Lemmix Level Reviews

[Dullstar]

Do you think you might be able to make your early levels easy enough to consider including in the fangame?

It doesn't need to be terribly easy, just easy enough to beat without being an expert.

EDIT:  They could also work in an "Insane" category or something like that.

[Clam]

I'm sure I could make my levels more "fan-gamey". Some of them probably won't make it, or will have to be rebuilt completely, and some need more decoration. It all depends on the individual level.

I've neglected my early levels a bit too much. Maybe this is how I should spend my Lemmings time, rather than taking over all the challenge threads...

[Dullstar]

Worry first about making the needed tweaks to the levels to make them beatable, then we can decide which ones are worth keeping.

[Clam]

Last I checked, they were all beatable...


Don't worry, I plan to keep most of these levels - or, in some cases, build new ones from the same concept. I'll list the ones that I don't think would suit a general Lemmings audience:

The Square Route of Lemmings - I've already done a remake based on this idea, so this can go
Rounds and Swingabouts - too long and boring, and no real substance to it
Escape from Alcatraz! - too long and boring, and was really only intended to be a nice-looking design anyway
Get Out of the Pool! - glitch (or at the very least, extremely obscure game mechanics)
Brick Replacement Therapy - too bizarre
Stay Out of the Pool!!! - crazy bomber timing, and based on a glitch level
The Other Side - backroute that can't be fixed without changing the terrain (and thus not keeping true to the original design)
Rise Through the Ranks - glitch
The edge of madness / The fringe of insanity - ridiculous timing needed
Santa's Workshop - too obscure

If you think any of these are really fangame material, then please tell me why

[Dullstar]

That explains why your levels are so hard...  although I did spot an issue with one of your levels...  either that or I'm missing something.

Am I overlooking something, or in
Turning the Screws

do you need a blocker to turn around lemmings at the middle trapdoor?  If so, you can't because of the game physics and the trap.

I really suggest simplifying these just a little.

Also, I think I'm going to restart the level review game...  as a separate topic, though.

[Clam]

Yes, you've missed something there. I know you can't turn the lemmings around on that platform, and that is intentional. However...

Lemmings turn around when they fall through a blocker's field.

And like I said, I'll make an individual decision for each level on what I should do with it. For this particular level, I'll probably loosen the percentage requirements, since currently it forces you to save the maximum possible. (As far as I know, at least )

[Yawg]

I just uploaded my 5th level pack, Yawg05. If anyone feels up to it, I'd love to get some preliminary feedback 

Download:http://camanis.net/lemmings/levelpacks.php?pack=120

[namida]

I'll look at yours now. In the meantime, try the preview levels from my Lemmings Plus DOS Remake (one of which is entirely new), I'd like feedback on them even though four of them are pretty old now (although Lemmerixo has an all new solution).

Okay, I played "Vaccum" and "Tribute To Billy Mays", since they're the sort of short fun level I feel like playing at the moment. Vaccum was a bit on the easy side (although a clever trick used to get the last few pixels of height needed!), but Tribute To Billy Mays was a fun level (although kind of evil, for taking advantage of a glitch and pixel precise moves...)

[Yawg]

Thanks for the feedback...mind giving me a replay of how you did Vacuum? Sounds like you found a backroute 

[namida]

No problem.

[Yawg]

No problem.

Ah, I was afraid there might still be an issue there. I'll probably have to widen the gap between the platforms then, because the intended solution is pretty cool...nice trick with the blocker though 

[Minim]

Hooray! I was the first person to try Giga's levels! If only they could do with some changes for use of Customised lemmings, these levels are really good. These levels I wouldn't consider Mayhem although Level 7 was the only one I couldn't do.

Level 1: May have been seriously backrouted (i.e. too easy). I didn't need a climber for this one.
Level 2: Pretty good. A fair bit of precision required here.
Level 3: Has a surprise of a hidden exit. Not bad, although Part 2 is harder.
Level 4: Too easy. Up that rate to make it harder.
Level 5: I've done it with 10 builders to spare, so not hard enough for a double entancer.
Level 6: Terrain looks a bit messy but it's a little bit harder.
Level 7: The biggest challenge of this set, will you tell me if this level is possible? A nicer looking level too.
Level 8: Way too easy but I like the lemming train.
Level 9: A good challenge although I only lost one lemming rather than 20.
Level 10: Let me say this to you on this level: Nobody wants a hidden exit on the last level without telling.

I've done it at last! Saving both bombers and a builder, here's the solution:

Let the first lemming dig (A few lemmings will be lost thanks to the high release rate). When half way down let him mine a bit then build. Use the blinking cursor feature on the right to let someone build left out of the pit. Use it again to mine right when the lemmings climb to the top of the ramp. Build over the created gap. Let someone from the right side of the new pit build a step so that they jump to the next pit. Quickly bash the wall on the right and then let the last lemming build to the exit.

[Clam]

I finally downloaded Yawg05 and had a look through it. For some reason, I find your levels frustrating. It might have something to do with all the hidden traps...

Here are my thoughts as of now:


1: I don't know how namida solved this (I tried to watch the replay but it didn't work - even when I switched to ONML viewer mode), but I found two solutions here - one fairly straightforward, the other a slight backroute using the miner trick.

2: Trigger areas cancel steel - huge backroute.

3: I haven't made a decent attempt at this yet, but the builder count seems to present a challenge. (Hidden traps... " title="Angry" class="smiley" />)

4: Hidden trap behind the exit? Now that's harsh.

5: Whatever the solution is, it probably requires some insane precision.

6: Steel glitches make short work of this one.

7: If you know how the arrows react to miners (which I sort of do), then this is a good little puzzle.

8: The "normal" solution comes up one builder short - I suspect this is intentional, but if it is then I have no idea how to solve this. (Except by building out just beyond the steel area and bomb away the edge of the starting platform.)

9: Easy. Ridiculously easy.

10: Good grief...

[Yawg]

In response to your review:

On the whole, I admit this pack has a fair few too many hidden traps. In general I'm against hiding them for the sake of it; the only reason I hide mine is for aesthetic reasons. They aren't meant to be a nasty surprise, rather, a quick fix for some of the more annoying back routes.

1. This level has been fraught with back routes since the day I finished it and frankly, I'm tired of trying to patch them all up. We'll just say its meant to have multiple solutions 

2. I don't see how you were able to exploit this with the skills given.

3. I'm surprised you found this level challenging, as it was the one I most considered removing for being too straightforward. Of course, I know the solution so that might explain that 

4. Again, the trap is only to force you to modify your solution. This is one trap I might consider revealing though; it isn't TOO ugly.

5. Indeed it does. You wouldn't believe how many tries it took me to capture a successful replay. Making this level taught me a lot about the builder head-bumping mechanic though.

6. I've only recently become more aware of my steel-placement to avoid back routes, and this is actually one of the first levels I made that I only just now released, after some touch-ups. I'll see if I can go about fixing the steel placement.

7. Why, thank you. I had fun with this one.

8. Not sure what you mean by "normal solution", as this level's intended solution is far from "normal". I can assure you that it doesn't require any glitches though.

9. Could I get a replay 

10. I still feel guilty about making this level. It was basically my revenge on the community for all the bomber timing levels made, past and future 

[Clam]

2. I don't see how you were able to exploit this with the skills given.

It only takes one digger to exploit it. If you could swap this for a miner (or any number of miners, I guess) and position the steel objects better, then this wouldn't work - the question is whether the intended solution can be modified to use miners instead of the digger.
(EDIT) I should clarify: simply swapping the digger for a miner still leaves a backroute with steel-cancelling by the trigger area of the trap. If you shift the steel object so that it actually covers the steel terrain, this won't work.

9. Could I get a replay 

You certainly could. And if you have a look at my "top 5", you should be able to see why I found this easy.


Check your PM for replays.