Custom Map: Nice Job 10: The Teacher

[UpperKEES]

Yeah, that's exactly what the description says:

Hey just (re)came across this map and noticed that your teaching Einstein's theory to elementary school kids.

Although you rather elaborate on Einstein's theories (see blackboard), good jobs are hard to get, so you are a teacher at an elementary school today.

Oh, and if you put 2 blasters at the top and bottom of Odin city, you can prevent the creeper from going behind you, so you can then use that land.

This time the start will be easier as you only need 2 blasters to defend the teacher's desk.

Only after a couple of minutes you need to add a third blaster to the desk, because the creeper level has gone up to 4. I guess most people play it like that (add use all remaining energy to build more reactors). Once I start fighting I don't build a single reactor, just speed nodes, blasters and collectors.

Edit: so where's your score?

[ctuna]

UK: Thanks for the advice and the encouragement. I finally finished it, embarrassingly at 40 minutes, but at least finished. I'll beat that, with practice, as you suggest. I'm finding it tough to be patient enough to bank the energy necessary, but that's part of the learning, I guess (school was hard, as I recall, 50 years ago).

[UpperKEES]

UK: Thanks for the advice and the encouragement. I finally finished it, embarrassingly at 40 minutes, but at least finished.

Nothing to be embarrassed about; you finished! I like your perseverance (I noticed you played The Chemist 8 times and ended up at place 7.) 

I'll beat that, with practice, as you suggest. I'm finding it tough to be patient enough to bank the energy necessary, but that's part of the learning, I guess (school was hard, as I recall, 50 years ago).

See it like this: when you have a little patience at the start, you won't need that much patience during the rest of the map!

Thanks for playing and keep learning.

[ctuna]

Yep, as I see progress, I'm encouraged. And as I receive encouragement, I make progress. Is that irony or simply life?

[UpperKEES]

It's a positive spiral; I experience the same thing (for many things in life). When I like something I want to know everything and get better. When I improve and know more, I like it even better. That's why I believe you should never have a job you don't like.

It's also the reason I rather encourage people and emphasize positive aspects than only mention negative remarks. I have much more pleasure making maps when people appreciate them, so I try to do the same myself and keep everybody happy.

[ctuna]

Well, it's taken a while for me to appreciate some of your maps from the strategy standpoint, since I've had such a hard time with them. I have always admired the look, and especially the concepts, of the NJ series (although I'm just starting to get comfortable with playing the easier ones). I am starting to listen for the subtleties in the remarks and tips. I especially enjoyed the AWACS radar indicator in The Squad Leader. I never noticed a blaster doing that before; is it built-in, or something you added?

A side note: in the USAF, if you're flying as the leader of this bunch, you would be probably be called either a squadron commander or a flight leader, depending on the size of your force.

[UpperKEES]

Well, it's taken a while for me to appreciate some of your maps from the strategy standpoint, since I've had such a hard time with them. I have always admired the look, and especially the concepts, of the NJ series (although I'm just starting to get comfortable with playing the easier ones). I am starting to listen for the subtleties in the remarks and tips.

I think that goes for quite some players. People who just finished the in-game CW maps and think they can beat any custom map without a problem now might get disappointed or even frustrated. That's why I started giving those tips, so they can improve gradually (without giving it all away I hope). Until today I'm still surprised with the number of players that finished NJ-1, because that map isn't that easy. I think most people just feel relaxed because it's almost impossible to kill yourself, so you can take as much time as you like. When I would have published NJ-3 (The Farmer) first (that was the first map I created) no-one would probably have continued playing my maps, because it turned out a lot harder than I imagined.

Regarding the concepts: I've indeed tried some 'new' things (and still do that), but the drawback is that some experiments aren't always appreciated, because it's not what people expect, so they give up (and I can't expect others to spend as much time on CW as I do myself). Some other maps apparently were a bit CPU intensive for players with a somewhat slower computer.

I especially enjoyed the AWACS radar indicator in The Squad Leader. I never noticed a blaster doing that before; is it built-in, or something you added?

Thanks. I created it myself (when you would open the map in the map editor you would find 4 very weak emitters underneath Odin City ). NJ-5: The Clockmaker is actually the first map that uses it.

A side note: in the USAF, if you're flying as the leader of this bunch, you would be probably be called either a squadron commander or a flight leader, depending on the size of your force.

The title of the map refers to the task of the player (not the squadron commander) and I didn't know a better name for the leader of an anti-terrorist squad (who often operates on the ground I guess). Maybe I should have asked my dad, as he has been with the Dutch Air Force for more than 40 years.

[eudrick]

Now that was interesting.   Gonna have to dissect this one with the map editor.... lots of things to learn here.  Ta!

[UpperKEES]

Now that was interesting.   Gonna have to dissect this one with the map editor.... lots of things to learn here.  Ta!

Glad you liked that effect!

I know you're creating some maps yourself at the moment, so just let me know if you have some questions....