[RELEASE][1.1 UPDATE] RetroLemmini - A brand new version of Lemmini for 2025!

Started by WillLem, February 04, 2025, 12:30:28 AM

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WillLem


A brand new version of Lemmini for 2025!

This version of Lemmini continues where Charles left off with SuperLemminiToo. The goal of this version is to make the Lemmini platform as plug-and-play as possible, future-proof it for Java updates, as well as enhance a few features and fix a few bugs. I don't plan to do anywhere near as much with this as I have been doing with Neo/SuperLemmix, but I think one or two decent-sized updates per year are certainly warranted to keep Lemmini going and glowing.



Features List
:lemming: Updated File System

In what is perhaps the flagship update, the "root.lzp" zip file has been removed and replaced with a simple "resources" directory into which all of your existing (Super)Lemmini(Too) resources can be placed.

The file system is now completely open, similar to Neo/SuperLemmix and Lix, enabling you to completely customise your copy of RetroLemmini and keep track of files much more easily. It also makes dev-side updates to the graphics, music, sound, levels, etc much easier to implement and test.

The program no longer creates folders and settings files all over your PC / Mac. Instead, all resources are kept in the root directory (where the .jar is) and the settings file is saved into a dedicated "settings" folder, also in the root directory. So, the program is now self-contained and fully portable!

:lemming: Fixed Timed/Untimed Bomber Replay Bug

SuperLemminiToo's "5 Second Timed Bomber" option was a welcome feature, but it came with a particularly difficult problem: if a user creates a replay with one option enabled, and then that replay is played back with the other option enabled, all of the Bomber assignments are out of sync.

RetroLemmini resolves this so that replays are played back exactly as they were created, regardless of current setting, on an assignment-by-assignment basis.

:lemming: DMA Lemmings / Oh No! More Lemmings

RetroLemmini features the remastered versions of these packs, complete with:

• Fixed steel areas
• Fully restored decorations & level sizes
• Enhanced graphics for the 4 "special" levels
• See this topic for more details...

:lemming: Skill Panel Updates

• The animations have been recoloured slightly to improve the overall appearance (you're more than welcome to drop the SLToo versions into the "resources\gfx\iconbar" folder if you prefer those!).
• The Vertical Lock button is now hidden when not needed.

:lemming: Floater Sprite

• Recoloured yellow umbrella to red and white

:lemming: Main Menu Updates

• Brand new RetroLemmini logo
• Scroller updated for readability - the colours for the "Classic" scroller have been switched to yellow-on-blue, and for the default Lemmini scroller the font is yellow and un-stretched.

More updates to the Main Menu are planned, but for now it's good to go!

:lemming: Options Menu Updates

• Added option to "Auto-Save Successful Replays" for successfully completed levels
• Added an option to "Show Level Name on Status Bar", unchecked by default and only available when "Enhanced Status Bar" is enabled. Charles actually did previously implement this option but it never appeared in the Options menu, so it's added now.
• Re-shuffled the Options menu layout a bit for clarity and readability.
• "Stop Fast-Forward When Pausing" is now checked by default, and "Show Button Labels" is unchecked by default.

More updates are planned for the Options menu - tooltips and layout updates at the very least.

:lemming: Setup Instructions Included

It seems a small feature, but it's a much-requested and much-needed one! The SetupInstructions.txt file included in the root directory provides full setup instructions, as well as how to create a Windows shortcut, and set your own icons, should you wish to do so.



Wish List For The Future
Implemented for Version 1.2

Quality of Life/Interface Features

:lemming: Improved size & visibility of cursor

Physics

:lemming: Oh-Noers can now exit without exploding



Planned for Version 1.2

Quality of Life/Interface Features

:lemming: Full-screen mode

:lemming: "Hide menu bar" option (with hotkey - show prompt on window caption)

:lemming: In-game hotkeys for loading & saving replays, levels menu, options menu, etc

:lemming: Show all level records on postview screen (i.e. max saved, time elapsed, skills used)

:lemming: Update the graphics sets so that exits are one single graphic (rather than two which must be joined together in the editor manually :eyeroll:) NOTE: Backwards-compatibility with existing levels may need to be built-in to the graphic itself; this feature won't go ahead if it can't be done without manual editing of levels later

:lemming: Group the player assist options and toggle them all on/off with a single "Classic Mode" option

Physics

:lemming: Improved steel detection for Bashers and Miners

:lemming: Allow left-facing builders to start their bridge 1px further to the left, consistent with right-facing builders

:lemming: Fix whatever causes lems to enter terrain when they build into it

:lemming: Implement 'Direct Drop' and 'Exit Rules All' as player-side options that are enabled using cheat codes



Planned for the future

Quality of Life/Interface Features

:lemming: Link .rpl files to their corresponding .ini files more comprehensively (possibly via an ID system), to prevent unnecessary error messages when loading replays for External Levels

:lemming: User hotkey configuration

:lemming: Allow mods to be used on a per-level as well as per-pack basis

:lemming: A user-friendly levelpack compiler

:lemming: A built-in level Editor (ideal) or added support for .nxlv (at least)

:lemming: Support for custom logos (so level packs can display logos; it's already possible to mod the menu background and cursor)

:lemming: Parental settings which remove blood effects/other graphic imagery from trap animations (this could perhaps be achieved via the mods system), and limit the amount of time you spend playing

:lemming: Remove all empty space from the edges of terrain and object pieces (not essential, but desirable)

:lemming: Offline 2-player mode (and, eventually, online multiplayer)



To install, simply extract the attached .zip to a location of your choosing. Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions, suggestions or issues.

Chances are that RetroLemmini will just work, as long as you have the latest version of either Java JRE or JDK installed on your system. If you do have any issues getting it to run, please let me know and I'll do my best to resolve them as soon as possible.

Source code is available here: RetroLemmini Source Code.



WillLem

Version 1.0 Updates:

:lemming: Updated File System

In what is perhaps the flagship update, the "root.lzp" zip file has been removed and replaced with a simple "resources" directory into which all of your existing (Super)Lemmini(Too) resources can be placed.

The file system is now completely open, similar to Neo/SuperLemmix and Lix, enabling you to completely customise your copy of RetroLemmini and keep track of files much more easily. It also makes dev-side updates to the graphics, music, sound, levels, etc much easier to implement and test.

The program no longer creates folders and settings files all over your PC / Mac. Instead, all resources are kept in the root directory (where the .jar is) and the settings file is saved into a dedicated "settings" folder, also in the root directory. So, the program is now self-contained and fully portable!

:lemming: Fixed Timed/Untimed Bomber Replay Bug

SuperLemminiToo's "5 Second Timed Bomber" option was a welcome feature, but it came with a particularly difficult problem: if a user creates a replay with one option enabled, and then that replay is played back with the other option enabled, all of the Bomber assignments are out of sync.

RetroLemmini resolves this so that replays are played back exactly as they were created, regardless of current setting, on an assignment-by-assignment basis.

:lemming: DMA Lemmings / Oh No! More Lemmings

RetroLemmini features the remastered versions of these packs, complete with:

• Fixed steel areas
• Fully restored decorations & level sizes
• Enhanced graphics for the 4 "special" levels
• See this topic for more details...

:lemming: Skill Panel Updates

• The animations have been recoloured slightly to improve the overall appearance (you're more than welcome to drop the SLToo versions into the "resources\gfx\iconbar" folder if you prefer those!).
• The Vertical Lock button is now hidden when not needed.

:lemming: Main Menu Updates

• Brand new RetroLemmini logo
• Scroller updated for readability - the colours for the "Classic" scroller have been switched to yellow-on-blue, and for the default Lemmini scroller the font is yellow and un-stretched.

More updates to the Main Menu are planned, but for now it's good to go!

:lemming: Options Menu Updates

• Added an option to "Show Level Name on Status Bar", unchecked by default and only available when "Enhanced Status Bar" is enabled. Charles actually did previously implement this option but it never appeared in the Options menu, so it's added now.
• Re-shuffled the Options menu layout a bit for clarity and readability.
• "Stop Fast-Forward When Pausing" is now checked by default, and "Show Button Labels" is unchecked by default.

More updates are planned for the Options menu - tooltips and layout updates at the very least.

:lemming: Setup Instructions Included

It seems a small feature, but it's a much-requested and much-needed one! The SetupInstructions.txt file included in the root directory provides full setup instructions, as well as how to create a Windows shortcut, and set your own icons, should you wish to do so.

WillLem

Version 1.1 hotfix updates:

:lemming: Replay bugfix

• Timed Bomber option is now written/read correctly to/from replay files - I thought this was done, but it was only working to/from the live replay stream rather than the actual replay files themselves
• Added backwards-compatibility for SuperLemmini(Too) replays

:lemming: Options Menu

• Added option to "Auto-Save Successful Replays" for successfully completed levels
• (Bugfix) "Show Level Name" option is now only available when "Enhanced Status Bar" is checked

:lemming: Floater Sprite

• Recoloured yellow umbrella to red and white



Get the latest version here.