[Taxing] 25: 7 (DOS) vs 8 (SNES). [Analysis pending...]
I trying a lot things and this level is way too linear. Did DOS version bash both hills with one basher or did you can lock lemmings other ways. Testing pixel by pixel, those bashers doesn,t work. You need use two basher with hills and also two skills lock to back. Other 4 builders is required at end. There is just builder and bashers, no much chances make anythings.
I ended up still too busy this weekend to do a lot of extensive testing on solutions I said I'd examine on SNES (eg. Tricky 23). After updating my post to reflect what you and LemSteven did earlier in the week, I decided to take a look at Taxing 25 thinking it would be quick, but annoyingly there was not only no replay posted, but I can't even seem to find the post mentioning achieving the result for this level for DOS, so I end up having to try out the level myself. Thus one or so hour I'm not getting back.
Nevertheless I'm able to eventually confirm 7 skills for DOS Taxing 25, replay attached. But testing also strongly suggests this solution won't work on SNES for two reasons:
- DOS version only has 80 lemmings, SNES version has 100.
- SNES timer runs faster. DOS solution ends around 0:22, so might run out of time on SNES.
It's the kind of solution that merely delays the crowd rather than fully "lock and release" them. In particular, it has first lemming bash left-to-right at the 4th hill from the left. With only 80 lemmings and at release rate 99, all the lemmings can turn around in the basher tunnel before the basher breaks through. But with 100 lemmings on SNES, it looks like the last 10 or so will not be able to turn around, the basher would be done already when they catch up. Anyway, also using 2 precisely-placed builders near the entrance, you can build a stacked bridge thick enough to turn around lemmings walking left. So with only 3 skills you can manage the crowd without having to do a full "lock and release". But even so, the lemmings will catch up quickly to the builder, so you also have to build to the exit starting as far right as you can (yes, it takes 4 builders). The builder will end up about 5-6 pixels below floor level of exit, which is still short enough of a step for lemmings to walk up, but it means the builder will turn around. That lemming will therefore end up walking all the way back to the entrance area, before turning around again and finally heading back towards the exit. It's all this extra walking that eats up so much time in this solution.
I should add that having tested various spots to bash from, it seems like you will either end up stopping after one hill, or you will keep bashing through all the hills (which is bad as you'll have to waste a skill to stop the basher). I haven't found a way to bash where the basher can go through exactly two hills and then stop.
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In the process of updating my posts, I discovered that LemSteven actually found a while back a 4-skill solution for
Tricky 28 that was different from the solution I know, and more importantly, his solution should also work for SNES unlike mine.
This link is the post where he describes his solution, I was able to confirm it myself for DOS within a few minutes from his description alone, so I think you can too on SNES.
