Author Topic: [SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain  (Read 2110 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline namida

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 12398
    • View Profile
    • NeoLemmix Website
[SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain
« on: September 26, 2019, 09:29:25 PM »
If the user has too few lemmings remaining to complete the level, then the lemming count should be recolored red to clearly indicate this.

Edge cases to consider:
- Cloners are left in the skillset
- Cloners are left in the skillset, but they cannot be used because only neutral lemmings remain
- Nuke has been activated, so no more lemmings will spawn
My Lemmings projects
2D Lemmings: NeoLemmix (engine) | Lemmings Plus Series (level packs) | Doomsday Lemmings (level pack)
3D Lemmings: Loap (engine) | L3DEdit (level / graphics editor) | L3DUtils (replay / etc utility) | Lemmings Plus 3D (level pack)

Offline SQron188

  • Posts: 176
    • View Profile
Re: [SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2019, 10:37:48 AM »
I second this notion, I in fact found myself quite often expecting the Lemming count to turn red or flash in such cases.

Offline Strato Incendus

  • The King of Shimmiers (crowned by Flopsy ;D )
  • Posts: 1746
  • #RIP Spearer/Grenader (2020 - 2021)
    • View Profile
Re: [SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2019, 11:39:01 AM »
Well, if the time limit is already red when it is not infinite, then this type of lemming-count warning would only be consistent. As far as I am concerned, go ahead! ;)
My packs so far:
Lemmings World Tour (New & Old Formats), my music-themed flagship pack, 320 levels - Let's Played by Colorful Arty
Lemmings Open Air, my newest release and follow-up to World Tour, 120 levels
Paralems (Old Formats), a more flavour-driven one, 150 levels
Pit Lems (Old Formats), a more puzzly one, 100 levels - Let's Played by nin10doadict
Lemmicks, a pack for (very old) NeoLemmix 1.43 full of gimmicks, 170 levels

Offline Proxima

  • Posts: 4562
    • View Profile
Re: [SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2019, 12:24:59 PM »
Good idea to consider the edge cases. I would say:

* Turn the count red when there are not enough alive lemmings, even when there are cloners. This reminds the player to use their cloners before ending the level!

* Once nuke starts, don't change the count colour from whatever it currently is.

Offline namida

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 12398
    • View Profile
    • NeoLemmix Website
Re: [SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2019, 07:19:52 PM »
Good idea to consider the edge cases. I would say:

* Turn the count red when there are not enough alive lemmings, even when there are cloners. This reminds the player to use their cloners before ending the level!

* Once nuke starts, don't change the count colour from whatever it currently is.

These edge cases were more "I need to remember to take these into account while developing such a feature", but yes, maybe the nuke one is a bit more debatable.
My Lemmings projects
2D Lemmings: NeoLemmix (engine) | Lemmings Plus Series (level packs) | Doomsday Lemmings (level pack)
3D Lemmings: Loap (engine) | L3DEdit (level / graphics editor) | L3DUtils (replay / etc utility) | Lemmings Plus 3D (level pack)

Offline Crane

  • Posts: 1079
    • View Profile
Re: [SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2019, 09:36:12 PM »
I second the red numbers as well.  I'm not sure how cloners should be considered - personally I'd say to not count cloners, and still display a red number if there are fewer lemmings than the target left.  If cloning a lemming brings the count high enough again, then turn the number back green.

Though it's off-subject, I would request that the timer only have red digits if you have a minute left or less (I say a minute or less because it starting green on a 1:00 level then immediately turning red at 0:59 would be a bit distracting).  I'll open another discussion for that though.

Offline Flopsy

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 953
  • Lix Nerd
    • View Profile
Re: [SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2019, 01:19:54 AM »
Doesn't the Lemming count number already flash if you lack the number of Lemmings to complete the level? I don't see why we need a red number over a flashing number.

Offline Dullstar

  • Posts: 2092
    • View Profile
    • Leafwing Studios Website (EXTREMELY OUTDATED)
Re: [SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2019, 05:05:09 AM »
I like the idea of red  coloration, but if the flashing is there, we should probably keep it (or make it an option), as while color coding is very helpful, there may be some people that can't see it, especially if we're talking red/green, which is something we might not pick up in testing since red/green are normally pretty high contrast colors.

Main point: color coding is helpful but don't ONLY color code.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2019, 11:33:57 PM by Dullstar »

Offline namida

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 12398
    • View Profile
    • NeoLemmix Website
Re: [SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2019, 05:55:14 AM »
Doesn't the Lemming count number already flash if you lack the number of Lemmings to complete the level? I don't see why we need a red number over a flashing number.

I believe that feature disappeared during Nepster's culls. At any rate, it certianly doesn't exist anymore; I just could be wrong about the "when".
My Lemmings projects
2D Lemmings: NeoLemmix (engine) | Lemmings Plus Series (level packs) | Doomsday Lemmings (level pack)
3D Lemmings: Loap (engine) | L3DEdit (level / graphics editor) | L3DUtils (replay / etc utility) | Lemmings Plus 3D (level pack)

Offline namida

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 12398
    • View Profile
    • NeoLemmix Website
Re: [SUG][PLAYER] Recolor lemming count red when not enough remain
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2019, 11:02:28 PM »
Implemented the simplest version of this: If not enough lemmings currently exist (including not-yet-spawned lemmings, but excluding potential lemmings from cloners), the lemming count will be red. This is in addition to the other possible colors (to indicate whether the lemmings are all neutral, all regular, or a mix).
My Lemmings projects
2D Lemmings: NeoLemmix (engine) | Lemmings Plus Series (level packs) | Doomsday Lemmings (level pack)
3D Lemmings: Loap (engine) | L3DEdit (level / graphics editor) | L3DUtils (replay / etc utility) | Lemmings Plus 3D (level pack)