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Topics - WillLem

#181
I'm interested to get as many people's thoughts on this as possible.

Should levels only be solved by their intended solution? Should all other solutions be backroute-fixed, patched-out, or at most grudgingly accepted?

Or, can alternatives be happily accepted, but only if they're better than what's intended? Or even, should alternatives always be happily accepted because the player has found a different way to beat your level with the skills and situation that you've provided?

So then, should alternatives be outright encouraged, providing a skillset which enables multiple possible solutions, all of which are intended either by design or in spirit? This can be quite difficult to get right without making a level trivial.

On a wild note, should backroutes be encouraged? Or, is this just another way of saying "alternate solutions" in the event that the designer hasn't felt the need to prevent anything other than the intended solution?

I suppose what I'm really asking here is what's in the title: Why is the intended solution so important? It seems to me that there are so many other possible scenarios by which both designer and player can be satisfied, so what's the deal with packs which exclusively provide "do-this-only-as-intended" levels?




Maybe here's what's happening.

A scenario which comes up many times is that a designer will create a level, and a player will find a way to solve it with a solution which isn't intended. In that scenario, the player has "beat" the designer.

The designer must then take their level back to the drawing board and find a way to fix it so that only their intended solution is possible. We've all been there! :forehead:

It gets beaten again, by another overlooked backroute. The level must be revised again. And again. And AGAIN! Until finally, in version 27.4, the level cannot be beaten by any solution other than the intended one.

But now, the player cannot solve the level. They don't know the obscure trick or they can't quite piece together the extensively complex series of actions which must be done in just the right order. Finally, the designer has "beat" the player.

But, neither of these situations is really what anybody wants. The player doesn't want a level they can't solve and the designer doesn't want their level to remain unsolved (not forever, anyway).

So, ideally, the player manages to figure out the intended solution, and at that point they have "matched" the designer. Nobody has "beaten" anybody: the player can own the fact that they figured out the solution, and at the same time the designer can be proud that their challenge worked as intended.

Maybe it's this then: if a level is solved by the solution intended, there are no winners and no losers. Everbody comes out on an even playing field, where wisdom and knowledge prevail.

Thoughts?
#182
SuperLemmix / [DISC] Improvements to Skill Panel
February 06, 2023, 05:55:56 PM
It's just occurred to me that doubling the panel up vertically might not be so terrible, allowing all 21 skills to be displayed in full glory with full-sized numbers, and allowing more features to be implemented as panel buttons. Here's a mockup:



Note that the purpose of this mockup is, at this point, to preserve the current NeoLemmix layout whilst adding in all skills. It's very likely that the above layout would be revised and perfected. More buttons could be added, bringing the total of buttons as high as 38 (equal to the current width of the NeoLemmix panel) or 40 (increasing the current width by a single button).

Furthermore, if the ability was added for players to fully customise their panel buttons, they could decide for themselves whether they want to make use of all (30/38/40) buttons, or condense down to (15/19/20) for a single-line layout. In fairness though, there probably wouldn't be much point in doing this, since the minimap is already the height of 2 buttons (in the above mockup, that is).



Since Stoners rarely get much love, here's a simple level demonstrating a scenario which would only be possible if they were kept in the game!
#183
SuperLemmix / [DISC] SuperLemmix Discussion Topic
February 06, 2023, 05:54:14 PM
SuperLemmix is a new fork of NeoLemmix. The following is a list of proposals which I am going to at least try to implement, with help :):

:lemming: Re-introduce timed bombers as a new skill: the Timebomber!

:lemming: Re-inroduce Superlemming mode!

:lemming: Re-introduce the Grenader skill

:lemming: Re-introduce Direct Drop (and other exiting mechanics!)

:lemming: New skill panel

:lemming: Modify the existing skills

:lemming: Modify some of the water objects

:lemming: New UI graphics (logo, menu, pre-screens etc)

:lemming: Introduce a "Classic Mode" which disables all modern player-assist features

:lemming: Include all of the fully restored original DMA level packs

:lemming: Create and maintain a SuperLemmix Welcome Pack

:lemming: Editor updates to account for the above

And, some absolute dreamland features:

:lemming: Online multiplayer mode (yes, I'm laughing at myself as I type this).

:lemming: "Typed" lemmings and matching exits which only allow lemmings of that type (I'd probably start by allowing mixing of Lemmings and Lemminas, and having exits specific to each. I'm a million miles away from being able to actually do this, though!) - this will likely need to happen in the event of a multiplayer mode anyway.

And, some other stuff I can't think of right now but that I've likely already created topics for somewhere on the Forums. I'll add them back to this list if I care enough about the ideas at this point.
#184
Question's in the title.

Mine would be:

Movement-based

1 Walkers
2 Jumpers
3 Shimmiers
4 Climbers
5 Swimmers
6 Floaters
7 Gliders
8 Blockers

Constructive

9 Platformers
10 Builders
11 Stackers

Destructive

12 Bombers
13 Laserers
14 Bashers
15 Miners
16 Diggers




To display the above in the panel permanently, allowing levels with all 16 skills to be possible, the panel layout could be:

Button 1: Release rate control, split into two halves of a single button
Buttons 2-17: The 16 skills
Button 18: Pause / Fast-Forward
Button 19: Nuke / Restart
#185
Merged from 3 topics:

[DISC][FORK] SuperLemmix
[DISC][FORK] Adding Timed Bombers Back To NeoLemmix (Optionally)
[SuperLemmix] Timed Bombers



Note: Wherever the "oh no!" phase is mentioned in this post, it can be assumed that I'm also taking into account bombers exploding immediately in midair if the lem is a faller.



So, NeoLemmix is approaching its final version.

It's been a wish of mine since I first played NeoLemmix that the engine have a full-on "Classic" mode, which automatically disables all player assists (direction select, skill shadows, framestepping, splat ruler, CPM, etc) and leaves behind only the basic essentials, which I'd list as:

:lemming: Pause (no assignments)
:lemming: Fast-forward
:lemming: Skill panel hotkeys (up, down and numbered)
:lemming: Release rate hotkeys (only for up & down, no min/max jump)

And that's it! And, of course, timed bombers would be enabled in this mode as well. At present, it's theoretically possible to achieve all of the above except the timed bombers, since they don't exist in the current version of NeoLemmix.

I therefore propose a new fork of NeoLemmix (which I'd likely call SuperLemmix ;P) which allows both, optionally of course!

Unfortunately, adding timed bombers back to NeoLemmix is not as straightforward as copying and pasting the old code back in, as untimed bombers bring about a number of complications which would have to be addressed if both are to exist in the same engine. The current implementation of optional timed bombers in SuperLemminiToo has made some of these complications very apparent. Namely:

1) The actual assignment of the bomber would have to occur at the beginning of the "oh no!" phase, regardless of which option is applied. This is to prevent broken replays (i.e. the same replay should work regardless of bomber option). So, it would go like this:

With timed bombers enabled, clicking the lemming starts the 5 second timer, at the end of which the "oh no!" phase begins and the bomber assignment is written into the replay. In the case of untimed bombers, clicking the lemming starts the "oh no!" phase and writes the bomber assignment immediately, as per current behaviour.

2) For the first 5 seconds of each level, it must be possible for explosions to happen regardless of which option is applied, otherwise any level requiring an untimed bomber assignment within the first 5 seconds would be rendered impossible by having timed bombers enabled. I can think of only one way around this:

With timed bombers enabled, bombers assigned during the first 5 seconds of the level become "hot bombers," a new state which would have to be created for the purposes of the fork. The timer begins its countdown, but the lemming glows red. If clicked again, it skips the remaining timer countdown and goes straight to the "oh no!" phase. After the first 5 seconds of the level have passed, the lemming ceases to be a hot bomber and reverts back to a normal lemming, even if mid-timer.

This, as far as I can tell, allows the lemming to be both a timed and an untimed bomber simultaneously for just the first 5 seconds of a level. It only matters for the first 5 seconds, because after that timed bombers begin the "oh no!" phase anyway, as per untimed bombers.

There is only one problem with this.

If a level requires an immediate explosion on the first frame, even "hot bombers" can't account for this, since they require 2 clicks in order to explode, which costs 2 frames of game time. A level could be designed such that a single pixel would matter, and if the faller has advanced by even a single additional frame, we have a bug.

A possible fix for this would be to have the first frame of every level be a frozen "-1" frame iff timed bombers are enabled. This would allow the player to assign the bomber on frame -1, causing the lem to enter the "hot bomber" state, and then explode the bomber on frame 0. For frame -1, it must be impossible to assign any other skills, and the timer must not yet have started. In real time, of course, this would happen so fast that it would be almost imperceptible. But, for any level requiring that amount of precision during its opening frame, the code would be there to account for it.

As far as I can tell, the above proposal fixes the "first 5 seconds" problem. There may be something else that I've overlooked though, of course.

It also goes without saying that in the case of untimed bombers, current behaviour applies, but I thought I'd say it anyway 8-)



So, that's my idea. If I ever get around to learning programming properly, I'll definitely want to do this. If any existing Delphi programmers see this post and like the idea, please get in touch with me and allow me to be involved in the process of creating the proposed new fork! I'll want to give the UI a bit of a tweak as well, to differentiate it visually from NeoLemmix as it currently is.

Of course, at this point, this is all pie in the sky and might never happen. But, discussion is what Forums are for, so... :lemcat:
#186
I enter this into the Auto-Save dialog under Replay Options:

{USERNAME}__{GROUP}_{GROUPPOS}__{TITLE}__{TIMESTAMP}|{USERNAME}__{TITLE}__{TIMESTAMP}

When I close and re-open NeoLemmix, it changes to:

Position + Timestamp
#187


Check out the Records Table

A Lemminas tribute to the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, released on Remembrance Sunday during her Platinum Jubilee year (2022), also the final year of her life and reign.

The Queen was the sovereign of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations for 70 glorious years. She was a source of comfort, hope and stability for many, a dutiful constant in the midst of a rapidly changing world.

She will be sorely missed, and by way of processing my own grief I have decided to put together this mini-pack of levels, complete with music tracks based on some of Elizabeth's favourite music and traditional British melodies often associated with the crown. I've been feeling somewhat patriotic whilst making these, and it's been a lot of fun to pay tribute to the Queen in this way. Whilst there is some sadness weaved into the fabric of this project, there is also considerable joy and ultimately love for this remarkable lady and everything she's done for us over the years.

Enjoy! :lemcat:

Music Credits

All tracks arranged and produced by me using Logic Pro X, composer credits as follows:

GSTQ Track 1 - A medley with elements from Scotland The Brave (composer unknown), Rule Britannia by Thomas Augustine Arne and Pomp and Circumstance March #1: Land of Hope and Glory by Edward Elgar
GSTQ Track 2 - A medley of We'll Meet Again and The White Cliffs Of Dover by Vera Lynn, plus The River Kwai March by Malcolm Arnold
GSTQ Track 3 - Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Andy Williams
GSTQ Track 4 - The British National Anthem aka 'God Save The Queen', shown here at Elizabeth II's 1953 Coronation and again 70 years later at her Platinum Jubilee Pageant, followed by I Vow To Thee, My Country by Gustav Holst

Setting up God Save The Queen:

I've put everything into one zip folder called God Save The Queen which can be extracted directly to the root folder of your copy of NeoLemmix (the extractor will place everything where it should be). However, if you prefer to do these things manually, ensure that you do the following:

Place the contents of the "levels" folder into NeoLemmix>levels
Place the contents of the "music" folder into NeoLemmix>music
Place the contents of the "Replay" folder into NeoLemmix>Replay
Place the contents of the "styles" folder into NeoLemmix>styles (all styles are available via the NeoLemmix Manager, but here they are just in case!)

Recommended settings: NeoLemmix 12.12+ / High Resolution / No Smooth Resampling / Normal Quality Minimap

Please feel free to use any of the content (i.e. music, styles) for your own packs; just remember to credit me if you do.

#188
General Discussion / Is this a troll post?
July 31, 2022, 01:41:01 AM
I'm just wondering, is this a troll post?

Either way, you just lost the game
#189
So, you want to convert your old (or new!) pack of .ini levels to new-formats NeoLemmix, namely the .nxlv format, so that they can be played in NeoLemmix as well as (Super)Lemmini(Too).

There are a number of ways this can be achieved, but here's the way I do it. Everything you need for this method is attached to this post:

1. Create a backup of the .ini levels that you want to convert

2. Create a New Folder on your Desktop and name it "Converted Levels" (or something you'll remember later)

3. Open the NeoLemmix 10.13.13 Editor (a copy of this editor is attached here)

4. Go to Tools > Mass Format Converter

5. Click "Add Files" and browse to the levels you want to convert

6. Select all the levels you want to convert (you can select multiple levels at a time) and click "Open". The converter will be populated with all of the levels you want to convert

7. Click the "..." button next to Output Directory, and browse to the "Converted Levels" folder you created on the Desktop earlier. This is a neat way to keep the converted levels separate from the originals, and will make the next few steps of the process much easier
N.B. Make sure that Delete Source File is UNCHECKED - you should NOT delete the source file as this will delete the original level

8. Go ahead and hit "Convert." The conversion process should only take a few seconds! Once done, it's worth opening your "Converted Levels" folder on the desktop to check that the resulting .lvl files are all there :thumbsup:

From here, head to this topic for instructions on how to convert from .lvl to .nxlv. :lemcat:

Also see troubleshooting if you're having problems with the conversion process.
#190
NeoLemmix Main / [SUG][TOOL] .nxlv to .lvl converter
March 11, 2022, 03:00:55 PM
Is possible? :lemcat:
#191
Lemmings Main / Touchscreen Lemmings?
March 02, 2022, 09:45:26 PM
There is a version of Lemmings here which launches in a browser and can be played via touchscreen if viewed on a mobile or tablet.

This makes me wonder...

Could a web-hosted lemmings game essentially become "touchscreen lemmings"? The one I've linked to isn't without its issues; it's difficult to get it to fit into the screen, it's very easy to accidentally make the browser bars and stuff appear mid-game, and it sometimes takes a while to respond to a command.

But still, "website as app" is a concept which exists, so maybe this isn't beyond the realms of possibility, and could maybe done with an existing version of lemmings...?
#192
Lemmini / [✓][BUG] SL not saving player progress
February 27, 2022, 05:05:45 PM
2nd EDIT: This bug has now been fixed for SuperLemminiToo, but still appears in SuperLemmini.



EDIT: This issue appears to be affecting individual levels rather than whole packs. It can happen with both custom packs and those bundled with SL(Too).



I have tested this with the following custom packs:

Lemmings, But With Lemminas!
Revenge Of The Lemmings - the level "Lem Dunk" (other levels seem to work)

The bug is that when a level is played with "Unlock All Levels" enabled (either via the option in SLToo or via the 0xdeadbeef debug mode in vanilla SL), the completion status and player records are not displayed, despite the level being completed. If  play continues for several more levels, completion status and player records are saved for the subsequent levels, but never the initially loaded level.

For example:

If I load Lemmings, unlock all levels, and complete just Fun 8 by itself, no records will be shown and the level is not marked as (completed).

If I play Fun 8 - Fun 12, records will be shown for levels 9 - 12, and these will also be marked as (completed), but level 8 will remain blank.



NOTE: I'm using Java JDK 17
#193


Check out the Records Table

The Lemminas are back for their second adventure! And this time, they have 5 different worlds to navigate!

Help them escape the gelato-splodged landscape of Purple Kingdom and enter the lush new lands that await them...

This pack includes several new styles as well as 5 brand new musical tracks created by yours truly :lemcat: As always, there are a mix of original tunes and some themes borrowed from classical music and nursery rhymes, in keeping with the Lemmings tradition.

Feast your eyes on these screenshots to whet your appetite:

Screenshots


Teal Kingdom Oh No, It's THE 5TH DIMENSION!!!!! - Easy peasy teal squeezie...


Honey Land Honey And Lemminas - Sticky, gooey and marvellous...


Slush World Flow Control 3000 - Sparkly, icy and irresistable...


Crystal Planet Lemminas: The Platform Game - Dark, dangerous and daring...

The final rank is a surprise! ;P

It's taken more than a year to fully develop this pack. From its inception as an intended expansion pack for the first Lemminas, it has now grown into completely its own project. The likelihood is that this pack itself will get some bonus levels in the future, so watch this space! 8-) ;)

Acknowledgements

A special thank you to Lady Insomnia for all of your support, encouragement, patience and love whilst I've been gathering all this stuff together. In the immortal words of the Beach Boys, "God only knows what I'd be without you..."

Massive thankyous to Apjjm and Mantha for playtesting the entire pack, providing a full set of replays, extensively detailed feedback and (in Apjjm's case) some very nice talisman suggestions! You guys helped me to identify the pack's weaker areas, correct a dozen or so errors, a dozen more backroutes, and generally contributed towards tightening those final screws :thumbsup:

Another big thank-you to Proxima for continued support and encouragement, I hope you enjoy this sequel as much as you enjoyed the first one :)

And of course, a thank-you to Namida for developing and maintaining NeoLemmix, without which this pack would have no home. I'm never gonna give you up, dude 8-)

But most of all, big thanks to YOU for saving the Lemminas again! (That is, after you've downloaded and completed the pack. ;P)

Music Credits

All tracks arranged and produced by me using Logic Pro X, composer credits as follows:

Lemminas II Track 1 - My own composition
Lemminas II Track 2 - The first part is my own composition (contains a sample from Nintendo Black Crisis outro theme by Espen Olsen), the second part is based on Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin
Lemminas II Track 3 - A medley with elements from Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns, Pontins Crocodile Club Theme by Captain Croc, Moon Chavs by Jay Foreman, plus a few of my own themes
Lemminas II Track 4 - The first part is based on Piano Concerto #3 by Sergei Rachmaninov, the second part is based on Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy by Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Lemminas II Track 5 - My own composition

Setting up Lemminas II:

I've put everything into one zip folder called Lemminas II which can be extracted directly to the root folder of your copy of NeoLemmix (the extractor will place everything where it should be). However, if you prefer to do these things manually, ensure that you do the following:

Place the contents of the "levels" folder into NeoLemmix>levels
Place the contents of the "music" folder into NeoLemmix>music
Place the contents of the "Replay" folder into NeoLemmix>Replay
Place the contents of the "sound" folder into NeoLemmix>sound
Place the contents of the "styles" folder into NeoLemmix>styles (all styles will soon be available via the NeoLemmix Manager, but here they are just in case!)

Recommended settings: NeoLemmix 12.12+ / High Resolution / No Smooth Resampling / Normal Quality Minimap

Please feel free to use any of the content (i.e. music, sounds, styles) for your own packs; just remember to credit me if you do.

Enjoy Lemminas II!
#194
Lemmings Main / [INDEX] Official Lemmings resources
January 13, 2022, 03:18:58 PM
This post is a WIP, links will be added soon.

This post is an index of all the official Lemmings resources (i.e. graphics, music, sound) that we have available. This includes all games, and for as many platforms as possible.

Lemmings

Amiga | Graphics - Music
DOS | Graphics - Music
Mac | Graphics
Windows '95 | Graphics - Music

Oh No! More Lemmings

Amiga | Graphics - Music
DOS | Graphics - Music
Mac | Graphics
Windows '95 | Graphics - Music
Acorn | Music

Lemmings 2: The Tribes

TBA

Lemmings 3: All New World of Lemmings

TBA

Lemmings Revolution

PC - Full game

Lemmings Tribes (2008)

Unknown Platform - All resources
#195
It's in the title, but just to unpack it a bit...

When configuring Hotkeys, there are 3 options which mention shadows:

Toggle Shadows
Projection Shadow
Skill Projection Shadow

Am I to understand that "Toggle Shadows" turns all types of shadow on and off, or does it just affect regular Skill Shadows (with Projection Shadows and Skill Projection Shadows being still available as "hold" keys)?

Also, what is the difference between a Skill Shadow, a Projection Shadow, and a Skill Projection Shadow?
#196
I'm currently experimenting with mapping NL controls to gamepad. I currently have the right analog stick setup so that a nudge to the left or right accelerates the mouse cursor to the far left or right of the screen, with it then "springing" back to the centre when the stick is released.

The effect this has is to nudge the gameplay screen left and right, as shown here.

Would it be possible to build this functionality into NL so that "nudge minimap L/R" (for example) could be set to hotkeys without disturbing the position of the mouse cursor?
#197
If you're in a level with classic 8 skills, for example:

When you have Digger selected and you press "next skill", could it loop around to Climber, and vice versa?
#198
NeoLemmix Main / Playing NeoLemmix with a Gamepad
January 08, 2022, 09:49:05 AM
OK, so I've decided I'm going to have a go at mapping the NeoLemmix controls to a Gamepad. I've chosen the Wii Classic Pro Controller, since it can be plugged into my PC using the 8bitDo GBros adapter for basically 0 lag and it has 14 usable buttons and 2 analog sticks.

Here's my thinking, mapwise. Obviously I've had to choose the most essential commands for mapping to buttons:


ButtonHotkeyFunction
L-Analog-UpMouse MoveMouse Cursor Up
L-Analog-DownMouse MoveMouse Cursor Down
L-Analog-LeftMouse MoveMouse Cursor Left
L-Analog-RightMouse MoveMouse Cursor Right
---
R-Analog-UpMouse Wheel UpZoom In
R-Analog-DownMouse Wheel DownZoom Out
R-Analog-LeftMouse MoveSpring Mouse Cursor Left (for level scrolling)
R-Analog-RightMouse MoveSpring Mouse Cursor Right (for level scrolling)
---
D-Up+Increase Release Rate
D-Down-Decrease Release Rate
D-LeftLeft ArrowDirection Select L
D-RightRight ArrowDirection Select R
---
SelectWSelect Walking Lemming
HomeN/AN/A (Cannot be assigned)
StartOReplay Insert Mode
---
ALeft Mouse ButtonLeft Mouse Button Click / Skip Forward 1 Frame
BRight Mouse ButtonRight Mouse Button Click / Skip Backward 1 Frame
XNum0Skip Forward 100 Frames
YBackspaceSkip Backward 25 Frames
---
L-BumperDown ArrowPrevious Skill
R-BumperUp ArrowNext Skill
---
ZL-TriggerFFast Forward
ZR-TriggerPPause




Here's a shortlist of my other most-used commands, which I may swap in if I find I'm using them more than any of the above:

Current Hotkey in grey

Show Athlete Info A
Quit Esc
Max RR Num+
Min RR Num-
Nuke N
Cheat Delete
Slow Motion >
Save Replay S
Load Replay L
Highlight Lemming U
Cancel Replay C
Edit Replay E
Toggle Music M
Toggle SoundX
Restart R
Release Mouse Enter
CPM Toggle Caps Lock
CPM Hold V
Toggle Shadows H
Show Used Skill Counts :
#199
Site Discussion / [SUG] Allow video embedding
December 14, 2021, 06:06:48 PM
It's in the title. A lot of times it's useful to be able to show something in a video, and there are apparently already several BBcode tags which allow video embedding: [video][/video] and even [ youtube ][ /youtube ] are both apparently in general use elsewhere.
#200
If a Builder enters a portal, they continue building on the other side (i.e. after exiting the receiving portal).

However, new lems subsequently going through that same pair of portals cannot walk onto the Builder's bridge, as shown: