Custom Map #1106: RiverTakeBack. By: stdout

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This topic is for discussion of map #1106: RiverTakeBack


Author: stdout
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Several weeks have passed since the creeper smothered System Gamma 91 and panic in the humans has grown into resolve. The benefit of surprise is gone, and from here out, they will not be so easily fooled. We've managed to create an emitter in the swampy bottomlands of the backwater 11th planet in the Daventry system. They have already mobilized a response. Do your best to take this world. #PlayAsCreeper

[NFITC1]

Silly Abraxis. Won't you ever learn that you can't leave an emitter that loosely guarded before nullifying it?

I can't play at the moment (Internet's out :P ), but just by looking at this map it looks a lot harder than previous play-as-creeper maps the easiest obstacle is the uphill battle. :(

Spoiler

PZ Berthas aren't even the hardest obstacle here. The biggest "advantage" the creeper has is that there's only a single relay connecting the three CNs. Capturing that PZ would make it pretty easy to starve the upper left base of energy. By my hasty estimation, it can't be making more than 4 energy/sec which will quickly dry up thanks to the sheilds; Unless you added the ability to build units where they weren't before and your AI is smart enough to build a reactor when the CN's deficit is high.

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[stdout]

Killing that one relay isn't enough. You overlooked the guppy...

[Lioncourt]

One must have patients playing the creeper :)  Loved the game.  I want bigger! More! :)  I noticed one of the biggest pains in the arse was the sprayer on upper left, had to take out the ore mines to shut him up. :)  I wasn't watching all that was going on, but I swear the game waited for me to drop the creeper pusher (lack of the term here) he would instantly drop a bertha shot there.  Almost like it was waiting in orbit.  Missed the strafer and bomber this time.

[Linden]

Another great fun one, Stdout! Thank you so much. You're right about the break point, going from a seemingly interminable start to overwhelming. Loved it! :)

[DestinyAtlantis]

Awesome, though those passive forcefields are op, 720 emitter just overrun the top-right base like it was almost nothing just from them :D (decided for the Emitter overwhelm, rather than the Spore overwhelm)

Spoiler

Taking the first 5 emitters is almost easy, then it seems like a stalemate, but the top-left base is actually energy-starving (and the guppy that is the sole reason the base is not falling very easily), though with digitalis, bit by bit you take a PZ and from then it's a cakewalk, and those extra emitters and spores are everything you need to over-run the bottom base, and then the top-right is just a...ehm...joke

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Thanks you all, I'm glad everyone is having fun. I really had a lot of fun making this map. Seriously, I put about 10 hours into it and loved every minute. The PlayByCreeper scratches an itch I never knew I had.

I really like the concept of needing to be patient and starve Abraxis of resources, rather than make on a full on assault. Thus, the need to starve the left side of ore and also make them rely solely on the guppy. As for the bottom base, you can take it early:

Spoiler

Use spore towers to send spores to the unprotected bottom-left side of the bottom. There is only one beam tower protecting it so you can get past. Creeper can knock out a good 30% of their reactors. Let the guppy continue to fly which continues to drain precious resources.

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I've also hit the top-right early by going around the back with spores once I conquered the left hill.

So much fun. I'm going to go play again.

If anyone has any specific requests for a future map, let me know your ideas and I'll try to accommodate you.  I did the space asteroids (my favorite) and now I did the river (also my favorite!) I'm thinking of a defend the castle in reverse next.

[Helper]

I see a lot of players loving this game, but I can't figure out how to expand.
Is there a primer somewhere to get me started?
Thanks,
H

[Lioncourt]

Helper, at the start, you time it right, use the "e" command for the emitter (holds creeper in), then press "e" again to flood it all out, with 2 layers of creeper on the ground, drip the digitalis down to spread your area, and try to head towards a totem, if you surround a totem with digi, you will then have access to the creeper pusher field(lack of proper term), and then spread and kill. :)

[Helper]

Cool - thanks.
I've been pounding on the E key and not getting much action.
I'll try it again your way.

Anyone else/any more tips much appreciated. I think I'm the  last one on board to figure this out.
H

[stdout]

Helper, this one is significantly more difficult to start than my first one (map 1099), which was a walk in the park compared to this. If you haven't played that one yet, you might give it a try first and learn the techniques.

Use E to store creeper (but not too much because you're vulnerable when not releasing creeper).

Once a bit has been stored, hit E again to cause it to dump it all. If you wait til it gets filled, it'll dump automatically and start the charging process again.

Hit H to see a help screen with all your options.

Use 1 to switch to create digitalis mode and hit the letter R a few times to make the circle bigger. Click on a double-depth creeper pool to create digitalis.

Once you cover a PZ with blue digitalis, you can create another emitter or spore tower on top of the PZ by hitting 2 or 3 and then clicking on the PZ. Once you take over a totem, you can power the creeper mover with 4. (The creeper mover is a key to winning.) Click and drag and the creeper will move along the path you set. This is helpful for expanding.

(Edited for typo)

[NFITC1]

Now that I've had a chance to play it I had lots of trouble starting out. Once I got going uphill it only took about 10 in-game minutes. Trouble was getting to that point took nearly an hour! I'm not even sure how I did what I finally did, but I had a heck of a time with it.

Still an extremely fun map.

[Helper]

Helper, this one is significantly more difficult to start than my first one (map 1099), which was a walk in the park compared to this. If you haven't played that one yet, you might give it a try first and learn the techniques.
(Edited for typo)

Shout out for stdout -
I'll go give that other one a try, then come back at it.
Thanks for the details.
H

[mzimmer74]

Another really fun map.  I'm really enjoying these as a bit of a change from the usual (not that the usual is bad!).

[speef]

Great fun. I played it three times (once trying to do it optimally, once with only emitters, and once with two emitters and the rest spore towers).  One of my favorite maps so far.