Custom Map #1283: PACursor 4: Stargate. By: Heritor

Started by AutoPost, April 09, 2021, 08:54:17 AM

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This topic is for discussion of map #1283: PACursor 4: Stargate


Author: Heritor
Size: 400x163

heritor

There are a couple of new things on this map - spoilers below.

Can't work out how to get into the base?
Spoiler
There's an Impeller just next to the dam, and the only way to get to it is to get creeper directly behind the dam, so it can flow through (just like a real dam).
[close]
AI is too hard, can't get to the dam?
Spoiler
As soon as you get past the mesh, work your way up to the top of the map and the flip breeder there. Run your cursor up along the top of the map, take out the mrift at the top, then work your way around to the front of the dam where the 4 ERN'd terps are - they're easily destroyed and will net you some more power. Then destroy the second nearby mrift, which should cut off all power to the sections on either side of the canyon
[close]
Where does the
Spoiler
impeller
[close]
go to?
Spoiler
Look up the top of the map, and focus creeper on the impeller - you should see after not too long that the ship innocently parked up there has gone, along with the platform - hidden underneath is the output, plus a link to the first stargate.
[close]
Where to next?
Spoiler
Following normal stargate rules, check the line when you hover on the stargate - it'll take you down the very bottom-right of the screen, which links you to another impeller. This then leads you into the base.
[close]
Can't get past the
Spoiler
Blasted Lands in the middle
[close]
?
Spoiler
Try diverting off to the right first, taking out the bertha sitting there behind walls, then going through the stargate and take out the airstrips, berthas and rockets to reduce the constant assault in the middle.
[close]
I can't run creeper over the concrete walls?
Spoiler
Correct, they're designed to block both creeper and AC to make a proper maze.
[close]

Anything else, any suggestions, comments, thoughts, sincere offerings towards my sudden and inexplicable death, I'd love to hear them :)
Pro wrestler, graphic designer, video editor, programmer, cat daddy, game designer - I'm more caffeine than man.

dwilkinson

This was good. took me 4.5 hours(including lag). Felt very satisfying to snake my way inside the base to cut the frontlines off from supply. and after flooding(and placing an emitter on top of) the factory, i just cleaned up the m-rifts and the resistance faded away. By that point however i confused myself as i forgot it turned AC into power. i was wondering for about 10 minuted how it has so much power when all it controlled was the 2 little islands.

Jican

This falls flat. First, there are locations you can not snake your way into There are some pipes that are completely closed, you will have to force your way in with blobs, skimmers, spores. However, there is no real way to do that because the walls only block AC and Creep. This does not stop the enemy from supplying through the walls, which means constant emitters, cannons, sprayers bombarding your creep from locations you can not stop. This also prevents you from ever completely taking a location, since they can supply from outside your area of effect. Any location you may have will soon be attacked from outside and lost. There is no way to starve the enemy of power.

Creator, look, I love the PAC mode, but a long drawn out game is not always fun. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I enjoy having to think outside the box, but when a map begins to take over an hour, it's drawn out too much. The person above who took 4.5 hours to complete it? Not everyone has that kind of time or commitment. I think I'm going to have to stop playing your maps, they all seem to have the same theme of being drawn out.

heritor

Quote from: Jican on April 09, 2021, 12:50:27 PM
There are some pipes that are completely closed
This part worries me the most - can you point out where it's closed off? I did a lot of testing to try and make sure I didn't miss anywhere (as that was a complaint from my last map, not being able to claim everywhere).

It is hard to fully claim a room in this map, especially early-on - later on, as you start taking down the berthas and capturing multiple rooms, you'll find it becomes slightly easier.

Looking at the rest of the PAC maps, I do feel mine are the hardest - and I create them that way because it's what I myself enjoy (my favourite CW3 maps were yum234's CSM maps) and I find there's not many of them at the moment.

Pro wrestler, graphic designer, video editor, programmer, cat daddy, game designer - I'm more caffeine than man.

knightace

All stargates are linked; I'm not sure what they meant by closed off. I slogged through this map (<2 hours) and didn't have any that weren't connected to proper output locations.

That said; I didn't follow the strategy below. I get the complaint about being attacked by all sides and unable to hold ground...because my god the number of times I peaked back through what I held and muttered "No. No. No. No." shoving them back out again. Half my time was spent reclaiming. I think the worst of it was #4 - if I missed the anticreep breeder being retaken I had to dedicate minutes to reclaiming the territory again.

The route I took was:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 8, 7, 10, 6, 11, 12, 15, 13, 14, 17, 16, 18, 19

so...it's possible to take many routes; but it's a slog to hold whatever you take rather than work on a next puzzle. I'm very thankful the AI didn't swing behind me and recapture the badlands to the left...that would've been even more frustrating. Instead it completely ignored it.

Jican

Quote from: heritor on April 09, 2021, 01:17:02 PM

This part worries me the most - can you point out where it's closed off? I did a lot of testing to try and make sure I didn't miss anywhere (as that was a complaint from my last map, not being able to claim everywhere).


I'll play again and see. I'll draw myself a map, perhaps I just missed one that may have lead to the others.

Nope, just checked, drew a map. Check attachment, putting it in chat isn't working for me. 7 leads to 8 9 and 10, but none of those have anything attached to anything at all.

Malignantmind

Can confirm that all pipes/stargates are linked. There was never any portion of the map I couldn't get to.

That said, this was an absolute slog and not particularly enjoyable. Once I realized it was hopeless to actually hold any area within the walls, it went a bit smoother though. Just keep pushing forward to take out refineries/rockets/berthas/the factory and you'll get it. Would have finished at just under 1 1/2 hours, but once I got to the rift lab I just destroyed the micro rift there and then went back and flooded everything out of spite. So that added another 15-20 minutes. 

Jican

Quote from: Malignantmind on April 09, 2021, 04:15:57 PM
Can confirm that all pipes/stargates are linked. There was never any portion of the map I couldn't get to.

That said, this was an absolute slog and not particularly enjoyable. Once I realized it was hopeless to actually hold any area within the walls, it went a bit smoother though. Just keep pushing forward to take out refineries/rockets/berthas/the factory and you'll get it. Would have finished at just under 1 1/2 hours, but once I got to the rift lab I just destroyed the micro rift there and then went back and flooded everything out of spite. So that added another 15-20 minutes.

Tell me what I'm missing with the picture I created. There is nothing attached to 8 9 or 10, which 7 is attached to. They may be all linked to something, but you can't just go from one place to the next in a line. You are forced to stop and use launchers instead of just emitters and your cursor.

dwilkinson

#9
Quote from: Jican on April 09, 2021, 04:30:46 PM

Tell me what I'm missing with the picture I created. There is nothing attached to 8 9 or 10, which 7 is attached to. They may be all linked to something, but you can't just go from one place to the next in a line. You are forced to stop and use launchers instead of just emitters and your cursor.
Actually, i never used any launchers, i pushed with just cursor and emitters, i carried on through the same route as shown in the pic, then when i got to the black stargates(also marked with black lines in your pic) i worked to flood all 3 areas at once(difficult, and unneccesary), i should've focused on the main Liftic production area(9) and worked from there. The reason it took me so long was because i was not paying attention and ended up fighting the same room 3 or 4 times. Or i got screwed over by some well-placed orbitals.
After i eventually got 9 by ignoring my previous work and focusing on that one room, destroying nullified emitters and moving them further in. i moved back to re-capture my way in from the entrance. and then fought my way through the yellow stargate in 11 to get to 12, push across the AC breeder to the orange stargate, and then keep going until you get to the White stargate so you can kill the Factory. from there, kill m-rifts and the defences shut down on their own.

Most stargate maps will have multiple paths that take some effort to figure out. it may not seem like there's a way forward, but there will be a way, it could be a roundabout way instead of a straight line.

For the record. i very much enjoyed my 4.5 hours on this map. i think it's great that large PAC maps are back. i loved the large and complicated PAC maps in CW3. They aren't for everyone though, that's what the "long" tag is for.
EDIT: I also loved playing yum234's CSM maps aswell, especially the longer ones.

SomeITGuy

Love all your maps as a quick note...

Now to the stupid question... how does the mesh work? it doesnt seem to do anything for me in any of the maps. I didnt have luck finding info on it. In CW3 it was obvious, in CW4 im at a loss.

dwilkinson

#11
Quote from: SomeITGuy on April 09, 2021, 05:07:17 PM
Love all your maps as a quick note...

Now to the stupid question... how does the mesh work? it doesnt seem to do anything for me in any of the maps. I didnt have luck finding info on it. In CW3 it was obvious, in CW4 im at a loss.
When you say it didn't do anything i am assuming you connected an emitter to it(emitters make mesh under themselves but only under the base so it's not really visible), and that you flooded the area you want to build mesh with atleast 1 depth creep to activate it. Beyond that is your game up-to-date?
EDIT: just checked again. you can't place orders for mesh unless there is creep there, it's not a matter of "activating" the build order with creep, as it was in older PAC maps.

Jerle

Thanks for the maps I like your others but this one just was not fun with the concrete walls.  The AI supply/shoot through the walls had me cussing the whole way through.  Gain a few feet, go back to reinforce what you have taken then move a few more feet is just not enjoyable.

Jican

Quote from: dwilkinson on April 09, 2021, 05:03:41 PM
Quote from: Jican on April 09, 2021, 04:30:46 PM

Tell me what I'm missing with the picture I created. There is nothing attached to 8 9 or 10, which 7 is attached to. They may be all linked to something, but you can't just go from one place to the next in a line. You are forced to stop and use launchers instead of just emitters and your cursor.
Actually, i never used any launchers, i pushed with just cursor and emitters, i carried on through the same route as shown in the pic, then when i got to the black stargates(also marked with black lines in your pic) i worked to flood all 3 areas at once(difficult, and unneccesary), i should've focused on the main Liftic production area(9) and worked from there. The reason it took me so long was because i was not paying attention and ended up fighting the same room 3 or 4 times. Or i got screwed over by some well-placed orbitals.
After i eventually got 9 by ignoring my previous work and focusing on that one room, destroying nullified emitters and moving them further in. i moved back to re-capture my way in from the entrance. and then fought my way through the yellow stargate in 11 to get to 12, push across the AC breeder to the orange stargate, and then keep going until you get to the White stargate so you can kill the Factory. from there, kill m-rifts and the defences shut down on their own.

Most stargate maps will have multiple paths that take some effort to figure out. it may not seem like there's a way forward, but there will be a way, it could be a roundabout way instead of a straight line.

For the record. i very much enjoyed my 4.5 hours on this map. i think it's great that large PAC maps are back. i loved the large and complicated PAC maps in CW3. They aren't for everyone though, that's what the "long" tag is for.
EDIT: I also loved playing yum234's CSM maps aswell, especially the longer ones.

Ok, you must be referring to number 9. I am actually in 9 right now and that is where I am attempting to push with launchers. How did you push with anything there? Nothing connects to there from the location you come in from, so I'm a bit confused by what you mean.

dwilkinson

#14
Quote from: Jican on April 09, 2021, 06:41:56 PM
Quote from: dwilkinson on April 09, 2021, 05:03:41 PM
Quote from: Jican on April 09, 2021, 04:30:46 PM

Tell me what I'm missing with the picture I created. There is nothing attached to 8 9 or 10, which 7 is attached to. They may be all linked to something, but you can't just go from one place to the next in a line. You are forced to stop and use launchers instead of just emitters and your cursor.
Actually, i never used any launchers, i pushed with just cursor and emitters, i carried on through the same route as shown in the pic, then when i got to the black stargates(also marked with black lines in your pic) i worked to flood all 3 areas at once(difficult, and unneccesary), i should've focused on the main Liftic production area(9) and worked from there. The reason it took me so long was because i was not paying attention and ended up fighting the same room 3 or 4 times. Or i got screwed over by some well-placed orbitals.
After i eventually got 9 by ignoring my previous work and focusing on that one room, destroying nullified emitters and moving them further in. i moved back to re-capture my way in from the entrance. and then fought my way through the yellow stargate in 11 to get to 12, push across the AC breeder to the orange stargate, and then keep going until you get to the White stargate so you can kill the Factory. from there, kill m-rifts and the defences shut down on their own.

Most stargate maps will have multiple paths that take some effort to figure out. it may not seem like there's a way forward, but there will be a way, it could be a roundabout way instead of a straight line.

For the record. i very much enjoyed my 4.5 hours on this map. i think it's great that large PAC maps are back. i loved the large and complicated PAC maps in CW3. They aren't for everyone though, that's what the "long" tag is for.
EDIT: I also loved playing yum234's CSM maps aswell, especially the longer ones.

Ok, you must be referring to number 9. I am actually in 9 right now and that is where I am attempting to push with launchers. How did you push with anything there? Nothing connects to there from the location you come in from, so I'm a bit confused by what you mean.
Once you get some creep into 9 then babysit it with the cursor a little until you can get emitters down to hold ground, work your way around to the other side with the runways, and then push from that side to the side you entered from, since the stargate could end up pushing AC again as it connects 4 rooms. and from there it's about cutting off the connections through walls by filling rooms in order.
EDIT: if you are wondering how to get creep in there in the first place, i pushed through 6 to 7(blue stargate), then went into 8 to kill some berthas and rockets while i was nearby(through the black stargate in 7), and then went into 9 also through the black stargate.