Custom Map #225: Dygz-4. By: First

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This topic is for discussion of map #225: Dygz-4


Author: First
Size: 162x91

Desc:
An abandoned archeology digsite raises more questions than it answers. More CRPL modified units.

[Helper]

Is there some point at which you explain the mission?
There doesn't appear to be any clues in the messages.
I'm 25+ minutes in and all I'm doing is killing Creeper and Spores.

[asmussen]

If you collect all of the message capsules, you should have enough information to piece together roughly what you need to do, although it isn't directly spelled out.

[Helper]

If you collect all of the message capsules, you should have enough information to piece together roughly what you need to do, although it isn't directly spelled out.

I'm really glad that worked for you. As I already posted, I couldn't figure it out after reading all of the messages.

If there is some clue for cracking the code on where the targets are, I sure missed it. Flattening the entire map down to level 1 was finding them, but taking way too long.

Nice concept, but just taking way too long.

Is there a Map Editor (ala CW2) we can download? I'd still like to figure this thing out.

[RealAndy]

One thing I found useful:

Spoiler

Change all the terrain to 10 high (once you have enough energy/terps) and where holes break out, change a 3x3 area to height 1, with the hole in the middle.  Leaving enough blasters in the area then makes the area able to be used. 

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Still, I couldn't work out how to finish it, I nullified what looked like a spore tower and got all the messages but no finish? 

I'd say there are some real issues with the level, such as not being warned of spores and how long it takes.

[asmussen]

If you collect all of the message capsules, you should have enough information to piece together roughly what you need to do, although it isn't directly spelled out.

I'm really glad that worked for you. As I already posted, I couldn't figure it out after reading all of the messages.

If there is some clue for cracking the code on where the targets are, I sure missed it. Flattening the entire map down to level 1 was finding them, but taking way too long.

Nice concept, but just taking way too long.

Is there a Map Editor (ala CW2) we can download? I'd still like to figure this thing out.

Spoiler

The creeper from the buried emitters appears on the map in single square holes of terrain height one that start to appear after the creeper starts flowing. If you look at the pattern of those tiny holes in the ground, they roughly form a circle around each buried emitter, giving you a pretty narrow target area of where you need to dig. Turning off creeper visibility after all of the creeper spawn points have appeared really helps to see this. For the spore towers, you just have to pay attention to where the spores spawn from and dig in that area.

[close]

[burguertime]

Spoiler

Terp the map to level 1 entirely. Then it becomes a regular map with slip emitters

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[Karsten75]

I *might* change my intense dislike of this map if and when I play it again. I grant the author that it's pretty clever and well-thought out, but I really didn't have much fun. The "clue"  (for what it's worth) is buried so far and so deep into the mass of creeper, that it's a huge slog to get there and figure it out. Of course, once one plays it again, it will be much easier, but that's not really the purpose of a map, is it?

[First]

This map was fun to put together. The terrain theme got me thinking about Frank Herbert's Dune series and a bunch of ideas for future maps (a la sand worms and thumpers). BTW the Dune prequels are ... well ... let's just say you can have my copies.

Without giving too much away (I will give a hint below.), the scenario is intended to be like a murder mystery, with little clues spaced out around the map. So, it needs a bit of Sherlock Holmes to get through it. Put on your thinking caps people!

Hint #1:

Spoiler

Think about CW2, plan view. Where would the emitters and spore towers be?

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Hint #2:

Spoiler

Take a close look at the pattern made by the vents (the small pits scattered around the terrain).

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And finally, keep the comments coming. I get cool ideas from all comments, even the ones that pan the maps!

- First [REDACTED EMAIL ADDRESS]

ps. wtb moar crpl api functions! GetNearestTerrain, for one  ;)

[First]

RealAndy said:

I'd say there are some real issues with the level, such as not being warned of spores and how long it takes.

Good point, the warning is beyond my crpl skills at the moment. I did get the siren working, thou *pride*. BTW, where is the stock spore siren in the list of sounds? (Or, what is the text name of that stock spore siren?) Anyone know?

- First

[knucracker]

You can actually pick up all of the Message Artifacts near the game start with a CN commando drop, building a few collectors, then flying the CN back over the final Message Artifact to nab it (by building one collector).  I actually thought when I saw the map that doing this might be the victory condition, so I thought I might have a fool's mate technique.  When the map didn't end I at least had read all of the clues at game start so I pretty much knew what to do.  Doing this, btw, doesn't offer any real advantages other than getting the messages early.  It actually substantially hurts the game start since the first spore wave comes in before you can get prepared for it if you are out doing a CN commando drop.

[Helper]

...CN commando drop...

That is what I did after quitting at about the 25 minute mark. I had already tried building up to level 10 to seal those little vents - as well as drilling down to level 1 (3x3 areas). After the CN drop, I figured out the part about leveling a wider area and ended up doing 9x9 leveling, but that was taking forever.

If there was any kind of 'pattern', I sure never saw it.

The second game by First (insert link to Abbott and Costello here), was one of my all-time favorites in CW3. Might try this one again from scratch, but any game that takes an hour to play needs more in the way of tactics/action/reaction.
H

[Jamz]

Oh wow, cant believe I did it. Juuuuuust under an hour.
That was a hard yet somewhat interesting map.
And yeah, the clues were pretty cryptic but just enough info to give you an idea as to what to watch out for and what needed to be done.

[planetfall]

I like your maps, and this was a really cool idea. But the

Spoiler

areas of different structures overlapping made it really annoying to guess where to dig while the holes were spewing large amounts of creeper where my terps needed to be.

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[First]

Here's a trick that ended up helping a bit

Spoiler

Shell a prospective dig site with a Bertha and have a terp nearby in a power zone.

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