Knuckle Cracker

Particle Fleet => Exchange Map Comments => Topic started by: AutoPost on March 01, 2017, 07:55:23 PM

Title: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: AutoPost on March 01, 2017, 07:55:23 PM
This topic is for discussion of map #678: Data Corruption
(http://knucklecracker.com/particlefleet/queryMaps.php?query=thumbnailid&id=678)

Author: Decagon
Size: 180x320

Desc:
The conflict continues. A large GalCorp fleet is en-route to the ancient AI Core that controls the automated defenses and manages the Dyson Sphere as a whole. The Crystallids must defend it if they have any hope of surviving against the iron fist of GalCorp. Note: Map contains ships larger than normally allowed. Play at your own risk.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Keeper Decagon on March 01, 2017, 07:58:41 PM
2nd Note: Intradictor (Progenitor) does not actually clear out enemy ships, just structures. Dunno why, since Rift Totems do kill ships too.

Also, for a reason I am unable to determine, the Progenitor detonates itself upon spawning. If anyone has a clue why that happens, do tell me. There is no code to make the thing kill itself, only to spawn it.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: GoodMorning on March 01, 2017, 08:52:08 PM
If it happens reliably, please give V a save from just beforehand. That's a serious bug.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Dark Ambition on March 01, 2017, 09:25:48 PM
I couldn't beat it. 4 tries, no luck :(

I can just about defend the place until the Intridictor arrives in all attempts, but by then I've lost so many units that I can't get to it and GalCorp takes out everything.

Is there end dialog to this? Can you PM it to me if there is? I know there is a way to take it to the map editor, but I forgot how.

Edit: Nevermind, I remembered how.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Exodus Legate on March 02, 2017, 05:02:11 AM
Quote from: Keeper Decagon on March 01, 2017, 07:58:41 PM
2nd Note: Intradictor (Progenitor) does not actually clear out enemy ships, just structures. Dunno why, since Rift Totems do kill ships too.

Also, for a reason I am unable to determine, the Progenitor detonates itself upon spawning. If anyone has a clue why that happens, do tell me. There is no code to make the thing kill itself, only to spawn it.
Interestingly, for me, the first time, it spawned normally. Then I reloaded (Without bothering to win first) to get my lathe ships in position to start lathing immediately for a good time, and that time, it detonated upon spawn.

As to the map in general... Okay, some honest feedback: I didn't like it nearly as much as your last one. Once I had taken over the asteroid belt and settled down at about 7 minutes, there just seemed no real pressure until the flagships arrived at 19 minutes. Even when I threw half my fleet away having a go at getting past the enemy lines (Which I would have succeeded at if not for the invulnerability- I did get one ship spawner and the stunner on one side), I still didn't have to reload. I understand that you don't want to make it too hard, but I'd like some way for good play to be rewarded with a better time. In The Homeworld, pre-clearing everything got a better time, and if you were really good (Far better than I), you could even do it before the dreadnaughts spawned. Same with The Great Sphere as to before spawn, though not so much on pre-clearing.

It just feels frustrating when I can spend over half the time on 4x speed because there's nothing I can do to better my score. :/

I really love your maps, but this recent trend for win at time X with very little ability to influence that is putting me off.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Dark Ambition on March 02, 2017, 05:07:32 AM
Quote from: Exodus Legate on March 02, 2017, 05:02:11 AM
Quote from: Keeper Decagon on March 01, 2017, 07:58:41 PM
2nd Note: Intradictor (Progenitor) does not actually clear out enemy ships, just structures. Dunno why, since Rift Totems do kill ships too.

Also, for a reason I am unable to determine, the Progenitor detonates itself upon spawning. If anyone has a clue why that happens, do tell me. There is no code to make the thing kill itself, only to spawn it.
Interestingly, for me, the first time, it spawned normally. Then I reloaded (Without bothering to win first) to get my lathe ships in position to start lathing immediately for a good time, and that time, it detonated upon spawn.

As to the map in general... Okay, some honest feedback: I didn't like it nearly as much as your last one. Once I had taken over the asteroid belt and settled down at about 7 minutes, there just seemed no real pressure until the flagships arrived at 19 minutes. Even when I threw half my fleet away having a go at getting past the enemy lines (Which I would have succeeded at if not for the invulnerability- I did get one ship spawner and the stunner on one side), I still didn't have to reload. I understand that you don't want to make it too hard, but I'd like some way for good play to be rewarded with a better time. In The Homeworld, pre-clearing everything got a better time, and if you were really good (Far better than I), you could even do it before the dreadnaughts spawned. Same with The Great Sphere as to before spawn, though not so much on pre-clearing.

It just feels frustrating when I can spend over half the time on 4x speed because there's nothing I can do to better my score. :/

I really love your maps, but this recent trend for win at time X with very little ability to influence that is putting me off.

How was it so easy for you??? I couldn't get anywhere near the asteroids, four tries.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Exodus Legate on March 02, 2017, 05:20:52 AM
Quote from: Dark Ambition on March 02, 2017, 05:07:32 AM
How was it so easy for you??? I couldn't get anywhere near the asteroids, four tries.

Hmm, let's see. At the start, Amp gems into both energies, omni reactors, cannons, build speed, energy range, mine cannons, defensive struc.
Then start building about eight-ten omnis at the far edge of your energy range toward the asteroids, and a bit closer to home, all the small and medium ships- that'll energy stall a bit at the start, but no too badly. Now you can unpause the game. Once the omni's are done, send them out to the asteroids to reinforce the mire spawners and take out the enemy ones. Don't wait for them to fill up, their reactors can do that and it'll drain energy you need for building. Start the big ships building early too, since they need very little energy while their command modules are spawning. I used the HQ pretty aggressively at the start to take the mines, but you do need to be careful since you REALLY don't want to pause your building from mines due to destruction.

The omni's should keep the mines locked down, and the struc will help with that too after a little while. The southern two asteroids are a little harder to take, but I had them done by seven minutes.

My 3.5 minute state is attached-as you can see, the left-hand side is more stable, while I'm in the process of locking down the right hand side. The first batch of extra amp gems went one on the HQ, one to mine dischargers. That could probably have been done better if i'd built the omni's in the right position to start with, dunno.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Keeper Decagon on March 02, 2017, 06:33:30 AM
Alright, I've read your comment, Exodus, and I understand that this map is definitely not as good an idea as I thought it was prior. It was a clearly misguided attempt at creating a "wave survival" sort of map, and it simply didn't hit the mark. As to the time limit/win requirement... well, I really don't know why it's there. It's just one of those things that has crept into my latest maps for whatever reason. Honestly, I think it was because I began to feel my maps were becoming... boring somehow. Every map, just the same old stuff. I wanted variety, but clearly not this sort of variety.

So yeah, my next map will be much different. No time limit or time requirement. I'll just have to find other ways not to make my maps boring as crap.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Dark Ambition on March 02, 2017, 07:46:15 AM
Quote from: Keeper Decagon on March 02, 2017, 06:33:30 AM
Alright, I've read your comment, Exodus, and I understand that this map is definitely not as good an idea as I thought it was prior. It was a clearly misguided attempt at creating a "wave survival" sort of map, and it simply didn't hit the mark. As to the time limit/win requirement... well, I really don't know why it's there. It's just one of those things that has crept into my latest maps for whatever reason. Honestly, I think it was because I began to feel my maps were becoming... boring somehow. Every map, just the same old stuff. I wanted variety, but clearly not this sort of variety.

So yeah, my next map will be much different. No time limit or time requirement. I'll just have to find other ways not to make my maps boring as crap.

Do you have anybody quality testing your maps? If not, I think it would be a good idea to get a different view on them before posting the maps. Perhaps they can suggest new ideas for the map that could add to it's value as well?
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Keeper Decagon on March 02, 2017, 11:12:43 AM
Quote from: Dark Ambition on March 02, 2017, 07:46:15 AM
Quote from: Keeper Decagon on March 02, 2017, 06:33:30 AM
Alright, I've read your comment, Exodus, and I understand that this map is definitely not as good an idea as I thought it was prior. It was a clearly misguided attempt at creating a "wave survival" sort of map, and it simply didn't hit the mark. As to the time limit/win requirement... well, I really don't know why it's there. It's just one of those things that has crept into my latest maps for whatever reason. Honestly, I think it was because I began to feel my maps were becoming... boring somehow. Every map, just the same old stuff. I wanted variety, but clearly not this sort of variety.

So yeah, my next map will be much different. No time limit or time requirement. I'll just have to find other ways not to make my maps boring as crap.

Do you have anybody quality testing your maps? If not, I think it would be a good idea to get a different view on them before posting the maps. Perhaps they can suggest new ideas for the map that could add to it's value as well?

Well, I do have them up for testing before I post these maps. Only FOXX so far has actually given me feedback, and from that feedback I didn't think this map was going to be that bad.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: FOXX on March 02, 2017, 11:54:39 AM
Yeah, i tested this map and in my opinion it's far better then the score it recieves.
I liked 'The Homeword' more but this is not a bad map.

Keeper Decagon -> Next time i will be more straight to the point. [more player view on it] I think the issue with this map is that the time you are in the Southern part of the map until the time you beat the map is too long.
For me that was about 14 mins. As i said i lost the Prisms and was quite a battle and had to build up again but if you don't lose the Prisms you are kinda stuck there for that time.
I still think the 'Wave Survival' is a good idea but maybe more liked if you take a map in steps instead of in one time.

Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: GoodMorning on March 02, 2017, 05:44:56 PM
Thought: Soon enough, we hope to be able to PRPL-spawn ships. At that point, a new wave can arrive at a certain time or when another event occurs, such as the player counterattacking.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Keeper Decagon on March 02, 2017, 08:28:35 PM
Quote from: GoodMorning on March 02, 2017, 05:44:56 PM
Thought: Soon enough, we hope to be able to PRPL-spawn ships. At that point, a new wave can arrive at a certain time or when another event occurs, such as the player counterattacking.

That would be extremely useful, and not just in dedicated wave survival maps.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: ChaosMaster130 on March 03, 2017, 07:20:51 AM
In other news. I'm at the 14 minute mark and I've cleaned out the entire enemy area and locked down every protected emitter/spawner.
I think I'm a bit too push-happy on these type of maps >_>
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Keeper Decagon on March 03, 2017, 08:45:40 AM
Quote from: ChaosMaster130 on March 03, 2017, 07:20:51 AM
In other news. I'm at the 14 minute mark and I've cleaned out the entire enemy area and locked down every protected emitter/spawner.
I think I'm a bit too push-happy on these type of maps >_>

Holy crap, I didn't think that was possible without extreme losses... :o
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: ChaosMaster130 on March 03, 2017, 06:02:34 PM
Using the diamond ship as a make-shift bunker buster missile to punch a hole in the big defense platforms helped.
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: Johnny Haywire on May 09, 2017, 07:59:02 PM
I see what you were trying to do in this map, and it's a pretty cool concept. I'm not a "rusher" so I just took all the islands as soon as I could and made a defensive line. From that point on, I pretty much did nothing until the big "Press Me" Button appeared.

I guess all the crazy defense in the back was for people who can't make their own defense (?) but it's kinda frustrating to see all that blue goodness swirling around and not be able to use it.  :P Also, a preferable victory condition would be to obliterate all the ships after the other structures are gone, but I dunno if that's doable. Still, I thought the map was fun enough, even though I just went afk for most of it. And if it hadn't been for the stupid allied ships drawing fire  >:( I probably wouldn't have lost any ships.

Overall, I still liked the map though not as much as the others in this series. I really appreciate your creativity and storyline (and good spelling too!), and I know you're just trying to give us something different... so yanno, props for that m8. Thanks a bunch for the maps!  ;D
Title: Re: Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon
Post by: GoodMorning on May 17, 2017, 02:49:07 AM
All right - I'll admit it. I recalled ChaosMaters130's mention that the map could be beaten (thoroughly) before it being possible to win, so I had to try.

14min here, too (though if I'd waited for a full fleet instead of attacking at half strength a few times, it could have been shorter). By 15min, I'd rebuilt the Chips that I'd forgotten were destroyed, and started looking for this thread. Partway through, I alt-tabbed back and saw "WARNING: Dreadnoughts incoming!". I spent the wait typing here. Back and forth again, and yes... the Progenitor is up.

Fly over every lathe (would that the Geode did something here) and win.

Ramming, Decagon - the Diamond is good, especially with a vanguard of Chips to take MK7s and some of the hull.