(Somewhat related, Bitbucket: https://bitbucket.org/namida42/neolemmixplayer/issues/58/allow-the-terrain-object-selection-window )

In chat, a few people have mentioned some issues with the tile selection window, including:

- The images should be larger
- The window should show more tiles at once
- The window should be resizable

At this point in time, I don't want to overhaul the window completely, but I'd like to get an idea of what other things people might like to see. If any suggestions are fairly simple to implement (the above can all be handled, provided that dynamic resizing of the images isn't expected - but I can, eg. give them a constant 2x zoom compared to the current display, and possibly even make the zoom level user-configurable), I'll look into doing them. Even if your idea isn't so simple, feel free to throw it out, as I could consider it at a point in the future.

So, in regards to backgrounds images (not mere colors) - I'm wondering how this should be handled.

Current experimental code allows a theme to specify a background image; all levels using that theme would have the same background image. (For those who aren't up-to-date on the development side of things - you can pretty much think of a "theme" as being the primary graphic set of a level (since it's now possible to use multiple sets in a level)). This means - assuming level designers do indeed ensure their theme is chosen based on the "primary" graphic set - users don't have to get used to many different backgrounds for the same set. (Of course, there'll be an option to disable backgrounds for those who find them annoying.)

The suggestion has been floated more than once that the decision should be per-level, rather than per-theme. I see both good and bad sides to this - more flexibility, but it does mean we may end up cluttering up the "backgrounds" folder with images that are only used for a single level. Mind you, there's nothing stopping someone from achieving the same under the current system - just that the clutter would be with extra whole themes, not just extra backgrounds.

A midway proposal is to still tie the selectable backgrounds to the theme, but allow a theme to offer more than one background. However, this really just feels like a "jack of all trades, master of none" solution and I feel like it would be better to go towards one end or the other here.

What's everyone else's thoughts on this?

Alright, this has been discussed before, and I don't remember a clear final answer so let's bring it up again.

I'd like to decide on a final answer now, as some code I'm working on at the moment needs the decision to be made in order to write it optimally.


Currently, NL has a restriction of only allowing a single skill assignment to a lemming per frame. It has in some cases been possible to have more than one assignment via glitches in the past, but never as an intentional legal move. On the other hand, I believe it's considered perfectly valid in Lix.

What are your thoughts on this - should NL continue to enforce a one assignment per frame restriction, or should that be lifted and unlimited assignments in the same frame be allowed?

Alright, it's time to start voting!

This is going to work by essentially having a mini-voteoff (in the usual format) for each rule seperately, to get it down to two levels from each. Once this is reached (or a tie between 3 levels can't be resolved), the voting for the next rule will begin, and once we have the qualifying levels from each rule, we'll have a voteoff between the winners of each rule. There are too many levels to do it any other way; plus doing it this way will allow us to not only determine the best overall level (while still allowing for that 1st and 2nd might come from the same rule), but also the best entry for each rule.

Due to the large amount of rounds here, please be aware that the time each vote is open for will be only two days (instead of the usual three), until we get up to the round where we combine all qualifying levels from every rule. (EDIT: We are now in the semifinal, so voting is open for 3 days.)

Rule 1 Levels (Create a level with no permanent skills)
BulletRide's "Precision" (NeoLemmix)
Colorful Arty's "It's A Bad Counting Day" (NeoLemmix)
Flopsy86's "Synchronised" (NeoLemmix)
Gronkling's "Lost Umbrellas" (NeoLemmix)
IchoTolot's "The Drunken Knights of Clausthal" (NeoLemmix)
mobius's "In the Pale Moonlight" (NeoLemmix)
Proxima's "Tailor-made for athletes" (Lix)
Simon's "Long Division v24" (Lix)

Rule 2 Levels (Create a Fun/Tame/Tricky-type level)
BulletRide's "Pyramids Again" (NeoLemmix)
Colorful Arty's "Capture the flag" (NeoLemmix)
Dullstar's "Across the Ball Pit" (NeoLemmix)
Flopsy86's "13 Little Skulls" (NeoLemmix)
geoo's "Marching Band" (Lix)
Gronkling's "Playing in the DIRT" (NeoLemmix)
Minim's "Temple of Versatility" (NeoLemmix)
Nepster's "Just the right skills..." (NeoLemmix)
Proxima's "A Necklace of Raindrops" (Lix)

Rule 3 Levels (Create a level using at least two NeoLemmix-exclusive object types)
Apjjm's "Live And Let Diode" (NeoLemmix)
Dullstar's "Lem-17 Bomber" (NeoLemmix)
IchoTolot's "Beware of the Overload!" (NeoLemmix)
Minim's "If you can't reach 'em..." (NeoLemmix)


Semifinal
Apjjm's "Live And Let Diode" (Rule 3, NeoLemmix)
BulletRide's "Precision" (Rule 1, NeoLemmix)
BulletRide's "Pyramids Again" (Rule 2, NeoLemmix)
Gronkling's "Lost Umbrellas" (Rule 1, NeoLemmix)
IchoTolot's "Beware of the Overload!" (Rule 3, NeoLemmix)
Proxima's "A Necklace of Raindrops" (Rule 2, Lix)

Final
Apjjm's "Live And Let Diode" (Rule 3, NeoLemmix)
BulletRide's "Precision" (Rule 1, NeoLemmix)

As a reminder, the choice of prizes for the top two places are:
- $5.00 USD
- A month advertising on the forum's news ticker for a project you're involved with (Lemmings-related or not)
- Your choice for the next contest's rules

(First place gets first choice. To clarify on the last one, if you choose a three-rule type contest (which is recommended unless your idea has a reason not to), you get to pick all three of the rules.)

Here's a small app I quickly slapped together to count how many levels in the same folder use each graphic set.

Put it in the "levels" folder of your project, run it, then check the "styles_report.txt" file.

Please be aware it's only compatible with NeoLemmix LVL files. It should work with levels in the older 10KB format, as long as the files are new enough to have proper style names rather than just numbers; but I've only tested it with the normal modern LVL format (the one that's been used since... V1.31n, I think it was?).

Note that as mentioned, it's something I quickly slapped together, so don't expect it to become constantly supported. It'll probably never be touched again by me, except for occasionally using it. I'll probably add the feature to Flexi in the future, but couldn't be bothered right now.

I think it's clear enough that I have no plans to remove the RR mechanic from NeoLemmix; but I'm wondering how people feel about the possibility for levels to have a maximum release rate?

(I know I already posted about this on the relevant bug report topic, and in the main release topic, but I don't know if people might be not really paying attention to those, so this topic is to try and get as many people's attention as possible.)

Apjjm has discovered a very serious bug in Flexi Toolkit V1.15; I have confirmed the bug also occurs in V1.14, but not any earlier version; V1.11 and earlier don't have the function the bug relates to; and while V1.12 and V1.13 do have the function in question, they don't have the associated bug.

The bug is triggered when the "Move To Next Rank" or "Move To Previous Rank" button is used on any level in Flexi V1.14 or V1.15. This doesn't immediately cause the problem, but rather sets a "time bomb" of sorts - when you save the pack (or try to build an NXP of it), the bug strikes, and most of your pack's data files get deleted.

Ideally, get the V1.16 update here: http://www.neolemmix.com/old/FlexiTool.zip

If you can't get the update for now and want to avoid the bug

If you are using V1.14 or V1.15, do not use the "Move To Next Rank" or "Move To Previous Rank" buttons on the Levels tab. If you are using a version older than V1.14 (or if you're using the newly-released V1.16), you do not need to worry about this.

If you have triggered the bug, saved the pack, and closed Flexi Toolkit afterwards

There is no way to recover the data in this case, unless you have a backup of it elsewhere.

If you have triggered the bug, saved the pack, but have not yet closed Flexi Toolkit afterwards

In this case, your data can be recovered. You need to go to the levels tab, and find all levels that you've moved to different ranks. For each such level, double-click it in the list, and in the empty "Filename" field in the dialog that pops up, give them a filename of some kind. If you do this for every affected level, you will be able to save the pack without issues.

I went to look for the auto-saved replays from the two contest Rule 1 levels, and the filenames were all in the form sXXX.txt, where XXX is just a number that increments with every replay saved. The files being text files does somewhat mitigate the problem, but still - why not use the level filename, possibly with a timestamp?

This topic is for creators to post updates to their levels only! All other posts relating to the current contest should go in the discussion topic instead.

For those who are new here (or just never really caught on to how updates work), post your updates in this topic.

Please follow these rules:
1. When posting a new updated version of a level, remove any old updated versions of that level. You can either delete the post altogether, or just edit it to remove the attachment.
2. Make a new post for a new update; do not edit your most recent post. You may, however, post updates to multiple entries (if you have more than one) in the same post.
3. Use the same filename as found in the ZIP of the entered levels, with "V2" "V3" etc added at the end. No matter how minor an update is, give it a new number.
4. Do not post in this topic, unless it's to post an update to your levels. Use the discussion topic instead for anything else.

This topic is for discussion, posting replays, etc. If you're an entrant and you want to update any of your levels, please post in the updates topic. The ZIP and NXP attached to this post will be updated periodically, but until the update phase has closed, you should also keep an eye on that topic if you want to be sure you have the latest versions. Updates are now closed.

Rule 1 Levels (Create a level with no permanent skills)
BulletRide's "Precision" (NeoLemmix)
Colorful Arty's "It's A Bad Counting Day" (NeoLemmix)
Flopsy86's "Synchronised" (NeoLemmix)
Gronkling's "Lost Umbrellas" (NeoLemmix)
IchoTolot's "The Drunken Knights of Clausthal" (NeoLemmix)
mobius's "In the Pale Moonlight" (NeoLemmix)
Proxima's "Tailor-made for athletes" (Lix)
Simon's "Long Division v24" (Lix)

Rule 2 Levels (Create a Fun/Tame/Tricky-type level)
BulletRide's "Pyramids Again" (NeoLemmix)
Colorful Arty's "Capture the flag" (NeoLemmix)
Dullstar's "Across the Ball Pit" (NeoLemmix)
Flopsy86's "13 Little Skulls" (NeoLemmix)
geoo's "Marching Band" (Lix)
Gronkling's "Playing in the DIRT" (NeoLemmix)
Minim's "Temple of Versatility" (NeoLemmix)
Nepster's "Just the right skills..." (NeoLemmix)
Proxima's "A Necklace of Raindrops" (Lix)

Rule 3 Levels (Create a level using at least two NeoLemmix-exclusive object types)
Apjjm's "Live And Let Diode" (NeoLemmix)
Dullstar's "Lem-17 Bomber" (NeoLemmix)
IchoTolot's "Beware of the Overload!" (NeoLemmix)
Minim's "If you can't reach 'em..." (NeoLemmix)

---

Do note that many of the NeoLemmix levels use custom graphic sets. All used graphic sets are among the ones that can be auto-downloaded as needed, so the easiest way to get them is to simply turn "Enable Online Functionality" on in NeoLemmix. If you don't want to / can't use this functionality and need help finding the graphic sets, just ask.

The music files are too large to attach to the post, so you can download them via this Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6iajvkzyopc8y9q/Contest10Music.zip?dl=0
To use them, place them in a "music" subfolder of your NeoLemmix folder.

For the NeoLemmix levels, an NXP of the entries is also available and attached to this post. Please be aware that there are some Lix entries too, and for obvious reasons these are not included in the NXP.

The update phase is now closed. Voting will open on June 27th.

ZIP / NXP last updated: 2016-06-13 02:43

BitBucket: https://bitbucket.org/namida42/neolemmixplayer/issues/29/pause-game-after-a-backwards-frameskip

Something I'm seeing a lot in videos - and from time to time have encountered myself when playing - is that people will use the "back one frame key"; except that without the game being paused, the reversed frame immediately repeats itself.

I'm wondering if, following a short enough backwards frameskip (or perhaps any frameskip), the game should automatically activate pause mode?

Hi,

Just a heads up that I'll be taking the site offline for a short time later today, in order to move the database process over to a newer version of MariaDB; as the one currently in use is now considered obsolete by the host. It goes without saying that I'll get an up-to-date backup first, of course, in case anything goes wrong. (Note: If you haven't set a custom setting, by default the forum time in the top-right corner displays the GMT time.)

No need for any of the users to do anything; just be aware that the site will be down around this time.

I'm not sure if the change was a bug or intentional, but either way, I do not like it at all!

(Once the upload finishes, my experience with it is visible in this video: https://youtu.be/cQwItity7_0 )

Anyway, under Lemmix, as well as stable (and all older) versions of NeoLemmix, the core part of how the priority works is "Without any reason to prioritize a different lemming, last lemming to spawn has highest priority". The latest experimental version changes this so that the *first* lemming to spawn has highest priority.

I'm not sure what the reasoning was for this change, but I'd be interested to hear more about it. I don't like the change at all; if there's a solid reason for it then perhaps it's something that will turn out okay, but if not, I strongly think this should be changed back.

So since I'm working on graphic set stuff at the moment, I'm wondering how we want to handle one-way walls in the future.

The way I see it, there's three options:

Option A
Have a consistent graphic for them across all graphic sets. Most likely, recoloring will be possible, but changing the graphic won't be.

Option B
Keep the current system. A one-way wall is placed just like any other object, it can have its unique looks, etc.

Option C
A somewhat inbetween system. Have a set design, which is determined based on the primary graphic set of the level. So for example, fire set arrows can look different from dirt set arrows, but within any given level there's only one type.


Option A is my preference due to simplicity of implementing, but Option C allows a decent amount of flexibility while maintaining compatibility with the "make them a general gadget rather than a special object type" plan (essentially, they'd work more like steel areas than like objects), while Option B involves the least new work.

So, as has been mentioned in the past, I'm wanting to move NeoLemmix to loose-file, text-based-where-practical formats.

One place that's fairly easy to start (apart from a few - such as save files - that have already been done) is the level format.

Here's a sample of the candidate for the new format: (EDIT: The link expired. Just check the level attached to the 3rd post in a text editor.)

Attached is a copy of NeoLemmix capable of loading the new format. It will also use the new format when mass-dumping levels, so you can use that to obtain level files in this format (feel free to try messing around with their contents too). Note that current versions of Flexi Toolkit likely won't play too nice with levels in this new format, but you can load them as single levels.

Please note: While you're free to mess around with the file and see what happens, please don't attempt to create serious levels in it, as I do not guarantee the format will remain exactly as-is, and will not assist with conversions from beta versions of this format to the final version. I doubt this will be a problem since there's no editor release supporting this format, but you never know...

This version, aside from the implementation of this format, is identical to Nepster's latest experimental release. Remember - these experimental releases are for the purpose of testing; for serious use, please stick with the stable V1.43n-F release for now.


Changes for other files will likely follow in the near future; replays will probably be next.

(@Nepster: "new-formats" branch on my repo.)

BitBucket: https://bitbucket.org/namida42/neolemmixplayer/issues/28/issues-with-music-fallback

NOTE: This only occurs in the experimental versions. Fallback is working fine in V1.43n-F.

Play a level that specifies an exact track, while not having a copy of that track available.

Expected behaviour: NeoLemmix falls back to whatever track should occur based on the default rotation; only if that too is unavailable, it will play no music.
Actual behaviour: NeoLemmix does not play any music.

I'm fairly sure the cause is that line 1764 of LemGame.pas, NeoLemmix detects the missing file via this line throwing an exception, but it doesn't seem to be throwing one anymore. Indeed, adding code to unconditionally throw an exception in the "try...except" section here, causes the fallback to work properly (of course, in this case, it would always fall back, because the exception always occurs). I haven't looked for a more reliable (and non-unconditional) fix yet.

Older Flexi versions may store levels in one of two manners:
> In "levelXXX.dat" files
> As LVL files in a "levels" subfolder

The latest version on the other hand, stores them in a "levels" subfolder, but with arbitrary names (and a "levels.ini" file to store the information on level ordering). When updating an older pack, if it uses the LVL files format, there is no problem. If however it uses "levelXXX.dat" files, generally an error message will occur saying something like Cannot Create File "****\levels\0101.lvl".

(Until an update that fixes this is released, the workaround is to create a folder called "levels" in your project folder, then try again - then it will work. The bug occurs because the "levels" folder doesn't exist, and the toolkit doesn't create it; with projects using LVL files, the folder does exist so there's no problem.)

Quote from: Minim on May 08, 2016, 02:54:03 PM
As you can see in the OP I submitted both of my levels to the Contest. However, I discovered a bug whilst playing one of my two levels. When a Glider falls down a 1-pixel wide pit they apparently glide through floors that are three pixels or less (And in my case, as it's the bottom floor they fall to their death ). I've remedied this by stretching the walls out a bit. Still worth mentioning though.

See attached level for examples. In particular note - it does not happen if the wall continues for at least 3px below the top of the floor (not including the top pixel of the floor itself, so 4px total).

Bug confirmed to occur in both V1.43n-F and Nepster's experimental V1.44n-B; there does not appear to be any differences as to when it does or doesn't occur between the two versions.

Alright, time for a new contest! We're going to be using the three-choices structure again.

Note that there is one change from the previous contest (and this change is going to apply to all future contests in this format too): While three options will be provided, a single user may only enter up to two of them (it is still perfectly acceptable to only enter one if you like; you just can't enter all three).

So - pick one or two of the following rules, design one level per chosen rule, and submit them. Remember that all levels will be voted on together, and there will only be one winner (not one winner per rule).

When submitting a level, be sure to state which rule you're submitting it for, especially if the level fits more than one of the rules. Also - just to clarify, if you're submitting two levels, it is entirely up to you whether they're for the same engine or for two different ones.

Rule 1 (Any engine)
Create a level that does not use any permanent skills, whether directly (ie: as part of the skillset) or indirectly (ie: pre-assigned to a lemming, or available as a pickup skill).
For reference, these skills are:
- Global skills: Climbers, Floaters
- NeoLemmix exclusive skills: Swimmers, Gliders, Disarmers
- Lix exclusive skills: Runners

Clarification: Blockers are allowed, whether it's possible to free them or not. Unless I've somehow missed another new permanent skill in Lix (I don't think I have though; I specifically checked the available skills in the editor), only the skills listed above are forbidden.

Rule 2 (Any engine)
Create a "Fun / early-Tricky / Tame" type level. The exact criteria are:
> No more than four entrances (in the case of NeoLemmix levels, pre-placed lemmings also count towards this limit)
> A skillset where at least six skills have 10 or more uses
> A save requirement of no more than 80% of the number of lemmings (rounded down), unless the level has three lemmings or less
> No time limit, or a time limit much higher than any reasonable solution to the level would take
> Possible to save every lemming
> The level should not be harder than Tricky 13 of Orig *

* This only applies to completing the level. There is no requirement as to how easy or hard it is to save 100%, apart from that it must be possible. And I realise this is very subjective; I'll be fairly lenient on it, but if it's clearly far too hard to be considered a "Fun / early-Tricky / Tame" type, it does not meet the criteria for this rule. Basically - don't aim to create the hardest level you can while staying within the rules here; try to create a level that's easy and fun to play.

Clarification: The skillset requirement is just how many skills the level gives you. It is not nessecary that all of them are required in the solution (indeed, that would very much make it not a Fun / Tricky / Tame type level if they were).

Rule 3 (NeoLemmix only)
Create a level that contains at least two of the following object types / sets of object types:
> One-way down arrows
> One-way left fields and/or one-way right fields
> Teleporters AND receivers
> Locked exits AND unlock buttons
> Radiation and/or slowfreeze
> Splitters
> Splatpads and/or antisplat pads and/or updrafts
> Single-use traps

Some in-depth clarifications for this

- If a set says "AND", then both object types together count as one. For example, a teleporter alone does not count; a teleporter and a receiver together count as one object type.
- If a set says "and/or", then any one of them alone is enough, but the other ones on the same line won't count as a second object type. For example, a splatpad alone can count as one type, but a splatpad and an antisplat pad in the same level don't count as two types.
- Fake objects, whether explicit (by setting them to fake) or implicit (for example, by having a teleporter and a receiver, but setting their S values such that the teleporter can't actually be used), do not count.
- Other NeoLemmix-exclusive object types do not count; only the ones explicitly listed do.
- The object does not nessecerially have to be involved in the solution, although it's probably best if it's either involved in the solution or exists to distract the player from the solution.

Please ask if you're still not clear on what's being said here.

---

The deadline for entries will be the 26th of May 15:37 on the 27th of May 13:55 on the 30th of May 21:17 on the 1st of June, subject to the usual extension rule.

If you win, your choices for prizes are:
- $5.00 USD
- A month advertising on the forum's news ticker for a project you're involved with (Lemmings-related or not)
- Your choice for the next contest's rules

If we reach 16 entries, I will offer two prizes for this contest. The selection will remain as above and the "each prize can only be picked once" rule will be in effect, but 2nd place (or 3rd place, if the same person gets both 1st and 2nd) will also get to pick one.

---

Entries so far: 21

Apjjm (1)
BulletRide (2)
Colorful Arty (2)
Dullstar (2)
Flopsy (2)
geoo (1)
Gronkling (2)
IchoTolot (2)
Minim (2)
mobius (1)
Nepster (1)
Proxima (2)
Simon (1)

The voting has closed, and as such, we have our winner!

1st place
Flopsy86's "Tell me the way to DMA..."
Prize: Hard copy of the design for LPIV Bumpy 12

2nd place
Apjjm's "Thrown Out With The Bathwater"


These results are especially impressive since neither of these users have entered one of the contests before, and yet they managed to create the top two levels in a contest that not only had the highest number of entries so far, but also many very good levels entered! So, a huge congratulations to both of you!