Custom Level Review Game

[mobius]

For a moment I thought what Luis did too. In some cases, numbers in a list come up 1, 10, 2, 3...  isn't that stupid?

Gronklems #5 - Level 4 – Brick City

Lemmings: 30
Save: 30 (100%)
Release rate: 99
Time: 2 minute
Skills: 2 climber, 2 floaters, 6 builders, 4 bashers

Good: I like the decoration and the symmetrical style a lot. The solution is neat and simple.

Bad: It can be a bit tricky to get the timing right to save 100%


If you want to add any comments, Akseli, you always can. 

[Akseli]

Well, I would have said something about Gronkling's special entrance from where lemmings "fall facing left" (he has used that trick also in two other levels) and then this lovely "builders encountering each other" trick, which Lacktardo uses in some of his levels. The solution is very easy to find out though, because there are so few choices, so the player is almost forced to execute the actual solution troughout the whole level. I find the design and especially the title a little plain, also. But all in all, Brick City is fun to play and the solution is certainly neat!

Gronklems #5 - Level 5 - Bubble Bath

Lemmings: 50
Save: 50 (100%)
Release rate: 1
Time: 1 minute
Skills: 1 builder, 2 miners

Good: A bubble tileset level, so points for that immediately. A minimalistic puzzle, but still the solution is far from obvious. I had major troubles with this level when I saw it first time, and this is certainly one of the most difficult levels with only 3 skills I've played, amazing! Also, fifth level in a row without any backroutes I could find, good job Gronkling!  (After this level there were more or less backroutes through the rest of the pack... )

Bad: Where are the red spinning things which are supposed to be over the exits?!?!? Just joking. If I have to think of some drawbacks, maybe they would be related to the execution, but no, only 3 skills? And the solution is so cunning. And I like the design. Now I started to list good points here, too? Well, let's say that if someone finds a backroute for this level, that would be the drawback!

Random comment: I have noticed that "Bubble Bath" is one of the most popular custom level titles. In addition to this level, at least Anatol (Anatol00 - level 6), Dodochacalo (DoveLems - Devilish 3) and Yawg (Yawg01 - level 1) have made a level exactly titled as "Bubble Bath". These all four levels are bubble tileset levels - surprise! Can anyone invent another lemmings level title which is used by so many different authors?

I'll wait for one or two weeks before I review the next level, if nobody has reviewed it earlier. Level 6 isn't easy. :b

[mobius]

Well, I would have said something about Gronkling's special entrance from where lemmings "fall facing left" (he has used that trick also in two other levels) and then this lovely "builders encountering each other" trick,

I didn't even realize that. Okay, how did you do that Gronkling?

I also like the builders building into eachother. There's few other levels (that I've played) that utilize that.

[Gronkling]

Well, I would have said something about Gronkling's special entrance from where lemmings "fall facing left" (he has used that trick also in two other levels) and then this lovely "builders encountering each other" trick,

I didn't even realize that. Okay, how did you do that Gronkling?

I also like the builders building into eachother. There's few other levels (that I've played) that utilize that.

<-- An L shaped piece of terrain under the entrance that is positioned so the lemmings go onto it immediately.

Also brick city (Titles are the hardest part of level creation) is my favourite level from that pack even though it's one of the easiest. It's so happy! 'u'

[Proxima]

Random comment: I have noticed that "Bubble Bath" is one of the most popular custom level titles. In addition to this level, at least Anatol (Anatol00 - level 6), Dodochacalo (DoveLems - Devilish 3) and Yawg (Yawg01 - level 1) have made a level exactly titled as "Bubble Bath". These all four levels are bubble tileset levels - surprise! Can anyone invent another lemmings level title which is used by so many different authors?

From what I've seen, the rather bland "The Pit" seems to be the most frequently used title.

[geoo]

I dug out Lemmini, and lo and behold, it still runs, so I can join this (and get reminded of the various bits why I don't like Lemmini as much as e.g. Lix).

Gronklems #5 - Level 6 – Restoration in Progress

Lemmings: 50
Save: 50 (100%)
Release rate: 50
Time: 2 minutes
Skills: 3 builders, 1 basher, 3 mines, 2 diggers

Good: Gives you a few tasks to work on: separating workers, storing the crowd, and then releasing the crowd. All three parts have pretty nice solutions, even though they are not too hard to see.

Bad: Level also looks very messy overall.

[mobius]

Gronklems #5 - Level 7 – Where Clouds are Made

Lemmings: 10
Save: 8
Release rate: 88
Time: 1 minutes
Skills: 8 climbers, 1 floater, 1 bomber, 1 blocker, 2 builders, 1 basher, 1 digger

Good: A very tough level that looks tough. I like stalling the lemmings with climbers like that. (any multi-task type of situation like that I usually like a lot) Of course the decoration and the clouds are really awesome! I also like how you made the big areas of brick more interesting by using variety of small blocks.

Bad: Nothing major. I think my solution may be a back route so I attached a video replay of it (avi file, sorry if it's big). If it is, it was still tough to find.

------------
I think Restoration in Progress is very tough (I haven’t beaten it yet).
And I don’t think it looks messy at all.

[Akseli]

I also like the builders building into eachother. There's few other levels (that I've played) that utilize that.

Could you please identify some levels using that trick? To clarify, I meant that kind of bridge which lemmings can travel both directions (and are supposed to), not for example, that builder from right knocks his head to the bridge from left, and then lemmings can walk only to the right.

From what I've seen, the rather bland "The Pit" seems to be the most frequently used title.

Hmm I know Nortaneous has a Lix level and Steve a cheapo level called "The Pit" (and Clam Spammer has a Lix level called "The Pits"), are there others? Anyway, it's interesting to think which are the most used level titles.


Restoration in Progress has suffered to some extent from backroute fixing, and I also find that the solution is now easier to realize, and the design is somewhat messier now. The solution itself is still one of the cleverest ones of this levelpack.

Möbius, your solution is not the inteded one. :b I also like the idea of clouds coming from smokestacks of a "cloud factory".

Gronklems #5 - Level 8 - Antarctic Secret Base

Lemmings: 20
Save: 15 (75%)
Release rate: 99
Time: 2 minutes
Skills: 7 climbers, 2 bombers, 4 blockers, 2 builders, 6 bashers, 2 diggers

Good: The level is nicely built around the neat main trick.

Okay: At least one extra lemming and some skills can be saved, what is meant to make the solution more convenient to execute, but in my opinion required to be saved could be 80%.

Bad: This level is the most backroute fixed in this pack, and it's still not working properly. Level has alternate solutions, which are more or less backroutish. There are various unpleasant-looking details, such as those hidden ice spikes and many one-way walls here and there.

[Gronkling]

I'm not very proud of that level if you hadn't guessed. 

[Clam]

Hmm I know Nortaneous has a Lix level and Steve a cheapo level called "The Pit" (and Clam Spammer has a Lix level called "The Pits")

Not any more I don't. I renamed it to "Underbelly" The equivalent level for Lemmix has a different title again.

[mobius]

I also like the builders building into eachother. There's few other levels (that I've played) that utilize that.

Could you please identify some levels using that trick? To clarify, I meant that kind of bridge which lemmings can travel both directions (and are supposed to), not for example, that builder from right knocks his head to the bridge from left, and then lemmings can walk only to the right.

Offhand I can't think of levels using the exact trick. I'm thinking Pieuw maybe had some? I thought I saw videos of at least one. [...maybe it was Gronklings ]

Tseug's "Stuff in the Way" has two lemmings build toward each other but the one must be underneath to turn around.

[Akseli]

I'm not very proud of that level if you hadn't guessed. 

But hey, it's definitely not a useless level, I maybe didn't stress enough that Antarctic Secret Base is still probably the only level ever made which uses the unique trick.

Not any more I don't. I renamed it to "Underbelly" The equivalent level for Lemmix has a different title again.

I think I have an old version of Lix from last spring and I'm probably going to download the version from last June, I guess that's the most updated version at the moment? For those who don't know, "Guns Blazing" is the Lemmix equivalent for Clam's level.

Offhand I can't think of levels using the exact trick. I'm thinking Pieuw maybe had some? I thought I saw videos of at least one. [...maybe it was Gronklings ]

Yeap, two lemmings have to start and stop building at the same time. Hehe, I can't recall others than Gronkling's "Brick City" and then Lacktardo's few ones, oh gosh I hope that he'll manage to publish his full levelpack someday..

Tseug's "Stuff in the Way" has two lemmings build toward each other but the one must be underneath to turn around.

That's true. I think this trick is much more common. Another good example: In Insane Steve's "Mental Process" two lemmings have to build into each other from the opposite directions so that the built bridge would reach far enough.

[mobius]

I think this trick is much more common. Another good example: In Insane Steve's "Mental Process" two lemmings have to build into each other from the opposite directions so that the built bridge would reach far enough.

oh... hmm. Mental process; Are you sure you have the right level? If so, then I guess I back-routed that level.  makes me really curious as to how this trick fits in. 

In 'Stuff in the way' the timing is pretty precise and tricky.

anyway (back on topic ), tomorrow I'll try Gronkling's again. (I haven't lately)

[mobius]

I give up on the level 9, so anybody else (including you Akseli) can review it if you like.

It's because I find the glitch very annoying and just don't feel like doing it. (sorry Gronkling) After trying a million times and not progressing because of pixel precision I get annoyed very easily. I like the layout and rest of the level however.

At first I liked levels using glitches, maybe because it was new to me. But now I don't. Especially glitches that are difficult to pull off.

[Akseli]

oh... hmm. Mental process; Are you sure you have the right level? If so, then I guess I back-routed that level.  makes me really curious as to how this trick fits in. 

ISteve07, level 8. Are you saying that you didn't need bridge built from two directions?

I give up on the level 9, so anybody else (including you Akseli) can review it if you like.

Yep, pixel precise skill assignment has to be done three times. Did you realise to use replaying to make the whole execution easier?

I'll go with the next level.

Gronklems #5 - Level 9 - Optical Fibre Land

Lemmings: 2
Save: 2 (100%)
Release rate: 60
Time: 1 minute
Skills: 2 climbers, 2 blockers, 1 basher, 1 miner, 1 digger

Good: Another unique level which introduces a trick which I haven't seen used in any other lemmings level ever. Performing the tricks can be demanding, but generally when precise movements are needed to carry out such interesting techniques like these, I'll forgive it. A short, builderless level, where the player is provoked to try something new and explore the unknown.

Bad: Perhaps the steel and one-way arrows might look little sloppy and make the solution less hidden, but that's not really a problem in this kind of level.


One level still to review, but is here anybody who wants his/her pack reviewed after this? I find this fun, but here hasn't been too much action, or is it just because this pack was for Lemmini? Or does someone want to review some certain pack?

Merry Christmas everyone!