So I've been at this level for hours and hours. All previous levels were not a problem, but the introductory level of SAM missiles proved unevenly difficult.
But I just did it!
And for those stuck in this level for hours as well, here's how I did it:
(http://dimsum.coin-op.nl/CreeperWorld/cw_octan_1.jpg)
The start is the most difficult. You want to get the icon on the bottom left because it enables the use of SAM missile defense. It's not very clear in this image, but the first thing I actually did was build up. The center piece of the level is an extremely good place for mortars, but if you try to grab the SAM unlock first, the blob will cover the space making it impossible to recapture that ground.
So, you build upwards using relays. Try to find the shortest path possible. Build two mortars. That's enough to keep the enemy at a good distance. By this time you're attacked by flying spores. In my case they busted the relays. Just rebuild them and make sure your mortars can get ammo to push the blob back.
Meanwhile, start your way towards the SAM icon in the bottom left. You'll probably get attacked a few times by spores before you actually get it, but that's ok. Fix the grid and have patience. Once you have the SAM unlocked, defend your mortars. They take a while to build and having one destroyed means pretty much the end of the game.
(http://dimsum.coin-op.nl/CreeperWorld/cw_octan_2.jpg)
Taadaa! Patience and a good defense allows you to grow your grid with collectors. Note how only 4 mortars are more than enough to keep the blob at a good distance.
(http://dimsum.coin-op.nl/CreeperWorld/cw_octan_3.jpg)
Place mortars as close to the blob emitters as possible and use blasters to start cutting your way towards those green spinning escape portal thingies. Note how the upper left pool was still hard to control. I dared to place a collector at the edge of the blob, and luckily it worked.
(http://dimsum.coin-op.nl/CreeperWorld/cw_octan_4.jpg)
So there's your result. It pretty much speaks for itself. Hope you find this useful. And thanks for creating such an awesome game!
Well done, it feels good to win the difficult ones eh?
Some extra (general) advice from my own experience so far...
As you mentioned, a mortar or two next to the pools. (It seems that the deeper the pool, the more effective the mortar (in that you kill more creeper per shot).
Consider moving the city close to the front lines (if possible). The city is far more effective up front, it makes building far quicker and it means plenty of ammo for the guns. I tend to move the city as close to danger as possible and build my resource network behind it the safe area.
Try not to build too many things at once, build your network up one or two units at a time to start off, then when you have lots of resource later on, you can build far more units at once (whilst still keeping your defence up)
If you can't get the city close to the front lines (or central - if surrounded), build as many speed units as possible (but not all at once!).
Protect all areas with SAMs.
A typical strategy for me...
Move the city (if necessary)
Build 2-3 Collectors
Build basic defences (2 mortars usually)
Start to build up a resource gathering infrastructure.
....
and then start going on the attack.
Looks like I'll be spending even more hours with the next level. I can't find a good tactic, but I like thinking about how to solve it.
Good advice btw, I never really thought about moving the city. Instead, I build units next to the city and move them to a place where I want them. It's a tiny bit faster than building the unit far from the city.
Yes... good ole Tucana... It is one of the more google searched for levels. People will search for "Creeper World Tucana". (As well as Octan and Pyxis).
Some think the level is impossible..... trust me it isn't impossible, so don't give up:) Focus on stabilizing the creeper advance with minimal expense on your part.
Blauwbaard - I know that figuring it out yourself is half the fun, but I've got a low down of my solution for Tucana in the strategy guide I've been working on (with additions from others!)
http://www.pc-games-and-reviews.com/creeper-world-tactics.html
(Btw: If you've got anything to add let me know!)
I just won Tucana. I had less trouble with it than Octan.
I watched how the Creeper covered the map a few times, to see which corner was easiest to do first. So that's basically what I did. One mortar was enough to keep the top right corner at a fair distance. Next up was the top left corner, and so on. It's fairly easy to get all corners covered. From there it's more or less patience and moving your way slowly towards each corner.
Here's how I did it.
(http://dpstuff.com/images/octan1.png)
A lot of times, it makes sense to move your base. The closer it is to the action, the quicker the packets get there. I normally pause the game, move my base, and build out a little of the infrastructure. The base will begin to power the collectors while it is flying over them!
(http://dpstuff.com/images/octan2.png)
Build out your collector grid. You need to get as much energy as you can. Spread out your collectors...overlapping their coverage area doesn't give you more power. Once the grid is out and collecting lots of energy, you have *plenty* of time to build up your sam coverage.
(http://dpstuff.com/images/octan3.png)
Here I've built out more of the grid and added more sams. I'm just now building some mortars to take care of the pools that have built up. I almost waited too long. The key is waiting just long enough. You don't want to build mortars too quickly in most maps because that just sucks up too much energy that you need building your collector grid. Note in this map my sam coverage.
(http://dpstuff.com/images/octan4.png)
I've built more grid and only built 2 mortars. They are doing the job for now.
(http://dpstuff.com/images/octan5.png)
More sams. Starting to build the blasters for the final push. Rearranged my mortars and sams a bit. Position mortars near the spawn points for best use. They destroy a good, thick chunk of creeper so you want them hitting the deepest areas. If they are ever hitting shallow creeper, you are wasting energy.
(http://dpstuff.com/images/octan6.png)
FTW!
Note that the key here is to put the blasters down in the low area near the totem. If you leave them on the ridge, they end up firing 'backwards' occasionally to the hole behind them and end up wasting energy.
Moving the city is indeed a good strategy. It wasn't until this level that I used that tactic more often.
I just finished the story mode btw. Great fun, and the last level is a real surprise. Very nice touch.
Thanks for the tips- I was a bit stuck on this one :)
you do realise the thread is 5 months old dont you?
how did he get the SAM tech with out a collecter network going to it?
i think there was a relay there which probably got hit by a spore a little later
I actually beat Octan and Tucana on my first try. The reason for beating Tucana was I saw a video on it, but the only thing I did that was in that video was put the mortars on the ledges to the left and right to hit the pools. On Octane it took a bit, but eventually I built up a few SAMs while building collectors with some blasters keeping back the Creeper.
If you dont get a head start on the creeper on octan and you're trapped just build a mortar and dis ram it then send it on a bombing run
Good old Octan I'm just starting my second play through and I remembered this map took me over an hour to beat the first time I got stuck in the bottom corner with the middle occupied with creeper and tried to get footholds in the bottom left pool and always got pushed back by the spores. lets see how this run goes in dd mode
lol,that was actually one of the easiest maps in the game for me! ::)
i didn't think octan is difficult. beat it on first try. (30 min :( ) tucana was a hell map. i used youtube for that map.
I had no troubles with that map and completed it fairly easily the first time around. My tips for you though:
Firstly, SAM sites aren't a problem. They don't take too long to build, can be moved as you advance and once they're charged up, they use no further energy except every few minutes just to quickly recharge after a spore attack. Therefore, ignore the creeper initially, build up a network of collectors, then build 3 or 4 SAM sites to protect them. After that, then it's time to concentrate on the creeper before it overflows the pools. The only thing to remember with SAM sites is to move/expand them accordingly as you advance. Usually, you can just move your existing ones further forwards.
For the pools, mortars are where it's at, but do remember that you can disarm them as well. A very effective strategy I find in these levels when you're not over-flush with power is to bomb 2 of the creeper pools a bit to lower their level, then disarm those mortars and arm some other mortars to attack the other 2 pools which are now considerably fuller. This allows you to keep the creeper in check whilst still having enough energy to expand your collector network and build weapons.
Finally, ALWAYS look at capping the emitters. It's surprisingly easy to use 3 or 4 blasters and a mortar, walk them forwards into the pools whilst expanding your collectors to keep them powered until you reach and cap the emitter. Then, you just leave one blaster behind to keep the emitter capped and move onto the next pool.
By doing this, it's pretty simple to keep the spore attacks at bay, keep the creeper pools under control, then systematically kill each pool off and activate all the totems. If you try and approach the later levels by just reaching the totems and not capping the emitters, you'll always find it fairly tough going.
Quote from: Trippynet on March 31, 2010, 01:54:21 PM
I had no troubles with that map and completed it fairly easily the first time around. My tips for you though:
Wow, I guess Virgil is still getting new players! :)
Welcome and stick around. You will learn much. ;D
Take me for instance - I came here because I could not beat Gump. Last night I scored 3rd position on one of =http://knucklecracker.com/creeperworld/mapcomments.php?id=1161&scores=1Alwego's maps (http://=http://knucklecracker.com/creeperworld/mapcomments.php?id=1161&scores=1Alwego'smaps).
/me goes to fetch the map URL. Looks shocked. Shakes first.
Damn you who took my 3rd place! :P
/me goes to fetch a stick with which to beat UpperKEES with.
Brownie points for anyone that can figure out the sentence above.
Quote from: AndyY on August 28, 2009, 09:05:47 AM
Blauwbaard - I know that figuring it out yourself is half the fun, but I've got a low down of my solution for Tucana in the strategy guide I've been working on (with additions from others!)
http://www.pc-games-and-reviews.com/creeper-world-tactics.html
(Btw: If you've got anything to add let me know!)
Never build a relay in a collector ring, you must know a collector olso as connector.
I'd build that collector ring closer so they all connected to odin city, thus giving more equal engery routes
That collector ring makes no sense anyway.... :P
I read that article a couple of months ago, but decided not to write anything about it, as it is good marketing for CW. I rather let people find out themselves.... ;)