Given that WillLem already suggested the terrain explodes and leaves behind a Bomber-like crater, Proxima's name "Dynamiter" seems much more fitting than "Creator", indeed! 
That said, I agree that it would be another case of "non-fatal alternative to a fatal skill", which is something namida ruled out in the starting post (probably in reference to the Lightsaberer, but in my book, this is still just the same idea in new clothing).
Yes, probably, but unless it's something like upward Digging or downward Building, i.e. a variation of something you can already do in NeoLemmix (even though you technically can't do either of those in L2, since both the Twister and Laser Blaster act differently than an actual upward Digger, and the Roper is very limited in its range, even though it can also go downward), I see the danger here of people coming up with random stuff that doesn't fit in organically with any of the skills we have so far - just for the sake of having something "new and different".
Ironically, L2 is a good demonstration of what happens when people come up with new skills for the sake of it. At the same time, in doing so, L2 is pretty likely to already have tested most of the new ground that can be discovered in a game like Lemmings.
The L2 skills that are still in the race at this point are all connected to existing mechanics in some way, while still offering something new:
- the Slider is reminiscent of the Floater in its main application, but also has similarities to the Climber in other regards, and interacts extremely well with Jumpers and Shimmiers, by extension also with Bombers and Stoners
- the Bazooker / Mortar creates a crater like a Bomber, just at a distance
- the Spear Thrower is somewhere in between Builder, Platformer, and Stoner, but again at a distance
- the Runner is in between a Walker and a Jumper (and therefore has the least new options to offer, I think)
To illustrate this latter point, I have attached the level "Besser du rennst" (=You better run!) from my in-development, L2-inspired pack Lemmings Hall of Fame (and the replay showing the intended solution). This is a typical application of the Runner as it is being used in Lemmings 2: The Tribes - and the attached level is meant to show that this can be accomplished in a perfectly fine way by just using the Jumper on its own (which you usually need on the skill panel to interact with Runners anyway).
The pioneer has to be separated from the ground and take the route on the left (which would also offer a good opportunity for using a Slider on the wall on the left, I would just have to make the gap a little narrower then, so that a Jumper could get all the way across
). He needs to reach the one-way wall and bash through it before the crowd arrives, lest they would turn around and fall into the water. The pioneer will then of course walk towards the water, but he can comfortably seal it up with a Builder.
Granted, as we've established for the other skills, L2 may not have used the Runner to its full potential. But in contrast to the Laser Blaster, Slider, Bazooker / Mortar, and Spear Thrower, we actually have custom-level user data for the Runner, due to its presence in Lix.
People have pointed out how it can be useful in Multiplayer levels, but in single-player games like L2 or NeoLemmix, a level like the attached on is usually the main application of the Runner.
Maybe this is enough of a justification to drop the Runner from the list, and continue narrowing it down?
I do want to open a separate thread for the discussion of possible physics of a (Spear) Thrower skill, though. I think this should be done separately from a discussion about a destructive range skill, like the Mortar / Bazooker, because for the time being, we need to assume we're only going to get either of the two (range construction OR range destruction).
That said, I agree that it would be another case of "non-fatal alternative to a fatal skill", which is something namida ruled out in the starting post (probably in reference to the Lightsaberer, but in my book, this is still just the same idea in new clothing).
QuoteI also like the thought that there's still something new, and useful, that didn't even exist in Lemmings 2...
Yes, probably, but unless it's something like upward Digging or downward Building, i.e. a variation of something you can already do in NeoLemmix (even though you technically can't do either of those in L2, since both the Twister and Laser Blaster act differently than an actual upward Digger, and the Roper is very limited in its range, even though it can also go downward), I see the danger here of people coming up with random stuff that doesn't fit in organically with any of the skills we have so far - just for the sake of having something "new and different".
Ironically, L2 is a good demonstration of what happens when people come up with new skills for the sake of it. At the same time, in doing so, L2 is pretty likely to already have tested most of the new ground that can be discovered in a game like Lemmings.
The L2 skills that are still in the race at this point are all connected to existing mechanics in some way, while still offering something new:
- the Slider is reminiscent of the Floater in its main application, but also has similarities to the Climber in other regards, and interacts extremely well with Jumpers and Shimmiers, by extension also with Bombers and Stoners
- the Bazooker / Mortar creates a crater like a Bomber, just at a distance
- the Spear Thrower is somewhere in between Builder, Platformer, and Stoner, but again at a distance
- the Runner is in between a Walker and a Jumper (and therefore has the least new options to offer, I think)
To illustrate this latter point, I have attached the level "Besser du rennst" (=You better run!) from my in-development, L2-inspired pack Lemmings Hall of Fame (and the replay showing the intended solution). This is a typical application of the Runner as it is being used in Lemmings 2: The Tribes - and the attached level is meant to show that this can be accomplished in a perfectly fine way by just using the Jumper on its own (which you usually need on the skill panel to interact with Runners anyway).
Solution
The pioneer has to be separated from the ground and take the route on the left (which would also offer a good opportunity for using a Slider on the wall on the left, I would just have to make the gap a little narrower then, so that a Jumper could get all the way across
). He needs to reach the one-way wall and bash through it before the crowd arrives, lest they would turn around and fall into the water. The pioneer will then of course walk towards the water, but he can comfortably seal it up with a Builder.Granted, as we've established for the other skills, L2 may not have used the Runner to its full potential. But in contrast to the Laser Blaster, Slider, Bazooker / Mortar, and Spear Thrower, we actually have custom-level user data for the Runner, due to its presence in Lix.
People have pointed out how it can be useful in Multiplayer levels, but in single-player games like L2 or NeoLemmix, a level like the attached on is usually the main application of the Runner.
Maybe this is enough of a justification to drop the Runner from the list, and continue narrowing it down?
I do want to open a separate thread for the discussion of possible physics of a (Spear) Thrower skill, though. I think this should be done separately from a discussion about a destructive range skill, like the Mortar / Bazooker, because for the time being, we need to assume we're only going to get either of the two (range construction OR range destruction).
)
