Custom Map #1318: Mirror Mirror

[AutoPost]

This topic is for discussion of map #1318: Mirror Mirror


Author: Bongo

Desc:
*** HINTS *** * On the left side you can only get past most rooms, don't wast time killing Creeper you don't have to. * You may have to attack from both sides at once to kill the right side Emitters. * Don't block or kill the digger on the bottom until it opens the right side. * The right side opens at 20:00 automatically if you haven't freed the bottom digger by then.

[teknotiss]

love this map. great fun, and i somehow took longer on my second go at it ???
also love the psychadelic swirlies particularly. good one dude  8)

[Bongo]

I beta test my maps a lot to fine tune things (like Emitter strengths and max densities). I probably played every room (left and right) about 5 times and the whole map about 5 times. I don't think that gives me any advantage over someone who has played the map twice (with a few reloads).

I just expect every other player to be better than me. I've only been playing this game for 4 months. I'm used to very complicated first person shooters or real time strategies. In games like that it can take years to learn all the ins and outs of a game and how to deal with various maps (and how to adapt to new maps).

I tried to make this map so that players shouldn't have to spend more than 4:00 on any one of the 12 zones (36:00 max) in order to keep from getting boring.

Are these 40:00+ people not saving and going back when they mess up? Is it that with so many fields that the Field Viewer is almost worthless? Is not being able to explicitly see the fields that much of a disadvantage? Are people not taking advantage of the free Anti-Creeper?

I would appreciate any input. ;)

[RichieRich]

Lovely map thanks.

I'd love to see a youtube of that being done under 20 mins.

[Helper]

"Are people not taking advantage of the free Anti-Creeper?"

When I saw the AC spreading across to the right side and blocking packet access to the top right "x" block, I re-started and tried winning without using the Makers.

After several dismal failures without it, I started producing Makers and had 2-3 in every cell down the left side.

At the 20 minute mark, I was surprised to see everything open up on the right side - then just started building/attacking all the Emitters.

This was a very interesting concept for a map and I will definitely give it another go.

Thank you for putting it together.

[Strubbel]

Are these 40:00+ people not saving and going back when they mess up?

I can only speak for myself ;) I don't care about the time I need for a specific map... I just play for fun :D
And your map was real fun ;) Nice idea of the general concept and funny play with the fields, especially the teleporting AC to the right... ^^ Really enjoyed that :D

[Con Badger]

For my part, I couldn't beat the last room.

[Bongo]

The last room is easy compared to the rest of the map:

Spoiler

1. Make sure you have at least a few crystals to get past the 60 energy / second limit.
2. If you haven't already cleared out the middle bottom non grid section you can do so by attacking the left side through the bottom wormholes.
3. Only attack one side of the grid.
4. Attack on both sides of the map (remember each side is reversed). I usually attack the outside.
5. Use at least 8 Makers against the outside. The top Anti-Emitter can only support 6 so put some Makers on vacuum next to the defeated top room Anti-Emitter.
6. Work down the side with rows of 4 Blasters and 1 Launcher against the side of the map. The left side can do without the Launchers.
7. Finally in the cleared out bottom section make 2 Nullifiers and 1 Rift. If you position your units correctly you should be able to eventually get enough packets through to make one. A closer rift in the middle of your units will help a little...

[close]

...or you can just defeat the left side in less than 20 minutes (actually about 13)  which gives you 2 billion units of Anti-Creeper, and then defeat the right side in less than 20 minutes before the grid is made. :P

[SmileyCoder]

Very interesting map. I absolutely loved playing it, except for when I seemed to get stuck around 15 min, not having enough energy to move forward while containing the existing emitters, and had to wait for the 20 min "mark".

I will give it another go and see if I can make it to the bottom before the 20 min mark.

Thanks for a most excellent map which I can see that you spent alot of time perfecting!


Edit: tried it again, but I simply can't get the setup right in order to "proceed" past the first few rooms. What setups do you use for containing the creeper for the first 2 emitters? You must be using a setup requiring less energy then me.

[Bongo]

Sorry you can't beat it, and thanks for the compliment.

When I start the map I make a Micro-Rift between every room and select all the gems. The spaces between the rooms are creeper safe. (On the left) every time a Micro-Rift is completed I abandon that room and move to the next. There is no need to 'contain' the Creeper. It's a little harry doing the middle three rooms on the left ('right stream', 'pinwheel', 'back and forth') but you can retreat back to the safe (empty) 'wavy line' room and build up your energy, heal, and build new units, through the rifts, if you have to. You don't have to defeat the rooms on the left you just have to clear enough Creeper to let the Packets build the next Micro-Rift.

Good luck! :)

[SmileyCoder]

which gives you 2 billion units of Anti-Creeper, and then defeat the right side in less than 20 minutes before the grid is made. :P

How do you get 2 billion units of Anti-Creeper?

[Bongo]

If you open up the left before 20:00 two billions units of Anti-Creeper is transported from around the Digger to the top of both picture rooms. This usually destroys about 99% of both rooms.

After 20:00 the Emitter next to the Digger makes 2 billion units of Creeper so that the digger can open up the right side if you haven't by then.

It was designed to be a reward for finishing the left side before 20:00 (like avoiding the Creeper grid is a reward for finishing the right side before 20:00). That way people have something to work for but the map isn't impossible for less experienced players who are slower.

Good luck!

[SmileyCoder]

Ahh of course, I just didn't realise until you said it (And at which point I calculated it) that the 83000k per subcell x 12 subcells x 2 sides actually came to that much.

Thank you. I did manage to get to the bottom and score 18+ min, by abandoning the rooms as I went. Im having a 4th go at it now :P

EDIT: Managed to squeeze time to 16.04, but of course there is someone who is juuuust 4 seconds faster then me. DAM!