Custom Map #195: Liberation Pinball

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This topic is for discussion of map #195: Liberation Pinball


Author: UpperKEES

Desc:
Difficulty: Expert Only. This map allows for a multitude of possible strategies. It offers lots of free space, so you can move anywhere, but so can the Creeper! Where do you start? What artifacts and techs do you collect first? Will you be ready in time to stay safe? Feel free to post your strategy in the map comments at the KnuckleCracker forums, because I'm not sure about the best approach myself! Many thanks to MadMag for creating the awesome graphics!

[UpperKEES]

Title:	Liberation Pinball
Difficulty:	Expert Only
Height:	80 rows
Enemies:	Creeper, drones, phantoms, dig packets
Remarks:	This map allows for a multitude of possible strategies. It offers lots of free space, so you can move anywhere, but so can the Creeper! Where do you start? What artifacts and techs do you collect first? Will you be ready in time to stay safe? Feel free to post your strategy in the map comments at the KnuckleCracker forums, because I'm not sure about the best approach myself! Many thanks to MadMag for creating the awesome graphics!
Description:	Whahaha! You have landed your liberation ship at the wrong spot, mortal human! Welcome to my evil pinball machine with balls made out of solid Creeper. Prepare to die soon.... I enjoy to see you struggle a little longer, so I'll explain a bit how this machine works: 1. A new ball will be launched automatically when you lose one. 2. Each time a ball hits a red sensor, an evil drone will be released. Every 5 minutes their health (max 10) and speed (max 5) will increase. 3. Each time a ball hits an orange sensor, an evil dig packet will be released. 4. After 3 minutes 3 phantoms will be released from the top left. After that 3 phantoms will be released every 2 minutes, alternating between the top right and top left. 5. Not all techs are available from the start, so you'll have to obtain them. Please note that one of the techs has a build limit. 6. Before you collect any crystals, nanochips, techs and other artifacts, have a look at their cost and reward, because these may differ from what you're used to. 7. Two fields will pull the Creeper towards the capsules, so make sure you keep them safe. 8. After 20 minutes the orange sensors will both release a heavy drone (100 health, double speed) when touched by the free ball. Tip 1: Move your Liberation Ship close to the action. This will not only save you time, but also prevent the loss of packets. Tip 2: Remember to save your game frequently.... You'll need it! Did you ever play a pinball machine without losing in the end? Whahaha! Time to die now, monkey breed!
Download page:	Liberation Pinball
Screen shot: (click to enlarge)

[Kithros]

I pretty much rushed to get the ore rig, then worked on nullifiers+shields. I haven't finished it yet but I've nullified both the digging gateways before they let any emitters free, so it's mostly a matter of time for me now. I used shields to block most of the pinball (it really annoyed me that the pinball fields move too fast so the shields can't block the entire pinball, but oh well) and then I let the pinball teleport the creeper from the bottom over to the far right which made it a lot easier/faster to advance on the bottom (at the expense of needing to fight the creeper on the far right of course).

EDIT: My game bugged out now and I can only use the normal build directions now - it shouldn't be hard to beat still but my time is screwed now :/

[Link327]

omg.
I dont get anything in this map....i got the ore rig, well, but then when i try to get the maker, i see there is alrdy an emitter harrasing the field!
Totally agree on "expert only", well, im not an expert
Dont take it wrong, i LOVE this map.
Well, just too heavy for me xD

[Colin]

I'm going to have to try a few more times . . . The
Creeper keeps coming out before I can mine the
nullifier.

Great map UpperKEES! 

[Miss Melissa]

yah.. im clearly not an expert either, but ill keep trying from time to time.. someday itll happen! i dont necessarily want any tips yet, i still have a few ideas to try out. great looking map, excellent use of fields. thanks

[FR-seratna]

Ouaa! This map is really beautiful, I guess the time spent on it, and really respect!

[Ebon Heart]

we finally get to see the insane UpperKEES map! Hurray! Too bad my computer's crashed. Fate's a (insert word here)

[UpperKEES]

I pretty much rushed to get the ore rig, then worked on nullifiers+shields. I haven't finished it yet but I've nullified both the digging gateways before they let any emitters free, so it's mostly a matter of time for me now. I used shields to block most of the pinball (it really annoyed me that the pinball fields move too fast so the shields can't block the entire pinball, but oh well) and then I let the pinball teleport the creeper from the bottom over to the far right which made it a lot easier/faster to advance on the bottom (at the expense of needing to fight the creeper on the far right of course).

Yep, experts will find their way to rush things. I do this myself as well.... First this wasn't possible, but I figured the map would then be too hard for the average player. I moved the shield tech about 20 rows up, so shields can be used for the chambers too (which wasn't my original intend).

Of course I limited the amount of shields so you can't block the entire pinball. This is something you'll experience even more in the last part of the map (albeit less when the terrain above the bottom right emitter hasn't been dug out). "The venom is in the tail" as we say here, so you'll have to develop a special technique for the final part. I never played frame by frame (using the N-key) by the way, so I'm sure there's still lots of time to gain. I guess this map can be finished in about 15 minutes.

EDIT: My game bugged out now and I can only use the normal build directions now - it shouldn't be hard to beat still but my time is screwed now :/

Yep, this happened to me as well one time. Virgil knows about it and already has a fix in the works (a minor issue regarding loading a saved game).

[UpperKEES]

omg.
I dont get anything in this map....i got the ore rig, well, but then when i try to get the maker, i see there is alrdy an emitter harrasing the field!
Totally agree on "expert only", well, im not an expert
Dont take it wrong, i LOVE this map.
Well, just too heavy for me xD

Just start with something else.... many techs to obtain.

Even if you're no expert you can finish this map; it will just take you some more game saves/loads. (I used the 'Expert Only' rating to compare the difficulty to CW1 maps that players are probably familiar with.)

I'm going to have to try a few more times . . . The
Creeper keeps coming out before I can mine the
nullifier.

Great map UpperKEES! 

Thanks Colin!

Of course you can also temporarily hold the Creeper back.... Just don't do that for too long, because it will cost you a lot of energy.

[UpperKEES]

yah.. im clearly not an expert either, but ill keep trying from time to time.. someday itll happen! i dont necessarily want any tips yet, i still have a few ideas to try out. great looking map, excellent use of fields. thanks

Thanks Melissa. Just let me know when you'd like a hint.

Ouaa! This map is really beautiful, I guess the time spent on it, and really respect!

Yep, it took me quite a while, but I also used it to beta-test many features of the nice map editor that Virgil brought us. Hopefully this map will inspire more people to create something nice.

we finally get to see the insane UpperKEES map! Hurray! Too bad my computer's crashed. Fate's a (insert word here)

Yeah, I spent more time on it than expected (actually many many more weeks than I anticipated; if I had known I probably never would have started in the first place).

And yes, it can become quite CPU-intensive when you've created many units. On my computer it runs at about 10-15 fps during the toughest part of the game. The good thing is that this will allow you to play more carefully.

[Ebon Heart]

Blarg! Now I really want to see it! by crashed, I mean my computer is blue screen, flat out broke. So once again, fate's a (insert word of choice here)

[UpperKEES]

Ah! Well, at least I'm glad it wasn't CW that crashed your computer.

And after reading on these forums about all the trouble you had recently I guess it's time for a new one anyway. Better be nice to your parents next week....

PS: still able to post here?

[Ebon Heart]

Ah! Well, at least I'm glad it wasn't CW that crashed your computer.

And after reading on these forums about all the trouble you had recently I guess it's time for a new one anyway. Better be nice to your parents next week....

PS: still able to post here?

iPod. and I have a laptop coming in soon. I was looking into getting a nice laptop anyways...
EDIT: my computer's been dieing for a while now, but I think it's finally made it's last corrupted error report.
EDIT: stole my dad's laptop and looked at this map. AMAZING! I can't imagine how difficult this way to create... graphics, effects, it's got it all. You even have little light thingies for when the ball hits a sensor.

[MadMurphy]

I am not sure how I would record my play through if I have to save. I will just have to give it a go and see what happens.