Holiday Lemmings Plus & Lemmings Plus Flashbacks

[namida]

Lemmings Plus Games Index
Lemmings Plus DOS Project
A Lemmix-based pack of 150 levels using the official graphic sets. Lemmings Plus DOS Project mostly stays true to the original mechanics, even including glitches, but did introduce the staple Lemmings Plus feature of having non-timed bombers.
(Topic) | (Download)

Lemmings Plus II
A Lemmix-based pack of 100 levels + 5 secret levels using five new graphic sets. Introduces the concepts of Frenzy and Gimmick levels, as well as secret levels; though the engine is a modified version of traditional Lemmix, not NeoLemmix.
Has a bonus pack of 30 levels + 2 secret levels focusing on repeats and gimmick/frenzy levels.
(Topic) | (Download) | (Download Bonus Pack)

Lemmings Plus III
A NeoLemmix-based pack of 60 levels + 9 secret levels using four new graphic sets. Lemmings Plus III is the first pack in the series to use the NeoLemmix engine.
Has a bonus pack of 35 levels + 7 secret levels focusing on repeats and gimmick levels.
(Topic) | (Download) | (Download Bonus Pack)

Holiday Lemmings Plus
A small NeoLemmix-based pack of 12 levels exclusively using the Christmas graphic set. Holiday Lemmings Plus is the first pack in the series to use the new NeoLemmix skills and vertical scrolling.
(Topic) | (Download)

Lemmings Plus Flashbacks
An NeoLemmix-based collection pack featuring 32 of the best levels selected from Lemmings Plus DOS Project, Lemmings Plus II and Lemmings Plus III.
(Topic) | (Download)

Lemmings Plus Omega
An NeoLemmix-based pack of 135 levels using the Lemmings Plus II and Lemmings Plus III graphic sets. It is the last entry in the Lemmings Plus series.
(Topic) | (Download)


Note: This is a shared topic for both Holiday Lemmings Plus and Lemmings Plus Flashbacks, since they're both relatively small projects.


Well, I've mentioned three upcoming Lemmings Plus projects around the place. And I think it's time to create a topic for one of them, specifically, the one referred to as "Lemmings Plus H Project".

Or, by it's proper name, "Holiday Lemmings Plus".

It's a small pack of 12 levels all using the Christmas graphic set, divided into two ranks of 6 levels each, titled "Glimmer" and "Arctic". Includes a set of 6 Christmas tunes, so within one rank, every level has a unique music. No secret levels here*, and none of the levels are gimmick levels or frenzies.

For more information, check the page about it on on my website.

This pack is also the first proper pack (not including the tutorial pack included with NeoCustLemmix) that uses the new NeoLemmix skills - or at least most of them; none of the levels use Mechanics, and only one level uses Cloners (and the level in question only has a single cloner).



This pack has now been released and can be downloaded here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6uz34sgvekcihvs/HolidayLemmingsPlus.exe

This version is now considered the official version until further notice (version V1 / V1.24n), even though newer versions are "unofficially" available through the NeoLemmix update stream.

Solution replays can be downloaded here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fjows0iquzujni9/HLP_Solutions.zip

* Promise. This isn't another one of those cases like with LPII where I didn't admit secret levels even existed until a while after release, or LPIII where I initially claimed there were only 8 but later revealed there was a 9th one. There are genuinely no secret levels in this one.




Lemmings Plus Flashbacks is a small collection pack featuring 32 levels from Lemmings Plus DOS Project, Lemmings Plus II and Lemmings Plus III, split into four ranks of 8 levels each. There's no new content; it's intended for those who just want to replay some of the best levels, or perhaps people who would like to try the Lemmings Plus series but either want a small sample before jumping into the full games, or don't have time to play large levelpacks in their entirity.

LPF does not contain any levels from Lemmings Plus II Bonus Pack, Lemmings Plus III Bonus Pack or Holiday Lemmings Plus.

Downloads:
(DropBox)
(NeoLemmix Website)

Music pack:
(DropBox)
(NeoLemmix Website)

The music pack is optional, but gives the authentic musics intended for LPDOS and LPII instead of MOD conversions of MIDI remakes of them. It makes no difference to the musics on the LPIII levels.

To those who are playing this as a sampler etc without having actually played the main games (especially Lemmings Plus III), please be aware that some of the Lemmings Plus III levels use new mechanics that you may not be familiar with (they're introduced in tutorial levels in LPIII itself). Specifically:
- "Locked Out!" has a locked exit. You must push all the buttons (by having a lemming walk over them) to unlock it.
- "Synergistic Effect" does not have any new mechanics in play.
- "Extra Skill Required" has pickup skills. If you get a lemming to these, they're added to your available skillset.
- "Experimental Materials" has one-way-down arrows. These cannot be bashed, but can be mined or dug.
- "Viva Las Lemmine" has pre-placed lemmings. This simply means there's some lemmings that are already on the map instead of having to come out of an entrance. It also has teleporters, which do pretty much exactly what you'd expect them to.
- "Hardwired!" also has teleporters.
- "Crossover Arena" does not have any new mechanics in play.

The one-way fields introduced in Lemmings Plus II (and used in Lemmings Plus III) are not used in any of the levels included in LPF.

[namida]

Maximum saved list

NOTE: For the avoidance of doubt, the percentages used here are the Cloner-adjusted percentages. This is the default option used in Holiday Lemmings Plus.

As usual, if a level where 100% is not possible is bolded, it means it's possible to save more than the requirement.

Glimmer - 6 optional
Glimmer 1: 100% is possible
Glimmer 2: 100% is possible
Glimmer 3: 100% is possible
Glimmer 4: 100% is possible
Glimmer 5: 100% is possible
Glimmer 6: 100% is possible

Arctic - 1 required, 5 impossible
Arctic 1: 100% is required
Arctic 2: Record is 86% (43 lemmings) (Nepster)
Arctic 3: Record is 96% (49 lemmings) (Nepster)
Arctic 4: Record is 68% (34 lemmings) (DynaLem)
Arctic 5: Record is 92% (92 lemmings) (Nepster)
Arctic 6: Record is 97% (97 lemmings)


For Lemmings Plus Flashbacks, these are generally the same as they were in the original versions of the levels, unless glitches were exploited to reach the maximums. The only known level with a different maximum is Panic Attack, where only 94% is possible in this version. It is possible there are other differences; I will look into this more at a later time.

[namida]

Alright, here we are. Here's the first release of Holiday Lemmings Plus.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6uz34sgvekcihvs/HolidayLemmingsPlus.exe

You'll notice it mentions it's running on "NeoLemmix V1.23n-D". I haven't done a general release of this version; you haven't missed anything.

There probably won't be any update to it (aside from the usual NeoLemmix stream updates once it's been finalised), though I might reconsider that if any major backroutes show up in the last few levels.


Special thanks to DynaLem and minimac for testing.

I won't outright give away the cheat code yet, but instead, I'm going to give a hint at it, and if you can work it out, you can use the code. I'll reveal the code outright at a later point.
The hint is:
"A boat's a boat, but the ______ could be anything. It could even be a boat!"


By the way - as I've mentioned before, Glimmer is very interesting in the Skills You Can't Live Without challenge. The result for the entire rank is just a single skill - 1 basher. Try it.

[Nepster]

I have beaten all levels except Arctic 4. Replays of notable solutions are attached.

Arctic 1: Good level, but I would have preferred a slightly more restrictive skill-set. And I just noticed with this level how similar the icon for the floater and the glider are. Perhaps you could modify the glider icon a little bit, to make it easier to distinguish from the floater?
Arctic 2: 86% is possible with some careful positioning of certain skills.
Arctic 3: I think I backrouted this one...
Arctic 5: 92% is possible. A great level, even if the middle part (everything between and including the two thin ice pillars) needs some pixel-precise skill assignments.
Arctic 6: Even if I like the solution of Arctic 5 better, this is my favourite level, because one has much more leeway in assigning each skill here.

As for the skills you can't live without: Could you please give me a hint, how to do the level requiring the basher without any swimmer?

[namida]

I have beaten all levels except Arctic 4. Replays of notable solutions are attached.

Arctic 1: Good level, but I would have preferred a slightly more restrictive skill-set. And I just noticed with this level how similar the icon for the floater and the glider are. Perhaps you could modify the glider icon a little bit, to make it easier to distinguish from the floater?
Arctic 2: 86% is possible with some careful positioning of certain skills.
Arctic 3: I think I backrouted this one...
Arctic 5: 92% is possible. A great level, even if the middle part (everything between and including the two thin ice pillars) needs some pixel-precise skill assignments.
Arctic 6: Even if I like the solution of Arctic 5 better, this is my favourite level, because one has much more leeway in assigning each skill here.

As for the skills you can't live without: Could you please give me a hint, how to do the level requiring the basher without any swimmer?

I won't be able to check out your replays until Monday sorry, but as for these:

Floater / Glider icon: Probably not a bad idea. They're noticably different in the non-Xmas graphics, but could probably use some more distinction here.
Arctic 2: I'll add that to the list.
Arctic 3: During testing, myself, DynaLem and minimac all came up with three completely different solutions (all of which I decided were acceptable), so it's possible more exist. I'll let you know when I see the replay.
Arctic 5: You might've found a different solution than I did; in my solution most of the skills don't need to be pixel-precise.
Arctic 6: It's my favorite too.

For the skills you can't live without... I'll give you another chance before giving a hint, because I think you're overlooking something VERY obvious. If you're still stuck, I'll give you a hint.

[Nepster]

...because I think you're overlooking something VERY obvious. If you're still stuck, I'll give you a hint.

I do not think that the trick is "VERY obvious", because I find this behaviour somewhat counterintuitive (one might even say slightly glitchy). Moreover it allows for a solution to Arctic 6, that saves 3 skills. Replays are attached.

[namida]

The trick I'm thinking of is using a stoner on a faller... Is that what you did?

[Nepster]

Yes.

[namida]

Alright, I was able to watch your replays now.

Glimmer 4: I don't get how this is unintuitive or borderline glitchy. The Stoner closely resembles the Bomber (apart from creating terrain instead of destroying it), so I would've thought if anything, it'd be unintuitive to *not* allow mid-air use, since mid-air bombers are perfectly fine. I wondered if you'd done something else in your solution beyond just a mid-air stoner, until I watched it. The tutorial pack level for Stoners makes it quite clear that this behaviour is allowed anyway, as it's impossible to solve without doing so - the tutorial level for stoners in LPZ does not require mid-air use (though it can be used for an alternate solution that uses more skills and saves less lemmings but completes the level much faster), but I will make a point of including an easy, early level requiring it and making it quite clear that that's what to do, before any levels that require it come up (as there are at least two so far where this trick is required).

Arctic 2: Nicely done!

Arctic 3: That one's a definite backroute. It's definitely fixable without interfering with my solution; not sure if it interferes with DynaLem's or minimac's ones (we all had different - but accepted - solutions to this level).


Arctic 5: Your solution is a slight variation on mine; definitely an acceptable solution and not a backroute. I think mine was a bit easier to execute.

Arctic 6 (Solution 1): Nice! This is also a slight variation on my solution, and in this case, yours is much easier to execute.

Arctic 6 (Solution 2): The first solution you used shows that a stoner is not nessecary (as it can be replaced with a blocker, bomber or stacker), which means this one could quite easily be patched. However, the main essence of the solution is still there, so I think I'll leave this one in anyway.


So, in short, the only solution that'll need blocking is your one to Arctic 3.

[namida]

Okay, so to discuss the other minor project, "Lemmings Plus C Project".

This one is not going to be a pack of new levels, but rather, a small compilation pack of 30 levels from LPDOS, LPII and LPIII (I'm not going to include levels from the bonus packs or Holiday Lemmings Plus). There are two reasons for this:

1) A smaller pack for people who want to play some of the levels, but don't want to play entire large packs.
2) A refresher, for people who want to play a sampling of the levels again.

For the record, this will be based on NeoLemmix, so for the LPDOS / LPII levels, it'll be using the NeoLemmix versions in cases where they differ from the traditional ones.

I'd like some input on which levels should be included. The preliminary list, which is based partly on the voteoff results, partly on feedback I've received on specific levels, and partly on my own opinions, is as follows:

Mild 12
Mild 30
Nice 7
Wimpy 10
Wimpy 12
Timid 15
Cheeky 5
Cheeky 7
Cheeky 20
Medi 6
Medi 16
Medi 29
Dodgy 8
Dodgy 11
Sneaky 9
Sneaky 13
Rough 7
Danger 5
Danger 22
Cunning 5
Cunning 17
Psycho 1
Psycho 18
Psycho 20
Psycho 23
Genius 4
Genius 8
Genius 17
Fierce 1
Fierce 13

Some of these levels are not up for debate at all and will definitely be included. Those levels, and the reasons they are not up for debate, are as follows:

Wimpy 12 - Made it to the final round of the LPDOS voteoff
Medi 6 - Won the LPDOS voteoff
Danger 22 - Made it to the final round of the LPDOS voteoff
Psycho 1 - Made it to the final round of the LPDOS voteoff
Psycho 23 - I want to include this one due to the significant differences in the NeoLemmix version
Cheeky 5 - Made it to the final round of the LPII voteoff
Genius 8 - Won the LPII voteoff
Timid 15 - Made it to the final round of the LPIII voteoff
Dodgy 8 - Made it to the final round of the LPIII voteoff
Rough 7 - Won the LPIII voteoff
Fierce 13 - Made it to the final round of the LPIII voteoff

Additionally, two more levels are mostly considered fixed, but there are very limited substitutions I may consider:

Psycho 20 - I want to include a No Time To Die level, but I'm open to swapping it for Psycho 27 or Genius 10
Genius 17 - I want to include a level of this concept, but I'm open to swapping it for Psycho 28

Just to reiterate, any suggested substitutions must come from LPDOS, LPII or LPIII (not the bonus packs or Holiday Lemmings Plus). Also, gimmick / frenzy levels will not be considered; normal levels only. (The LPII secret levels (apart from Cunning 21 obviously) are fine, though.) The Pre-V7 LPDOS levels are also not eligible. Finally, for LPDOS levels that have/are repeats, either version is fine, but I won't include both versions of the level - either the easy one only or the hard one only.

[Wafflem]

Will the levels in the pack be ordered in the preliminary list, or will they be divided into three separate ranks (i.e. one rank is LPDOS, the second rank is LPII, the third rank is LPIII)?

Also, I suggest adding the level titles next to the level positions in the preliminary list. This will help people really remember what the levels are.

Great choices for the levels, although I was hoping you'd include Danger 16 "Grounded!", that level is one of my favorites and uses a lot of clever tricks. You also didn't include PSYCHO 26 "Oblivion"; I think I read somewhere that this was one of your classic levels from your Cheapo packs (though Danger 5 does also use that trick). Also, I know you said you won't include bonus pack levels, but if there is enough demand for it, perhaps you can make an "Honorable Mention" rank for the bonus packs? Two great bonus pack levels for example, are Challenge 3 "Another Way Down" and Flight 7 "When You Wish Upon a Lemming," both of which made it to the semi-finals in the voteoff.

For Genius 17, I suggest switching it with PSYCHO 28 because PSYCHO 28, in my opinion, is more challenging and a level I haven't beaten yet.

[namida]

Most likely ordered as they are in there; though at the moment, I've only reordered them by source rank, not on an individual level basis. I was initially going to split them into "Easy", "Medium" and "Hard" ranks, but I felt that to do this fairly, there'd need to be uneven amounts of levels between the ranks (or more levels added in / some taken out). Perhaps if I add two more levels in, four ranks of 8 levels each might be a bit easier to divide up.

Genius 17 vs Psycho 28 is a difficult question - from what I can gather, the general opinion is that Psycho 28 is harder, but Genius 17 is more fun and makes better use of the concept. This is why I've initially picked Genius 17.

Danger 5 doesn't really use a trick like Psycho 26? At any rate, the trick in Psycho 26 is somewhat fidgety to pull off even in NeoLemmix (though it's not as bad as in DOS). This is a major reason why I didn't consider it so far.

[Wafflem]

That's a good point about Genius 17. It is indeed more fun than PSYCHO 28.

Here's how I did Danger 5. (This is the V7 version of the replay, not the NeoLemmix version, though my solution should work the same).

[namida]

Ah, I see, you've indeed used a very Psycho 26-like solution there.

I've attached the "standard" solution to that level (this is also for V7). Both solutions should work just fine under NeoLemmix.

[Akseli]

Also, I suggest adding the level titles next to the level positions in the preliminary list. This will help people really remember what the levels are.

This is an issue I've also probably mentioned earlier, I always need to look the levels up from somewhere because I can't remember them from their positions (was it whichever level set, even the official ones or my favourites!) but from the titles I can identify the levels a lot easier.

My favourites briefly:
Mild 30 - You Just Lost The Game! - My favourite Mild level.
Wimpy 27 - Ready, Aim, Fire!!! - Stood out from Wimpy rating, because nearly all other levels are something like x-of-every-skill original levels for their repeats.
Medi 15 - Shooting Star - A unique level because you're forced to know the advantage of an oh noer -lemming.
Medi 16 - The Oddstack - A simple looking level, but effective with all the tasks you have to do there.
Medi 24 - The Eye of the Lemming - A really enjoyable puzzle level in its difficulty area.
Danger 3 - Backdraft - The main idea is golden (it's not that complicated but it took like forever from me to realize, which are often some of these best playing experiences), one of my favourite levels of yours.
Danger 5 - Some Kind of a Lemming - Another enjoyable not too hard a puzzle.
Danger 22 - Die the Death of the Damned - My favourite from LPDOS. Terrific lateral thinking with the overlapping lemmings there!
PSYCHO 1 - Variety Day - The main thing is simply neat.
PSYCHO 7 - Turn Back With Care - Another level I remember solving gleefully.
PSYCHO 19 - A Perfect Nightmare - A strong level in like all the sectors I appreciate in level designing.
PSYCHO 25 - Bullet Lemming - Maybe my favourite PSYCHO level after all, again due to the main thing.
PSYCHO 30 - Hellfire! - This, like Variety Day, are already chosen to the Lix set, but deservedly without any doubt.
Nice 7 - Together We Sand - The best Nice level, though too bare looking.
Cheeky 15 - To The Treetop! - A solid ascending level.
Cheeky 20 - Kickback Scheme - A solid ascending level. ;D
Sneaky 9 - Rolling Rampage - One of my favourites from LPII.
Sneaky 18 - A Two-Pronged Approach - After many backroutes I watched the intended solution and loved it.
Cunning 17 - Cyclic Lemming - My favourite Cunning level.
Genius 8 - Panic Attack - Okay, now I'll say it out loud: My favourite level of yours.
Timid 15 - Locked Out! - My favourite Timid level.
Dodgy 7 - Experimental Materials - Another level with a simple layout and not that easy solution.
Rough 1 - Viva Las Lemmine - Good job.
Rough 7 - Hardwired! - Maybe my favourite LPIII level.

Some comments I've given in personal messages, some other I've posted in LPDOS topic and LPII topic.

And yes, I've played the newest packs to some extent, I'll hopefully send my solutions soon!