New founds on Lemmings Paintball

[DragonsLover]

I found some interesting stuff in Lemmings Paintball, but I don't know how to activate them in the game.

By doing some ressource editing, I found some windows about a level editor. There were windows on the level name, on the lift data, on general properties (like the start number of lemmings, number of flags to collect, time to complete level, number of entrances, etc.), on slippery blocks properties, on start position of paintguns, on moving ground style, on ball speed, on ammo properties and on invisible switch properties. However, I really don't know how to activate these in the game. This would be fun to be able to edit Lemmings Paintball levels.

Another things I found are commandlines of the game but for most of them, I don't know what they do:

-paranoid
-nowait
-nosmallmemory
-wing
-cds
-gdk (fullscreen mode then it causes a crash?)
-full (fullscreen mode)
-showunloading
-showloading
-nodebug (debug window)
-debugfile (creates a "debug.out" file)
-gc:
-surfaces:
-memorysize:

Do you have a small idea for these commandlines?

[DragonsLover]

Hello?? :huh: Nobody here has Lemmings Paintball? I can tell you where to find it if you want.

[Mindless]

I've played the demo, really wasn't my kind of game.

[Mr. K]

Heh, I actually got a CD free off a friend a long time ago, but when I try to play it after installing it thinks I didn't install it. >_>

Nice finds, though!

[Chmera]

I have it.

[Craig3410]

Very interesting....

1.Use the windows command line and run the game with the "-nodebug" parameter.
2. Go to the password screen.
3. Type in 9913454278. You'll see it opens up all the levels, but more importantly, the debug menu has the line "Oh, oh, someones cheating !!!"

Can someone see what this means?

[DragonsLover]

Where did you find that code?

[Craig3410]

Where did you find that code?

Going through LEMPAINT.EXE in a hex editor.

There's a good bit of plaintext in there right around the code; just do a text search for the code.

Also, there appears to be a "-edit" parameter, but it needs more after the "edit" part.

[Craig3410]

Speaking of which, I'm using Resource Hacker and a hex editor; what other programs would you use to look inside the game?

[DragonsLover]

Dunno, I'm using the same programs as well. But there are nice things to find, especially in PBAIMOG.VSR which contain all the data for the levels and demos.

If only we could know how to use these command lines and the cheat code.

[Craig3410]

Would it be possible to have one of the options in the menu redirect to the window that simply asks you to input a level name?

[DrLemmingsham]

I have Lemmings Paintball. I've always wanted to make my own levels, I'm just too dumb to learn how to program. :huh2:

[DragonsLover]

Ok, new founds. There are more commands and it's just very close to be able to edit levels :

/nomusic = No music
/noeffects = No sound effects
/snddebug = ?
/statdebug = ?
/memdebug = ?
/noanim = No AVI animations
/nozoom = No Zoom
/320 = ?
/testalllevels = When I did it, it bringed me on the very first level, then caused a crash...
/? or ? = The game doesn't start at all...
/graphics = ?

Then the most interesting stuff :

/edit@ = I think it allows to edit a level in the game. A file name is required after the @, probably a .LVL file. But the problem is that all the levels seem to be stored into the PBAIMOG.VSR file. File format is explained here.
It would be nice to create a program to uncompress this file and get the proper level files. I saw on the website that there's a program named "Game Extractor". The problem is that it isn't a free program.

/play@ = I think it allows to play a level directly in the game. Same method than above.

[Mr. K]

new finds*

(off topic, I know, but it's good to correct mistakes like that to help people learn)

[Lee]

I was once in the process of creating a complete clone of Lemball so that I could create a level editor for it, but it would be much nicer to have a level editor for Lemball itself. Have you made any more progress in discovering the mystical edit@ parameter?  It seems that Game Extractor has a free basic version, which allows you to extract the .LVL files. The full version only costs $5 (< ̣2.50) so I'd be happy to buy it- if I knew what to do with it 

EDIT- I've checked the compatibility list and it appears that Game Extractor can only read the Lemmings Paintball .vsr file, not write to/edit it, thus there'll be no need to buy it.

I've toyed around with the basic version. Levels within PBAIMOG.VSR are stored within their difficulty directories, so:

FUN/Level_00
.. up to
FUN/Level_24

TRICKY/Level_00
.. up to
TRICKY/Level_25

TAXING/Level_00
.. up to
TAXING/Level_28

MAYHEM/Level_00
.. up to
MAYHEM/Level_21

NETWORK/Level_00
.. up to
NETWORK/Level_11

Interestingly, their's also a subfolder called 'mapedit' ...

Running with nodebug, the level picker adds a new entry to the debug window, such as

nSkill=0 nLevel=0 Name= <Easy Zone>
nSkill=0 nLevel=1 Name= <Difficult {NOT!}>

I'm not sure if that provides any clues as to how to use play@ and edit@. Does the loader screen pass the attributes nSkill and nLevel to the main game so that it knows which level to load? How would we load the main game without the loader screen?

[Lee]

I'm currently in the process of reverse-engineering the resource file and the level file format. I can do basic level editing such as placing trees and raising/lowering land, and I can set the time limit. I can't add switches, enemies etc.

I hope to have a proof of concept alpha version ready soon for everyone to try out, but it won't be anything fancy.

[Chmera]

Huh. Sweet, though I don't play Lemmings Paintball much anymore.

[DragonsLover]

Yay, I extracted the files from PBAIMOG.VSR using Game Extractor! The problem is that the files don't have extensions included. They're all considered as blank "Files". In fact, if I open the PBAIMOG.VSR file using an hex editor and look inside, the list of files with their "kind" of files are listed there. But I'm not totally sure what extensions they must have. Examples of kinds :
- BIN (binary data)
- LIST (a list?)
- ZRLE (what's that?)
- BTMP (a Bitmap image)
- PAL (a Palette file)
- EFF (a Sound effect)
Also, the files are badly extracted. Some of the files have wrong data from other files and some don't have data at all as they should be considered as folders instead of files. Those "folders" would contain more files, but Game Extractor has ignored them. How lame!

Anyway, I tried doing the /edit@ command on a level (say Level_00 of FUN folder) : yay, it worked... almost. The title screen appeared like normally with all the stats showed, but when I clicked on "OK", I got a window after the loading : "Memory error". I think the problem is that the /edit@ command on LemBall.exe is using the contain of PBAIMOG.VSR file instead of the extracted ones (excepted if we could modify or tell the executable to take the resources to the extracted files instead of the compressed one which is not that easy). However, the /play@ command works perfectly. So, I think the level files aren't badly extracted which is good.

[Lee]

What was the exact syntax that you used? I tried it before and couldn't get it to work.

Basic level editing is possible using a hex editor as long as the level file doesn't increase in size, as then the file location offsets in the archive are wrong and it corrupts it. FUN/Level_00 is stored at x69580c. The tiles start at x695834, and they take 6 bytes each. There are loads of x09 x02 x00 x00 x00 x00, which are snowey grass tiles. 09 02 is the tile reference, and changing it to 02 02 will create a round tree. The last two bytes store the height of the ground. Imagining the isometric level as a diamond <> , the first row of tiles is from the top point of the diamond to the right point. Levels are 64x64.

After the tiles is the data that stores objects. There are loads of things I haven't worked out yet. I can't find how to change the flag position or number of Lemmings. More advanced level editing such as adding enemies will involve increasing the file size, so I'm working on my own .vsr extractor which will be able to recompile.

Edit:
I googled ZRLE and it appears to be a compression format standing for Zlib Run-Length Encoding. "Zlib Run-Length Encoding combines RLE with Zlib compression. Sequences of identical pixels within the rectangle to be updated are compressed to a single value and repeat count, and the resulting information is then compressed using Zlib."  It's presumably used for graphics and animation.

[DragonsLover]

Yeah, a .vsr extractor would be very nice!

You said what was the exact syntax? To edit a level you meant? Run Lemball using "Run" from the Start menu. Click Browse and go take Lemball.exe. Then, after that, type it like that (here, the Level_00 file is stored into Lemball\FUN folder):

Lemball.exe /edit@FUN\Level_00

By looking into the level file using an hex editor, they all start with "  IA" and end with "?DNE". Is that ok?

[Lee]

I get a 'You stupid stupid man' error message when I click the 1-player button. It says that the name isn't entered correctly.

By looking into the level file using an hex editor, they all start with "  IA" and end with "?DNE". Is that ok?

Yeah. They also all have an 'FSDG' string near the top. If you go backwards from the F by 8-bytes, that byte and the one next to it stores the time limit in seconds. Go back another two, and change that value from 0-3 to change the level theme (grass, lego, snow, space).

Before the ?DNE string is where the advanced stuff is stored such as enemies (look for 'YMNE'). There's a GALF string (FLAG). If you go forward from the F by 5-bytes, that byte stores the number of flags needed to complete the level, so setting that to 2 in FUN/Level_00 will mean that when you collect the flag the level won't complete. I can't find where the coordinates for the flag is stored. I'm in the process of working out how to change where the trap door lands your lemmings, and to set the number of lemmings.

I'm going to find as much out as I can about the level data before I create the VSR extractor/recompiler, to see how much can be done without one.

[DragonsLover]

Did you type the line correctly? It should work.

Here's what I write in the Run program (here, Level_01 is stored into Lemball\Extracted\FUN\):

D:\...\Lemmings\LEMBALL\LEMBALL.EXE /edit@Extracted\FUN\Level_01

Try to put quotation marks : " " so that it gives :

"D:\...\Lemmings\LEMBALL\LEMBALL.EXE" /edit@Extracted\FUN\Level_01

[Lee]

I've discovered that the .vsr file contains sub-directories within the main directories, which Game Extractor doesn't know about. When I created my own extractor, I wondered why the extracted files were over 3MB smaller than the .vsr file, and it's because hundreds of files were being forgotten. I'm just trying to figure out how sub-directories work so that I can create a fully functional extractor.

[DragonsLover]

Yeah, this is what I was talking previously :

Also, the files are badly extracted. Some of the files have wrong data from other files and some don't have data at all as they should be considered as folders instead of files. Those "folders" would contain more files, but Game Extractor has ignored them. How lame!

[DragonsLover]

Okay, I discovered that I didn't get the memory crash when running the game in fullscreen mode. But once in-game, I have absolutely no idea how to make the editor running. The level starts like if I was playing it, and if I switch back to windowed mode, I got the same memory error. I think the editor only runs in windowed mode *sigh*.

I also tried running the game in 256 colours with a resolution of 640 x 480 and I didn't get the memory crash... but the main window of the game is fully black and if I switch to fullscreen, I can't switch back to windowed mode. I can't do anything! I can only restart my computer manually. I can, however, start the game with the -full commandline, but it's the same thing than above.

So, for now, I have no idea how to make the editor running. :cry: I need to do some tests again, and it's quite difficult.

There's something however : in the executable of the game, you can find four "/edit@" commands. Why four? I need to check this out.

[Lee]

Happy Easter!  I've always considered Lemball to be an Eastery/Springy game for some reason. I think Easter '96 or '97 was when I first played it.

Anyway, I'm worried that I'll spend ages working on a level editor, then we discover how to use the built-in one. However, I'll continue work on the custom level editor to hedge our bets. I've worked out more about objects. Here I've changed a gate into a watchtower



You can't go into it, so it appears to be a planned feature that was never fully implemented. Images may take a while to load because sitesled aint what it used to be. I might move Lee's Lemmings Paintball Page to googlepages. There's also a hut that hasn't been implemented. You can walk straight through it.



I know how to do stuff such as change what key opens a gate and what crates contain (keys or catapults). I haven't created the .vsr recompiler, so I can't do any editing that will increase the level's file size (i.e. I can't add new objects, just change existing ones)

Btw, have you tried running Lemball with the /testalllevels command? You get a montage of all the levels, each producing an error message.

[DragonsLover]

Happy Easter All!

Wow, nice watch tower and hut! Too bad they weren't implemented.

Also, yes, I tried /testalllevels, but it brings me to the first level and then, causes a crash.

[Lee]

Hi. Just a quick progress report. I know how most of the level file data works. I've been very hard at work the past month getting the last of my uni work done, so I haven't made much progress. I hope to get back to the project soon. I'm currently learning C++, which I'll use alongside an application called Multimedia Fusion 2 to create the level editor.

I'm working on a basic prototype editor that allows me to edit levels using XML. For example, to edit the number of entrances in the level and how many Lemmings use them, I can just type something like:

<entrances>
<entrance x="1" y="16" lemmings="1"/>
<entrance x="160" y="16" lemmings="1"/>
</entrances>

I know how most things work now. The hardest part will be creating the actual level editor that allows you to design the level. To do that, I'll have to mimic the Lemball graphical system so that what you see in the level editor is what you see in Lemball. The process of ripping each individual tile in the game will be tedious. I could try to reverse engineer the graphic files, but they've been compressed so I think that's beyond my technical ability.

Anyway, I just thought I'd drop a post to state that the project's still going, but it might be a long while before there's a working version for me to release.

[DragonsLover]

That would be really nice!

[Rec_rm]

Ok I have a question, with all this talk of editing lemmings paintball I have to ask. How do you get lemmings paintball working in anything but a pure windows 95 install. I have been searching the internet for the past couple of years trying to get this game to work again but am unable to do so? I played it a while back when I was younger and loved the game to pieces, just like every other lemmings game on the planet.

Sorry if this is answered somewhere else but I can't find it. Search tells me this is the only lemmings paintball topic on the forum so I thought I would ask.

[Mr. K]

That is a GREAT question!

...because I found a copy which installs fine on XP but won't run because it says the CD can't be found.  I even tried no-CD patching it.  *shrug*

[Rec_rm]

Strangely enough the demo works just fine. But yea the game installs but the exe refuses to open unless your running windows 95. It kinda angers me because I don't see any real bug. It's just like the programmers spontaneously decided to make the game check the OS then error if it's not 95. It's bugged me ever since I upgraded to 98 (which was a long time ago.)

[DragonsLover]

I have Win98SE and Lemmings Paintball works fine for me. I just installed it on WinXP and the game still works... So, I really DON'T UNDERSTAND why it doesn't work for you.

The difference is that for me, it's the floppy version (downloaded on the net) and not the CD one.

[Rec_rm]

Then your going to have to tell me where to get a copy of the floppy version, because I have cd. I don't understand why it doesn't work either. The game just flat out reports that it can't find windows 95 then refuses to load.

[DragonsLover]

Abandonware France - Lemmings Paintball

The website is in French but don't worry, it's easy : click on the button "Téléchargements" then click on "Version disquette". A pop-up should appear. Locate "veuillez cliquer ici" in blue and click it, the download should start.

Also, I'm interested of your CD version. Can you do an image CD of it and host it somewhere?

[Rec_rm]

Ok firstly thank you for the floppy version, it works wonderfully. As for the cd version I do plan on uploading it somewhere. There are a few things you should know.

Firstly, the formatting on the cd is not recognizable by newer systems. Both my xp and vista computers tell me the formatting is wrong or the file is corrupt. Not sure if this is the cd's problem or just the ISO file. If you are having issues with this the files can be recovered quite easily by using any ISO reader. (I use magicISO)

Secondly, when you do get the files out the game will install but the exe won't load. The exact error is lemball.exe is not a valid win32 application. This is the main issue.

Have fun, I'll edit this topic once I find a place to host.

edit: http://www.mediafire.com/?31x9goovvtm blerg, ok got it on mediafire. Should work. The file is just over 50 megs.

Awww level codes, forgot all about them. Sighs *pulls out pad and paper*

[DragonsLover]

That's not a problem, because I'm still under Win98SE! I have WinXP too, but on another computer.

Thanks a lot for the file!

[DragonsLover]

Okay, I have found more interesting things with the CD version.

First, the EXE is bigger, which means it contains more stuff. Strangely, PBAIMOG.VSR is a bit smaller...

There are also more commandlines :

/teststartlevel@
/teststartskill@

And a new cheat code :

6389675464

When I enter this : it shows "Password OK!" and shows this message in the debug window :

So ya wanna play 2-player? On your head be it!

I have absolutely no idea what it is for. I only knows it's 2-Players related.

With /edit@, I realized that I didn't get the Memory Error window when I deactivate the Zoom. But still there, I have absolutely no idea how to make the editor running.

There's something, however, that disturbs me : it's that there are 4 /edit@ commands stored in the executable. So, I'm thinking : should I put 4 /edit@ commands after the executable path? If yes, then what should I include, 4 different level files? The file, skill, number and level title? I tried many things but with no success.

I also found an email address : rickys@vissci.demon.co.uk
But it doesn't exist anymore.

[Rec_rm]

I think I can fill you in on a few of those mysteries. I noticed in the floppy version that the full screen command doesn't work. Might just be my computer but I think it might explain why the exe is bigger. (correct me if I'm wrong) Or it's possible that the win32 error check was removed making the file smaller. Secondly I have a confession to make. The cd version I have, and also the one I gave you, was not ripped by me. I got it off bit torrent. The email is from the original distributer of the torrent file that no longer exists. Although lemmings paintball is the only cd based lemmings game that I don't own the actual cd.

I do have a hunch about what the cheat might be for though. Lemmings paintball does have a lan option. I wonder if that might affect the two player levels somehow. If the cheat works in the floppy version too then I think I might play around with it. Have some high quality two player matches against myself. Woot!

[DragonsLover]

Fullscreen command in floppy version works. It works in both versions.

You got it by torrent? Grrr... That would explain why the Autorun doesn't work at all and this debug message.

The 2-Players cheat code is not available for the floppy version.

[Lee]

I compared the floppy exe with my CD version, and the only difference is two bytes- addr. decimal 25,144 and 25,145. I use the CD version, and by changing these two bytes to 0xEB and 0x4C respectively (the values in the floppy version), the game no longer needs the CD in the drive to play. You need to copy the AVI and MIDI files from the CD though or you get error messages, but it still runs. With this information we could make a no-CD patch, but I'm more focussed on the level editor at the moment. The PBAIMOG.vsr resource files are identical in both versions. The floppy version doesn't play the intro movie for me, nor does the no-cd 'patched' version.

I'm interested in these various exe versions as some might be newer builds. They could contain bug fixes.

BTW, my CD version is different from the other one. I'm downloading it now to compare them. Mine doesn't have the 2-Player cheat code

[DragonsLover]

Yeah, floppy version has broken intro, extro and succfail videos (probably, to save some space). Just replace them with the correct bigger ones and you're done.