Custom Map: Nice Job 11: The Prince

[AutoPost]

This topic is for discussion of map: Nice Job 11: The Prince


Author: UpperKEES

Desc:
Quite hard, but rated 'Expert Only' because you will also need to hurry to be able to save the princesses. You'll need all your skills (but no tricks) to bring this map to a good end. Tips on request (see comments).

[UpperKEES]

Title:	Nice Job 11: The Prince
Difficulty:	Expert Only
Creeper type:	Land & Air
Remarks:	Quite hard, but rated 'Expert Only' because you will also need to hurry to be able to save the princesses. You'll need all your skills (but no tricks) to bring this map to a good end. Tips on request (see comments).
Description:	Greetings Prince Charming! Today you've arrived at a castle where 4 beautiful princesses are held prisoner. It's your job to set them free before they get killed. As a reward you can pick one of them as your bride, so enjoy your siege!
Download page:	Nice Job 11: The Prince
Full size screen shot:
More maps:	Apply here for another job ;)

[F0R]

Good map but i stuffed up half way through it not giving my blasters enough energy to block out the emitter
so in this map you cant afford to starve but none the less fun to play 5/5

[NNR_Alex]

this is one of the few times i cringed when i saw a map, and yeah it's beating me up pretty bad right now.  if i could get the sams i could stand a chance but i'm just too slow getting to them, oddlly enough i can get the first two princesses, i just float a turret back and forth, maybe i should keep them going to get the sams as well, but that's a lot of work, and something i'd lable as a trick, which you said you don't have to do to win this map.

[UpperKEES]

Good map but i stuffed up half way through it not giving my blasters enough energy to block out the emitter
so in this map you cant afford to starve but none the less fun to play 5/5

Spoiler

Yep, a severe deficit will mean you'll lose your entry to the castle and maybe some units if you can't recover fast enough. Having some storage will most likely pay off well.

[close]

this is one of the few times i cringed when i saw a map, and yeah it's beating me up pretty bad right now.  if i could get the sams i could stand a chance but i'm just too slow getting to them

Spoiler

I use every available spot before I move into the castle with a small task force. I only clear what I need to progress.

[close]

oddlly enough i can get the first two princesses, i just float a turret back and forth, maybe i should keep them going to get the sams as well, but that's a lot of work, and something i'd lable as a trick, which you said you don't have to do to win this map.

Spoiler

Once I move in the blasters I keep them going to get to the SAMs first and after that for some upgrades and the two remaining princesses. I don't use bridging at all this map. I use the cleared space to immediately build more reactors and later speed nodes.

[close]

I was in a hurry to post a score for this map before going out last night, so I didn't have time to pause as much as I normally do. The time can be at least 3 minutes faster, because that's what I got during testing a month ago if I remember well. I'll go for a new run on Tuesday.

[peter]

This is one of those maps I know I can do, but for the hell of me I have been too badly damaged  or lose one of the furthest princess's every time so far.  I will try 2 more times, then quit at 20 tries.

No idea where I am going wrong, but I am sure it is something simple I am missing here with this one.

Oh well, back for try number 19!

[UpperKEES]

Spoiler

What I try to do is save the princesses just in time (preferably 1 second before the last wall breaks). Use all the time before to extend your energy capacity.

[close]

At least you know what time to aim for now.... :)

[peter]

That's it, I give up.  I gave it till 25 tries and was just getting worse not better.  Maybe I will try again in a day or so once I stop double thinking myself.

Once I finally do complete it I will forget all the trouble I had doing it.

[peter]

OK, I kept on trying. lol

My single hint to people having as much trouble as I was with this one...

Build what you need as you need it, not what you think you will need.

This was not an easy map (Obviously as it was described as expert only) and it is worth trying numerous times to try and get it right.  It is worth it in the end, and take time to see what you need to build a couple of times.

[UpperKEES]

Build what you need as you need it, not what you think you will need.

Hmmm, I wonder what you thought you would need....

This was not an easy map (Obviously as it was described as expert only) and it is worth trying numerous times to try and get it right.  It is worth it in the end, and take time to see what you need to build a couple of times.

Thanks. I guess it indeed takes some experience to build everything in an efficient and useful order, but there's quite some extra time to get the SAMs or save the princesses.

Spoiler

You can get the SAMs about 5 minutes before the first spore arrives and save the last princess minutes before the last wall has decayed. When you finish the map in 16-17 minutes you will only encounter 3 spores waves (of 3 spores each).

[close]

[peter]

I made the mistake of thinking I would need 2 blasters to control the creeper above and below the starting point as soon as they were available.  This meant that everything else was playing catchup right from the start.

I could have probably done this a lot faster once I worked out where I was going wrong, and probably will in a few weeks when I try it again, but just finishing it was my only aim when I finally did manage it. lol

I think this is a great map, and one that has taken time and thought to make, and then play.  I am glad not all maps are quite this difficult, even though the end result was more pleasing than most other maps have been so far.

[UpperKEES]

Spoiler

You'll indeed need 2 blasters later on if you like to fill up your starting position with reactors, but you'll have some time to build a couple of collectors and reactors first. The danger doesn't come from the creeper flowing down from the mountain, but from the raising level in the moat. If you let your blasters fire just a few shots this will be enough for the next 30 seconds (if you want to save energy and build your reactors faster). I was too lazy to do this myself.... ;)

[close]

[peter]

When I look at the number of downloads, 230, and the number of scores, 10, it makes me feel a little better knowing that I was not the only one having a few problems finishing the map. lol

I have been happy getting a much lower number of downloads, but now I think I have been doing it all wrong.  I must make a map that takes several tries to work out how to do it, while looking more interesting than a flat plain with loads of emitters doing random things!

I think out of the many "Series" of maps being produced yours is the better one so far.  But probably the hardest of the playable ones.  I have my fingers cross that the future ones do not make me want to throw the laptop through the window as much as this one did.

Although, I did find that I could wait to place a blaster for the pool of creeper in the upper pool until I had got the first 2 Princesses and could control it from the upper tower.  Then it was just a case of building enough energy and blasters to play leapfrog to reach the other 2 towers.  I have no doubt there are several ways to complete this map, and that I chose the slower harder option.  But I still like the map and that I finally managed to complete it.

It must be good come to think of it, as most maps if I have not managed it within 5 tries I delete it and find a different one.  Took over 30 tries to finish this one.  Well worth the effort.

[RichieRich]

Thanks Upperkees. That was hard.

My score was my first finish but my fourth attempt - kept losing just before saving the princesses. Could cut back a minute or too as I was so relieved to save everyone I relaxed a bit.  :D

Of your maps, (of the ones I could finish - I understand how to do the athlete but had to leave it for a while after a load of failed attempts  :P) this was the hardest to strike the balance between moving forward and gaining power. Wonderfully considered, thanks.  :)

[UpperKEES]

When I look at the number of downloads, 230, and the number of scores, 10, it makes me feel a little better knowing that I was not the only one having a few problems finishing the map. lol

I have been happy getting a much lower number of downloads, but now I think I have been doing it all wrong.  I must make a map that takes several tries to work out how to do it, while looking more interesting than a flat plain with loads of emitters doing random things!

Yeah, that's the consequence of creating rather hard maps; not everybody will be able to finish them or be willing to spend a few tries (or even more than a few, like you did). Keep that in mind when you make your maps harder, because people might even skip future maps after 'failing' at the first ones. I spend quite some time on the design, but never forget to keep the game play interesting, as this is always the most important part.

I think out of the many "Series" of maps being produced yours is the better one so far.  But probably the hardest of the playable ones.  I have my fingers cross that the future ones do not make me want to throw the laptop through the window as much as this one did.

(...)

It must be good come to think of it, as most maps if I have not managed it within 5 tries I delete it and find a different one.  Took over 30 tries to finish this one.  Well worth the effort.

Thanks again. :) I like your perseverance and wish more people would be that eager to engage a tough challenge. Playing like that will make you gain much more experience.

Although, I did find that I could wait to place a blaster for the pool of creeper in the upper pool until I had got the first 2 Princesses and could control it from the upper tower.  Then it was just a case of building enough energy and blasters to play leapfrog to reach the other 2 towers.  I have no doubt there are several ways to complete this map, and that I chose the slower harder option.  But I still like the map and that I finally managed to complete it.

Yep, I never let a weapon fire at creeper that is not really causing a problem at that moment. Better save the energy for the part you're working on or to create even more energy.

Thanks Upperkees. That was hard.

My score was my first finish but my fourth attempt - kept losing just before saving the princesses.

Four attempts is not bad at all; I needed several tries myself (after I tweaked the map to my likings). Thanks for playing again!

Could cut back a minute or too as I was so relieved to save everyone I relaxed a bit.  :D

That's indeed a moment of relieve. Better pause the game next time to start breathing again.... ;)

Of your maps, (of the ones I could finish - I understand how to do the athlete but had to leave it for a while after a load of failed attempts  :P) this was the hardest to strike the balance between moving forward and gaining power. Wonderfully considered, thanks.  :)

Yep, you have to find a balance between these two (I try to save the princesses as late as possible). There's even a 3rd consideration: when to go for the upgrades? I'm still not sure myself what would be the best balance between these three options....

Edit: typo