SCIENCE!

[hapes]

Some questions of efficiency:

At what distance does using a guppy to power a cannon become more efficient than relays (efficient == more packets for length of time)?  I haven't tested this, but it seems like only on VERY LARGE maps would a guppy be more efficient, but I could be wrong.  Anyone have thoughts?

Seems like the experiment is to throw down a line of relays, with two cannons, one connected to the relays, one connected to the guppy landing point, and a line of creeper to target.  Keep moving it out until the guppy feeds more packets/sec.  Maybe I'll try that tonight.

Other science experiment suggestions are welcome!

[teknotiss]

it depends on aether too, on some huge maps guppies are better, but if there's loads of aether then mad speed upgrades at the forge can do the trick instead.
plus guppies mess with the packet dispatch system, normally ok but on some maps i needed to reorganise to get the packets flowing properly

[Grauniad]

As with many science experiments, the nature of the experiment and controls are crucial.

Assuming some of the things you said are correct (and nobody would mention science and ne inexact in their descriptions, right? :)) then I think you may find that relays will always be a more reliable source.

The main reason is that over a very large distance, the poor cannon fed by the guppy would run out of ammo for the transit time of the guppy back to the base. During that time the creeper will advance for more than the firing range of the cannon, thus destroying the cannon.

[Randomgold]

As with many science experiments, the nature of the experiment and controls are crucial.

Assuming some of the things you said are correct (and nobody would mention science and ne inexact in their descriptions, right? :)) then I think you may find that relays will always be a more reliable source.

The main reason is that over a very large distance, the poor cannon fed by the guppy would run out of ammo for the transit time of the guppy back to the base. During that time the creeper will advance for more than the firing range of the cannon, thus destroying the cannon.

To expand on the original question a bit, what if the player was to use two or more guppies?  Provided they timed it so that there was little to no downtime, how would that affect the results?

[Grauniad]

The map editor is a wonderful laboratory.

[JF-T]

Oh without a doubt, why when i was making my first map in CW3 today, I came to realize that you can edit the map while you play it. Ofcourse you have to pause or editing would be a hell and a half, but still.

But don't forget you could use the map editor to make new tactics, why it's one of the places i learned my terp/nullifier tactic.

[koker93]

I often use guppies as both a cheat for more energy storage, and a way to have packets immediately ready on the front lines even when the weapons are directly connected via relays.  But I also like to overbuild, a lot.

[pawel345]

Rather than guppies which cause a pause in the packet distribution as
1. packets are always requested form the closest guppy, so if you use 2 guppies when the first one runs dry, then will the cannon start requesting form the second, but as soon as the first returns and the second is 2/3 empty will start draining the first one again, which will cause that after a few rounds both will be empty and your cannon will be out of ammo betore the packets arrive form CN(possibly)

2. Using guppies makes a large blow on your energy network as suddenly a few structures requests a lot packets at once while usually they cannons would require less packets each second.

Flying your CN closer to the action is far better. On large maps you usually have 3 CN's so use them. Even if you have only one it doesn't have to be in the same spot all the time.

[teknotiss]

i tend to use guppies in groups of at least 9 on maps where i can afford the energy, they are great a keeping distant PZ berthas firing fast, and for air assaults obviously, but i also use them for rapid nullifier builds, along with boosting my front lines power levels, but i always use a large number so i rarely have no guppies landed. they are useful, but not always helpful if you lose power ;)