I've always thought that the jump between 1x, 2x and 3x zoom is quite massive.

If there's a way to add more increments between each step (perhaps the standard menu options could remain at 1x, 2x or 3x, but be more incremental when zooming in and out in-game), this would be fantastic.

Working With Custom Low and Hi-resolution Graphics in NeoLemmix
A guide by WillLem

The current stable version of NeoLemmix allows you to incorporate custom hi-resolution graphics into your levels and, in fact, most of your experience of the NeoLemmix Player.

To all intents and purposes, "hi-resolution" in this context essentially means that the images are exactly twice the size. So, a low-resolution 48 x 16 block will have a 96 x 32 equivalent in hi-resolution:



Of course, these would both appear the same relative size in-game.

What this means is that higher resolution images allow a greater amount of detail and complexity within the image. For instance, here is a low-res and hi-res image of a walking lemming. Note that these have been resized for the purposes of comparison. As you can see, the hi-res image (on the right) has much greater depth and detail, allowing for different shades of colour as well as a more defined shape:



You may wish to explore the possibilities of NeoLemmix's hi-resolution mode, but be unsure of where to start. That's what this post is for!

Here is a list of the elements within NeoLemmix which support both resolutions. Each one links to the relevant post below which shows you how you can customise these elements, both within your copy of the NeoLemmix Player, and for inclusion in your level packs:

Cursor
Helpers
Panel
Objects
Terrain
Lemmings
Backgrounds

Could it be made so that the exit sound can be replaced for single exit graphics, as with other objects?

The one possible issue might be that locked exits would then need 2 assignable sounds: one for the exit unlocking, and another for the lems exiting.

I recently learned the 100% solution to Taxing 16 Mary Poppins' Land, a trick which involves

I performed this trick in NeoLemmix, and then decided to see if it was also possible in SuperLemmini. Thankfully, it is, but requires a slight variation due to the movement of the lemmings, i.e. in SuperLemmini, the lemmings are 1 frame ahead of their NeoLemmix counterparts when they step off a builder bridge at the same release rate.

The replays illustrate this better than I've probably explained it.

I then tried the same trick on the Amiga, and discovered that the physics seem to work like they do in SuperLemmini, i.e.

The trick doesn't seem to work at all in Windows Lemmings.

I've also posted this video to demonstrate the trick on all 4 platforms, so you can see the variations in physics.

Conclusion: SuperLemmini's physics are modelled after Amiga lemmings. Is this correct?

I've had an idea about how to display talismans in-level that would solve 3 problems:

1) How much space talisman text takes up in the pre-screen

2) Forgetting exactly what the talisman is whilst playing

3) Players missing multiple-talisman levels due to the pre-screen only displaying one at a time (there also may be solutions in which it's possible to get 2 talismans in one go)

So, here it is:

Add 3 talisman icons to the panel, one for each colour (they would only appear when a relevant talisman is present).

When the player clicks on the talisman, it is highlighted, and the relevant criteria for achieving it are immediately applied to the level: time/skill limitations, save requirement, etc. No text is actually required, it simply adjusts the level according to the talisman criteria. Another possibility might be that the player can choose to select all 3 talismans in one go (N.B. this may need to be specified by the level author during editing in case they aren't achievable in combination with one another - so only compatible talismans could be highlighted simultaneously). Or, they may wish to take them on one at a time; either way, at least the player is aware of how many there are to be achieved altogether.

It could also be that doing this restarts the level as well, as it would no doubt need to be played from the beginning due to there being a different solution.

Furthermore, it could also be that if the player clicks the highlighted talisman(s) again, they become unhighlighted and the criteria is reverted back to normal.

In the case of there being more than 3 talismans, then.... well, I guess this idea wouldn't work for that scenario unless someone brainier than me can think of a way to make it work.

EDIT: To reduce confusion for new players, the first time a talisman is selected, a dialog box could popup "This will apply the (Colour) Talisman criteria and restart the level. Do you wish to continue? Yes/No" with a "Do not show this message again" checkbox.

Thoughts?

Erikderkovits made a topic called 3 things I don't like about neolemmix, in which he actually mentions 4 things that frustrate him about NeoLemmix, namely:

1. The top and sides of levels being "dead zones".

2. The SUPERLEMMING level not being at the intended speed.

3. The cursor changing size when you zoom in.

4. No option for timed bombers.

Of these, I'm fine with the first and third ones because, having graduated from the University of Amiga, this is how I would expect Lemmings to behave.

I do agree about the SUPERLEMMING level, but of course it can simply be played with the Fast-Forward engaged in order to simulate the experience of playing the level as intended (as I did here).

I also agree when it comes to timed bombers as well (and, incidentally, I'd throw skill shadows in with this): I do think it should be optional. However, I think both erikderkovits and myself - and indeed others who appreciate the challenge of timed bombers - should concentrate our efforts on campaigning for their return to SuperLemmini rather than NeoLemmix (this will likely happen anyway as SuperLemmini maintainer Tsyu also likes timed bombers). As we are both SuperLemmini users anyway, it makes more sense that we should focus our energies that way when it comes to things we would prefer to see implemented and that NeoLemmix has already dismissed.

I've made it quite clear during my time on the forum so far that I'm by no means a typical "NeoLemmixer" in the way that I approach both the playing and the creation of Lemmings levels. Quite a lot about the "NeoLemmix Philosophy" has been somewhat alien to me, and I've had to almost re-learn the game and think about it in a different way in order to align myself with the community as best as I can.

Since there have been plenty of discussions already about such things, and particularly since I've started directly comparing NeoLemmix with the Amiga as a platform for playing Lemmings in my recent LP series, I thought that I'd share with you all three things that I love about NeoLemmix.

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So, here they are!

1. Steel is Steel.

This is something I always found odd about the Amiga version: you can't destroy steel... sometimes! But sometimes you can. And the physics of it aren't always clear. It seems to be that bombers can destroy it as long as they're standing on terrain when they explode near some steel, but not if they're standing on the steel itself. Bashers can sometimes make it through the edge of a steel block, but sometimes they can't even destroy the terrain immediately surrounding it. This makes no sense to me.

Happily, in NeoLemmix, steel is always steel and can never be destroyed by any means. Any terrain surrounding it can be destroyed right up to the point where the steel is visible, and terrain takes physical precedence over steel (most likely to prevent it from being hidden! )

I like this, though. Steel makes more sense to me in NeoLemmix than it ever has in any other Lemmings platform, frankly. So, it definitely gets the thumbs up from me as a feature I found particularly pleasing when I first began to play on NeoLemmix.

2. The Carefully Chosen Variety of Skills.

This is probably NeoLemmix's best feature, but I'm putting it second because it's so obvious. The skills are great, both for puzzle-lovers and action-lovers alike. Sifting out the gems from the baffling array of skills in Lemmings 2: The Tribes and marrying them up perfectly with the Classic 8 in such a way that allows them all to compliment each other is a monumental task, and one that has clearly taken a lot of time and a lot of passionate discussion from members of the community in order to achieve.

The new skills were always intriguing to me; I never felt put off by them, but they did take some getting used to. IchoTolot's NeoLemmix Introduction Pack proved to be a great way to learn the basics, and playing through the original and Oh No! levels with just the new skills as part of Minim's challenge thread helped to advance and consolidate my learning in a familiar environment.

I also see this as one of the areas where members of the community seem most open to ideas, as a lot of other topics seem pretty much closed for business as far as a lot of people are concerned, having already been discussed at length and decided upon some years before I even joined the forum. So, this is a very welcoming aspect of NeoLemmix and I fully enjoy exploring what all of the skills can do, particularly in combination with one another.

3. Framestepping.

OK, I have to admit it, I absolutely love the framestepping. What it destroys in execution difficulty it more than makes up for in making it so much easier and more enjoyable to explore a level, rewind, try out something else, skip through the long, tedious building sessions and get to finding a solution for the level.

It's also ideal for replaying levels for challenge solutions because it allows you to try out different ideas in a very short space of time. In fact, it basically renders time meaningless in the game (which is perhaps why timers are no longer seen as relevant).

I'll always love the challenge of playing a level without framestepping, and I'll always have my Amiga emulator handy for when I want that particular experience. But of all the various player-assist tools that NeoLemmix has introduced to allow players to focus on solving the puzzle, framestepping is the one that fits my gameplay style the most, and it took about thirty seconds of using it for it to feel like it had always been there.

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So there you have it! I do try to keep a balanced view of these things, and I hope that as I campaign to make SuperLemmini an ideal choice for people who enjoy a more action/execution-oriented gameplay style, there is no misunderstanding as to my appreciation for all the great things that NeoLemmix has done for the game that we all love.

It's happening almost every time I load the player at the moment. I've started organising the level packs into folders - could this be it?