This topic is for discussion of map #872: Nebula
(http://knucklecracker.com/particlefleet/queryMaps.php?query=thumbnailid&id=872)
Author: Sorrontis
Size: 320x320
Desc:
Enter the Nebula; you may not come out the same. #PRPL #NoLand #Plasma #FewEnergySources #HotKeys
Still no completion? :P I guess I'll give a few hints. 8)
At least try a couple times before checking these
- Use your "K" hotkey sparingly - the enemy gets stronger as you use it.
- Use your "L" hotkey intelligently - it can save your life.
- Struc is your friend. It's a useful defense and offense mechanism.
- No point in turtling. Don't be afraid to lose ships (except maybe Exp. 55).
- Ships were all designed for quick rebuild, except for Exp.55 and Point Defense. Know what to sacrifice and when.
Spoiler
The instability is random - don't look for a pattern. However, there's a warning, so prepare for impact.
Spoiler
The corner explosions only happen once each, and they aren't that deadly. They're just there to keep you on your toes.
Spoiler
I estimate that the best time will be in the 13-15 minute range, with most players between 25-40 minutes. Let's see if I'm right :)
Oh... "L", not "I". Actually hitting the right key might help!
Quote from: careo on August 16, 2017, 01:04:48 AM
Oh... "L", not "I". Actually hitting the right key might help!
Ha, I see that. I take full responsibility ;)
This map was so good that it forced me to come out of lurking to post here =P
Quote from: Tunnen on August 18, 2017, 11:41:53 PM
This map was so good that it forced me to come out of lurking to post here =P
Woohoo! Thanks!
14minute-ish. Tunnen, you're on a roll! My prediction was right!
You managed to make a map where I actually wanted to replay it multiple times in order to try to beat my time. Then I saw your prediction and felt I had to try to get there. =P
I have no clue if you can beat that time though :)
Sorry, Sorrontis - I'd been putting this off after the first attempt, forgotten why, and decided to have a go. I found it was the frame rate.
For now, I'm wondering what I should have been doing about those three attack craft. The cannon can deal with one, but the others seem to be too strong for conventional weaponry. (Ramming would work, if the rammer wasn't torn apart by cannonfire. The defence grid doesn't recharge in time for the second wave.) So far the best I have done is a full complement of ships (not full charge) and the top area under control, with the Struc belt finishing. The second triplet then proceeds to wipe everything. The first fell to the defence grid and some ramming.
So, for my own benefit (and possibly some confused others) ... what have I missed at this early stage?
First wave is defense grid. Second wave, look at the movement and prepare struc to be 100% in it's way, and add a couple side ramming for good measure. You should have been able to grab both sides of the map before the second wave hits the center. The type of struc is key.
Ah. So I just need to capture the Struc faster.
I get the impression that only some of those flip-Emitters actually make Struc, while the rest consume lathe time and complete the pattern.
Quote from: GoodMorning on September 26, 2017, 08:12:59 PM
Ah. So I just need to capture the Struc faster.
I get the impression that only some of those flip-Emitters actually make Struc, while the rest consume lathe time and complete the pattern.
Nope, all flips create struc ... unless I forgot to click one of them.
Well, an near-complete, prepared, Struc-channeled fleet just got wiped. Those guns tear through a Struc net just as fast as through ships.
The first wave, the defence grid was there to distract the guns, so I didn't need to fire a shot. The second wave, the central ship was stopped by the block about the central mine. The other two survived.
What did you mean by "sides" previously? The top sections connected to the Struc, or the Ship/Emitter/Doppel groups further down? Or the particle bursts in the lower corners?
I took the right side, down to bottom right and get the two shippickup and amp gems on the way. On the left, all the way down to the center left energy source. This I had done before the second wave started moving.
Randomness just ruins this map... as soon as I made any progress it just wiped the map with square particles and there was nothing i could do. Even with a warning and all the ships I could build, sitting next to each other with energy to spare, they all blew up immediately and there was no recovering because as soon as that happened the ships flew in and camped the energy mines.
Hitting L saved me one time, but charged too slow to be any use for the second time, and by the third time it happened I just quit.
When you wipe the entire map like that with nothing you can do to stop it the map just isn't fun
Thanks for the review, Nehrak.
I can understand this is not your type of map, hopefully you'll find something else to your liking on the exchange.
Good map, though I don't like the randomness too much. If bad stuff happens on a timer or because you trigger it somehow, even if it eats your entire fleet, you learn and can plan for it next try. Can't do that nearly as well with random stuff, and there's a temptation for savescumming.
I like the resource mechanic itself, paying for energy with more enemies was an interesting tradeoff all the way to the end.
The three attacking ships:
Spoiler
I painted in my entire starting area with armored struc, all the way from the top of the map to the start of the enemy struc, and kept the two ships without engines in there. I occasionally lost one of the side mines but those are easy enough to take back. The struc will destroy the ships either coming or going, and later when the entire area is actually filled in they have no chance. Note that if you are in a bit of a tight situation you can ram them, especially if they're already damaged. I took out a few just with a discharger ship.
My route:
Spoiler
First time I did multiple expeditions down the left and right side but eventually ended up bogged down and decided to restart. Second time, I went down the left side, took the bottom left for a forward base, then went directly across the bottom to the ship spawners and took them out. Then up the middle, taking the particle spawners below the center. That bit will survive explosions once things are cleared out a bit so it's a good second base. Only then I took the bottom right and went back up. This was a pretty decent route.
Taking the center took rather long though, I had to do multiple charges to get rid of the ships there, with a lot of time spent recharging everything. There's enough energy with the trade mechanic, but it just doesn't go into the ships fast enough. There is probably a better tactic than what I did.
9/10 tough map
Sometimes it helps to read first.
I used the "K" key like a Starbucks addict uses the restroom. I figured, "Hey, why not?"
Answer: The enemy rebuilds armor so fast after you use it so frequently that not much will kill it. I ended up ramming each ship with about 4 shielded ships simultaneously while firing on it with the two cannon ships and the MK7 ship.
I will probably want to replay this immediately after doing my own spinal surgery using the rustiest tools in my shed. I'll let ya know when that happens.
Cool map though! ;D