I just submitted a 2 1/2 hour map in the DMD zone. Other than the original Metroid from MadMag and the original Waternaris (now preserved in the Alpha sector), this is the hardest map I've yet played.
The name I gave it is "Totems are a mockery". I didn't restart, maybe if I did I would have done better. I made several avoidable errors (building snipers when no runners), and lost two bases to the spores. However, I did win it. At such a slog, I may never play it again, even if I see times that are hours less than my score.
Good luck to all who play it.
Care to give a bit more info on it? A screen shot of a few minutes in or so. Hard to get a base/energy established or just hard to complete?
It is hard because almost the entire map is digitalis. I gave it a try and it took my almost an hour an 20 minutes. I think that is the longest I have ever spent on a map. I did run into a few setbacks. It could be done quite a bit quicker. But it was a fun challenge. Digitalis are really hard to deal with when you have no way to cut them off.
Quote from: Wheatmidge on December 04, 2013, 11:00:54 PM
It is hard because almost the entire map is digitalis. I gave it a try and it took my almost an hour an 20 minutes. I think that is the longest I have ever spent on a map. I did run into a few setbacks. It could be done quite a bit quicker. But it was a fun challenge. Digitalis are really hard to deal with when you have no way to cut them off.
That's really impressive. I'd love to compare strategies.
Here are a few screenies as per the previous request. Unfortunately I forgot what times I took them. I think the first one was about 5 minutes in, and the last about 35 - that was when I was reasonably sure I was going to survive those spore waves - they, more than the digi, makes the map hard, because they sap so much energy.
Hmm - I thought I had 3, but one must have been my imagination.
What was the rate of spores and number per tower? Just curious.
I gave this a try (if someone says this is their hardest map I get interested). The map is indeed almost completely covered in digitalis, but the creeper is incredibly weak, so that you are mostly safe when not on digitalis (with some Pulse cannon defense and Mortars shooting at the dense creeper in the void). Compared to Karsten I expanded much quicker, connected all CN's and connected one totem to my network (which helped quite a bit). I completed the map in just under 30 minutes.
Attached are screenshots. The times are
4:17
10:01
20:05
@NNR_Alex: all spore towers shoot ~11 spores every ~2 minutes.
I stand in awe. Once again I'm reminded that oftentimes sheer aggression is the best approach. You've given me something to strive for.
I should clarify my first post. I misstated when I said the map was difficult - it was more of a long and protracted battle to gain a solid footing where I was not running in energy deficit.
I'll be sure to try your approach sometime. I think you have a much better understanding of Digi than me.
If spores trouble you, it is possible to take out 2 of the spore towers right at the start and start the main base with the 3rd command node. I don't think I could pull of a 30 minute run, though.
I never thought of florrat's approach. I guess I feel nervous with digitalis going past my buildings I only expanded into areas where I could cut off digitalis arms. So I had expanded all the way up the left side of the map. I had sent one command node to nullify the bottom right spore tower so I was only dealing with 21 spores instead of 32.