How do you edit the extended graphics sets in Lemmings?

Well, you can open up one of the four official "special grahpics" levels in LemEdit.  LemEdit won't be able to display the terrain because that comes from the extended graphics; however, I believe it will still let you edit certain level data such as the title, skillset, release rate, etc.  Maybe even editing interactive objects and steel areas (but it'd be kinda hard doing that without being able to see the terrain).  Then save the level into your own .dat file.

From what I've seen, it seems that when you use an extended graphics set, all the terrain layout info is taken from the vgaspecX.dat file rather than in the level data, so there's pretty much no way for you to change the terrain without editing or creating your own vgaspecX.dat file.  At this point you're on your own.

As far as I know, they 'extened graphics' sets are simply compressed planar bitmaps (not openable with Paint), so you can't really edit those graphic sets or the levels that use them.

A little off-topic but I've done a repeat of one of the special levels in Cheapo. Can't upload it just yet though.

Patience.

Okay, Here it is. A nasty trick is needed to pass the level within the tight time limit. Most of you probably know what it is anyway.

Attached file:
BeastIII.zip (190 KB)

I've edited the objects and release rates and skills etc of the levels with the extended graphics.Download 1 of my level packs and look at A Beast of a Level strikes back and I edited the objects using the snow graphics.

It would be good if you could see the terrain on an extended graphics level in Lemedit.

Is there any way to find out what program was used for the extended level things?  I know that there are a lot of people on here who know all sorts of weird stuff.

As for myself I have no idea how to hex edit or anything.

It seems to me that we know more about these extended graphics now than we did about 5 months ago.  Imagine being able to create special graphics levels.....

Then again I guess that's why we have cheapo.  Still it would be cool...

(One problem might be the fact that we can no longer use actual lemmings in cheapo...oh well.)

The extended graphics are cool.

You know, there's not only the ones of:

- A Beast of a Level I
- A Beast of a Level II
- Menacing
- This is an AWESOME Level

There's more in Lemmings demos. There's one of PRISMA, something like this... it used the graphics of the pipes from Oh no more Lemmings. The level is green and purple and there's a huge triangle in the center. I don't remember the title. There's another one that used the Crystal graphics from Lemmings. I don't remember the title either.

There's also a unique graphics level in the Sunsoft levels on the Genesis version.

I just found out that I have a hex editor on my computer.  I started messing around with the files on lemmings.  For tricky level 1, I got something that looked like a bunch of multicolored dots.  After the timer reached 3:08, the background became green, but it took about 3 seconds for every pixel to become green, and then everything just started changing colors!  Eventually, it started looping.  Oh, and when this happened the game stopped.  What I did was replace about the first ten characters that weren't .'s with a's in the GROUNDO0.dat file.

Is there some way to tell how changing a number will affect the file?

LOL in other words, you crashed the game.  ;P

basicly you screwed up the animations of objects in the dirt style
afaik the first 448 bytes deal with objects

I used to a hex editor to mess around with the VGASPECx.dat graphics.In the BeastII of a level graphics they all became invisible in the game.The A Beast of a level graphics came out with terrain moved onto other parts of the screen.If anybody manages to edit the terrain in special graphics levels and it turns out good please send them in thanks.

When you use a hex editor to mess with the VGASPECx.dat graphics they just mess up in the game and cause problems.I wished someone knew a good way to edit the VGASPECx.dat graphics.

Well, actually I don't think I really crashed the game...well, I did, but it was still doing stuff, although you couldn't get out of it.

It looked cool.

I'm going to keep messing around just to see what happens.

Oh, and when I edited the ground0 file the levels colors changed even though I didn't change anything after the first 448 bytes.

If you look in these level packs you will find a level with extended graphics.

http://www.geocities.com/jmjm0052005/JMGMpaks.zip

Also you will find a level with extended graphics in TWPAK11.dat which can be downloaded from http://www.garjen.co.uk

Does anyone know a program that edits the Extended graphics?

Cheapo, if you've got the style "MichaelXtnd". Unfortunately it isn't publicly released yet since I'm still waiting on guest to finish the music for it.

I have the songs for the levels in Lemmings that use extended graphics. I have been getting the hang of editing the objects of the levels that use extended graphics. I made a level with extended graphics and edited objects.

Check it here http://www.jx3.net/tdg/shve/levelpics/jm04/5.png

If you use Cheapo, you don't really need to wait for anyone to make a style for you.  Cheapo lets you paste from the clipboard arbitrary bitmaps you copied there.  So starting with a screenshot of the special graphics level in question, you can open it up in MS Paint or something and just copied various portions of it, then paste into the Cheapo level editor.

Besides, why not think about copying graphics from other games instead?  After all, aren't the "special graphics" of Lemmings themselves just copied from various DMA Amiga games?

JM: do you mean that you have the songs in MIDI format? If so could you send them to me? The address is zarathustra47 [at] yahoo.com. Would be much appreciated.


They were, yes; but then, you know that I've already thought about copying graphics from other games; you've seen my Minesweeper and Repton 2 levels.

um, that was a reply to JM actually.

Well, yes. Still worth saying, I thought. :P

I only have the midis for A beast of a level and A BeastII of a level.

I have them somewhere on a CD.When I find them I will give them to you.

Well, I also have the two beast level midis (I downloaded them from guest I think), and the midi of menacing.
Just tell me which of those you need and I'll send them to you.

I haven't got the midi of menacing or the midi of What an AWESOME level. They are the only ones I don't have. Send them to me at thetransplants2@hotmail.com

geo: I'd like all of them. My address is further up this page.

Well, if geoo89 did indeed got them from me, then you should already have them, which also means they haven't been edited for looping and all that other stuff yet.

And I thought I mentioned already that http://www.vgmusic.com has the MIDI for Menacing, which I'm definitely not planning to do since that MIDI is already pretty good to begin with.

Hope I'm wrong though, that way there's less for me to deal with.  ;P

Well, I forgot to say, I also have the .spc music files (I found them anywhere in the internet).
I think it's easier to convert them than .wav to midi.
I also have downloaded a converter, I just need to find out how to work with it and change the instruments (It seems quite easy to handle).
I'll send you my result for awesome as soon and if it is ready.
Ah, and yes, the .spcs sound dfferent from the PC version music files. I hope that doesn't matter.
I also can give you the spcs if you want.

Watch out though, while it's relatively easy (up to a point, depending on how reliable the SPC converter is able to determine the pitches of the individual samples) to generate a listenable MIDI from an SPC with a converter, the resulting MIDI is often extremely difficult to edit.  The MIDI you got from me for "Beast II" for example, was actually a conversion, but I did quite a bit of editing on it before releasing.   The editing was necessary for several reasons, most significant of which is that the converter had major issues handling stereo panning and volumes with that MIDI, thereby forcing me to do a whole bunch of adjustments there.

And more generally, editing is unfortunately pretty much a requirement since Ahribar wants perfect looping.

(Actually, I'm still not sure what to do with the special graphics music when it comes to looping, thanks to Cheapo's buggy handling of MIDI looping in general...)

==============

Still, feel free to make the conversions and post it here.  I could use or not use them based on how much editing they'd need.

Well I'll publish it anywhere when (or maybe if) I get it ready.
Feel free to edit it then to whatever you want.

Thanks geoo89 for sending me the menacing midi file.

Found the others yet?

I have all four songs now.

I also sequenced the song of "A Best of a Level I" and "Menacing!". I'll also make a set in Cheapo with all special levels inside + the same ones but harder.

Graphics will be the same like the Dos version and the songs will be sequenced BY HAND, not using a conversion.

My upcoming level pack will contain A BeastII of a level strikes back. The objects of the pack will be edited.

As I said in another topic,I've made a remake of the Menacing level...it's a very hard level to complete,it requires 100% of your skills,lems and all of that in 4 minutes of time.There's also a terrain trap at the end,and a real trap hidden somewhere else :)

Now,is there someone who could put that file online so I can share it with the rest?Please PM me then I can email it to you or so :)

To give a bit of extra info on the level:

To save: 100%
Time: 4 minutes
Skills: 1 climber,19 builders,2 bashers and 1 digger

Especially the second basher requires good placement,otherwise you won't bash trough the snake.
There's a trap hidden somewhere but I'm not gonna spoil that...
The main worry is on how to keep the lemmings trapped without blockers on the rough terrain...perhaps you need a cunning plan :P

Give me the link to the topic.

Ooh! Please could you send them to me? (If you need the address again, it's zarathustra47 at yahoo dot com.)

Thanks dude I'll give you the songs when I can.

Did you get an e-mail off me about them yet?

Yes; thank you. :D

I've just uploaded the menacing level here:

http://it.travisbsd.org/lemmings/lemmingswelt/index.php
It's a levelpak but with only this level in it,it's "MNC.DAT" you need to download :)

If you played it,please make some remarks on it,I'dd like to make the perfect menace :)

I really like this level. Good use of the crystal graphics.

Have you played on my A beast of a level strikes back level?

Who else has made levels with extended graphics for Custlemm?

I did one IN CHEAPO. A Lemedit version to be in my DOS pack? I don't know, maybe...

When are you uploading your Lemedit pack?

When I either
a) Finish copying that hex code or
b) Create another Levelpak. Got two levels done already. In fact, I think I might create a few levels now. :)

You said in another topic you already had a Lemedit pack. Is that uploaded?

I'm 80% done doing my first complete levelpak...it will contain the "very menacing" level,and I'll also make a remake of Beast of a level or What an awesome level...

The pack will contain some easier levels,but also some very annoying levels.Most levels are quite short.

The titles of the levels I finished:
-Fall before the building (clicking exercise)
-Very menacing !! (quite difficult remake of Menacing!)
-Hurry up! Go down!! (Funny level to watch,medium difficulty)
-Bad arrow (Easy)
-Need any help from above? (Easy if you know how,difficult to figure out)
-Judgment day (My favourite...it contains 10 traps behind eachother,fun to watch)
-Escape the wolf's claw (It could take you ages on how to figure this out...)
-We may not fall down (Difficult remake on the well known "we all fall down" levels...)

2 more levels to fabricate and I'll release my first pack :P


JM,could you tell me in which pack your remake of Beast of a level is?I've played all your packs I think,but I didn't come across your level,possibly because I couldn't beat the level that was standing before it (some of your exits doesn't seem to work).

Don't you know how to read?  :???:

One of ISU's post in that very topic said this already:


The levelpak is the one he can't upload because he couldn't get it off his old computer (null-modem cable didn't work, no floppy, etc.), remember?

Unless there's some other post I missed, that's the only LemEdit set Isu ever mentioned.  He did mention something about Cheapo sets though.

I mentioned a lot of things about Cheapo sets :D!

I was gonna respond to JM's post, but thanks anyway.

My A Beast of a Level remake is in JM04.dat

Also Leviathan I can't wait till you release the level pack I'm looking forward to it. Im making A BeastII of a level remake aswell.

I now remember that Isu could not get a levelpak off his old computer but nevermind.

I've played it now and the water looks really good :)

My version and 9th level is complete now...basically it's gonna be a huge beast of a level...

Title: Greenpiece
Lems: 80
To save: 10
RR: 01
Time: 30 minutes
Skills: 80 blockers,80 bombers,90 builders

It requires good bombing strategics,and a whole lot of your time...I completed the level in 25 minutes.
There's no big room for errors even with your 90 builders...I made an error once,and had 2 builders in spare at the end :)

I could upload A BeastII of a level strikes back onto the internet so you could try it out. I have made a very challenging level on JM16.dat . Cool I can't wait to play your level Greenpiece. I love Lemedit levels.

The water is good on A Beast of a level strikes back. One of my levels is going to probably look a bit like Insane Steve's level Hanukkah Lemmings but I am using Graphics set 2 to make the level. If the original version of Lemmings had water on A beast of a level, then the level would look ace. The same goes for A BeastII of a level.

I was messing about with extended graphics in Lemmings and I came out with some messy but funny extended graphics. I could upload them and people who use them can give me credit.

http://www.geocities.com/jmjm0052005/VGASPEC3Abeastofalevelmessedup.zip

http://www.geocities.com/jmjm0052005/VGASPEC3smallsteps.zip

http://www.geocities.com/jmjm0052005/VGSAPEC3messedupBeastofalevelwitheditedcolour.zip

Download them and tell me what you think. I'm sure someone would probably want to use them in their levels.

http://eng-forum.lemmingswelt.de/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=level_id;action=display;num=1089136533;start=210#210

You can find a BeastII of a level strikes back there.

My last level will be finished later today or tomorrow...I'll make a remake on "dolly dimple"...it's an alternate solution and it was that solution I used when I was little :)

I'll name it "Dolly dimple,not that simple"

That's a cool name for a level. I really want to play on the level.

I think Ahribar already made such a remake, but it was for Cheapo, so go ahead with a LemEdit version.

I'm happy to announce my pack is finished :)

It's located here under the name"levipak1.zip".The zip contains the levelpak and a notepad file with a few hints.

http://it.travisbsd.org/lemmings/lemmingswelt/index.php

I've tested all levels for errors so it should work fine for everyone...just be sure you have the special graphics .dat files (those VGASPEC files) in your Custlem folder as this pack contains a remake on Menacing and Beast of a level.

Feel free to post any comments on how to perfectionalize my levels :)

Liking the levels. They work fine for me. I love the level Greenpiece.

So you've beaten "Judgment day" already...that's fast :)

I had a look through the levels first but I haven't beaten them all yet.

Well If you have downloaded A BeastII of a level strikes back what do you think of it?

Yes -- but I was much less imaginative with the title, I just copied the title "Dangerous balcony" from the Genesis Lemmings remake of that level :P

What in fact is Sunsoft and Genesis?
I know about cheapo which I see as not-original clone of lemmings but I don't know about those other 2.

Would you guys like to review my level pack after Hubbart's one is finished?
I'm really proud of my greenpiece level :)

Sounds like a good idea :D

I am proud of your Green piece level aswell. Are you working on a new level pack?

From time to time I come up with either a nice level name,or a trick I want to see in a level and then when I have lots of time I work around that :)

I was trying to make another version of "introducing superlemming" but in CustLem the level has just its normal speed...

It would be great if the level in Custlemm was fast like it is in ONML Introducing Superlemming.

I'm glad to see you have some nice level work in that pack. Meanwhile I am still working on JM16.dat

I did Introducing Superlemming with dosbox running really slowly. I think I'll try again at normal speed.

Oh right!

If I used that level in Custlemm it would probably look crazy as it won't be fast. But If I used a replica of the level I would make it all different.

Genesis: a Sega console. The Genesis version of Lemmings has around 100 [EDIT: not 80] extra levels not found in the Amiga version.

Sunsoft: (1) The company that made the Genesis version;
(2) The last difficulty category in the Genesis version, mostly equivalent to Taxing difficulty, with some very hard levels towards the end;
(3) The last difficulty category in the SNES version, containing just five extra levels specially selected from the Genesis version;
(4) In descriptions of CustLemm and Cheapo levels, often used, with reference to (3), to mean a difficulty ranking higher than Mayhem.

I was thinking that Sunsoft was the company that made the Genesis version.

I think Sunsoft had a hand on both the Genesis and SNES versions, and possibly other consoles as well (just speculating on the latter statement).

I just said that! :D

I like the Sunsoft difficulty but it is hard LOL. Harder than Mayhem.

I find the Havoc rating harder than most Sunsoft levels...the hardest level I've encountered,EVER is "the race against cliches"... I keep running out of time whatever I do...same happens with "fall and no life part 2" from one of Garjen's packs.

I don't have a clue on how to beat the first "fall and no life"...in part 2 I come pretty close but as I said,I run out of time :(

Insane Steve's levels are extremely hard. I can't get passed Seperation Anxiety,A BeastIV of a level or A JUGAR!.

I hope he finishes the walkthroughs for the rest of his levelpaks.

Um, as I said, depends on if you're talking about the Genesis or SNES "Sunsoft" difficulty. The Genesis one is probably easier than Amiga Mayhem, and certainly easier than Genesis Mayhem (a lot of the unique Mayhem levels are also very tough)......... and vastly easier than Mac Mayhem, with its next-to-impossible version of "The Steel Mines of Kessel"! Although of course all this is very subjective.........

http://eng-forum.lemmingswelt.de/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=level_id;action=display;num=1123741312

Check that for a program the edits the extended graphics sets in Lemmings.