Emitter values

[svartmes]

Veteran player, newbie mapmaker, currently making my second map in PF and I'm finding that my emitters are turning out pretty lame. Problem is while I understand what each value does, I have no idea what the values mean in practice, so what I do is set them to some random number and hope for the best. This doesen't seem like the best approach and makes testing a real chore.

So I ask you more experienced map makers, do you know any good default emitter values?
What I'm looking for is some general guidelines, which values you feel matter the most etc. maybe something like:

Example scenario: Player is going to lathe the emitter with just HQ.
[Very easy] beatable with just HQ = Production Interval= <100 Speed=? Target%=?
[Easy] Barely beatable with just HQ (requires Micro) =PI= 100-150
[Normal] Need atleast 1 more ship + HQ = PI=> 200
[Hard] Need many ships + HQ = PI=> 200
[Expert] Need constant suicide rams + HQ =  PI= > 500
[note: values here are made-up for illustrative purpose]

Any tips on how you design your emitters and how you decide your values would be much appreciated!

[FOXX]

When i start placing Emitters i have usually done the Land layout so i kinda know what route to take.
Then i place all Emitters i want on the Map [when testplaying i might [meaning usually] change some positions and sometimes values]

Then i sort of divide the Map into 2 or 3 parts according to the Soft-Medium-Hard settings for Emitters.
First Part = Soft, Second and third can be Medium and sometimes i use Hard for the 3rd Part. [Not often]
A Hard Emitter with Production Interval 1 and Max Particles 200 is a pretty tough Emitter. When i use Hard Settings i make sure the Player has some Bigger Ships and more Firepower to use.

As for Settings:
Max Productioninterval = between 2 and 4 mostly. [if i use 1 on more Emitters in a Map the bigger ship things happens again]
Max Particles = 160 first stage - 200 second stage - 3rd stage can vary on how challenging i want the Map to be.
                        the Maximum i use is 300. you don't need to go higher if the other settings are good enough.
Max Time = usually Default [2400] [with Friendly or Flip emitters i mostly set this to 3600 so the Blue Particles have good use]
Max Distance = usually Default (0)
Max Speed = usually 1.

To Prevent to have to much Particles on Screen sometimes i use delays for the Emitters in the 2nd and 3rd Part.
If a Map has quite some Emitters [Bigger Maps] i use more Parts in the Map to have different Stages for the Emitters.
[Delaytime depends on how long the Start takes for me]

The Bottom Section [Chain-Box-Centi-Bar-Wheel] is a Different Story.
Sooooo many options here :)
I have tested a lot with settings and without going nuts with amounts [which can be very fun at times] i have made a list for myself when i make maps so i can copy-paste. [you can say lazy -> i prefer timesaving]

This list is made for Spawning Emitters but you can put the values in the Editor and see what happens.
Personally, i like the 'smaller' settings a lot for these Emitters. [not in the List]
Example:
                Bond Distance   2nd Bond Distance   Min Length   Max Length   Bond Stiffness
Chain ->          2                                                    2                  2                 0.5
Box ->          1 or 2                                             1 or 2           1 or  2             0.5
Centi ->           2                           2                       2                  2                 0.5
Bar ->              2                          2                        2                  2                 0.5
Wheel ->          2                                                    2                  2                 0.5

With these Settings the Production Interval = 12 and the Max Speed is 1.5  The rest is Optional.

These are the things i usually go by when i make my Maps.
I don't use Edge Destroy. [when i notice particles puddling up somewhere i use fields to push them back]

And there are even more settings :) [Got to love those Emitters][.. to Destroy]

Good Luck with your Map :)

[svartmes]

Awesome! That's a very useful writeup, thank you very much!

[FOXX]

Thumbs Up.