Custom Map #740: Starfall 3: The Pirate Outpost

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This topic is for discussion of map #740: Starfall 3: The Pirate Outpost


Author: Lysander

Desc:
After shaking of the Starfleet pursuit, Lyanna, Dirk, and Darius finally arrive at the pirates' outpost. Even tough they were hoping to get some rest, they are faced with another emergency.

[Nate Dog]

I'll be the first one to admit I'm not the best player, but after trying this level a few times, I'm not sure I have the patience to go back through again. Between having to restart at least 5 times to figure out how to save the capsules, the slowness in building up makers since i had little energy production, and finding out the room that is at the bottom of the pipe doesn't shoot back at the emitter when all my AC was in that room, I just didn't have the patience to suck it all up to attack the emitter.

[PeterPower]

Finally got some free time to play this level. I LOVED it. Thumbs up. Yes, there are only makers, and if you aren't quick enough, you lose the capsules and more importantly the reactors. Perhaps the level would be more interesting with a variety of weapons but then the story doesn't work. Sacrifices need to be made for literature, don't cha' know? :)
Seriously, I didn't find this level too difficult, precise, yes. I had to replay it 3 times to figure out the strategy. I really liked it however. A unique, challenging, nicely arranged level. I very much look forward to more episodes of the Starfall series.
Also, a side note, the emmiter is not hard to attack:

Spoiler

just get 8 makers in there FULLY CHARGED, and discharge them while your nullifier is building and you'll destroy it.

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[Lysander]

Damn, I just realized that the dialogue does encourage people to use the room above the emitter when it's usefulness is quite limited.
Anyways, thanks for playing and for the comments. The next map will have more variety, and I'll remember to make the clues in the dialogue actually useful.

As for strategies for this map:

Spoiler

- build as many makers as possible as soon as you can, before the walls are breached and you lose the power output.
- once you get to the bottom I found it helpful to put most of the makers in the corridors between the emitter and the "reaction chamber". They'll easily regenerate between the creeper blasts.
- after the "reaction chamber" is cleaned up launch a full scale assault on the emitter. I think I used 12 emitters and I didn't even need them charged up to be able to set up a nullifier, but having a few of them charged up certainly helps
- this one is probably obvious, but remember to use the nanochips to increase energy storage, that's pretty much all they're good for, but it's nice to have a buffer once the reactors blow.

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[PeterPower]

If you are quick enough with the sheilds you'll lose very few reactors. I actually used the nanochips to increase the packet speed.