This topic is for discussion of map #5216: AC Blast!
(http://knucklecracker.com/creeperworld3/queryMaps.php?query=thumbnailid&id=5216)
Author: cornucanis
Size: 96x63
Desc:
Just a simple map to showcase my first CRPL script. Those are some mighty powerful emitters to be fighting with this limited tech, hopefully those friendly green emitters can help me out.. #CRPL #LimitedTech
This is my first CRPL script, hopefully you guys enjoy it! CRPL explanation:
Spoiler
The green emitters gather anticreep when you shoot them with sprayers. When the AC reaches a certain threshhold it will send a blast of AC at the creeper and push it back with a wind effect.
I don't get it. The only real weapons are the green emitters and they're not enough. When I fired the singularity weapon things went nuts.
The map (apparently) requires split-second timing.
What seems to be of importance
Spoiler
1. You need to get a sprayer or two firing directly at each of the green units (not past it at other creeper - so awareness of range is important.
2. Firing speed of the sprayers seems to be important.
3. If all three units are receiving AC, then they will form a V-shaped creeper "wave" that rapidly fluctuates.
4. I put some additional disarmed sprayers downstream from the two top units with the "collect" setting, to snag some more AC.
5. Some terraforming seemes to help
6. Inspecting the CRPL may give some more clues, since the map maker has a time that's half the next-best time (always a sign of some CRPL trickery that is not exposed to the normal player).
Quote from: Loren Pechtel on December 31, 2017, 01:04:22 PM
I don't get it. The only real weapons are the green emitters and they're not enough. When I fired the singularity weapon things went nuts.
I actually forgot about singularity weapon, that would probably make things a little easier if you can get to an equilibrium and turtle up some aether.
Quote from: Karsten75 on December 31, 2017, 03:38:39 PM
The map (apparently) requires split-second timing.
What seems to be of importance
Spoiler
1. You need to get a sprayer or two firing directly at each of the green units (not past it at other creeper - so awareness of range is important.
2. Firing speed of the sprayers seems to be important.
3. If all three units are receiving AC, then they will form a V-shaped creeper "wave" that rapidly fluctuates.
4. I put some additional disarmed sprayers downstream from the two top units with the "collect" setting, to snag some more AC.
5. Some terraforming seemes to help
6. Inspecting the CRPL may give some more clues, since the map maker has a time that's half the next-best time (always a sign of some CRPL trickery that is not exposed to the normal player).
Spoiler
1. Yes, managing the range on your sprayers is definitely important. Remember that each sprayer consumes 3 AC per second so having more sprayers than your ore mines can support is pointless unless you're keeping a couple on each green emitter and toggling disarm.
2. I've beaten it with no forge upgrades (not on my leaderboard time obviously) but they definitely help. Firing speed actually isn't the most useful upgrade though!
3. I only used more than one "green emitter" at a time when I was trying to get the middle one started. I kept one sprayer on one of the back emitters to push the creeper back long enough to feed the middle one the first time and get it going. Other than that it doesn't seem ideal to use multiple, especially once you get to the middle emitter since it's far more powerful than the other two.
4. I considered this possibility, but never tried it. The emitters multiply your AC input several times over so you could definitely multiply your AC this way.
5. Terraforming was pretty important in my speed run. Making platforms for those nullifiers saves time.
6. I promise there's nothing more to the CRPL than what I explained in the OP. The CRPL places a single unit of digi under the emitter for the sprayers to fire at, then sets a pin field so the AC doesn't escape that cell. When it reaches a threshhold (100 for the back emitters and 400 for the front I believe) it will perform the AC blast. The AC blast temporarily gives a massive wind value blowing west to push the creeper back, and increses the left/right flow rate to facilitate the westward blow. There's not really more to it than that. I'm just a speed running demon, check my times on some other recent maps like "LIF" by coldwarwolf if you'd like to confirm ;D
Edit: Attached the script if you'd like to take a peek, or if anyone would like to use it for themselves. It's pretty simple, but is currently only designed to work east-to-west since making it support multiple directions would be more difficult.
I just realized there is one more minor aspect of the CRPL I didn't mention. To prevent certain unwanted behavior I make all green emitters go into an "inactive" state while any of the green emitters are firing. So if any of the green emitters are showing the "party time" text it will make all green emitters go into this inactive state until the text reverts to default.
The inactive state causes the digitalis under the green emitters to become inactive. That means you can't fire at any of the green emitters as long as one of them is blasting AC. Nothing too major, but that's why it's best to focus on one green emitter at a time. Filling up multiple isn't as effective since they can't be fired simultaneously.
Quote from: cornucanis on December 31, 2017, 05:23:37 PM
1. Yes, managing the range on your sprayers is definitely important. Remember that each sprayer consumes 3 AC per second so having more sprayers than your ore mines can support is pointless unless you're keeping a couple on each green emitter and toggling disarm.
On further testing I also realized I was completely wrong about that. The inactive state means you can easily produce enough AC to supply the emitter within its interval if you have all the ore mines and a few forge upgrades, so building more sprayers can reduce the downtime between blasts once you get to the final part. Not a huge game changer, but still worth mentioning.
Well, I don't think your CRPL always work as you indicate. Here's an example of the middle green emitter with AC >500 and it still didn't fire. Some of the other guys are complaining that they don't have a sprayer...
It has several times cycled over >400 AC. Some of the back green emitters I've observed with >200 AC loads
Try to remove sprayers from around other two ones?
Got third one activate in 500 AC, not sure why it won't work to you.
Quote from: Karsten75 on January 02, 2018, 01:19:35 PM
Well, I don't think your CRPL always work as you indicate. Here's an example of the middle green emitter with AC >500 and it still didn't fire. Some of the other guys are complaining that they don't have a sprayer...
The "don't take away my sprayer" text is the one that indicates the emitter currently has AC under it. It switches to that when you put a sprayer nearby and it soaks up some AC, so the player will know they're doing something right.
Quote from: Karsten75 on January 02, 2018, 01:19:35 PM
It has several times cycled over >400 AC. Some of the back green emitters I've observed with >200 AC loads
Ah, I double checked the map and realized I mistakenly reported the threshold as 400 for the front emitter, I actually changed it to 500 before releasing. Sorry for the misinformation. As for why they sometimes exceed this limit, they're set to not go off if another emitter is currently firing its blast. That was the inactive state I was referring to a few posts back. If another emitter is firing they will all temporarily be disabled from firing or having sprayers target them. I see in the screenshot that one of the other green emitters is currently firing. As long as the AC in the front emitter didn't dip below 500 in the time the first one was firing, it should have gone off properly. Although my mistaken report of 400 as the threshold may have been confusing you, so sorry again about that.
Someone actually beat my time by several minutes, though. I'm not sure how, maybe they used a singularity weapon at some point? AFAIK I optimized my playthrough pretty well, but apparently someone found a method I didn't notice :P
Quote from: cornucanis on January 02, 2018, 03:19:10 PM
I'm not sure how, maybe they used a singularity weapon at some point? AFAIK I optimized my playthrough pretty well, but apparently someone found a method I didn't notice :P
I'm not entirely sure either it took a good few attempts to get the 3rd one to go off, but that one seems to be the key, get it going as soon as possible and as often as possible.
Quote from: willbir on January 02, 2018, 03:36:54 PM
I'm not entirely sure either it took a good few attempts to get the 3rd one to go off, but that one seems to be the key, get it going as soon as possible and as often as possible.
Yeah, that's the key to a fast run. Once you get the third emitter going you're definitely in the home stretch.
Spoiler
Building a nullifier platform near the final emitter with a wall + trench between it and the emitter helps shave off a bit of time as well.
One more tip, for anyone who may have been terping more than necessary..
Spoiler
You only need to terraform 5 cells to make a landing pad, not 9. A unit visibly takes up 9 cells, but only requires for the 5 that make a + shape under it to be on the same terrain height.
Spoiler
One thing to notice is the emitters give out more AC than they take to fire so if you collect the AC and feed it back in you can keep multiplying the amount of AC you have.
Above, I made the following observation:
Quote from: Karsten75 on December 31, 2017, 03:38:39 PM
6. Inspecting the CRPL may give some more clues, since the map maker has a time that's half the next-best time (always a sign of some CRPL trickery that is not exposed to the normal player).
In the fullness of time, and with hindsight, I stand corrected and chastened. The CRPL in this map is straightforward and there were no exploits that can lead to a good score - it's simply a matter of playing well.
again, my apologies for jumping to conclusions and casting aspersions.