know the Code Generator. Looked at it briefly.
- The finaly screenshots will be more than welcome!
- I will have a look at the bug you mentioned
- I am going to do the Xmas + Holiday Lemmings as well in the near future.
I have to check if there is music for these Lemmings.
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Glad to hear that, looking forward to the Xmas release!
There is another thing I found out: Level Wicked2, "Introducing Superlemming", has no super lemming. The speed is as usual, making this level rather simple... Any chance to adapt this to the original game (don't know whether it's double or triple speed or even faster there).
Then, as I promised, here are the screenshots:
- Original Lemmings ending screen:
(http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/5452/lemlayoutorigvk5.png)
- More Lemmings ending screen:
(http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/6273/lemlayoutohnoxj0.png)
In case you need them, here are the ending screens for Xmas Lemmings:
- Xmas Lemmings 1994 after completing the Blitz levels and Xmas Lemmings 1993:
(http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/6903/lemlayoutx93eo2.png)
- If you complete the Hail levels in Xmas 1994, a special "cut screen" appears:
(http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/7936/lemlayoutx94oz8.png)
I can also upload ending screens of Xmas 1991/1992 and of the demoversions, if you want them.
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Thanks for the screens! The spacing between the lines was unknown to me.
I am busy with the holiday/christmas clones. Have to check some colors yet.
Finally hope to implement the explosionparticles. Hope to get an answer too from the original makers for the exact algortihm (see other thread http://lemmings.isamedia.org/index.php?topic=132.31 (http://lemmings.isamedia.org/index.php?topic=132.31))
Also planning to use DirectX or OpenGL for better screen-output. This needs its time though.... No experience at all with it.
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Finally did some work again.
Uploaded beta 0.6.0.0 of the clones.
Included is now the Holiday 93 clone too.
Scrolling credits added (not exactly cloned yet, but better than nothing). Please report if the animation is slow or "blinking".
I know the final screen of Holiday 93 Lemmings is the wrong one. This has to be fixed yet.
The other final screens have the right text but not as shown below.
I am working on the other clones as well as a lot of other things.
Have fun
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Finally hope to implement the explosionparticles. Hope to get an answer too from the original makers for the exact algortihm (see other thread http://lemmings.isamedia.org/index.php?topic=132.31 (http://lemmings.isamedia.org/index.php?topic=132.31))
Ok, forget Mike and the gang. I finally got around to disassembling the explosion particle code in DOS Lemmings.
It's actually not really an algorithm; turns out they pre-computed the list of particle positions and simply store that in a giant table, and at run-time the code simply lookup the table to figure out where to draw the particles for each frame of animation. The lookup table is embedded in the EXE.
The table has enough entry to track up to 80 particles per frame (though obviously as time passes, there are less and less particles remaining on-screen), and there are 51 frames total of particles.
I will provide the table later this weekend. I might also try to perform some numeric analysis on the particle positions, so that you can use a formula + smaller table to compute particle positions.
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Thanks for the updates and especially for relasing the Christmas clone! Also great to see that you managed to fix the speed in Wicked2 (Introducing Superlemming).
One thought about cheatcodes: You probably know that the original DOS games had some codes that allowed to jump to the next level using the [5] key on the numpad. These codes are BILLANDTED for the original game, SLAMRACING for Oh No! MORE Lemmings, SNOWFLAKES for Holiday Lemmings 1991 and 1992 and used to be ENTERPRISE in Holiday Lemmings 1993 and 1994, but for these versions, the cheats were removed from the final version. Will you implement this into future releases?
Again, big thanks for your clones, I really love them and hope you keep up your excellent work!
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I will create the other clones as well in the near future.
Actually the cheatcodes are already implemented in secret. I will clone the behaviour too.
ccexplore, that really would be great!!!
I hope the graphic engine (plain windowed mode) can draw all the pixels in time :)
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There is another thing I've found: When raising the release rate from 01 to 99 in the original games, this takes exactly 5 seconds. To do the same in the clones, I need exactly 6 seconds. Maybe you can clone the duration, as there are levels where this is important (e.g. Havoc 10, "Flow Control").
Apart from that, you managed to recreate the look and behaviour of the original games very well, far better than the official Windows version of Lemmings! This can be seen in levels where most precise timing is required, such as Crazy 6, or in levels that contain hights Lemmings barely don't survive, such as Mayhem 1. I'm truly impressed! :thumbsup:
[edit]
And one minor issue: The arrows which block bashing into one direction are originally red in this theme:
(http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2869/lemthemevp5.jpg)
whereas your clone draws them blue.
Same goes for the Xmas clone starting screen - some parts which should be red (such as the santa caps, see screenshaot below) are blue in your clone.
(http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/5996/lemxmas93hp6.jpg)
[/edit]
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Is that will be possible to have "High Performance PCs" graphics instead of "PC Compatibles" ones for the skills bar (or is it already implemented)?
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ccexplore, that really would be great!!!
I hope the graphic engine (plain windowed mode) can draw all the pixels in time :)
Ok, I uploaded the table of particle positions here:
http://it.travisbsd.org/lemmings/lemmingswelt/index.php?cmd=get&file=/explode.dat
This is the raw binary data from the EXE. For an explanation on on how to use the data to draw the explosion particles, see the accompanying readme:
http://it.travisbsd.org/lemmings/lemmingswelt/index.php?cmd=get&file=/explode_readme.txt
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I wrote a program to test the positions and colors and they work correctly. I also chart the particle positions through Excel, and the particle trails are indeed parabolas as I expected, so in principle, you could, for each particle, use a simple formula to calculate the positions. But it takes some effort to go from the positions back to the formulas, so I'm not doing that for now.
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I'll try and implement it this weekend. Thanks very much in advance.
@Dragon: I will have a look if I have enough information to implement the other skillpanel.
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Uploaded new beta
http://home.hccnet.nl/ericenzwaan/lemmix/lemmix.htm (http://home.hccnet.nl/ericenzwaan/lemmix/lemmix.htm)
# Included the particle-explosions. No speedproblems on my 5-year old computer. If you already have a previous beta version and there are no explosions visible then change one line in the inifile
ShowParticles=1or just delete the inifile
Thanks again ccexplore, this really is the finishing touch!
# holiday lemmings colors not yet adjusted
Any comments welcome
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Great to have the explosions implemented now, and they look exactly as in the original games!
Now I'm looking forward to the Xmas 1994 clone and the Xmas music ;)
I found that in your clone's Mayhem 4, there are 50 Lemmings and 80% to be saved (which is rather easy and not really Mayhem-like, I think), where in my original DOS version, there are 80 Lemmings and 100% to be saved (which makes this level noteably more difficult). Is this a mistake or did you use a reference version where this level indeed has 50/80%? Even if it's the latter: Can you change it to 80/100% anyway?
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It would also be nice to have the time it takes to change the release rate form 01 to 99 cloned, as posted above.
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Thanks again ccexplore, this really is the finishing touch!
Sure, no problem! Although, can you remind me again how to use the levelcode in LemmixPlayer to go to a specific level? I tried both the "ratingXX" format and an actual levelcode from the original game, but neither works. Thanks.
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I think I can also tell you: Open one of the .INI files in the executeable's directory, find the line
CheatCodesEnabled=0 and change the 0 to 1. I've found out that with this enabled, bypassing levels with numpad-[5] works too.
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I found that in your clone's Mayhem 4, there are 50 Lemmings and 80% to be saved (which is rather easy and not really Mayhem-like, I think), where in my original DOS version, there are 80 Lemmings and 100% to be saved (which makes this level noteably more difficult). Is this a mistake or did you use a reference version where this level indeed has 50/80%? Even if it's the latter: Can you change it to 80/100% anyway?
I checked my copy of DOS Lemmings and it's 50/80%, and I'm pretty sure the copy I have is the "original" DOS version (there've been at least two versions of DOS Lemmings released). For my curiosity, can you check the timestamps on the files on your copy of DOS Lemmings?
I suppose it's acceptable to make it 80/100% or at least 50/100%, since I'm pretty sure the original Amiga version also requires 100%.
It might be interesting if LemmixPlayer.exe can look for "replacement level files" in its directory. That way, it'll use the ones stored inside the program if there're none, but if the player wants to, they can just copy the level files from their copy of Lemmings over to override the levels in LemmixPlayer.exe and fix any "mistakes" (really, mismatches) there might be.
[edit: @PIGSgrame: thanks for the help, editing the .INI file works]
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I willl post more info later, but during this Beta the password "cheatcodes" activates cheatcodes and then you can enter "mayhem12" as levelcode to play it.
Currently all data is embedded in the executable. Because it is a clone. I haven't yet decided if it stays that way.
Get back here later....
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Sorry, I cannot tell you the timestamp right now. I have a CD version which contains both Original and More Lemmings, but I couldn't find it (maybe I can look it up in my archived CDs within the next days). The files on my PC are from a backup CD I created several years ago, so the timestamps show some date in 1999, which is hardly the correct one. I don't even remember if I used the CD-version for the backup or if I downloaded a copy from the net this time... If it helps, the CRC-32 of the executeable is 61459C25.
I think there are several things in the original PC version of the game that were not actually planned this way. Mayhem 4 with only 80% to save is next to pointless, you can even achieve this by entering the web from the upper side, rendering the idea of the level, preventing each and every lemming from turning, useless. Same goes, for example, for Taxing 12. The idea is not bad at all, but with more builders than really needed, it's too easy. Another example would be Wicked 14, which is surprisingly simple compared to the levels before. I will also never understand what made the developers of the PC version exchange "Going their seperate ways" with "All the 6's" (Tricky 21) ...
Well, to cut it short, I think it's a real good idea to have the ability to override levels and properties. Maybe Eric can, despite the goal to clone as exactly as possible, include some of the often more logical Amiga version stuff by default (especially restoring the original Tricky 21). If he is willing to do this, we could gather a list of the most obvious PC mismatches.
Apart from that, having the ability to override whole leves would also simplify the use of custom levels with LemmixPlayer.
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1. About the "originality" of the levels: I don't know. Maybe best is to use the original files and let LemmixPlayer take it's data from there. That way people can fiddle around with it. Maybe I will make both options, because I also like the idea of a single executable.
2. Colors we be worked on. It's a bit messy stuff :)
3. The release rate timer issue: I will check on that with DosBox. What's currently happening is that when releaserate adjusting is activated the number goes up/down every frame. This seemed logical to me at the time. If this is not done in the original game, I have a serious problem, because of the replay mechanism.
Maybe it is because of a slight time difference with the original game.
I first have to find a stopwath :)
Edit: One frame has a (in theory) duration of 60 milliseconds
4. I will publish the exact algorithm for generating the codes. And I will also try to implement the original codes.
5. I will reread this threat for things I may have missed or forgot
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You are right, having an executeable only is not bad either, it's at least more comfortable. Since you've worked hard on cloning the original PC game as exactly as possible, you surely don't want to change that in favour of the Amiga behaviour.
But if you considered to also release a version which reads levels from it's folder, this really would be great!
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Another idea would be to combine both things, such as this: If there is a file let's say 311.lvl in the game's folder, the level Taxing(=3) 11 is replaced by it, otherwise the game uses the level stored in the executeable. With this mechanism, we would gain the ability to actually "override on demand", which is what ccexplore suggested.
What do you think about that?
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There's still no cursor... >:(
And why not taking Amiga levels for use in your remake? I mean, I made the corrected Dos version of the game using these levels and the levels in your remake are still using the wrong Dos levels (missing objects, wrong stats...).
As for the "High Performance PCs" skill bar, I'm currently taking screenshots of these. I'll show them soon.
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I'm working on it. But it will take a long time, sorry for that. One of the things is an optional cursor :)
It's a Windows98 (or lower) problem, that cursor-thing.
I could do a small inbetween project with the idea of PIGSgrame. The "override on demand". And the data on disk instead of compiled into the exe. And maybe I can fix that cursor...
Let me try today :)
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Uploaded 0.8.0.0 for the original lemmings to:
http://home.hccnet.nl/ericenzwaan/lemmix/lemmix.htm
You can override the default levels by placing LVL-files in its directory.
The naming convention is simple: SSLL.LVL
where SS = sectionnumber (Fun = 01, Tricky = 02 etc.)
and LL = levelnumber (level 1 = 01, level 21 = 21)
For example to override Mayhem 3 place a LVL file 0403.LVL next to the executable.
There is no validation on the LVL-file. If the graphicset-number is too high, for example, the program will crash.
Cursor problem not solved. Sorry for that. Blame Microsoft for the time being :)
While working on the new version I will take all questions in this threat in consideration.
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Forgot to tell. Edit the INI file too:
LookForLVLFiles=1