Lemmings Isolation Development Topic

[IchoTolot]

I hereby officially announce that I am going to start working on a new pack called Lemmings Isolation.

How will it look like?

Before I wanted to open this topic I had to make up my mind about exactly what I want to do here and more specifically the stucture of the pack. I did not want to make just another huge pack with even bigger ranks and clubber everything together. Therefore I wanted to come up with a plan on how to make things a bit different and I found the solution by getting inspiration from the past and more specifically: PimoLems and NepsterLems.

I plan to make smaller ranks with a theme in addition to some classical ranks (but also smaller). I don't want to limit myself too much though and I doubt I make it as strict as "In this rank are only levels with a 1:00 timer", but rather "Here I made levels with a close timer".

What exactly those themed ranks gonna be I still need to work out and also I will leave it classified for now.

What about all these contest level I made in the past time between United and this?

Those will go in an extra rank. I don't want a big part of the pack to be just "Oh, I know this level, it was in a contest!". They still gonna be included, but as an extra rank - also this makes it way easier for possible LOTY nomination in the future.

Why announce it now and not earlier?

The intro pack is finally done (at least until the new objects arrive) and I think I soon can divert some more attention into making some levels again. Do I already have levels apart from all the recent contest entries? No, but let's say this topic shall also serve as a little motivation for me to slowly fire up the engine again.

Why Lemmings Isolation?

This came from trying to name it with some connection to Reunion and United: Isolation --> Reunion --> United.

What will the difficulty be like?

I want to make some more easy/medium difficulty stuff in here, but also still want to have a punch in the end, maybe even in something like a "Hardcore" rank. So a good portion of the pack should be relatively accesible. Although if I have an idea and it turns out harder than expected I still won't shy away from it - but maybe consider something like a "Fun" version or an easier level which takes inspiration from it.

When it will be done?

An IchoTolot pack is always ready at the right time. It is neither early or late. Or in short: It's done when it's done and an update will come when I feel like it is appropriate.

Preview level pictures:

Rank 1 - Belonging

"I Know A Guy!"



Rank 2 - Detachment

"Down With The Devil!"



Rank 3 - Withdrawal

"Altered Reality"



Rank 4 - Alienation

"Interrupted Thought Flow"



Rank 5 - Isolation

"Huc Sol Advenit"



Rank 6 - Classic

"Bottleneck"



Rank 7 - Timecrunch

"Fever And A Dream"



Rank 8 - Contests/Memories

"Skyfall"

[jkapp76]

Can you tell us more about the name you chose?
Isolated pockets of lemmings to rescue?

[IchoTolot]

Can you tell us more about the name you chose?
Isolated pockets of lemmings to rescue?

The whole truth is really just the following:

This came from trying to name it with some connection to Reunion and United: Isolation --> Reunion --> United.

[IchoTolot]

After some time, I slowly started to create some levels again. 

Not just in a way of creating levels for contests, but specifically for the main ranks of this pack.

I was quite burned out after the main parts of the NL Introduction Pack and the afterward maintenance of it and for a while the mood just wasn't there for creating stuff after work or at the weekends.

Maybe it fits the pack's name that a bit of "Isolation" and clearing of the mind was necessary.

I am catching myself often having just a very rough core idea of a terrain layout or mechanic I want to use and then create it on the fly, but so far I feel very good about the quality of the output.

It also somewhat feels good to look back at previous packs/levels and thinking to myself "Why did I create it in such a way? This could've been so much better!".

I think 2 of the themed ranks will probably be "classic-type" and "timecrunch" levels, although I might sill adjust the specifics.

I also do not want to create any more pure tutorial levels, the first rank just should go straight up to easy puzzles - I have the intro Pack for that!

Anyway, slowly but surely I hope to get going again.

[IchoTolot]

Development is slow, but I am still making some progress. 

I have just reached the 45 new level mark, while also having gathered 42 contest levels.

I added preview pictures in the first post for the currently planned ranks to give a little sneak-peak. 

No rank names for everything yet, but that's a thing for another time. I am tending to theme it around the pack's name "Isolation" though.

[IchoTolot]

I thought a bit about the main 5 difficulty ranks, how do people feel about:

Belonging → Detachment → Withdrawal → Alienation → Isolation

The thrid step I found difficult.
I also thought about "Disconnection", "Estrangement" and "Apathy".
The first 2 are a bit close to the other words though and I think slightly prefer "Withdrawal" to "Apathy".

[Proxima]

Those sound perfect!

[Mobiethian]

Coolness! I really like those rank names. Good luck with your level pack, I can't wait to play it sometime!

[IchoTolot]

Thank you two for the kind words and feedback! 

[Guigui]

I thought a bit about the main 5 difficulty ranks, how do people feel about:

Belonging → Detachment → Withdrawal → Alienation → Isolation

The thrid step I found difficult.
I also thought about "Disconnection", "Estrangement" and "Apathy".
The first 2 are a bit close to the other words though and I think slightly prefer "Withdrawal" to "Apathy".

I'm not sure the successive ranks are supposed to show the path of increasing detachment ?
If yes, then I'd say the first step Belonging → Detachment is a bit brutal, whereas all the other steps show increasing degrees of detachment, this one shows two opposite words.
Maybe change belonging for a slighter form of detachment, or add an intermediate ?

Apart from that words sounds fine, and I'm still not sure I get the meanings right.

[Proxima]

"Detachment" can either mean "the state of being detached" or "the process of detaching". If you read it as meaning the process, the name works fine.

[IchoTolot]

I'm not sure the successive ranks are supposed to show the path of increasing detachment ?

Yes, basically. The main endpoint being the pack's name "Isolation".

If yes, then I'd say the first step Belonging → Detachment is a bit brutal, whereas all the other steps show increasing degrees of detachment, this one shows two opposite words.
Maybe change belonging for a slighter form of detachment, or add an intermediate ?

I do want to start at the point where one is "belonging" to a group. So not already distancing and only after that starting to feel detached from the group (rank 2 onwards).
I agree that it is the most extreme step in here, but other words sounded even more extreme or not that fitting.

"Detachment" can either mean "the state of being detached" or "the process of detaching". If you read it as meaning the process, the name works fine.

Yeah, this is exactly what I mean.

[Kingshadow3]

So the main ranks of this pack are words describing levels of solitude? Quite clever...

[lemchip]

Based on part of the original post, is this basically a "prequel" to Reunion and United?