custom levels for Lemmings 2 thread

[geoo]

Split the level designing post from here into this topic, originally started by ccexplore.

All levels (to my knowledge, including multiple versions of each, with the one with the biggest number being the most recent one) from this topic as of 2013-06-12 are included in the following archive.
For discussion and solutions read the rest of the topic.

[Clam]

...although I must ask why I can't find levels when I press s to save them.

Did you read GP's post? There should be a file called LEVEL___.DAT in the same folder as the editor.

All right, here's my first attempt at a custom level. (Actually, I tell a lie. It's the second, the first turned out awful. And by awful I mean "has an unavoidable backroute that totally defeats the purpose of the level". Hopefully this one doesn't turn out the same way...) The attached file replaces level 1 of the Egyptian tribe. Consider it an opportunity to experiment with the roper mechanics - which I've found to be decidedly ropey. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/winktounge.gif" alt=";P" title="Wink-Tongue" class="smiley" />

[Pooty]

Without even thinking, I wound up putting an attractor in my test level in classic style.  The result?  Well...not quite what you expected, though it still sorta works......

You're right, it's definitely not what I expected. I burst with laughter when I tried it out. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/laugh.gif" alt=":D" title="Laugh" class="smiley" />

It mostly works, but I noticed that the lemmings will eventually leave the attractor's area of effect.

...although I must ask why I can't find levels when I press s to save them.

All right, here's my first attempt at a custom level. (Actually, I tell a lie. It's the second, the first turned out awful. And by awful I mean "has an unavoidable backroute that totally defeats the purpose of the level". Hopefully this one doesn't turn out the same way...) The attached file replaces level 1 of the Egyptian tribe. Consider it an opportunity to experiment with the roper mechanics - which I've found to be decidedly ropey. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/winktounge.gif" alt=";P" title="Wink-Tongue" class="smiley" />

Har har har. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

I did try the level, though. I can't beat it yet, but I do want to eventually. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" />

[weirdybeardy]

@Clam Spammer: "Wall Crawler" is great! Before I even started playing it I was appreciating the design. You seem to have a knack for building levels that look well-put together, with just the right balance of style and functionality. In contrast my levels seem to be a bit "busy"... I tend to get carried away when I'm "decorating" a level. I guess minimalism has its place, and sometimes less is more.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" />

Excellent Egyptian level.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/thumbsup.gif" alt=":thumbsup:" title="Thumbs Up" class="smiley" /> More please!  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

[Minim]

Excellent Egyptian level.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/thumbsup.gif" alt=":thumbsup:" title="Thumbs Up" class="smiley" /> More please!  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

Now remember... Be careful not to force them.

BTW, I may be able to get the editor as well. I read very carefully around this topic and found the post about which users are granted to get the editor. I sent a PM to GuyPerfect and now I can stop rambling (hopefully!). http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" />

Has anyone seen my level "Perfect for balloons" yet? This level highly reflects on Lemmings 2. It's in the Lemmix level pack topic. See http://www.lemmingsforums.com/index.php?topic=6.msg6779#msg6779" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">this post for the opportunity to get it (Not sure what level pack this is, so grab them all while you can http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />). This level highly reflects on how much I liked Lemmings 2 in the past.

[weirdybeardy]

What about me? )-: (-:

I make a particular effort to be artistic while making puzzles that hopefully require a little thought. I know! Maybe you just missed the levels I posted earlier! (-:

Beach - The Clam Spammer
Cavelem - Spelunk 'n' Dunk
Classic - Always the Long Route

Apart from you, obviously.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" /> Your levels were brilliant (my favourite is Spelunk 'n' Dunk), and your YouTube vids are what gave me the inspiration to dabble in custom L2 in the first place. So there!  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" /> I was so happy with my "pretty" Circus level that I completely missed the fact that it had a obvious backroute...

Bearing in mind the needs of the program and the people using it, I'm strongly considering doing the project over in Java. I'd like to hear what's on you guys' minds. Oh yeah, and don't try the whole "But you're almost done with this one!" argument. There's only a sliver of a chance that the project in its current iteration will ever see another build. (-:

But you're almost done with this one!

Sorry, just getting that out of the way, so other people don't have to.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" />

[Dullstar]

Can anyone get this level to work?  My DOSBOX locked up when I ran it.

[Pooty]

Can anyone get this level to work?  My DOSBOX locked up when I ran it.

Yep, I was able to load it, play it, and beat it using everything except the Platformer.

[Clam]

@Clam Spammer: "Wall Crawler" is great! Before I even started playing it I was appreciating the design. You seem to have a knack for building levels that look well-put together, with just the right balance of style and functionality.

I really liked ClamSpammer's level, requiring to set up some sort of roper web to get up. Due to making a few mistakes every now and then, I ended up having exactly no ropers left when I solved the level.

Thanks guys. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/laugh.gif" alt=":D" title="Laugh" class="smiley" /> I'm thinking of building a full Egyptian tribe like I did for L3 (not with 30 levels of course), but I'm kinda busy for the next week so you won't see much progress in the meantime.

And (@geoo) consider yourself lucky I decided to add another 10 ropers at the last moment. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" />

Ok, I guess the best way to test this editor is to go through the entire design process of making one level (which is attached, btw, Medieval tribe).

Very clever, but for whatever reason, I didn't find it greatly fun to play. Probably my fault, I tend to have a rather negative attitude when it comes to solving levels. (especially when I try the wrong thing to start with...)

Can anyone get this level to work?  My DOSBOX locked up when I ran it.

Works fine for me. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" />

[ccexplore]

Ok, I guess the best way to test this editor is to go through the entire design process of making one level (which is attached, btw, Medieval tribe).

Very clever, but for whatever reason, I didn't find it greatly fun to play.<snip>

Just so you know, I felt the same about your level. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" /> Very well put together visually, but my very first thought regarding solving it is something like "omg most tedious level ever".  Enough that I decided to take a massive shortcut with the bottom half of the level.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" /> And that in turn inspired me to spend some time last night trying for a "least roper" solution, but found myself somewhat defeated by the steel lining the bottom of the exit room, so ultimately I didn't get me any spectacular results, although it does suggest that the level might well be gold-solvable with as few as 20 ropers or less (plus other skills of course).

I'm at a public computer at the moment, but when I'm back later, I'll attach some screenshots of my solution.  I'd still like to work up a custom level myself of course so I might end up doing that instead.  That is, if I can resist playing other people's levels...... http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/XD.gif" alt=":XD:" title="XD" class="smiley" />

[Clam]

[...] the level might well be gold-solvable with as few as 20 ropers or less (plus other skills of course).

Now you mention that, I think 10 ropers would be a more reasonable target. I did consider the possibility of "crawling" backroutes - heck, the title and decorations even suggest it - but I didn't expect anyone to be so proficient at it right away. (By the way, I found that you can get lemmings to climb up the wall using just 2 ropers and a bomber.) And I've noticed that the water isn't greatly effective either - lemmings can enter through the floor without drowning and climb out the side safely, and the water just below the exit does nothing at all. I guess I'll just have to add more steel http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" />

Like one level I made for Lemmix a while ago, this is the type of level that I wouldn't like to play if I hadn't designed it myself, but I liked the concept so much that I just had to go and build it.

[ccexplore]

I didn't expect anyone to be so proficient at it right away.

Glad to have proved you wrong then, ye of little faith. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

(By the way, I found that you can get lemmings to climb up the wall using just 2 ropers and a bomber.)

Better yet, just 1 roper and 1 bomber suffice.  There is one limitation of note though when it comes to using a crawling backroute:

Climbers/rock climbers don't crawl when they're stuck, unfortunately.

It's still good enough for skipping like half the level, and it suggests there's a chance the level is solvable w/o any rock climbers (maybe I'll try that later tonight...)

[edit:  attached screenshots of my first successful gold solution for ClamSpammer's level.]

[Clam]

fine, go ahead and rip my level to pieces, I don't mind...

The solution is more steel. That's about all there is to it. Until we discover a steel glitch of course http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

I'll put up a new version sometime, but I'll probably make another new level first (and like I said, not within the next week or so). In the meantime I'll leave this as a warning to all L2 level designers.

[ccexplore]

To be fair, I kinda stumbled upon the ultraefficient 1-bomeber-1-roper trick by accident, while in the middle of an attempt to do the first part the real way.  (I know about the wall crawling, but definitely didn't expect such a simple setup for it exists.)  Of course, as soon as I noticed the trick, I soon lost what little motivation I've left to follow thru the tedium of getting up the first part. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />  (Although note that I did get at least more than halfway up the first part the real way.)  I did have to spend quite a bit of time figuring how to re-create the setup though.

[Pooty]

I didn't expect anyone to be so proficient at it right away.

There is one limitation of note though when it comes to using a crawling backroute: <Spoiler>

So THAT'S what I was doing wrong! Hmm... actually, I feel a bit cheeky trying to do that now, seeing that it's a backroute. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

[Edit: A penny just dropped, and I've finally worked out how to beat geoo's level. Good puzzle. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" /> ]