Status: Fixed version of ONML has been uploaded: http://www.neolemmix.com/old/neolemmix/OhNoMoreLemmings.nxp

Alright - another major update here! From this update, MAIN.DAT is no longer used in custom packs (older packs that do use it are still fully supported, for now - from V1.41n, while they'll remain playable, their custom graphics will not work, instead showing the default ones). Instead, all custom graphics are in the form of PNG files - the new Flexi Toolkit will allow you to include these. Please take a look at the Flexi Tutorial for information on how these work; this has finally been updated.

Less major, but still exciting, is that a single pack no longer has to choose between regular or Santa lemmings - this is now determined by the graphic set, although it can be overridden by the pack as a whole. Note that this feature won't be retroactively applied to old packs; it only will be invoked on NXPs built with the latest toolkit, or on single levels.

The V1.40n-B update just fixes three bugs. One of them, I felt that since people will be updating their packs to use PNGs anyway, it was important to get this fix in ASAP once I was reminded it still needed to be done. This relates to one frame of trap animations being skipped. Note that this may throw off the timing in levels that rely on traps, so please re-test such levels! Note that as this is a relatively minor physics change, it's more likely that if an existing replay doesn't work, it's only the replay, not the entire level, that's been broken by the change. I would be very surprised if any levels are broken altogether by it, but it is possible. The second is a pretty major physics glitch resulting from backwards framestepping; it would've most likely been introduced in V1.39n-B so is unlikely to affect any old levels. The last two bugs are relatively minor and relatively rare (but very annoying) respectively, but I thought I may as well fix it at the same time.

The V1.40n-C update is another fix / implement suggestions update. One feature of note is that, in packs that have level / image dumping enabled, you can press F7 on the title screen to dump some of the system graphics. Note that this is only intended for use as a tool to help with the upgrade to PNG-based rather than MAIN.DAT-based packs, and probably won't even work properly with packs that already use PNGs.

V1.40n
------
* No longer uses MAIN.DAT (is still compatible with older packs that do use it), uses PNG files for all
  system graphics instead. These are still stored internally in the EXE (or NXPs).
* Can now choose whether to use regular lemmings or Santa lemmings based on the graphic set.

V1.40n-B
--------
* Fixes the bug where one frame of the animation of traps, single-use traps and teleporters is skipped.
**Fixes the bug where if a disarmer disarms a trap, then backwards framestep is used, the trap will remain
  disarmed even if going back to before the disarmer disarmed it.
* Fixes the bug where changing the music/sound on and off during gameplay is not saved after exiting
  the player when playing single levels or in testplay mode.
* Fixes the bug where the postview screen may be impossible to exit (except via Alt+F4) if automatic
  replay saving is on.

V1.40n-C
--------
* Adds the option to rip some system graphics. This is intended for assisting in conversion from MAIN.DAT
  to PNG files, and not as a general-purpose image extraction; it may not work properly with packs that
  already use PNGs. To use this feature, press F7 on the title screen (level / image dumping must be enabled
  for the pack you're playing), then check the "/Dump/[game name]/" folder.
* Added an option to not replay skill selections when viewing a replay (note that this option also causes
  skill changes by the user to not interrupt replays).
* Replay mode is cancelled once no replay actions are left to re-perform. Note that this includes actions
  that will not be visible to the player (eg. skill selections where the user has selected to not replay
  these; or even pausing in the case of old replays, although new replays made with this version no longer
  record that the user has paused).
* If a level-specified music file is missing, NeoLemmix will attempt to revert to the default rotation
  rather than going direct to failure. Failure is also now silent.
* Fixes the following bugs:
  > Climbers do not ignore an overhang at the 6th pixel, if climbing a wall exactly 7 pixels high.
  > Level code screen has a different screen size (not overly noticable due to resizing) than other menu
    screens.
  > Platformer graphic's brick (for non-Santa lemmings) is slightly mispositioned.
  > Bricks in constructive skills and particles in destructive skills not visible when playing NXPs
    made for V1.40n+.
  > "Apply" can be clicked in config dialog even when nothing has been changed.
  > Pressing the nuke hotkey once cancels replay, even though a double-press is needed to do anything.

Download: http://www.neolemmix.com/old/NeoLemmix.exe
NeoLemmix Introduction Pack: http://www.neolemmix.com/old/neolemmix/NeoLemmixIntroduction.nxp <-- Recommended for players who are new to NeoLemmix
Source Code: V1.40n | V1.40n-C (Sorry, it appears I forgot to keep a copy of V1.40n-B's source)

---

The V1.40n update of the editor (yes, I decided to drop the -A from first releases under each number, it was just confusing me having it there for one component but not the other) is mostly just a bugfix / tidy-up update.

V1.40n
------
> Removed the SYSTEM.DAT editor and VGASPEC generator as these have been obsolete for a long time.
> For NeoLemmix and SuperLemmini, the default level size has been changed to a single screen (ie:
  320x160 for NeoLemmix, or 640x320 for SuperLemmini).
> For NeoLemmix and SuperLemmini, the default time limit is now unlimited, rather than 5 minutes.
> Fixed the bug where it was possible to make a level smaller than one screen in size.

Download (for new users): http://www.neolemmix.com/old/neolemmixeditor.zip
Download (for existing users):
-- Replace your EXE: http://www.neolemmix.com/old/NeoLemmixEditor.exe
-- Replace the Xmas.dat file in "styles/NeoLemmix": http://www.neolemmix.com/old/neolemmix/xmas.dat

---

As you probably guessed, the main point of the Flexi Toolkit update is to support the new features. There's also a few minor fixes.

V1.07
-----
> Supports use of PNG images rather than MAIN.DAT for custom graphics.
> Removed support for MAIN.DAT as it is no longer used by NeoLemmix V1.40n, except in older packs.
> Removed the "Disable Bomber Mask Adjust" option, as the mask is no longer customizable in any way
  so the fixed, built-in one will always be used.
> Added the option (under Show All Options) to force a pack to always use Regular or Santa lemmings,
  rather than determining it based on the graphic set.
> Changes the texts on several buttons to make it more obvious what they do.
> Fixes the bug where changes to the pack's contents wouldn't be saved before building an NXP.

Download: http://www.neolemmix.com/old/FlexiTool.zip
Default images: http://www.neolemmix.com/old/flexitutorial/default_custom_images.zip
Source: https://www.dropbox.com/s/k7zcibqiziyqfiz/FlexiTool_V1.07_Source.zip

---

And likewise, the V1.02 update to the Graphic Set Tool is just to support the new feature of graphic sets determining the lemming sprites.

The V1.03 update adds the ability to preview an object's animation right in the tool itself.

V1.02
>  Added the option to define whether a graphic set uses the regular lemmings or the
   Xmas ones.

V1.03
>  Adds the ability to preview an object's animation.

Download: http://www.neolemmix.com/old/gstool.zip
Source: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4vzpr1mzmpyur59/GSTool_1.03_Source.zip

Status: This has been added. The design of implementing it has also been done in such a way that in future, users will be able to add more custom types of lemmings for their own packs, and link them to specific graphic sets.

Status: Fixed for next update.

Alright, it's time for the second round! This will be in much the same format as the first, but less qualifying levels.

The levels that qualified from the first round are divided into two sets. Once again, each set will be open for voting for 3 days, and you can vote for up to 5 levels in each.

The top 3 levels in each set will qualify for Round 3, which will use a different format that eliminates one or two levels at a time. Similar to in Round 1, a tiebreaker will be held if too many levels - more than 8 - get through due to ties.

May the best level win!

So - for a while, the graphic set format (and associated tool) have supported alpha blending, but as of yet, there's no support in NeoLemmix itself for blending. Although some of this is due to laziness, part of it is due to not being sure exactly how this should be handled in regards to terrain (objects are a much simpler matter).

Some discussion on IRC has occurred, in the contexts of both NeoLemmix and Lix, regarding this subject:

<geoo> SimonN: do you actually support semi-transparent graphics right now?
<SimonN> geoo: not in the mask in any way
<SimonN> eventually, I want to beef up terrain tiles on loading, mask in RAM, graphic in VRAM. That makes them faster to draw (currently must get crap back out of VRAM)
<SimonN> when I make that, maybe instead of mask of bool, it can be mask of unsigned byte
<SimonN> and store alpha
<namida42> alpha blending is something i want to support eventually too, but i'm very undecided on how it should work in terms of solidity
<geoo> well the logical mask should be bool, but for drawing alpha can be convenient. Especially for objects it'd get rid of antialiasing issues
<namida42> graphic set format (although that's to be replaced eventually anyway) has supported storing alpha data since the current format was introduced, the graphic set tool also supports loading / saving images with alpha data, but currently NeoLemmix itself does not support anything other than 0 or 255
<SimonN> do you still want the threshold, where the alpha is combined in some ways I forgot, and only afterwards soliditiy is decided?
<geoo> Generate the level bitmap, and anything that has alpha < 0x80 (say) gets turned to alpha = 0 and non-solid, to ensure it's easy to distinguish between solid and non-solid
<geoo> Well I think it's important that there is no ambiguity between what's solid and what isn't
<geoo> but alpha blending is useful for making stuff look nice, and graphic set designers don't have to worry about what color to alias against
<namida42> indeed. this is something i've found to be a problem in designing all graphic sets since RGB color support was implemented; antialiasing against black works well in most cases.... until overlap between pieces occurs
<namida42> this really is something i should sort out before designing any more graphic sets, i think
<SimonN> geoo: do you know by rote how alpha combines on additive blit?
<SimonN> not additive, overwriting
<SimonN> and what properties it has etc.
<geoo> not sure, intuitively I'd say something like  alpha * [new pixel] + (1-alpha) * [pixel drawn onto]
<namida42> i believe that's used for simple, quick drawing; i believe there's a more complex algorithm used for nicer results
<SimonN> divided by some normalization depending on the alphas, yeah
<SimonN> the problem eventually is to decide anyway whether this should be used or not for solid
<SimonN> I'd very much like to crop all almost-transparent pixels and make them fully transp
<namida42> my initial thought would be to blend the terrain layout normally, then determine based on the overall output what is or isn't solid. perhaps (i would most likely make this a user option) erase any pixels altogether if they're below the cutoff threshold, to avoid confusion
<geoo> yeah, that's what I suggested

Any further input on this? I'm working on rewriting the level rendering code anyway, as the current code is a total mess (and one thing that I figure needs to be done sooner or later is having seperate maps for display and physics - certianly essential to handling alpha blending well, and probably a good idea in general), so now is a good time to decide how to go about this.

Okay, this is a feature that's been requested plenty of times in the past - and I finally got around to properly implementing it!

This of course requires support from all three angles - the editor, the player, and the Flexi Toolkit. Since firstly, this feature hasn't been thoroughly tested yet, and secondly, there's other things I want to do before an update; I can't release a stable update with these features yet, but I've uploaded an experimental version that has these features.

The player is the same as always - load content in it, it should play. Please report (in this topic, or in the usual place, but make it clear you're reporting an issue with the experimental release!) if:
- You configure something that according to these instructions should work, but doesn't
- Any older packs suddenly have issues with their music when played in this version, that they did not have when playing in V1.37n / V1.38n / V1.38n-B
In particular, there may be problems in packs that mostly rely on specifying music for every level, rather than using any rotation at all.

The editor is not much changed. The only change is that the music file name is now editable for NeoLemmix levels (previously it was only editable for SuperLemmini levels). You can enter a filename here - don't put any extension; it will first try to load an OGG, then if one isn't found, an IT. Note that you now must outright specify a special music for gimmick / frenzy levels; it's no longer automatic. (Older NXPs will still play special music on those levels, but new ones or individual LVL files will not.)
Note that only the EXE of the editor has been uploaded. Get the data files from the latest stable release.
I doubt there's any problems with this in the editor, but if you do encounter any, let me know.

The Flexi Toolkit has the most visible changes. The music and music pack lists are no longer "Track 1", "Track 2" etc, but just have actual filenames. You can put whatever OGG / IT files you like in there (note: if importing an old pack, you might need to manually re-add music pack files, and possibly remove them from the default music list). The "Edit Track Rotation" button allows you to specify a custom track order - and yes, you can have the same track more than once in your order!
Chances are there's bugs to hell and back with this part of it, so if any pop up, be sure to report them.
Note: You might notice the "Add Default Graphic Set" button is gone; that's because you don't need to include default graphic sets anymore (you only need to include custom ones). Actually, the same applies to default musics too, but I haven't got around to removing that button yet.

Note that a music filename, when specified for a level, cannot exceed 16 characters (excluding the extension). For those that are just used in the normal rotation, they can be as long as you like.
In both cases, they cannot (again, excluding extension) start or end with a space; but they can have a space in the middle.

Please do NOT use any of these experimental versions to create for-release content! They're for testing purposes only! If you do decide to release content based on test versions, then it later breaks, I will not make a special effort to get it working again! Always use stable versions for intended-for-release content!
(It's probably okay to use this editor version, though. But I make no guarantees. For the others, at this point it's probably safe to use them for working on projects, but wait for a stable one before any actual release.)


If you have any questions about how to work this, please reply in this topic. Only post on the bugs subforum if you find a bug with them (or have a suggestion on how to improve it).

BitBucket: https://bitbucket.org/namida42/neolemmixplayer/issues/14/replace-window-on-window-kludge-with

Status: I'd really like to fix this, but unfortunately, a lot of stuff needs to be changed to get a fix. I've already minimized it as much as I can, but 100% fixing it is not possible at this stage.

Shares a common root cause with the following:
Can't tab back into game, Windows 7
Moving window moves only part
Flickering between screens in windowed mode