Nepster: Which are your favourite levels from your pack, or do you really have no preference? I'll try my hand at recreating 10 at least at some point I think, though that might be quite a challenge.
Ok, finally, here's my long list of comments and criticism of levels, in the aim to figure out which ones to scrap and which ones to keep. It's a bit rambly, and nothing is final yet, I just want some discussion.
Again, I'm not commenting on difficulty level yet. I'll think of that once I start arranging them in order. However, the comments you've made about overly hard/easy levels will help me later. There are also three levels by RubiX which are great, but if we really need to, I asked RubiX and he's fine with moving them to his level set 'Epic Adventure'.
Current amount of levels: 257 (254 if we exclude RubiX')
Number aimed at: 240
Levels maybe (unlikely) to be added: Rush Job (rather just hint at the 1 minute challenge in LIX), Pipey mess
Regarding Brickout: I haven't played your backroute-fix of it yet, Proxima. I just saw it uses a walker, so I suspect you replaced the complicated turning around maneuver from ccx' intended solution with the walker. Seeing what other skills you removed would reveal to me which skills are involved in the maneuver, probably giving a significant hint. I definitely want to include a version of this level, but I still need to ponder this. Again, it'd be nice to have ccx' input, or an attempt at a backroute fix that stays true to the original solution. ccx said about version B8-b[/b]: "That said, given how long it seemed to have taken geoo to solve it even this way, maybe this solution is "good enough" for the community set, even if it wasn't the one I had in mind." Also, once the next version of lix is released, can someone tell me if the intended solution still works?
Already scrapped:
Decompression Method: doesn't work with the current physics anyway. I found the trick quite neat, but it's also kinda obscure.
No more fun at the beach: Too annoying, and it's somewhat similar to 'Oh No, Not Again' and 'Stroke at Retirement Age' style-wise, and they'll all appear near the end. Even if I fix it to make it less annoying, I don't think I'll include it in the pack.
edit 2014-05-26:
Lixes in Motion (Part 1): Figure out which version(s) we want, there are tons. Only part 2 with mobius intended solution remains.
edit 2014-05-27:
Cuber Replacement (Part 1): Proxima rating C. I don't like it too much either, though I don't know why. Simon likes it. I think the trick should show up at some point in not too hard level or an (almost) builders only level, which I think it does in Too Close for Comfort (a bit trickier though with the slopey terrain), though I think that one also has a spam building solution.
Suicide Attack: Proxima rating C+. The Yellow Bars are placement hints, so you just assign at the position of each bar, making execution pretty easy, though sometimes you're just unlucky when they bump into the yellow bar next to the tractor beam. Still, not one of my best levels. Also, as with torus, I think we don't really need to introduce trampolines if they are pretty much never used.
Riddle me this: Somehow, this level got broken at some point, because Proxima's replays set the spawn interval to 1, but the minimum spawn interval is 4. I didn't actually change the level, and I figured out that back then you could set the SI to 1 by default, before the minimum was changed to 4. So I believe in its current state the level is impossible, or at least extremely hard if there is a solution. I'm sorry if I wasted anyone's time by not noticing that. The glitch allowing the cancel the digger with the miner will be eliminated soon, so if I set the SI to 1 the level will work as intended. But it's not really interesting, and mobius suggested to scrap it too.
Process Management: Proxima rating C+. A bit weird, and nothing special both solution-wise and design-wise.
Almost incommensurable: Don't think this design idea goes anywhere. And if we don't introduce torus anyway, then there's no point for it at all.
Going round in circles: nice idea, but too tedious, and as Proxima said, short-cut possible.
Ground digging: very technical and nothing special
Critical Procedures: I'm fine with the level, but I don't mind just keeping "The Picard Maneuvre".
Crosshairs: I kinda like the underlying idea here, but apart from that it's nothing special, and you also have a basher, not just the bomber. Proxima isn't too fond of it either, so...
The Corridor of Death: The hidden trap isn't too big an issue to me here, rather, I feel like none of the solution I know to this level is elegant. There's Nepster's with the basher staircase, and then the bottom routes which dig into the tiny hill (which is tiny for no particular reason) to turn around. And then there's the second trap at the bottom that is just a pain to find the right spot to build over, again for no good reason. I don't know, but I don't really like this level, and I wouldn't mind getting rid of it.
Switchback: (C&P) Yeah, it seems to have these backroutes. There's a route going all the way to the left, but it's not that exciting. Proxima rating A, not sure whether that takes the backroutes into account?
So Close yet so far away: Quite direct route with a nasty precision move. I think earlier versions had alternative solutions that were nicer. I'm not too fond of this final version.
Too close for comfort: Proxima rating C. Has a spam building solution as well I think. Either way, nothing too exciting, would be fine scrapping this as well.
We'll meet again: Proxima rating C+. Interesting simple riddle with mutliple solutions, but it doesn't stand out from other levels of its kind, would be fine scrapping this as well.
It's time to climb: Proxima rating C+. Has a somewhat interesting 100% challenge though. I don't know whether this one or "You'll get over it" (Steve's intro climber bomb level) is harder though, but it's a bit redundant with Steve's level there.
A long, long way to fall: I'm not too fond of the miner cancelling behaviour, and without it, the level is pretty hard if not impossible.
Cat out of the Bag: Nothing special, Proxima only rated it C+ as well.
edit 2014-05-29:
The Almighty Sawblade: It's not trivial, but I didn't like the solution too much really. The general route is kinda obvious, and you just have to fill in the skills with maybe a few hacks.
Slippery Pete: I don't mind the solution, but the design is just a sloppy mess.
Inclined to scrap:
Leap of the Locust: Yeah, very repetitive, and already uses the basher staircase trick. Proxima rating C. Nepster says it's not too repetitive, and actually you don't need the basher staircase trick.
Confusing Fractals: I like the design, but I can't make anything interesting out of it.
Diggin' the Air: I'm indifferent here. Mobius wants it scrapped, Proxima likes it, I don't know.
Wrong way: Proxima rating C. I don't think it's that similar to Minimalism (Part 1), still nothing really new here. But mobius changed it to "Big Block" it seems which has a completely different solution anyway. Nepster says it's better than Minimalism (Part 1).
Elixir/Subversive Activities: I'm really not very impressed with these, Elixir is kinda bland, and the other one a technical move or two. I'd like to scrap at least one of these. Posted an alternative version of the level that will probably replace these two. Done.
A lix on the Edge: I don't know what to think about it, it's tricky and interesting, so I guess it's a good thing. Again, I don't see much of a point in the time limit.
Walk them golden stairs: Solution is kinda spammy and annoying, and part 2 is similar except that now you have bombers to work with instead of the other terrain removers.
This is a Stickup: A bit technical, and the exit looks a bit weird as it is, but overall an ok level.
Rated A by Proxima:
Escape the Pit: Needs prettifying, as it looks like a sloppy mess right now, all the tiles just placed without any care. Hearing that it is sort of a Lemmings Revolution level remake doesn't sound that good either. It's a decent level for the first rating though.
Three days of the condor: The only thing really is turning the miner with a blocker here, and it's a huge and ugly level for just showing this trick. Proxima rating A, so I don't know though.
Lixology: The bumpy terrain makes the cuber placement more annoying than necessary, and it's based on my ugly design. I first thought the solution was making the basher continue with the cubers, but you don't need that. For a continued basher, I think my variation of ccx' Brickout is nicer anyway, which I could replace this with. Proxima rating A, which solution(s) is that based on?
Needs discussion or modification, for some possibly scrap:
Let's Block and Blow: Proxima rating C+. I quite like it as a very easy puzzle, overcoming the stereotype of bombing blockers, and teaching that blockers can be released in the process. Would rather keep it.
Roundabout: With the one-pixel gap fixed, it's a decent level, even if not that pretty.
6 Gaps, 5 Builders: Quite fond of it (now that I've prettyfied it), had me stumped for a few moments, I think it's an excellent level and I'd actually like to keep it if that's ok.
Ramen Masterchef: Not the prettiest design, but I kinda like its silliness and I guess it can't hurt to mix things up a bit by throwing this level in.
Castles in the Sky: I'm not a big fan of levels like this, but I think it's good to throw some like that in every now and then.
Snowjump: a bit technical, but a couple of things that work and not too many things to do so I think it's ok.
The last mile: I agree, the timelimit seems pointless here.
Cold Iron's bound: which of the two solutions? Or leave no floaters just as a challenge?
3 minus 1: Old version has the digger removing blocker behaviour (see minimalism 3), new version just a miner but low non-steel terrain making execution hard, I'd like a hybrid. Actually it's not required. mobius now made a new version with the title 'Another Funeral'.
A giant leap for lixkind: Not quite fond of the basher cancelling needed at the right. Also should be 99/100 rather than 100/101 as that's less confusing.
Babylon Fading: Move block at the top left up a little bit so there's more leeway with the final builders.
Well OK Then: Proxima rating C+. I don't know something different yet simple, and I quite like it for that. Design could maybe be improved though. Also a bit of a precursor to Chasm.
Tower of Babel: Proxima rating C+. Again, pretty unique so I personally find it to be a good one to throw in the mix. The main idea is obvious, but there are a few details to work out. Execution isn't bad actually, especially considering the kind of level this is.
Go West: Quite like it, though I need left-facing digger cancelling right-facing digger. I guess that's ok with the limited given skill set.
A completely ridiculous level: Like Ramen Masterchef, I think it's nice to have a level or two like this, even if it's kinda weird.
Segmentation Fault: Bit technical, but one of these every now and then is good for the mix.
Soaring: Proxima rating C+. I quite like the idea of it, but similar to Clam's 'Stall Tactics' there's the weird issue that sometimes they don't go straight up.
The Ring of Fnargl: It's pretty unique, but the part at the top is pretty precision heavy and tough to execute.
Thomas the Climber: trick somewhat filigrane, but ok
Play Ball: It's a good level, but the main part is realizing that you have to do synchronization compression. Then it's not so hard, but there are already a few levels that use this, so I wonder if this level is a bit redundant.
Triangle Inequality: I find it elegant, but maybe too obscure, and very detailled stuff at the left entrance?
Alien Invasion: should come up with a prettier backroute fix than lix stuck in the wall.
Metal City Mayhem: I found it kinda annoying back when I solved it, with a few ugly/brute-force moves, and shuffling skills back and forth until things worked. But it feels just as daunting as Mayhem 1, and was quite a good challenge.
Won't get fooled again: I found two solutions to this one, both different from the intended one, and ccx was undecided whether to remove them.
All over the place: Decent level, not too special, but either way it'd need prettifying
Heavenly skies: This one is pretty tricky, though I personally don't like exercises in estimating how far your builders go. The route I found uses a move that's pretty hard to execute.
The Giant Mushroom: Nice and easy, but again it needs a revamp to look better.
Cornerstone: With Nepster's route I realize the level is a bit open ended, and there are probably better open-ended levels around (And even the intended route is a little tricky to execute). What does everyone else think?
Chasm: Very technical, but I love how daunting it looks, and having one of these every now and then is nice.
Just Stop the Bleeding: Definitely staying, just should get Steve's "Hole in the head gang" treatment.
The Italian Job: Definitely staying, great level, just remove black bar of space at the bottom.
Top Gear: Definitely staying, but alternative design with miner placement hints?
Solar Eclipse: I think the idea is ok, but I should probably space out everything so it looks less crammed, and make it bigger and prettier in the process.
Comfort Levels to the Max: rename?
A Soulful Bounding Leap: I think there are various working solutions, not sure if that's intended.
Blocked by a Snowball: It's a decent easy level and you have to take care about a few things without risking killing lix. Depends on what else we'll have at the beginning.
Changing of the Guards (Part 2): Listed for completeness, I like it, but it's up to Proxima to decide I guess.
edit 2014-05-20:
Tribute to Benny Hill: Definitely staying, but should I increase the time limit to 60 minutes, as 30 minutes can be tight, depending on what strategy you use. Changed to 60 minutes now.
It takes time to build: It's kind like an easy version of Erbalunga in that you have diggers and bashers, but you can just kill the first few from the top, start digging, then bash and you're good. I don't know. The new version mobius posted gives even more leeway. Proxima rating A, so I wonder whether there's something I missed. After a bunch of backroute fixes I think this is actually a decent level.
Hard to Port: has the easy backroute with a climber bomb. Proxima's suggested fix with the walker makes use of the fact that the fall is 64x2 pixels high and thus can be made non-lethal with a single builder brick. Either way, I find the level not that interesting. EDIT: ok, now that I read Nepster's post with the suggested fix I don't know anymore, that fix definitely seems better and keep the level more interesting. Now with the fix it's a decent level, but still, I don't find it too special unless I missed something.
Have another try: With just the bricks it looks a bit plain, could do with some twists in the design done.
edit 2014-05-26:
Over the Hump: I found a pretty trivial route when I just replayed it, I don't remember the intended one but with this one it's a bit simple. New version out, still has a backroute.
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo: I'm actually not really convinced by this level, it's really just about the trick of a basher and a miner cancelling each other, which is a bit technical to execute and not used in any later level. So I'm in favour of scrapping. Nepster pointed out a better solution to this level.
edit 2014-05-29:
Dances with Lixes: Solution is nothing special and at times technical, has tedious parts, design looks a bit messy. Proxima rated it A, but I don't like it at all. It's basically brute-force. Has been modified and is now back in.
Maybe scrap because they are repeat levels, and thus not as much effort goes to waste.
Let's all go down the strand:
The Borderland:
Minimalism (Part 3): Relies on slightly off-set blocker placement. Not sure whether that's a good trick to teach like that, or a bit too subtle. Either way, I think I'll have to space part 1-3 a bit apart, as their difficulties very too much.
Dr Strangelix: a bit similar to "Follow the Yellow Brick Road"
Will almost certainly stay:
The Road not Taken: Was designed to be one of the first levels.
Go Ahead and Help yourself: Two hatches
Lion, lix and the Wardrobe: First one (I think) to have the splat hatch.
Snowball Battle: Decent puzzle, not super special but decent.