Lemmings! Need help with a level!

[Xyphoe]

Hi guys, I'm embarassed to say that I've admitted defeat on a level of Lemmings and have to ask for your help! (As you may have noticed I'm currently doing a Longplay of Lemmings in 4 parts for each bunch of 15 levels)

Taxing Level 8 (level 38 in total) - "King Of The Castle" has me stumped.

The code for this level to be taken straight there is - DICIJNNGEU
You need to rescue 18 out of 20 lemmings within a ridiculous time limit.

The closest I have got is 13 lemmings rescued by utilising something that you shouldn't be able to do which is to build 'through' a floor if the builder lemming encounters it at waist height -



See how I've done that on the builder in the top-right corner? The timing for this has to be absolutely spot-on / milliseconds!

First please note that the 8 bit versions of lemmings the levels can vary greatly from the 16 bit versions, so videos of PC/Amiga/Megadrive versions are no good because on those versions for this level the entrance is to the far right requiring you to first build over the hole in the floor which we (8-bit) avoid from the start. Anyway...

I have a RZX recording of the Specturm version which is the same layout, number of builders available and same time limit, and by the feel of it based on the same code....

The correct way to do this is as follows -



If you follow exactly the same as this guy has done and end up at the same point - the TIME is down to only a few seconds left!  Not enough to rescue 1 single lemming let along 18 of the suicidal buggers! You'll notice on the CPC screen shot on my 'cheated' version the clock is at 1:12, but by the time builder reaches the top it's down way below that. Only 13 will survive....

**** The clock on the Amstrad version runs QUICKER than the Speccy version - so therefore I believe this is a bug in the game and they did not playtest this level.  *****

So hopefully one of you (Axelino? Metr? etc) can come up with a winning solution! Otherwise my longplay will be a bit ... shit ... admitting defeat on a level! And believe me I've tried over and over with different ways and went to release all the lemmings

HELP!!!

*cries* !!

[Metr]

As I supose in Lemmings you must open your own way no matter what, I wont be exactly legal but I will use the dirty tricks for this one !









As Lemmings never say die (hm or maybe it was the Goonies), you can save the 2 I left using the ladders as you can get some spare. The 'honest spectrum way' is not possible I'm afraid.




And go on for that longplay, you must guide your lemm.. YT followers to victory! They are counting on you! 

[Xyphoe]

AAAaaaarrghh!!!! METR you legend!!! And gawddamnit I had tried that too a few times without success (I must have been early with the 2nd builder) because another bug happened - the lemming got stuck in the vertical wall forever trapped! He was going mental flipping left and right! Yet another bug!!

Thanks so much mate! I'm now terrified I'll find another bugged level later on in the game especially in the final Mayhem levels I've not played them yet, just assumed I would be able to work them out and record it!

[Xyphoe]

And yep that worked! Plus if you use a couple more builders at the start whilst the first is building you can save 20 out of 20

Well done mate!

[Metr]

Hehe yup, I had to try several times because is really easy to get the one building the ladder stuck in the middle of the column, I would say the best choice is to try to end it at the left side of the column, I think that way the column helps the lemmings to "go up" and pass the floor. When I tried to build the ladder between the exit and the column, usually the lemming with the ladder go up the platform but not the rest of them as it has bigger size than the rest of the platforms of the screen where it's easy to make them go through them.


I think that clock issue shouldn't be that way, it should be 5 minutes or slower countdown. But I agree with Syx's point of view that he used with Baby Jo issue, there's a balloon that you can't get normal way, but there's a little chance to get it and pass the screen if you use a trick (with a high % to fail), so as there is a way to end the screen, he did not fix it. With Builderland that in some way it remember me to Lemmings, there was a screen that was not possible to finish, and after study the case hard and as it was different the Atari ST version, he modified the screen.


Don't be terrified if you find another one, I'm sure you will find a way to pass it. And if it is a must, we will probably get a fixed version thanks to you! This kind of longplays are legendary!

[Axelino]

I'm sorry, i saw only today the message on youtube,
i am at my parent's house since thursday ...
I'm reading that the Mighty Metr solved it, so my help is not needed, i am happy for you 

[Xyphoe]

I've now done all the Taxing levels, and yet again I've had to use a couple of 'cheats' or rather 'bugs/bad level design exploits' to complete a couple of levels.

Seriously, I think this is the hardest of all the versions of Lemmings I've played. Sure it moves slower, so therefore they've decreased the time limit for most the levels to compensate. The problem is the level designs are more compact  also but more importantly I don't think they've properly play tested all the levels (like the one this topic is about) - the time limit it at times is simply ridiculous! The final taxing level I had to replay several times over to get the right spot - inching along each time - to dig to temporarily block the lemmings. And I got all them in with 1 second to spare. Even before that I exploited a wall bug where the miner lemming rather weirdly took a chunk out ABOVE his head allowing a higher point to mine downwards making the level completable in the first place! Meh!

[Xyphoe]

With Builderland that in some way it remember me to Lemmings, there was a screen that was not possible to finish, and after study the case hard and as it was different the Atari ST version, he modified the screen.

Metr - I'm embarrased to say I missed your Builderland vid  Sorry!! I'm going to go watch it now I think ... (ps the link in the description for the fixed file is to a Megaupload link - Megaupload have been shut down now by the FBI! So may want to edit that to go to the CPC Power website instead 

[Metr]

Metr - I'm embarrased to say I missed your Builderland vid  Sorry!! I'm going to go watch it now I think ... (ps the link in the description for the fixed file is to a Megaupload link - Megaupload have been shut down now by the FBI! So may want to edit that to go to the CPC Power website instead 

Hehe! Forgot about the megaupload link! Thanks, it should be fixed now
Hate that shut down, I still had 1 year subscription when it happened. It was evil :/


By the time you finish the game, you'll find any other Lemmings game ridiculously easy!
Spartans.. those were softcore compared to Amstrad players

[SyX]

We always send our fixes to CPC Power (since last summer, we have fixed a lot ), you can find a fixed Builderland there and the explanation of the bug

[Xyphoe]

I'm sorry, i saw only today the message on youtube,
i am at my parent's house since thursday ...
I'm reading that the Mighty Metr solved it, so my help is not needed, i am happy for you 

Thanks dude!

Anyway it is nice that us longplayers all joined together to help each other out, very nice in the spirit of the scene and all that


I've now done the TAXING part which is online and you can see this level (and explanation and shoutout from me) at 19:05 -


[AMSTRAD CPC] Lemmings - Longplay (Part 3 of 4 - TAXING Levels)

[Metr]

Not the first time I have wondered about merge everything we got and put everything in order in a site/place for easy searching with guides, tips, reviews, etc, for the games.
We have covered a nice part of the catalogue and we can do it in a nice variety of euro languages

[Xyphoe]

Not the first time I have wondered about merge everything we got and put everything in order in a site/place for easy searching with guides, tips, reviews, etc, for the games.
We have covered a nice part of the catalogue and we can do it in a nice variety of euro languages

Indeed, I've toyed with the idea of doing a new gamebase site to replace CPC Zone (RIP) but focusing on user reviews and also solutions/longplays etc. Maybe one day!

[Xyphoe]

Well... I have hit another snag with another level - with stupid time limit / fast clock

This is Mayhem 07 (level 52) and the code for this is - JNNICMOEFS

You simply do not have enough time to build across the level.

The 'correct' way looking at the Speccy version is literally to build right across up to the first floating platform, then build onto the 2nd platform, then finally to the exit.
Doing the same in the CPC version and you're out of time by the 2nd platform!!

The closest I've got after a few tries is in the attachment building from the bottom spikes up (leaving from the 2nd spike) - but this has still left me no where near the final platform and exit And that's forgetting about all the other 19 lemmings you have to herd together and get up there to rescue!!

Can you help guys???


(ps I'm wondering whether the clock running down too quickly is an emulator issue ... I'm going to try the real disk version when I'm at home tomorrow evening)

[Metr]

Sorry I just see the post when I arrived at work, I'm trying to take a look, and after a few tries I'm like this:



Need to time better the releasing the other lemmings but that just that, a matter of timing to allow they reach the exit platform as the other arrives.
We lose a lot of time with ladders, so I think we should try something like this or in my opinion if that doesnt work we are screwed



If we reduce ladders we get more time, and if we get to 'Kaboom place' we can or just make everyone climbs or maybe the explosion is enough to allow the main stack of lemmings to pass.


Any other option just tell, for now I'll be trying that !

[Metr]

Ok! Explosion is not a great idea for now






It doesnt break the upper part of the last platform, and still not so much time (would need at least to save 15-20 secs) to let the other pass or make though the platform by building more ladders.

[rexbeng]

Could you post screenshots for the complete level map?


rb

[Metr]

rb <-> the level  || the level <-> rb

[rexbeng]

So, without playing it my take is that you have to go for the two platforms at the top. That would mean you have to employ builder upon builder, even if the previous builder hasn't finished building, to prevent any coming lemmings from falling down and to have the ladders beign built higher (and faster as you wouldn't waste time). You need a very long ladder to reach the first platform, but the next two are rather shorter, thus you won't waste time.


Ah, I have to find some time to play this 


rb

[Metr]

If you mean this, we get out of time





As you can see the rest of the lemmings are not a problem, if we get as in the first screenshot with 15-20 secs more, we can time the lemmings trapped to get out of the hole in a pack and get through the exit. The problem is we can't get in time with 1 lemming or save builder time, ladders are so slow and would be best if we figure another way to reduce the number of them that we need.

[rexbeng]

You are right, I actually tested it (oh boy, I have gotten so lame with the joystick control for the pointer...) withought caring about dying lemmings, just to benchmark if it was possible and I too ran out of time just before reaching the final platform...


oh boy.... this is... fun?!


rb

[Metr]

oh boy.... this is... fun?!
rb

Nop, this... is.. MAYHEM ! 


You trying on the real cpc? I was wondering about maybe Xyphoe was right about timer going faster than in real cpc.

[rexbeng]

No, unfortunately it is on an emulator...


rb

[Puresox]

I have managed to save 11 , but lose the rest 


Got no problem getting them to the base it is just preventing loss of lemmings whilst building the bridge .


Route going from first spike to second floating platform ?
I expect someone has achieved this by now , I look forward to seeing the solution...

[Metr]

Can you post a screen to know how you get to the platform in time?

I managed to get one in, maybe with better timing... will need to check again
I had this 18 the platform, losed 1 when I was putting the last step of the ladder but I can solve that, maybe even have the 20, but still need a few secs to get them in