Custom Map #10686: Nemesis Inv Pyramid Test Bed. By: Oldnewby

Started by AutoPost, May 31, 2023, 04:39:31 PM

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This topic is for discussion of map #10686: Nemesis Inv Pyramid Test Bed


Author: Oldnewby
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Desc:
Back on Nov29,22...MG's Inverted Pyamid map #10350 kept knocking me flat - even with Martin's hint, "singularity" - This test/training bed allowed me to finally learn how MG used singularity to finish his map... Thank you Martin!

oldnewby

The Berthas are not needed... I added them as insurance in case I failed to keep enough "Black Holes" alive and didn't want to have to start over.

Singularity Game Mechanics ==>   
Spoiler
Each Forge Singularity blast takes ~2.5 game seconds to cycle ready for another blast... Examining your first blast shows the number of seconds before that black hole" fails...  This information allows one to calculate the theoretical maximum number of "Black Holes" you can juggle before one will fail to be renewed in time by another blast and flood out the map with an avalanche of stored creeper...
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Read the hints in Martin Gronsdal's map #10350 Forum for how to survive his usual traps...   
Spoiler
This test/training bed map has so much energy (Multiple reactors placed on the center PZ) and doubled Aether production that evading MG's traps is much easier.... IE:- The spores come early... so using the PC "V" key to help some of the 12 PZ shields fully charge prevents early restarts...  Frequent game saves also prevent heart ache... Place ABSOLUTLY ZERO fragile vanilla shields inside the PZ square of 12 shields... Recommend 12 "V" keyed vanilla shields placed adjacent to the 12 PZ shields... ready to be traded as each PZ shield is impacted and damaged...   
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stdout


Martin Gronsdal

Thanks for making this! Nice ti see that my maps made at least you "happy"!

D0m0nik

Two minutes is very impressive, 3.12 for my first run but I can see how horrendous I was with the singularities, this map teaches you a lot about how to use them effectively!

Spoiler
No need to juggle shields though, just build more shields around the CN!
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oldnewby

Quote from: D0m0nik on June 01, 2023, 07:38:05 AMTwo minutes is very impressive, 3.12 for my first run but I can see how horrendous I was with the singularities, this map teaches you a lot about how to use them effectively!

Spoiler
No need to juggle shields though, just build more shields around the CN!
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Thank you for your kind words D0m0nik...
Coming from you.... Awesome!!!!

Hopefully this screen shot shows what you meant by extra vanilla shield placement???? 
At full 5/5 screen strength.... I found the single outer fringe of shields was surprisingly effective at protecting all the inner units from all of the emitter's creeper...  See=>
Spoiler
Rather than juggle shields in Map #10350... I believe some people just PC "V" keyed any damaged PZ shields until they recharged and healed enough to survive a double hit...   One successful player commented in the forum that he converted some of his PZs for the extra energy...  The reason for keeping at least one PZ shield at full health and power at all times is to prevent spore creeper leakage if a spore or two happens to overwhelm and destroy the shield that takes the hits the game is over... People who installed vanilla shields in the center squares advised that they were frequently overwhelmed whenever a vanilla shield failed...

My hope is that this test/Training bed should give people a reasonable chance at succeeding at Martin's map #10350...
Spoiler
Tapping the PC "N" key is essential to do everything as fast as it all needs doing...
Weasee's hint that "5/5ing the screen range might be a mistake on some maps", worked fine for me on this map...
Do not bother trying to advance vanilla screens...  I repeatably tried that on map #10350... and after 6 minutes game time over too many days of insane micromanagement... and an occasional spore leakage...I managed to destroy just 1 (one) emitter...  That's when Martin told me he used the singularity...
Martin has an awesome ability to build maps with just enough energy and Aether, etc. to win his map... 
The Test/Training bed had loads of extra energy and double MG's Aether supply....
So... Learn from my mistakes
Do not energize any more screens than necessary...
Do not increase the packet speed too much... Too much packet speed increases energy usage...
Guppies take a lot of energy to build and to recharge once they are in use...
Practice the singularity... then go-g0-go   
[close]
Good luck...

oldnewby

Quote from: Martin Gronsdal on May 31, 2023, 05:58:51 PMThanks for making this! Nice ti see that my maps made at least you "happy"!
Yep Martin... #10350 was the most challenging map I ever tried to play... It forced me to find ways to learn how to use singularity... And and after 6 months... build this Test/Training Bed map...
Am hoping this skill building opportunity to practice timing and placing singularity blasts with a huge energy and Aether supply... will encourage people to play your original map #10350... 
By the way... Before you told me that you used singularity to win the map... I had just proved it is possible to advance vanilla screens with guppy support far enough to destroy 1 (one) emitter... It took +6 minutes of game time - over multiple days - by Tap Tap Tapping the PC "N" key.. and by sacrificing an unending stream of vanilla screens with a life span like moths flying into the flame of a blow torch... Tenacity and micromanagement was not a reasonable solution...
Thanks again

oldnewby

Quote from: stdout on May 31, 2023, 05:42:15 PMHow did you beat this map in just over 2 minutes?

Here is my starting map stdout
Sorry for the excess detail... but it might help people like me that find very detailed instructions helpful...
Spoiler
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2983726590
Note that everything except the Totems and the Forge are locked PC "C" key closed... BEWARE... do not lock out the hidden prepositioned center PZ Reactors...   Tapping on the PC "N" key allows keeping the energy in the green as all the visible Reactors and the Forge fire up... and the 12 PZ screens and the extreme E, W, N & S shields are activated ASAP ... Forge 5/5 fire strength... [But not range]... some packet speed to speed +1/2 charging a few PZ shields to absorb the first spores... and plan your first singularity blast...
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oldnewby

Quote from: oldnewby on June 01, 2023, 08:19:03 PM
Quote from: stdout on May 31, 2023, 05:42:15 PMHow did you beat this map in just over 2 minutes?

Here is my starting map stdout
Sorry for the excess detail... but it might help people like me that find very detailed instructions helpful...
Spoiler
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2983726590
Note that everything except the Totems and the Forge are locked PC "C" key closed... BEWARE... do not lock out the hidden prepositioned center PZ Reactors...  Tapping on the PC "N" key allows keeping the energy in the green as all the visible Reactors and the Forge fire up... and the 12 PZ screens and the extreme E, W, N & S shields are activated ASAP ... Forge 5/5 fire strength... [But not range]... some packet speed to speed +1/2 charging a few PZ shields to absorb the first spores... and plan your first singularity blast...
[close]
PS:  Only most of the outboard vanilla shields are needed... As long as you don't do what I have a bad habit of doing -> accidently disable the forge...  And as the singularity blasts get going... many of the shields can be PC "V" keyed off as well...

Martin Gronsdal

Quote from: oldnewby on June 01, 2023, 07:48:24 PM
Quote from: Martin Gronsdal on May 31, 2023, 05:58:51 PMThanks for making this! Nice ti see that my maps made at least you "happy"!
Yep Martin... #10350 was the most challenging map I ever tried to play... It forced me to find ways to learn how to use singularity... And and after 6 months... build this Test/Training Bed map...
Am hoping this skill building opportunity to practice timing and placing singularity blasts with a huge energy and Aether supply... will encourage people to play your original map #10350... 
By the way... Before you told me that you used singularity to win the map... I had just proved it is possible to advance vanilla screens with guppy support far enough to destroy 1 (one) emitter... It took +6 minutes of game time - over multiple days - by Tap Tap Tapping the PC "N" key.. and by sacrificing an unending stream of vanilla screens with a life span like moths flying into the flame of a blow torch... Tenacity and micromanagement was not a reasonable solution...
Thanks again


What are vanilla screens?

oldnewby

Quote from: Martin Gronsdal on June 02, 2023, 02:15:02 AM
Quote from: oldnewby on June 01, 2023, 07:48:24 PM
Quote from: Martin Gronsdal on May 31, 2023, 05:58:51 PMThanks for making this! Nice ti see that my maps made at least you "happy"!
Yep Martin... #10350 was the most challenging map I ever tried to play... It forced me to find ways to learn how to use singularity... And and after 6 months... build this Test/Training Bed map...
Am hoping this skill building opportunity to practice timing and placing singularity blasts with a huge energy and Aether supply... will encourage people to play your original map #10350... 
By the way... Before you told me that you used singularity to win the map... I had just proved it is possible to advance vanilla screens with guppy support far enough to destroy 1 (one) emitter... It took +6 minutes of game time - over multiple days - by Tap Tap Tapping the PC "N" key.. and by sacrificing an unending stream of vanilla screens with a life span like moths flying into the flame of a blow torch... Tenacity and micromanagement was not a reasonable solution...
Thanks again


What are vanilla screens?
Hi Martin.....   
Vanilla = The basic un-enhanced ice cream flavor = Or = any units or shields not enhanced by PZs


oldnewby

AND - FOR ANYONE WHO READ THROUGH THE ABOVE...

While not obvious... This Test/Training Bed map also contains 5 optional levels of difficulty...
While you can mix and match to your preferred game style... Activating all but #1... just about makes the Test/Training bed approximate Martin Gronsdal's original map #10350...

1 - An even easier mode for anyone who enjoys fireworks or likes to relax to the sounds of Berthas:-   Just place the optional Bertha on the map... click on it... tap the PC "O" Key... then activate the fire-at-will "AUTO TARGET" option... The fully charged center PZ Bertha will add a bit of extra excitement as well as your fav sound effects... suggest keeping the optional 2nd Bertha may be overdoing it...
2 - A tad more difficult=>  Delay activating any guppies until the 3 minute game time mark... to approximate MG's original map plan... Just accept the 300 energy saving otherwise needed to build each guppy as a fringe test/training bed benefit...
3 - A bit of ouch=> Close the bonus energy from the pile of hidden PZ reactors...  by clicking on any visible reactor, then taping the PC "O" key, and then tapping the PC "C" key to disable (close) all of the reactors... then open each of the visible reactors you added by clicking on them and tapping the "C" key again... NOW... You will experience Marten's map's "adequate" build-all-you-can energy allowance...  Yep Ouch!
4 - Almost full Ouch=> DO A SAVE... then SHIFT "C" tap on each of the 4 visible Super Totems... then tapping Shift & "X" key should delete 4 OF THE super totems... leaving 4 super totems visible...
4 - Now TO go for full Ouch=> DO ANOTHER SAVE!!!... click and Shift & "X" key on each of the visible Totems till there really are only 4 super PZ Totems left in the starting map... NOW - Go for it !!!!!!!  Though activating #1 above might help dispel any last minute feelings of insecurity...

OR just open and play Martin Gronsdal's Map #10350...


D0m0nik

I think most people mean 'no crpl' when they say vanilla.
I think the biggest challenge on this map was working out when and where to fire the singularity.
Spoiler
I found 12 were needed, 4 in each corner and two in-between each corner. They needed to be fired in the seqeunce of 1,4,7,10,2,5,8,11,3,9,12 (singularity placement numbered around the board)
[close]
Fun challenege.

oldnewby

#13
Quote from: D0m0nik on June 03, 2023, 04:24:58 AMI think most people mean 'no crpl' when they say vanilla.
I think the biggest challenge on this map was working out when and where to fire the singularity.
Spoiler
I found 12 were needed, 4 in each corner and two in-between each corner. They needed to be fired in the seqeunce of 1,4,7,10,2,5,8,11,3,9,12 (singularity placement numbered around the board)
[close]
Fun challenege.
Vanilla???  I spent years playing a cheap old game, "Pacific Storm", which had a huge following of game modifiers who spent lifetimes of person hours modifying every element of that game... including making the 3 dimensional images of each ship and aircraft true to life... The game was also a micromanagers dream that sometimes took me 6 months to play... Anyway... Their term for playing the original game disk was the "Vanilla" version...
Spoiler
Guess I was still panicked by my #10350 experience... So I just left the "Fire" rate on 50% and used 4 initial corner blasts to be sure my 4 initial singularity "black hole" timers were all OK.. then did 8 equa-spaced clockwise blasts till the creeper flow was failing...  Thinking about it... Your plan would have eliminated a lot of time I spent watching the creeper slowly flow back uphill making room for the Nullifier/guppies... 
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Glad You enjoyed it...
Now I just have to suck-up-my courage and climb back on MG's #10350 horse...

PS:-  Your #10676 time was awesome... WOW

D0m0nik

Yes, in your example vanilla means the game in it's raw state. Same here, units on PZs are part of the original, unedited game hence the confusion. Units on PZs are part of the 'vanilla' version as no additional coding is needed.

It took me ages to beat your time and it was only possible because you put down such an impressive benchmark. I would not have got close without your lead, you provided a great lesson!