Custom Map #838: CreeperComeback. By: stewbasic

[stewbasic]

I tried to make the map much smaller. Clicking apply stretches units out over the map, but it doesn't reload with a new size. I'll just take the current size and add a lot of void =J

I've actually never noticed that feature (even though I wanted exactly that a couple of times). Have you used it successfully before? I can't imagine how CRPL would prevent an editor feature from working. Maybe having so many Abraxis units causes a problem?

Yeah, void works too I guess :P.

[stdout]

J, I sure hope you plan to upload your updated version of this to Colonial Space so we can all have fun.  ;D

[J]

It probably won't be coming in the next 2 weeks. As advancing one frame is part of the finalizing process, is there a way to advance the map a few seconds without breaking the game? (just to make sure all flying aether goes away and to let the new packets flow)

[stewbasic]

It probably won't be coming in the next 2 weeks. As advancing one frame is part of the finalizing process, is there a way to advance the map a few seconds without breaking the game? (just to make sure all flying aether goes away and to let the new packets flow)

You can unpause the map and let it run; it shouldn't break anything. Temp.crpl will reset game time to 0 when you finalize.

The one thing to be careful about is saving to slot 2 before finalizing. When you finalize all the cores get reset, so all the stored data about Abraxis's units is lost.

[teknotiss]

hey stew, i hereby declare my intention to willfully exploit all your hard work!
cheers for making it easy too!
just a couple of Q's about possibilities in CRPL (since i will not code myself!)
1 can you code in one field effect per totem? or perhaps per x totems?
i like the field, and that it increases in strength, but 1 field per 5 totems would be cool! each field should prob be increased before the next field is available
2 can you let the user set the spore times? or perhaps 3 spore units with 10, 20 and 30 sec delays?
3 can you add runners and their nests? these should probably use C to spawn runners to keep it sort of balanced

cheers dude, even if you can't do these things i'll still be using these scripts!
so i'm preemptively giving credit here, i'll do it in the maps too, perhaps in the form of the titles
i'm thinking "teksxxx stew-niverse xx"?

[stewbasic]

hey stew, i hereby declare my intention to willfully exploit all your hard work!
cheers for making it easy too!
just a couple of Q's about possibilities in CRPL (since i will not code myself!)
1 can you code in one field effect per totem? or perhaps per x totems?
i like the field, and that it increases in strength, but 1 field per 5 totems would be cool! each field should prob be increased before the next field is available
2 can you let the user set the spore times? or perhaps 3 spore units with 10, 20 and 30 sec delays?
3 can you add runners and their nests? these should probably use C to spawn runners to keep it sort of balanced

cheers dude, even if you can't do these things i'll still be using these scripts!
so i'm preemptively giving credit here, i'll do it in the maps too, perhaps in the form of the titles
i'm thinking "teksxxx stew-niverse xx"?

Certainly all possible (in fact I was already thinking about runner nests since someone else suggested it). I'm happy to code them up but you might have to be patient.

I'm not sure how the interface should work for multiple fields. If you've reached your limit and you try to place another (or a totem gets disconnected), how should we determine which field to remove? Maybe E/R could cycle through the existing fields to determine which will be replaced?

For the spores maybe T could toggle autotargeting and E/R could cycle through different speeds (with constant creeper/time).

[Hugna]

I'm really confused as to how various people managed to beat this, yet i can't even get out of the pit on this map. The turret keeps the creep at bay at such a good job, it's impossible to obtain the creep to spread the digitalis, and the two berthas hitting on my emitter makes it literally impossible to spread digitalis anywhere. I even tried removing digitalis just to add it strategically so the turret doesn't push it away, and allow me to spread the creep in my own way. However, nothing i do lets me get out of the pit to spread. I'm literally stuck and theres nothing telling me what i do to get out of the pit, especially when the digitalis refuses to be built unless the square hits 1.00, which is almost impossible at this point. I'm so far in the 1 hour mark and i haven't made any progress, especially with testing how things work and what to do.

Is there a guide on how to start the spread?

BTW, this is an interesting map, since i've yet to see any creep use in the game, so it's a nice change.

[teknotiss]

I'm really confused as to how various people managed to beat this, yet i can't even get out of the pit on this map. The turret keeps the creep at bay at such a good job, it's impossible to obtain the creep to spread the digitalis, and the two berthas hitting on my emitter makes it literally impossible to spread digitalis anywhere. I even tried removing digitalis just to add it strategically so the turret doesn't push it away, and allow me to spread the creep in my own way. However, nothing i do lets me get out of the pit to spread. I'm literally stuck and theres nothing telling me what i do to get out of the pit, especially when the digitalis refuses to be built unless the square hits 1.00, which is almost impossible at this point. I'm so far in the 1 hour mark and i haven't made any progress, especially with testing how things work and what to do.

Is there a guide on how to start the spread?

BTW, this is an interesting map, since i've yet to see any creep use in the game, so it's a nice change.

press "e" and wait for a bit (red bar above the emitter shows C storing inside)
press "e" and watch the flood.
that'll get you going.
"h" is for help i think, some info boxes give you a run down.
hope that helps  8)
i still want to get a sub 30 min time, 45 ish is my best so far

Certainly all possible (in fact I was already thinking about runner nests since someone else suggested it). I'm happy to code them up but you might have to be patient.

I'm not sure how the interface should work for multiple fields. If you've reached your limit and you try to place another (or a totem gets disconnected), how should we determine which field to remove? Maybe E/R could cycle through the existing fields to determine which will be replaced?

For the spores maybe T could toggle autotargeting and E/R could cycle through different speeds (with constant creeper/time).

could you have the fields assigned to the number keys?
so you'd click the field button and then select them by 1,2,3,4,5....
that'll work for the spores, and i'm happy to wait til you've got it done, since i can get started with the scripts as they are!

[speef]

This was really awesome!

The parts I liked best were the reversal mechanics, the way you gain in power as you go, and the way it was actually a challenge the first time. The fact that there was an enemy AI at all was a pleasant surprise.

The parts I didn't like:

Spoiler

1) The AI was dumber than a box of rocks, but I don't know if this is winnable otherwise. :)
2) To tackle the hard bits, I had to build lots of digitalis with that tiny one-block brush. It was frigging annoying.
3) Spore tower firing modes were listed in the documentation, but there's no visible indicator on the tower, and they seem to switch between firing modes at will sometimes.

[close]

I may have a peek at the script tonight after work and see if I can work up a patch for the bits I didn't like.

Overall, wow. :)

[teknotiss]

Spoiler

2) To tackle the hard bits, I had to build lots of digitalis with that tiny one-block brush. It was frigging annoying.
3) Spore tower firing modes were listed in the documentation, but there's no visible indicator on the tower, and they seem to switch between firing modes at will sometimes.

[close]

'e' and 'r' change the brush size, or did you mean something else?
i thought the towers showed the time in a countdown, perhaps you need to hover over them i forget.

[stewbasic]

1) The AI was dumber than a box of rocks, but I don't know if this is winnable otherwise. :)
2) To tackle the hard bits, I had to build lots of digitalis with that tiny one-block brush. It was frigging annoying.
3) Spore tower firing modes were listed in the documentation, but there's no visible indicator on the tower, and they seem to switch between firing modes at will sometimes.

There should be an icon on the lower right corner of the spore tower (admittedly the target icon is a bit hard to see). When you set the tower's target it automatically goes into target mode. It also shows its target when it gets close to firing (maybe this is what you meant by switching at will?)

Yeah, it would certainly be interesting to play against a smarter AI. I didn't feel like tackling that challenge right away. If you feel like making one please do upload it ;)

could you have the fields assigned to the number keys?
so you'd click the field button and then select them by 1,2,3,4,5....

At the moment the number keys select the buttons on the build tab (mimicing the regular menu). Would shift+number key be too inconvenient?

[teknotiss]

i'd be fine with shift, but you could use y,u,i,o,p or something too.

[cecel123]

Man, I reduced my time to 1:19:47.8, but I won't give up until I can master this map with a sub-hour time! I just wish these Berthas weren't so quick to fire. I think I have an addiction!

[teknotiss]

Man, I reduced my time to 1:19:47.8, but I won't give up until I can master this map with a sub-hour time! I just wish these Berthas weren't so quick to fire. I think I have an addiction!

i found getting the first two totems and timing early pulses of stored creeper for just after a Bertha hits made a big difference.
this is a great example of how a second lost in the first five mins can add 10's of mins in the late game.
my first time was 1 hour 20 something mins, my second was a much more focused start

Spoiler

totem on right, closest Pz for emitter, support emitter, then totem on the lower left, then the nearest Pz's for emitters. i think one as a spore tower could work with a push south early, tried on my third run but i got the same sort of time as the second run

[close]

and i was down to 45 mins.  :o
after another 10 goes and i was sub 35 mins! ::)
still aiming for sub 30. that'll do 8)

[Asterion]

Thought this map was absolutely fantastic. 10/10
I'm actually just about to replay it to see if I can get a shorter time. Don't listen to the naysayers on here - it's a different map but where's the fun in playing the exact same thing every game.