Lemmix Level Editor, alpha release

[EricLang]

I copied my Lemmix announcement to this new forum.

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 Smiley
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

[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.

[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!

[Pheee]

Are you actually releasing the graphic sets with this program?

If so isnt that copyright, I am creating an editor as well for windows, and I use the actual Lemmings files, as I didnt want to get into trouble releasing copyright material!!!

[EricLang]

Well. In this stage I am releasing the bitsmaps of all graphic sets of winlemmings as an archive with Lemmix, because my "graphic-set-compiler" is not yet optimized for winlemmings (read: very slow). When the compiler is optimized I will only deliver my executable. I'm not releasing any files, only bitmaps in an archive.
I downloaded your editor and tried it. But I am not in the "mood" to download the whole .NET framework for it

[Pheee]

Yep that is the only problem with C#, but then again most people would have it. Through windows update.

Oh Well

[EricLang]

Version 0.0.4 uploaded.
Minor changes, great LevelViewer added.
See the readme.doc in the zipfile for some details.

[EricLang]

Lemmix alpha 0.0.6 released
Some short notes:

# clean install please and read included readme.doc

# included dos-clone testplayer (tools-->play this level).

# enhanced dos levelpack editor
Small doc can be found here:
http://home.hccnet.nl/ericenzwaan/lemmix/docs/dos%20levelpackeditor.htm

[ccexplore]

I have been actively involved in trying out Lemmix, and there are definitely much improvements between the last public release and this one.̆ It is almost getting to the point where I don't need LemEdit anymore.̆ It's still obviously an alpha in many respects but already it is a good contender to LemEdit.

So I do recommend people to try it out and see.̆ (with the usual caveat that, as the readme doc suggests, make separate copies of your levels and save often.̆ I have yet to lost any levels because of the editor, but better safe than sorry)

I helped Eric out a lot with the playtest mode so the game mechanics should be more accurate than anything else out there (besides the real thing of course), at least with regards to original Lemmings, ONML and CustLemm.̆ Enough that if someone says his/her solution works in Lemmix, I'm 99.999% confident that the same solution will work in the real thing.

[EricLang]

Uploaded Alpha 0.0.7.
If you have 0.0.6, only the exe is needed. There are some extra documents to read in the zip-file.
# Added replay. Replay can be saved and loaded from disk (see doc)
# Added scrolling left and right with keyboard during play
# Added a little bit more stability when loading fails.

Forgotten in document: during replay control is regained when changing anything to the replay or clicking in air.

[EricLang]

Uploaded 0.0.8
# fixed ONML + CustLemm Game mechanic
But when I test I get the wrong zipfile.
I'll try tomorrow again. --> Edit: Fixed, some caching problem I think.

[chaos_defrost]

Cool!

I'd seriously have a lot more to say about Lemmix if I had ideas for levels to design with it... I've been running quite dry of new ideas as of recent. 

I really quite liked what I saw in 0.0.6 (the last version I got)... and there seems to be a lot of discussion about the replay function in 0.0.7+ (something CustLemm sorely needed), so... ya. Awesome.

[EricLang]

Uploaded 0.0.9
# Added Replay Frame by Frame viewing (see docs).
# Fixed WinLemming graphics drawing bug. RECOMPILE winlemming archives if you use them. This is very slow, so get some coffee while doing that. This will be fast, but later.
# Stopped delivering winlemmings archives.

[chaos_defrost]

Ok, I have, I think, 0.0.8, and I'm trying to open a level I made with a very early version of Lemmix (0.0.3, I think), and when I try to select a style (DOS, WinLemm, CustLemm, etc.) to create the level with, none of the files exist.

Where would I find these files to open the level with? The one I used for the level (Low-Res WinLemm) is not working.

[EricLang]

Maybe you did overwrite the LemmixStyles.ini when downloading the latest version.

When you open a LVL file Lemmix cannot possibly know what style it is, because LVL files are used in Original, ONML, CustLem and WinLemmings.
So Lemmix asks which style to use when opening a LVL file.

Now Lemmix needs access to the original data of these styles, which (of course) are in some directory on your computer.
To let Lemmix know where these files are you need to (manually) edit LemmixStyles.ini with a text-editor.

When you open this ini you see something like below.
The only thing you have to change is the CommonPath.
In the section of "style_0" you enter (for example)
CommonPath=C:\InsaneSteve\Lemmings\

[style_0]
StyleClass=TDosOrigStyle
CommonPath=ENTER YOUR ORIGINAL LEMMINGS DIRECTORY HERE
MainDataFile=main.dat
OddTableFile=ODDTABLE.DAT
StyleDescription=Dos Original Lemmings
StyleName=DosOrig

[style_1]
StyleClass=TDosOhNoStyle
CommonPath=ENTER YOUR ONML DIRECTORY HERE
MainDataFile=main.dat
OddTableFile=
StyleDescription=Dos OhNo! More Lemmings
StyleName=DosOhNo


Probably everything is ok then. If not let me know.
I'm really sorry, but it's the onyl way now.
BTW: WinLemmings support is in a somewhat shaky stage now.

[Shvegait]

This editor is amazing. It's exactly what people were asking for about a year ago (or more), a DOS Lemmings editor for Windows. We at least got something with LemEdit2, but at least on my system, it was unusable for creating levels from scratch (slow), only minor edits. But it's even better than that, consolidating all the versions of DOS/Win Lemmings, with the built-in player and excellent replay function... It's just awesome.    I haven't tried the actual editor part much, as the well's been pretty dry for level ideas for me (I have a few ideas, but not a lot of time), but it seems very nice. So umm, good job, and thanks!

[EricLang]

Uploaded 0.0.10:

You can keep your old ini-file, so make a copy before unzipping the last one.

# Fixed error when opening VgaGr-dos-files to obtain graphic information, when these files are readonly. The problem was that Lemmix opened the files with readwrite access (which is not needed).
# Included gamejumps of 10 game-seconds and 1 game-minute (see doc)
# Included SaveState (see doc)

[geoo]

I think I don't need to say again how much I'm amazed by the editor with its play-test feature, just a few minor notes/suggestions:
- first a problem I have: I can't seem to be able to open a CustLemm level using special graphics, the VgaSpecX files are in the directory I set CustLemm in the LemmixStyles.ini; I get an alert "TCustLemmStyle.FindExtGraphicSet # not found." while # represents the number; and they can't be compiled either
- extracting levels from a pack saves the single levels as files with .dat extension, while they actually should be *.lvl
- the point the cursor detects a lemming seems to be shifted ~2px to the left, i.e. when you move the cursor from left to right (pixel-wise) over the lemming, it will change and re-change its shape 2px too early, which has effect on the possibility to assign skills to a lemming
suggestions (or: things for my pleasure I'd like to bother you with ):
- as ccexplore already suggested (I think), using CustLemm for default when opening a *.dat pack which associated style is unknown
- support CustLem2 (only difference: max-safe-fall distance is 3px lower than for CustLemm); actually, as I'm apparently the only one to create my levels for CustLem2, and only two of my levels are affected, I could also modify those, but still, it would be nice
- at a zoom level >1, when dragging pieces, the problem is that you can move the (pre-display of the) pieces also fractions of pixels then: When releasing the mouse button, the piece doesn't get into the nearest field; I mean, its top left pixel doesn't move into the nearest pixel, but into the one the top left point of the piece is in. Umm...hard to describe, but makes editing a little more compliced, I could use Ctrl+Arrows though. Anyway, a second solution for this could be allowing the pre-display of the piece be displayed only at whole pixels.
- remember the view settings (I mean the options from 'View' in the second and third sections and where the windows [F9-F11] are placed) when closing the editor
- for file -> open not only view the resp. supportet formats (*.dat, *.lvl, *.ini, VgaSpec?), but maybe also 'all supported formats'
- Customizable key settings for the level tester (Leaving F1-F12 as it is); I e.g. like P-Pause, Enter-FastForward as I don't even have to move my hand then; the savestate-keys etc. also nearby would be great for me then
- set FastForward off when pause, restart level, load savestate or load demo is pressed; or at least a customizable option to switch that on/off

Especially my later points are rather for the final changes when everything else is ready, but as the editor/tester is practically fully usable (and used), some of these thing changed would be really nice (at least for me, sorry).

[EricLang]

- first a problem I have: I can't seem to be able to open a CustLemm level using special graphics, the VgaSpecX files are in the directory I set CustLemm in the LemmixStyles.ini; I get an alert "TCustLemmStyle.FindExtGraphicSet # not found." while # represents the number; and they can't be compiled either

I think it is already possible to support these graphics. We need to edit the ini-file for this.
I am not sure, however, if my chosen implementation of supporting the styles/graphics is perfect. That's also the reason I have no User Interface for it in Lemmix.
If you see the sections of DosOrig you can do something like this for CustLemm, just add a section (not tested!).

Code: [Select]

[CustLemm_10]
GraphicSetClass=TBaseDosGraphicSet
BrickColor=
GraphicExtFile=VGASPECXXX.DAT <-------- file containing the special bitmap
GraphicFile=Vgagr0.DAT <------- the same as for the dirt-set
GraphicSetArchive=
GraphicSetId=0 <-------- dirt-set
GraphicSetIdExt=10 <------- the number refered to in the LVL-file
GraphicSetName=GeoSpec <-------- some name
MetaInfoFile=Ground0o.DAT  <--------- same as for dirt
In principal this should be working. You must like experimenting in this Lemmix-phase.
Save your original LemmixStyles.ini and try it

- extracting levels from a pack saves the single levels as files with .dat extension, while they actually should be *.lvl

Yeah, that bothers me too. It is possible to extract for example the sections of MAIN.DAT, that's why it's done this way. On my todolist.

- the point the cursor detects a lemming seems to be shifted ~2px to the left, i.e. when you move the cursor from left to right (pixel-wise) over the lemming, it will change and re-change its shape 2px too early, which has effect on the possibility to assign skills to a lemming

Ok, I'll check this again. I know it is not totally exact yet.

- as ccexplore already suggested (I think), using CustLemm for default when opening a *.dat pack which associated style is unknown

I'll do that. I'll make it an option some next version.

- support CustLem2 (only difference: max-safe-fall distance is 3px lower than for CustLemm); actually, as I'm apparently the only one to create my levels for CustLem2, and only two of my levels are affected, I could also modify those, but still, it would be nice

I don't know anything about CustLem2. Here again you could try and add sections to the ini-file. Make a copy of the DosOhNo sections and start experimenting. Currently I want to complete the standalone player, so I'll put it on the list (at the end )

- at a zoom level >1, when dragging pieces, the problem is that you can move the (pre-display of the) pieces also fractions of pixels then: When releasing the mouse button, the piece doesn't get into the nearest field; I mean, its top left pixel doesn't move into the nearest pixel, but into the one the top left point of the piece is in. Umm...hard to describe, but makes editing a little more compliced, I could use Ctrl+Arrows though. Anyway, a second solution for this could be allowing the pre-display of the piece be displayed only at whole pixels.

You're absolutely right. It's on the list already. Use the arrow-keys for now.

- remember the view settings (I mean the options from 'View' in the second and third sections and where the windows [F9-F11] are placed) when closing the editor.

Ok. I did this in the beginning, but there was a huge amount of "flickering" when the windows opened. I'll restore it soon and see what I can do about the flickering.
I'll save the view-settings too.

- for file -> open not only view the resp. supportet formats (*.dat, *.lvl, *.ini, VgaSpec?), but maybe also 'all supported formats'

Yeah, agree. But autodetection is hard. So I force the user to make a decision.
Maybe later.

- Customizable key settings for the level tester (Leaving F1-F12 as it is); I e.g. like P-Pause, Enter-FastForward as I don't even have to move my hand then; the savestate-keys etc. also nearby would be great for me then

The current key-settings are almost random now
The keysettings are going to be part of the game-clone too, so I do not know yet if they will be customizable. Of course we need to figure out the best keys.

- set FastForward off when pause, restart level, load savestate or load demo is pressed; or at least a customizable option to switch that on/off

Ok, I think this is a good idea.
I'll copy paste this whole thing in my todo list.

[ccexplore]

- support CustLem2 (only difference: max-safe-fall distance is 3px lower than for CustLemm); actually, as I'm apparently the only one to create my levels for CustLem2, and only two of my levels are affected, I could also modify those, but still, it would be nice

I don't know anything about CustLem2. Here again you could try and add sections to the ini-file. Make a copy of the DosOhNo sections and start experimenting. Currently I want to complete the standalone player, so I'll put it on the list (at the end )

In terms of the style definition, CustLem2 is basically ONML game mechanics with the file layout of CustLemm (eg. vgagrX 0-9).̆ I don't remember exactly, but I think I made this version mainly because some people like Timballisto makes their custom levels for Lemmings/ONML rather than CustLemm, and CustLem2 is a compromise where you don't have to actually replace the levelXXX.dat/dlvelXXX.dat files of the original game to play the levels, but still get mechanics that is closer to the original games than CustLemm's (particularly the difference in max safe-fall distance).

Now that I found out all these tiny differences between Lemmings and ONML themselves, CustLem2 is actually somewhat of a failure, since technically it still won't handle 100% correctly the levels that were designed for Original Lemmings (though in practice it probably makes no difference).

Because the vast majority of levels are designed with CustLemm in mind, I don't expect much usage of CustLem2 (and in fact I should discourage it now that I know it doesn't really handle original-Lemmings-specific mechanics 100% correctly).̆ So I guess you can include the CustLem2 style in Lemmix if you want, but I actually don't mind leaving it out, letting the user edit the INI file if they want it.̆ With Lemmix, you can actually specify the game mechanics to use when playing Timballisto's levels, so CustLem2 is no longer necessary for that purpose.

[tseug]

The trigger areas for some traps are way bigger than they should be (or in the wrong place). For example in level 8 of geo's 2nd pack the trigger area for the zapper is 8x12.....

[geoo]

I don't know what exactly you call 'zapper', but the trigger areas are (displayed in the editor, and as far as I checked, also within the game) 4x4, 8x8 and 8x4 for the respective traps in the Crystal style in the version I have (should be the latest one).

Just one other thing I noted: In LemEdit, you could use fake-objects just giving them a z-ordinal higher than 15. In Lemmix however, you cannot achieve this without giving the level at least 17 objects because the in Lemmix, there can't be z-values without an object assigned to them.
This required me to change the 8th level of my 2nd pack a little to make terrain instead of a fake trap show the position of an otherwise invisible trap.

[tseug]

It's a demolecularizer I guess.

It looks like the trigger area size depends on the object's y-coordinate. One of them is 8x8 but the other is 8x12.

[EricLang]

I know about the fake objects. In the next release I will make this possible.

[Mindless]

I just noticed that when dragging an upside-down (inverted) terrain piece the "drag ghost" isn't upside down.



Not sure if this is even fixable.  :tongue:

Also, I can't move pieces using the arrow keys, and it'd be cool if the delete key deleted the selection instead of having to use cut.

[EricLang]

Inverted is fixable.
I think it is Ctrl + Delete which deletes the selection.
And you can move pieces around with arrow keys. I don't know what's wrong there (?).

[Mindless]

And you can move pieces around with arrow keys. I don't know what's wrong there (?).

Checking my archives, in 0.0.7 (and possibly later) I can use the arrow keys.  :shocked:

[SeriousGamer]

Is there a way to have the terrain and object pieces snap to a grid like a multiple of 8 when moving them around with the mouse?

[EricLang]

Is there a way to have the terrain and object pieces snap to a grid like a multiple of 8 when moving them around with the mouse?

Nope. I would like to add that. It's on my (long and difficult) list....
You can use the "Align to grid used by Dos" menu option.
Or you can use the ctrl + arrow keys.

[geoo]

For me, the arrows keys and 'Del' to delete a piece ain't working most of the time either, but I just spotted the problem: They work until I resize the sections at the bottom horizontally. After doing so, they don't work anymore. This is quite annoying, I hope you can fix that. I have version 0.0.10.0
And a few more suggestions: - Hitting the [...] buttons in the Inspector window could automatically add a terrain piece/object.
- Clicking an terrain piece/object/steel in the 'Level list' window could select it automatically.
- For the play tester, as in 0xdeadbeef's Lemmini, double clicking the RR up/down button or F1/F2 respectively could set the RR to maximum/minimum.

[EricLang]

I'll fix the arrow key issue soon.
I'll look at the other suggestions.
I'm busy with other things (still). So have patience please

[Mindless]

*poke*

I'm just wondering when Lemmix will be out of alpha... (and into beta?).  Also, perhaps you might update the Lemmix webpage (I've taken a bit of my own advice and finally added links the Lemmix Players to my site ... I seem to be lagging).

[ccexplore]

Yeah, if not moving into beta, at least just release the current alpha source code so someone else can maintain it.  The current version of the editor is missing some key functionalities that I could really really use.

[EricLang]

Busy with other things again. Life is too short to do everything you want.
I'll gather all sourcecode and upload it to Mindless' file portal.
I will leave a message here when done with that

[EricLang]

Ok. I uploaded the source code of Lemmix to the lemmings file portal.
Started working again on the thing, but I have a long way to go.

[Pieuw]

Thanks EricLang for this editor.
Simple and complete... I used it to make my levels
Good cheer for the rest =)

[EricLang]

Thanks!
I downloaded your levels and will have a look at them. I only never use WinLemmings because of the bad game-mechanics.

[siergiej]

I downloaded the latest version of Lemmix.

I recognised that when you play in Lemmix a level containing two entrances, the lemmings appear in the following order: 2 lemmings come out from the first entrance, 2 lemmings from the second entrance, 2 lemmings from the first one, and so on.

In DOS Lemmings and nocdlem2.exe lemmings appear in the following order: 1 lemming comes out from the first entrance, 1 lemming from the second, 1 lemming from the first one, and so on.

Should this difference exist?

Because of that difference I can't complete one of my levels in Lemmix the way I do it in nocdlem2.exe (level was made in lemedit3)

[2112]

I recognised that when you play in Lemmix a level containing two entrances, the lemmings appear in the following order: 2 lemmings come out from the first entrance, 2 lemmings from the second entrance, 2 lemmings from the first one, and so on.

In DOS Lemmings and nocdlem2.exe lemmings appear in the following order: 1 lemming comes out from the first entrance, 1 lemming from the second, 1 lemming from the first one, and so on.

Should this difference exist?

Might just be your computer. Have you tried on a different machine, if possible?

In all official versions I've played, and that's quite a few, it's gone one from each exit in order before loopign around again, not two, so it might be an issue in Lemmix, but whether it's an issue with the coding or with your machine - I don't know, I don't have the new Lemmix version yet - I don't know. I'll have a bash in a little while, if you want me to check.

[geoo]

Hmm, weird. You could use the CustLemm viewer style in Lemmings to solve the entrance order problem, but that slightly affects the max safe fall distance though.

[siergiej]

Changing the style to CustLemm from DOS Original Lemmings helped. But it's quite strange, if Original Lemmings and Customised Lemmings applications behave the same way in that case, why do these styles differ in Lemmix?