Don't turn around!

[Proxima]

In the big challenges thread, someone posted this challenge for Fun 1: 100% with one digger and no lemmings bouncing off a left wall. To generalise this as much as possible (levels with exit further left than entrance, multiple exits or entrances, Cheapo / Lix levels with left-facing entrances...) I decided to rewrite the condition as follows: Find all levels that can be solved with no individual lemming turning round more than once.

Here's the current list for Original Lemmings and ONML:

FUN 1, 2, 5–28, 30 (100%: 1, 2, 5, 7–11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19–21, 24–27, 30)
TRICKY 1–7, 9–13, 15, 17–22, 25, 26, 28, 29 (100%: 1–6, 9, 12, 13, 19, 21, 26, 28, 29)
TAXING 2, 5, 9, 10, 12, 16–20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 30 (100%: 2, 9, 10, 20, 22, 24, 30)
MAYHEM 4, 10–13, 15, 25, 26, 28, 30 (100%: 4, 11–13, 25, 28)

TAME all 100%
CRAZY 1, 3, 5, 9, 11–13, 15, 16, 18–20 (100%: 1, 5, 9, 15, 16, 20)
WILD 1–3, 6, 8, 10, 15, 17, 18, 20 (100%: 6, 8, 17, 20)
WICKED 1, 3–8, 14, 16, 17 (100%: 3, 5, 14)
HAVOC 3, 4, 9, 10, 12 (100%: all except 10)

Fun 11 is particularly fun and Taxing 28 is rather a neat puzzle, as it doesn't look possible for the challenge at first sight.

It has to be said, this is one of the more sadistic Lemmings challenges -- for instance, on Fun 14, you'll never make it if you try multi-bashing, so the way to fulfil the condition is to have the lemmings who turn round kill themselves by bashing through a left wall of the structure into the water!

[mobius]

that's a good idea! but I'm not exactly sure what you mean.

do you mean: For example, on Tricky 1 (this should be a doddle) build, don't stop the lemmings by any means (since they will turn around and they'd be going left and the exit is to the right so they're screwed) and then force-bash through the stone?

--on the big challenge--How is Just Dig possible with 1 digger and nobody hitting the left wall? I don't see how (1) digger can dig a hole with lots of lemmings and they don't turn around.

[Proxima]

That's more or less it. On Tricky 1 and similar levels, you just have to ensure that (1) everyone is always heading to the right, so crowd containment is prohibited; (2) anyone who does turn left dies before they can turn right again. However, there are a couple of loopholes arising from the exact wording of the challenge. One is that it's okay to take a path that involves lemmings going past the exit, turning, and approaching it from the right. Another is that individual lemmings can turn, perform actions that are necessary to create a path for the crowd, and then die -- Taxing 28 is an example where this is necessary.

[ccexplore]

--on the big challenge--How is Just Dig possible with 1 digger and nobody hitting the left wall? I don't see how (1) digger can dig a hole with lots of lemmings and they don't turn around.

That was a different challenge that doesn't follow the rules of the current challenge exactly.  In particular the left wall of the digger pit doesn't count for that older variant.

[ccexplore]

Fun 12 confirmed possible.  My solution for DOS Lemmings loses 30 of the 80 (the minimum is 50% = 40/80).  It is highly likely that similar solution works in other versions as well (and even better %-saved for versions with 100 instead of 80 lemmings).  Lemmix replay attached.  (If you want to verify the "no turn" part, you can edit the level in Lemmix so that there's no left wall at the pit right of the wall, and then run the replay, so that it becomes clear whether anyone turned around or not at the pit.)

Will update post later with more verbal description of solution, but it's glitch-free and not too hard to guess really.

[Clam]

Contrary to the note in the first post, here's Fun 14 100%. The key is to use the climbers and floaters to spread out the crowd, reducing the need for multi-bashing.

Fun 15 is pretty easy using the 'sadistic' route (send turned lemmings to their death), just send a climber over, mine through the floor and let the next 40 lemmings die.

edit: Added Fun 17 100%.

[Clam]

Tricky 3, 4 and 5 improved to 100%. There seems to be an emerging theme here of crazy bridges... (at which point I remember two-thirds of L1 is building so this is to be expected )

[ccexplore]

Fun 22 confirmed.  My solution for DOS Lemmings saves 64/80, the minimum required.  You can of course lose 4 more on versions with 100 lemmings.  %-wise I'm sure there's room for improvement, though I don't know about 100%.

Hard to say anything for sure about the Mac version due to the hi-res graphics, but it is at least plausible.

[Proxima]

Hard to say anything for sure about the Mac version due to the hi-res graphics, but it is at least plausible.

Unfortunately I won't be able to test as the "special" levels don't work on my Lemmings -- the background colour acts as solid terrain!

Fun 15: I wasn't aware it's one of the levels with a different save requirement on different versions. Should have realised, as that "nuke" challenge in the big thread makes it obvious.

[ccexplore]

My Taxing 16 solution for the "assign to right-facing lemmings only" challenge satisfies the criteria of this challenge as well.  It's non-100% and uses steel glitches, namely bombing down the steel drop by exploding away the steel.  You can get the replay from the linked post; I've attached a screenshot here for convenience.

One critical factor of whether it works in other versions or not is how the builders behave towards the top boundary of the screen.  It should stop but without turning around.  Bombing away the steel is likely to work in a number of versions including Mac, though it hasn't been tested on this level.  Recall that here, you have to be falling slightly away from the edge to be able to bomb it.

[LemSteven]

Tricky 9 and 11 are now confirmed.  9 obviously uses the right route.  One lemming does the bridge work to get to the top of the steel, and I used a bit of steel glitching to get the bridge started in a favorable vertical position.  The next 19 or so lemmings are all climbers.  One of them completes the path to the exit, while all of the others do a bunch of mining through the obstacle at the lower right so as to delay them.  I ended up getting 94% (71/75), but more is certainly possible.  100% may even be doable.

For Tricky 11, the first 20 lemmings are climbers.  The first climber bombs and then the second can clear the path to the exit.  One of the others can then turn around and then repeatedly dig+mine such that a stairway is made for the crowd.  He finishes up right around the time that the 21st lemming enters the level.

I haven't had any luck on Tricky 10, but I suspect it may be possible with an insane amount of multitasking/delaying.  Unfortunately, the release rate, having two entrances, and the amount of building required really work against you.

EDIT: Also confirmed Tricky 20, Tricky 28, and Tricky 29.  Tricky 29 is good for 100%.

[Clam]

Tricky 9 and 11 are now confirmed.  9 obviously uses the right route. [...] 100% may even be doable.

Indeed it is.

Going back to the first post again, Mayhem 25 is possible, and in fact made fairly easy by the fact you can use interrupted basher and miner strokes to get up to the exit. This means sacrificing two lemmings of course, so no chance of getting 100% this way.
edit: Improved to 100%! (by a different method)

Also a couple more (relatively) easy ones, Fun 19 and 21 with 100%.

[ccexplore]

Here's Fun 16 100%.  Unfortunately it uses blockers (Yes, blockers for a no-turn challenge, and it really is no-turn, not even "turn once after getting past exit".  Just watch the replay) in a probably crucial way, so it doesn't help for Taxing 3.

My execution uses some DOS-specific features, such as the missing lava, and that diggers tend to last a little longer in DOS because they stop digging if they remove absolutely nothing on their stroke.  I don't think they are critical, but they unarguably increase the odds of success slightly.  I do believe I can at least tweak my solution to have a few more spare builders for delay uses, so it's still plausible in other versions I think.  And there might be better approaches too I suspect.

[LemSteven]

I've added Taxing 2, Taxing 5, and Taxing 9 to the list of confirmed results.  Taxing 9 is good for 100%, as required.

Also, since Clam Spammer confirmed Mayhem 25 100%, I'd assume that Tricky 13 would be 100% as well.

[Clam]

Tricky 28 and Taxing 2 improved to 100%, both replays attached.

Taxing 18 is possible using the bash-beneath-the-wall route, you need to bomb out the left side (or even simply bomb every lemming that turns) so no lemmings turn around twice.

Taxing 20 is easily done with 100%, you just have to

climb, dig and bash at the start.

Taxing 25 gives you just enough skills to stall enough lemmings by bashing through the floor.

Taxing 27 is pretty much just the regular solution, minus the crowd control.

[ccexplore]

I haven't had any luck on Tricky 10, but I suspect it may be possible with an insane amount of multitasking/delaying.  Unfortunately, the release rate, having two entrances, and the amount of building required really work against you.

Here's Tricky 10, borrowing (and slightly refining) from the blocker technique I previously used in Fun 16.  There's actually a good chance the solution can be improved to 100%, as I ended up delaying the crowd far more than necessary, and therefore could've end up with more spare skills at the end.

This type of challenge in general can definitely be very unfriendly to non-Lemmix users--since there are plenty of lemmings you can't just leave milling around, you end up micromanaging far more lemmings than usual.

edit: also confirmed Tricky 18, rather lemmingentry I might add.

[ccexplore]

Taxing 10 (100% as required)

[mobius]

edit: also confirmed Tricky 18, rather lemmingentry I might add.

I thought if was interesting, having the use the builders, which I assume were originally put there just to throw you off (for the normal solution). And yet sometimes, like with some of the early levels in tricky, you have 40 of some skills; maybe the creators put little things like that in mind of people making up their own challenges.

[LemSteven]

I took an initial look through Mayhem, and I have confirmed Mayhem 10, Mayhem 13 (100%), Mayhem 15, and Mayhem 28 (100%).

Mayhem 15 turns out to be considerably easier than Tricky 10 despite having only half the skills because of the lower save requirement.

And a quick note about Mayhem 28: I didn't actually solve it because of the dreaded ceiling basher glitch in DOS, but I have confirmed it up to the point that you start the bash, and after that it's easy.

[Minim]

That Aswad tune's in my head every time I play this challenge.

Anyway, I had a go at ONML and have confirmed that all the Tame levels are possible, but not sure which levels I did 100% on; So I'll have another go at those sometime today.

For Crazy I solved 3, 5, 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20. I needed to use every builder on 5 to make sure all the lemmings go across the gaps. On 12 I used three bombers to blast through the first obstacle, and just some building and bashing to get through the rest. 16 gave me the challenge of slowing other lemmings down by bashers and diggers, but that wasn't too hard because of the 1 release rate. For 20 I only had to focus on the right group of lemmings, but I'm sure a good multitasker would be able to get both groups home for 100%.

[Clam]

More Mayhem results:

12: My favourite direct route comes up good again . The attached replay shows the start of the solution (once again, the required glitch isn't replayed correctly in Lemmix) - all you need to do from there is use the cursor-digging glitch to get as far through the steel as possible, which gets you just far enough to bash through to the exit, and then bash in time to stop the remaining builders.

26: This works with a slight modification of my bombers-only solution, which conveniently disposes of any lemmings that turn around

30: Confirmed, although my playthrough (which I'm not about to redo ) contains a couple of minor 'oopsies':
- 2nd lemming from the left turns back, and then turns again in that little dip (which I forgot about). This lemming ends up falling off the bottom without consequence, so you can instead make him build on the 45 degree slope (to avoid affecting timing for the following lemmings) on the way back to the dip, and then bomb.
- 4th lemming from the right turns at the wall before bombing. Just set this bomber (and the next one too) one frame earlier to get the desired result.

[ccexplore]

Taxing 12, saving 8/10.

edit: and Taxing 17 saving 74/80.  A pretty straightforward left-exit solution of diverting first lemming for trailblazing while delaying the rest with builders etc.  Strongly suggests that Fun 23 100% should be achievable, maybe I'll try another time.

[Proxima]

That Aswad tune's in my head every time I play this challenge.

Don't know that one. I always think of the Ace of Base song

Anyway, I had a go at ONML and have confirmed that all the Tame levels are possible, but not sure which levels I did 100% on; So I'll have another go at those sometime today.

Got 100% on all except 13. That one seems possible, by building to approach the exit from the right; unfortunately my attempt resulted in a "bridge wall" that I then had to bash and rebuild, resulting in one casualty. I'm sure this is avoidable, so I've put it down as 100%.

I've put down three more obvious ONML ones: Wild 6, Havoc 3 and Havoc 10. I don't know ONML nearly as well as I know Lemmings, so there may be more obvious ones I've missed.

[Proxima]

I don't know ONML nearly as well as I know Lemmings, so there may be more obvious ones I've missed.

Indeed there are. It really is years since I played this game  A look through the Lemmings Encyclopedia and brief testing confirms that Wild 8, Wicked 5, Wicked 8, Havoc 4 are possible -- the normal solutions or very slight modifications meet the criteria. Also confirmed Tame 13 100% 

[Proxima]

Havoc 9 is in the bag, with a little jiggery-pokery:

Set the RR to a middling value (I chose 41) after the fourth lemming is out, then back immediately. The second climber should mine immediately as he lands after falling from the white columns, and exactly one will turn, who will just have time to mine left before the other climbers reach him, and yes, the builder still easily has time to finish before the first climber arrives.

Havoc 12 is another one that's just the standard solution.

[Clam]

For Crazy I solved 3, 5, 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20. [...] For 20 I only had to focus on the right group of lemmings, but I'm sure a good multitasker would be able to get both groups home for 100%.

Confirmed 100% for Crazy 20, nothing too difficult really.

Also add to the list for Crazy: 9 (100% as required), 13, 15 (100%, easily done by the steel-digging glitch route), 18.

[LemSteven]

Here's what I've got for Wild so far:

1-3, 9 (100%, nuke glitch), 10, 15, 17 (100%), 18, 20 (100%)

Wild 19 is going to be touch and go.  It could conceivably work with the 1 RR and 30 builders, but a lot of building has to be done, and that takes time.

[finlay]

Hard to say anything for sure about the Mac version due to the hi-res graphics, but it is at least plausible.

Unfortunately I won't be able to test as the "special" levels don't work on my Lemmings -- the background colour acts as solid terrain!

It's never done that for me...

[Proxima]

Crazy 1 improved to 100%

[LemSteven]

Here are a few more results for Wicked:

1, 3 (100%), 4, 6, 7, 14 (100%), 16, 17

16 is a bit tricky because it requires counterintuitive builder placement, and 3 uses steel glitches.

This list is by no means complete.  I'm pretty sure a couple more are possible, but for now I'll let someone else have a chance to do them.

[ccexplore]

Fun 28 (saves the minimum), pretty straightforward actually

[mobius]

In Revolution I just found one by accident. I wasn't really going through it at this time.

5-2 Kriss Kross  26/30

glitch –direct drop to exit. Technically speaking, I don’t consider this a glitch because there is a level in this game (Where is Caroll Vorderlem) in which this “glitch” is required to pass the level. Which is one reason I believe that this was never a glitch in any lemmings game, but that is arguable. I don't agree with that anymore; yeah it's annoying.

this also applies to the single skill challenge as well as the 1 skill per lemmings challenge.
-completely ignore the water lemmings
-Simply bomb 3 times through the top platform then once more on the platform directly over the blue balloon. Lemmings will fall directly into the balloon.

it’s also worth noting that the landing bomber glitch is not necessary since you can create a hole before he actually lands.