This topic is for discussion of map: Creeper Hollow (http://knucklecracker.com/creeperworld/mapcomments.php?id=3790)
(http://knucklecracker.com/creeperworld/thumb.php?id=3790) (http://knucklecracker.com/creeperworld/mapcomments.php?id=3790)
Author: MadMag (http://knucklecracker.com/creeperworld/viewmaps.php?author=MadMag)
Desc:
(http://j.imagehost.org/0152/ch.jpg)
You and your crew have been on a research mission on the Creeper planet for a while, you have build some defence walls and a base to research what you find of interest and gathering.
Suddenly the Evil Creeper attacks, because they know there is a well
Hard map. I cant figure it out, but then I stink at this game. ;D
You're not alone. This is one map I want to play, but I got my butt handed to me on a platter several times. I'm going to need some time to figure this one out.
ETA: So there. Took a *lot* of restarts before I finally figured it out - but not so that I could tell anyone how. All I can say is that contrary to the majority of maps uploaded, one needs discipline in building and perhaps a certain daring in placement and timing. And luck with the spores. :) I'm not sure I'm ever going to play it again, nor that I could improve on my score if I did - it may be equally likely that I'll get swamped again a few times if I try again.
PS. Where do I send the bill for several non-productive hours? ;)
Nice map! It's all in the wrist! :D
A map as maps should be. I had a few false starts there, but finally figured it out. I guess some time could still be shaved off, since I made a few mistakes and actually forgot to connect one of the "easy" totems. I definitely might play this map again - it's a keeper.
And MadMag, nice to see you back, I guess it's the scent of a new CW that got you out of the woodwork? :D
Very fun... Love your maps :)
thanks folks :)
Yeah, I can almost smell CW2 now!
Really a great map, I needed one like this. Beautiful graphics, nice gameplay and never that feeling you'll have to take a whole load of time just fighting giant emitters.
Quote from: Grauniad on January 14, 2011, 03:34:22 PM
And luck with the spores. :)
Good placement does wonders here, I had almost 6 energy when the spores arrive, it really matters how you deal with that emitter to the south of the city.
Quote from: Grauniad on January 14, 2011, 03:34:22 PM
PS. Where do I send the bill for several non-productive hours? ;)
So Madmag is the one making those beautiful CW2 graphics :o
Quote from: Sqaz on January 15, 2011, 01:21:34 PM
Quote from: Grauniad on January 14, 2011, 03:34:22 PM
PS. Where do I send the bill for several non-productive hours? ;)
So Madmag is the one making those beautiful CW2 graphics :o
really? well if thats true i congratulate madmag on how beautiful it is. if not... well then whoever did it gets my congrats. (most likly virgil if its not madmag i think)
I have decoded the secret creeper message, but now I'm wondering if it is an enigma? Or is it a hint for gameplay?
The encoded message is:
IKCL IKI LKUO KM TNPEETLH EK WRKB ESTN CI
In the next artifact, I found these decoding keys:
Spoiler
B = W
C = U
E = T
H = S
L = R
I = P
K = O
M = N
The final artifact had these keys:
Spoiler
N = M
O = K
P = I
R = L
S = H
T = E
U = C
W = B
Substitution lead to this cryptic sentence:
Spoiler
POUR POP ROCK ON EMITTERS TO BLOW THEM UP
But does it contain a hint for fast(er) completion?
Quote from: Sqaz on January 15, 2011, 01:21:34 PM
Quote from: Grauniad on January 14, 2011, 03:34:22 PM
And luck with the spores. :)
Good placement does wonders here, I had almost 6 energy when the spores arrive, it really matters how you deal with that emitter to the south of the city.
Six energy by the first spore wave?? Wow, I have a lot to learn still.
Quote from: Karsten75 on January 15, 2011, 01:54:20 PM
Six energy by the first spore wave?? Wow, I have a lot to learn still.
Spoiler
The most important thing is just holding that emitter of with one blaster (that'll only use half it's shots), and then just finding a good mix between collectors and reactors, and wait till the very last moment to build blasters and SAMs (as your energy grows exponential, so minor losses in the beginning can make out 1 à 2 energy in the end).
I've either got to be too chicken or too clueless. :) I checked and by the first spore wave I had 4.6 energy. :(
My problem is that my strategy requires me to defend both against the creeper pool that is dammed up in the center (by building a mortar) and against the creeper pool in the lower right (south-east?) corner by building yet another mortar. And all the while I have to keep the blaster in the center to stem the shallow creeper flows in the basin where OC is located.
I tried taking a screenshot of my completion graph, as that is very instructional, but I think the backspace-key trick only works while the game is in progress.
Was listening to a beautiful piece by Franz Anton Hoffmeister (Symphony in E Major) courtesy of Pandora (http://www.pandora.com/music/composer/Franz+Anton+Hoffmeister) while the battle was raging. Quite inspirational.
OT warning:
One of my favorite movies is "Amadeus (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086879/)," I particularly love that scene where Salieri (the incumbent court composer) presents him with a piece of music, and Amadeus deconstructs it and improves it in no time at all. :)
Another fave of mine is "White Nights (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090319/)" - the tap dancing in there is simply phenomenal.
I'm not the maker of CW 2 Graphics, but if Virgil ask me, I would love to do some work for him :)
I'm glad you guys n girls like the map because I put alot of effort into making it very good this time! cheers.
Quote from: Karsten75 on January 15, 2011, 02:58:09 PM
My problem is that my strategy requires me to defend both against the creeper pool that is dammed up in the center (by building a mortar) and against the creeper pool in the lower right (south-east?) corner by building yet another mortar. And all the while I have to keep the blaster in the center to stem the shallow creeper flows in the basin where OC is located.
You don't need any mortars in the beginning phase of the game, one blaster will do untill the wall breaks, and then I normally use two blasters to stop the creeper there, but then I already have my 6 energy.
@snowmaker (JM)
you got an awesome time there dude!
Quote from: Sqaz on January 15, 2011, 04:26:36 PM
Quote from: Karsten75 on January 15, 2011, 02:58:09 PM
My problem is that my strategy requires me to defend both against the creeper pool that is dammed up in the center (by building a mortar) and against the creeper pool in the lower right (south-east?) corner by building yet another mortar. And all the while I have to keep the blaster in the center to stem the shallow creeper flows in the basin where OC is located.
You don't need any mortars in the beginning phase of the game, one blaster will do untill the wall breaks, and then I normally use two blasters to stop the creeper there, but then I already have my 6 energy.
Very true about the blasters and using only a single blaster initially to build up energy.
Well, I am crawling up on your time Snowmaker, and there is now daylight between me and Sqaz's times, so watch out! :P
Eventually I'll shake off my reliance on early mortars.
Quote from: Karsten75 on January 15, 2011, 05:21:49 PM
Well, I am crawling up on your time Snowmaker, and there is now daylight between me and Sqaz's times, so watch out! :P
Eventually I'll shake off my reliance on early mortars.
That's what makes this game fun. I did make one mortar later on in the game.
Incredible map!
It took a lot of re-starts...and if can remember which one worked I'll try it again.
What a lot of fun.
Thank you,
dbit
Thanks DethbyIT!
@Miss Melissa
Come on, beat snowmaker`s time :)
Quote from: MadMag on January 20, 2011, 04:21:24 PM
Thanks DethbyIT!
@Miss Melissa
Come on, beat snowmaker`s time :)
Miss Melissa is definitely one that could ;)
well it took me a couple of weeks to finally get a foothold on this map. surprisingly i did beat snowmaker's time, but im sure he can do better. he is a great player, and madmag.. you are an excellent the map maker. thank you.
hehe!
Nice work miss :)
Yay.
And I suspect I can get under twelve minutes, perhaps more.
I could shave more time off, but I'm under twelve minutes, that'll do.
7.8 energy when the spores strike with another reactor half built is the best I can do.
Not that anyone is likely reading this by now.
Wow.. thats great Pigster!
Quote from: Pigster on February 15, 2011, 04:56:39 PM
Not that anyone is likely reading this by now.
You'd be surprised. :)
I had me a brainwave.
8.7 energy when the spores hit! and I can do more I fear.
Wow!
10.2 energy but I had run out of space for more reactors, so was forced to start building the SAMs about ten seconds earlier than would have been preferable.
I'll no doubt not be able to stop until I've got it under ten minutes.
Good luck with that :)
Happy now? :)
I got twelve seconds off on the last go and I reckon I could possibly get it under 9:30!
I suspect I'll find a new challenge, though.
Nice work, I think your time will be hard to beat, if even possible..
Call me naive, but I keep looking at your 'Spoilers' - just hoping to find a way to beat 20 minutes.
*LOL*
dbit
I'll post a series of screenshots showing how I get over 10 energy by the time the spores hit, that should help to cut down your time.
Before I begin:
(http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/3004/setupz.jpg) (http://img849.imageshack.us/i/setupz.jpg/)
After the start, after three construction blobs have set off, build the collector where I'm hovering. Once that collector builds build another connecting to the collector on the bottom left. Five blobs into its construction build a collector on the right. After that one has built, wait three blobs into the construction of the one below it build the collector on the left.
With 4:28 before the spores, start the building of the reactors surrounding the city, then on 4:26 build a blaster here:
(http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4091/stage1l.jpg) (http://img191.imageshack.us/i/stage1l.jpg/)
Which should start firing at pretty much the last moment before the creeper gets the collector.
From this point you have to be miserly with the ammo. Do not let the blaster fill up! Let the chain of collectors build, and start a second reactor. When the upgrade is connected, choose 10% less to build and build more reactors.
At 2:30 before the spores you should look something like:
(http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/894/stage2.jpg) (http://img231.imageshack.us/i/stage2.jpg/)
Note, with only 3.6 energy production and five things building, the built blaster will not be reloaded properly - which is fine as it will pause every five shots waiting for another blob, but will still hold back the flow. Add more reactors and the one collector on the left (see below). Once the second blaster builds and clears a safe patch of creeper, deactivate it (Q) so it doesn't fill up. Build more reactors and a blaster which you will fly to here (to build the collector and get the second upgrade):
(http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1574/stage3r.jpg) (http://img138.imageshack.us/i/stage3r.jpg/)
Choose the 10% more energy and move the blaster above the first one you built (sacrificing the collector). Now you build more reactors until 28 second before the spores, when you build your first SAM at the bottom of your area and with 20 seconds to go build two more.
Voila:
(http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/8500/stage4y.jpg) (http://img109.imageshack.us/i/stage4y.jpg/)
The three reactors build before the spores hit – 10.6 energy should get you started.
Great tutorial for a good start.