Custom Map #3989: Circle Relay Particle Land. By: Erik

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This topic is for discussion of map #3989: Circle Relay Particle Land


Author: Erik
Size: 255x255

Desc:
A huge map with lots of islands in the void. Two circling particle emitters around a variable spore tower at the center, and some very heavy runners... Collect the 2 Command Nodes, 3 Bertha's and destroy inhibitor to win. There is also a super Bertha and Convert South-West. You can destroy particles with snipers. #Islands #Void #Digitalis #AC #Particles #Runners #Spores #CRPL #Hard

[RrR]

In the beginning the spores are few and friendly

Spoiler

in by the end, there is a spore every five frames (6 per second) and you need a lot of defence

[close]

[Barbe Rousse]

Greetings!

That's right.

You can check the payload and interval while playing if you place your cursor over the spore tower.
A negative number results in Anti Creeper spores, a positive number in creeper spores.

I did put a warning in the opening text, does it not show? Or is it not clear enough?

[RrR]

The warning was clear enough - but it ramps hard at the end

Going from one spore every ten frames to one every five doubles the spore rate in one step. I had enough spore towers to stand the initial burst, but had to build many more as they quickly ran out of energy.

I think a linear increase in spore rate (rather than a linear decease in spore interval) would lead to less surprises.

But I survived. Good map.

[Karsten75]

Ha, somewhere mid-game, after the obligatory restart to build more energy and more spore towers I remember thinking that this map proved that Spores could be a constant threat - just like the Creeper, but then towards the end-game, again the spore threat was relegated to a background factor.

It sure helps to spread out as fast as possible to dilute spore concentration on smaller area.

[Barbe Rousse]

Usually the spore tower reaches it's minimum interval at 3/4 of the game, just before the main attack.
Only when you have almost all islands. From the start of the game, until you have your first big base the interval will always be high. And spore attacks no big problem.

You don't really have to rush, just prepare for a heavy spore attack when the interval drops under 100.

Spoiler

I linked it to the unit count, so if you have an interval of 300 and you build 10 units it drops to 290
Also, if the interval is 10 and you lose 10 units it raises to 20.

Of course there's a minimum interval, if it would drop to zero it's impossible.

And a turning point from AC to regular Spores at the 50th unit ;)

[close]

I really wanted a logarithmic decrease in spore rate, and some extra warnings during the game, just before the main spore attack. But I was already so proud I wrote a (simple) script like that, so I put it online. I just need some time to work on my CRPL  ::)

That way I could also make an endgame spore attack, maybe something with UnitsInRange, hmmm, so many ideas, so little (CRPL) skills  ;D

[Karsten75]

OK, that explains the quite sever ramp in spore rate in my first game... I was building units like heck..

So I was a little surprised that the spores were apparently ramping up faster as well.

Nice work.

[Loren Pechtel]

I'm too slow.  The spores ramped up to the point they drained my energy and I died.

[Barbe Rousse]

I doubt that Loren Pechtei, try building more beams and reactors early on. If your beams don't fire they don't use energy, so you can build lots of beams early and they won't "drain", and some reactors to keep the energy up when the spores do go insane and you'll be fine.

Also upgrade you forge energy buffer at least a few times, and energy efficiency when necessary.

The spore rate is linked to the unit count, so even when you build very slow the spore rate only goes up just before the end of the game. By that time I had 3/4 of the map evenly covered with a mix of beams and reactors, and so on.

The spore tower picks a random unit, so when you have lots of units together, it has lots of targets there in one place. So the chance it fires there is higher.

[Barbe Rousse]

Hehe, yeah I know. It's a weird abomination of a spore tower. I like it's not bound by time but rather the player.

If someone knows how to make a better version feel free, my scripting skill are very limited as you can see.

Spoiler

# Sporetower1.crpl
# Created on: 9/25/2016 12:28:48 PM by Erik
# ------------------------------------------
$InitialDelay:2000
$MaxUnits:500
$MinUnits:6
$UnitsAC:57
$MinInterval:5



"Spore Payload: " <-Numb  concat "
" concat
"Interval: " <-Delay <-MinUnits lte if <-MinInterval else <-Delay endif concat concat SetPopuptext

CurrentCoords 9999 GetUnitsInRange ->UnitCount

<-MaxUnits <-UnitCount sub ->Delay

<-UnitCount <-UnitsAC sub ->Numb

once <-InitialDelay SetTimer0 endonce

GetTimer0 eq0 if
   <-Delay <-MinUnits lte if
      127 127 RandUnitCoords 1 <-Numb CreateSpore
      <-MinInterval SetTimer0
   else
   127 127 RandUnitCoords 1 <-Numb CreateSpore
   <-Delay SetTimer0
   endif
endif

[close]

[Loren Pechtel]

I doubt that Loren Pechtei, try building more beams and reactors early on. If your beams don't fire they don't use energy, so you can build lots of beams early and they won't "drain", and some reactors to keep the energy up when the spores do go insane and you'll be fine.

Also upgrade you forge energy buffer at least a few times, and energy efficiency when necessary.

The spore rate is linked to the unit count, so even when you build very slow the spore rate only goes up just before the end of the game. By that time I had 3/4 of the map evenly covered with a mix of beams and reactors, and so on.

The spore tower picks a random unit, so when you have lots of units together, it has lots of targets there in one place. So the chance it fires there is higher.

I guess it was my pack of strafers that did me in, then.

[Barbe Rousse]

Yeah, the common creeper world (rush) tactics are more difficult here. I wanted to make it harder for experienced players to rush it. And more easy to just play your own speed, pick up everything and go for the last island north-west. Although you still need to watch out for the spores, at the end of the game they also have a very high payload.

[D0m0nik]

Not quite a rush method but you can pick up a second CN at the start. You can land your second CN below the inhibitor and travel west to collect a bertha. You then have a base in both corners and a PZ Bertha.

[Barbe Rousse]

I was already wondering how you posted such a quick score. 15 minutes is really fast!

Nice job D0m0nik, respect!  8)

[lividbishop]

looks like you fixed all the possible shortcuts :)