Lemmix, Lemming Level Editor, alpha release

[EricLang]

So finally I finished the beginning of a beginning of a Lemmings Level Editor...

I called it "Lemmix" because the program is going to be more than just an editor (but that is not the issue now). Secondly the word "Lemmix" is almost the same as "Lemmings" so I just thought it sounded familiar.
The program is, and will always be, freeware.

Level designing is actually quite new to me. I only looked at LemEdit and Cheapo once or twice. I am not eager to start Cheapo because the program is not a very good friend of my monitor-settings.
I am quite familiar with all the DOS lemmings. I played all levels of "Original" and "OhNo" back in 1994 or something. Two months ago I rediscovered this great game, replayed them all, searched the internet, found this forum, found information on LVL files, etc. etc. and now we have a editor.

It is in an early stage that this alpha is released, but on the other hand, why not? People can play around with it already

and: I need feedback about the look and feel of the program.

If there is feedback, I would like to use this thread for it.

I would like to support as much file formats as possible when loading and saving levels. Currently I am thinking about

WinLemmings LVL, Lemmini INI files, CustLem, DOS clone packages. What other things are out there?

Direct download:
http://home.hccnet.nl/ericenzwaan/lemmix/Lemmix.zip

Lemmix site (at the time of writing under construction):
http://home.hccnet.nl/ericenzwaan/lemmix/lemmix.htm

There's no installation needed. Just unpack te zip-file and ensure that the unzipper creates subdirectories
The program needs a directory "Styles" with .lsf files.
Please read the included README.TXT before going extreme
This readme is also on my Lemmix site and will be updated when needed.

A few important notes about the current state of the program:
1) It can not save LVL files yet, only open them. That's my current activity.
2) Only high resolution editor now, so coordinates are converted, when opening a level.
3) Extended Graphics not supported yet

For those who are interested: the program is written with Delphi 7 Professional.

I hope you have fun using Lemmix!

Eric Langedijk

[JM]

Nice edtior. By the way the direct download link does not work. I'm glad to be looking at this level editor.

[ccexplore]

Direct download:
http://home.hccnet.nl/ericenzwaan/lemmix/download/lemmix.zip
(Edit: how do I make this download link work?)

The working download link on the website has the URL as http://home.hccnet.nl/ericenzwaan/lemmix/Lemmix.zip (notice the absence of "download" in the path).

[EricLang]

Ok I changed the first message. All links work now.

[Mindless]

Looks really nice.

Just a few questions:
Can you get rid of the Delphi "check" and "X" on the OK and Cancel buttons?  I've always hated those things.  ;D
Just a few questions:Shouldn't I be able to change the graphics set without starting a new level?
What are the panels below the levelmap for?

In a later version, you might want to add support for Lemmini styles.

[EricLang]

Can you get rid of the Delphi "check" and "X" on the OK and Cancel buttons?  I've always hated those things.

I hate them too. It it a quick solution to make things work. They will disappear soon.

Shouldn't I be able to change the graphics set without starting a new level?

I thought about it and I don't think that is possible in a "normal" way:
1) Not all graphic sets have the same range of indices on terrains and objects.
2) The terrains and objects are very different in size so the level would become nonsense when changing the graphic set.
But maybe it is an idea. I could re-validate all id's and change them into zero if invalid. Do you think that would be an idea?

What are the panels below the levelmap for?

The panels are currently actually absolutely nothing. I was thinking to make them containers for
docking the 3 floating windows in.
The look of the program is not totally defined yet:)

In a later version, you might want to add support for Lemmini styles.

I do not understand this. What is a lemmini style? Do you mean the special graphics? Or the info in the inifiles in the style-directories?

[Mindless]

Or the info in the inifiles in the style-directories?

Yup.  At some point, people will probably make new styles for Lemmini, but it will be hard to use those styles if editors don't support them.

[EricLang]

Well I think I have to put the Lemmini Ini Style Format on my list
By the way, I almost finished my "Save As LVL". So I think tomorrow the next version will be downloadable.

[EricLang]

Version 0.0.2 ready. If you download the zip-file you only need to unpack lemmix.exe.
(Edit: If you already had 0.0.1)

* You can save WinLemmings files (LVL) now. (no coordinate validation yet! watch out!).
* Reading leading spaces in the title of LVL files. Sometimes levels (ohno 1016 for example) start with a space or even more spaces.
* Removed all default Delphi OK- and Cancel-Glyphs from modal forms.
* Action Close level added.
* Action Exit program added.
* Changed internal resolution-coordinate-mapping when loading or saving.
* When the "object command text" (typing in the Image) changes the time is set, so we get more intuitive input. After one second of user-silence the first key overwrites the previous command.
* Dropping file results in application coming in front.
* Changed text of Mainform. Title is included now.
* Added resolution text to statusbar.
* Floating windows are not shown automatically anymore at startup.


P.S Who is the incredible genius that found out the structure of LVL files? I had quite some problems with only decoding and encoding the bits and bytes to my internal format, KNOWING his description.

[Mindless]

P.S Who is the incredible genius that found out the structure of LVL files? I had quite some problems with only decoding and encoding the bits and bytes to my internal format, KNOWING his description.

RT based his explanation of the format off of this.

[JM]

Is the next version going to support extended graphics?

[EricLang]

@JM: You asked this three times now. Especially from people like you, a leveldesigner, I did expect some feedback about the program and all I get is this question.
Extended graphics is not going to be supported in the next alpha. If anyone could tell me how to recognize the extended graphics from a single LVL file I could make some progress with it. I am currently investigating on how to support the different file formats (DOS, WinLemm, Lemmini). The current Lemmix version uses ripped bitmaps from WinLemmings and this is, of course, not precise enough for all styles: when supporting dos, win or lemmini I have to use it's original graphics.

[EricLang]

Did anybody in the world try the alpha yet? Or do we all keep using LemEdit? What's going on?
Still working though on native style support, including ExtGraphics

[Mindless]

Did anybody in the world try the alpha yet? Or do we all keep using LemEdit? What's going on?
Still working though on native style support, including ExtGraphics

Yup, I've tried it, but since I'm not much of a level designer, I haven't used it much.  Keep up the good work.

[chaos_defrost]

So far, I quite like what I've played with of it. The one thing I think you should do is making it so that clicking outside any terrain will de-select the last terrain piece -- the yellow box obscures the design of the level slightly when you merely want to inspect the terrain.

Aside from that, I like it. Nice job. I'll see what else I can think of when I playtest it a bit more.

[EricLang]

The boxes can be hidden be pressing "h" if the imageeditor is focused.
Working on the next version, which will be able to create dos-levelpacks. Should be ready in 2 weeks.

[chaos_defrost]

A couple things I'd really like to see (in relative order of importance):

1) A right-click box that appears when you click on a terrain piece or object. Similar to LemEdit, it would have a "copy" and "delete" and "change terrain" function. I just find it annoying to have to use the top window to add new terrain. Also, if you right click in the map where there's no terrain or objects or steel areas, you should have an "add terrain/object/steel" option.
2) Precision keyboard control. Maybe use the arrows on the number-pad to move the terrain up or down one pixel per click? I find it a bit hard to place terrain precisely with this editor.
3) A box which pops up when you want to add a new piece, similar to what you get when you click the "..." in the terrain inspector, that allows you to select which terrain piece you want to place before it is placed. I do not particularly like having to click "add piece" and then using the level inspector to change the terrain, because I am lazy.
4) An option to place the terrain inspector and list and the level properties window underneath the level map instead in different windows.

Overall, though, this is a nice alternative to LemEdit and having to go through DOSBox to make levels. Nice work.

[EricLang]

A right-click box that appears when you click on a terrain piece or object

It's on my list.

Similar to LemEdit, it would have a "copy" and "delete" and "change terrain" function.

Copy = Ctrl + C (or main menu edit/copy)
Paste = Ctrl + V (or main menu edit/paste)
Delete = Delete
For changing the terrain I will add a keyboard shortcut for a direct popup. When you know the number of the object and you are working in the level-editor then you can type the number and press <enter>.
The number you type is in the statusbar.
So inserting any new terrain is 3 or 4 keyboard strokes: "Insert, 2, Return" and when youre doing a Marble Level you get the terrain triangle number 2.

Also, if you right click in the map where there's no terrain or objects or steel areas, you should have an "add terrain/object/steel" option.

On my list...

Precision keyboard control. Maybe use the arrows on the number-pad to move the terrain up or down one pixel per click? I find it a bit hard to place terrain precisely with this editor.

Dragging the terrains pixel-precise is not ok yet. When holding the Control key the arrow keys move the objects per pixel instead of 8 pixels.

A box which pops up when you want to add a new piece, similar to what you get when you click the "..." in the terrain inspector, that allows you to select which terrain piece you want to place before it is placed. I do not particularly like having to click "add piece" and then using the level inspector to change the terrain, because I am lazy.

I will add the pop-up it (optional I think).
Maybe try Lemmix's "number typing system" in combination with Copy/Paste. And Copy/Paste Special, which I think is very handy.

An option to place the terrain inspector and list and the level properties window underneath the level map instead in different windows.

Good idea I think. On the list...

I am currently working on 0.0.3 so the things you mentioned will not be in it yet. I will try to put them in 0.0.4

There are some hints on the Lemmix site about mouse/keyboard usage.
I saw some levelpacks you made (got them from the Garjen site).
Nice work, close to art

[EricLang]

Alpha version 0.0.3 downloadable.

Make a clean install please.

New things:
* native support for dos, win en Lemmini (+ compiler for speed)
* editing dos-levelpacks
* vgaspec-viewer
* vgaspec-creator
* displaying of dos extended graphics
* dos-file-decompression

Have fun!

[Mindless]

Just a few things...
* "Open" doesn't want to do anything if "All Files (*.*)" is the filetype.  Shouldn't Lemmix be able to auto-detect the filetype based on its extension?
* The style compiler interface is clunky because (unless I'm missing something) it requires the user to edit the INI file to select the correct directory for the different versions of Lemmings; the user should be able to do this from the UI.  Also, it should show which styles I've already compiled so that I don't waste my time compiling styles I've already compiled.
* Capitalization of "Volker Oth, Ccexplore and MindLess" should be "Volker Oth, ccexplore and Mindless" ;D

I haven't even gotten around to testing all the new functions yet...  I really like the "Preview" mode for DAT decompression.

/me gives big thumbs up  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[EricLang]

"Open" doesn't want to do anything if "All Files (*.*)" is the filetype.  Shouldn't Lemmix be able to auto-detect the filetype based on its extension?

Yeah I know. Autodetection is not built in yet. Have to think about that. Don't even know if it's possible.

The style compiler interface is clunky because (unless I'm missing something) it requires the user to edit the INI file to select the correct directory for the different versions of Lemmings; the user should be able to do this from the UI.

You're right. Next version.

Also, it should show which styles I've already compiled so that I don't waste my time compiling styles I've already compiled.

Also right. Next version.

Capitalization of "Volker Oth, Ccexplore and MindLess" should be "Volker Oth, ccexplore and Mindless

Unfixable

There is a bug when saving a Lemmini file as LVL. No coordinate mapping is done. Next version too.

[chaos_defrost]

I saw some levelpacks you made (got them from the Garjen site).
Nice work, close to art

Thanks!

Anyways, after you told me about the site and the keyboard commands, I'm really starting to like Lemmix, now that I'm learning how to use the program better. I've altered a few of my old levels using the program, but I've yet to create a level from scratch in Lemmix because I can't think of any new ideas.  :-/

I'll show you what I come up with when I do.