Custom Map #462: No beams? No problem!. By: planetfall

AutoPost · April 20, 2014, 01:02:38 PM

This topic is for discussion of map #462: No beams? No problem!

Author: planetfall
Size: 84x128

Desc:
We will shoot your missiles down with... shields?! (Please let me know what you think of the new sprites for old enemies. They may or may not stay in future maps.) #CRPL #CustomEnemy #CustomUnit #NoSpores #NoDigitalis #NoRunners #Missiles #CorruptedForge #Flamethrowers

Honza8D · April 20, 2014, 01:48:29 PM

I really like your maps, but this one seems too hard. No matter how i start, the missile eventually overwhelm my shields. The energy is not a problem, they simply can't request ammo fast enough. Theres probably something im missing but i tried at least 6 times i failed everytime.
Just to make it clear, i do know of the 2 energy per barier upgrade and use that, missiles still shoot faster then my 3 shields can recharge, i dont have time make more. Also the new sprites look awesome (especially the barrier one)

planetfall · April 20, 2014, 06:09:43 PM

Quote from: Honza8D on April 20, 2014, 01:48:29 PM
I really like your maps, but this one seems too hard. No matter how i start, the missile eventually overwhelm my shields. The energy is not a problem, they simply can't request ammo fast enough. Theres probably something im missing but i tried at least 6 times i failed everytime.
Just to make it clear, i do know of the 2 energy per barier upgrade and use that, missiles still shoot faster then my 3 shields can recharge, i dont have time make more. Also the new sprites look awesome (especially the barrier one)

It's basically futile to upgrade the starting shields -- you need to get them onto the PZs and activated ASAP to hold back the creeper as well as the missiles.
Then you can fill the valley with collectors and destroy the nearest corrupted totem early on.

More help

The three shields should be enough to hold off the missiles till the second wave from the totems. During that time try to get some decent shields up in front of the PZ shields - 3 health/8 energy per health is good and can be built quickly. But make sure that they still have the shield generator inside the PZ shield's area so that if they go down they are still protected by something.

If you're having trouble building more shields, I suggest building a factory or two, or another constructor, or upgrading building speed.

Beyond that, advance normally... but make sure to build up some beefy shields to deal with those flamethrowers.

[close]

RrR · April 20, 2014, 06:30:19 PM

The missiles look very pretty, but if they cause you grief

Spoiler

nullify some before they have a chance to launch.

[close]

Then it's a cinch.

Honza8D · April 21, 2014, 08:00:06 AM

Ok i was finally able to do it. I forgot to use all 3 cns before, but now i used all 3 and finally got the edge.

tornado · April 21, 2014, 02:04:39 PM

nice map
id love to muck about with the maps prior to this one
but i cant look at the cprl or the map themselves because my projects folder doesn't exist
that and there are weird bugs with map numbers.ie: anything over map number 250 doesnt show up in my fiels

f22-raptor · April 21, 2014, 04:28:18 PM

Hello, First I would like to say I love all your maps I've played and beaten every single one except "Watch the world burn" Because I destroyed the last totem without going through the worm hole and raged. But that's beside the point. I made a account just to say the reason why I love your maps is because you add new interesting mechanics into the game with each map. With all those weapons and enemy's carrying over to the next one. It reminds me when I first played creeper world with each level unlocking a new weapon and enemy that would add to the game and change the way you play. So I would like to ask will we get more levels that give us access to all the previous weapons?

planetfall · April 21, 2014, 05:13:00 PM

Quote from: f22-raptor on April 21, 2014, 04:28:18 PM
Hello, First I would like to say I love all your maps I've played and beaten every single one except "Watch the world burn" Because I destroyed the last totem without going through the worm hole and raged. But that's beside the point. I made a account just to say the reason why I love your maps is because you add new interesting mechanics into the game with each map. With all those weapons and enemy's carrying over to the next one. It reminds me when I first played creeper world with each level unlocking a new weapon and enemy that would add to the game and change the way you play. So I would like to ask will we get more levels that give us access to all the previous weapons?

Yes. I released this one because the next storyline level will probably take a long time to make (spoiler alert: it's a boss.)

tornado · April 22, 2014, 02:09:58 AM

May whoever presides ove your universe preserverve us from you horror(no offence intended) planetfall

Other than that looking forward to it
Hope I don't lose
Like the other (non memoable number) times

Flabort · April 22, 2014, 09:06:12 PM

You produce some seriously challenging, uh, challenges. ;D
Going up against you're idea of a Boss might be like playing I Wanna Be the Guy. :P
However, I bet it will be easier than this specific one. ;)

planetfall · April 22, 2014, 09:50:10 PM

Quote from: Flabort on April 22, 2014, 09:06:12 PM
You produce some seriously challenging, uh, challenges. ;D
Going up against you're idea of a Boss might be like playing I Wanna Be the Guy. :P
However, I bet it will be easier than this specific one. ;)

Well, this one will be more like a mini-boss... kinda...
Nah, the corrupted dark beam was a mini-boss; the next level will be a REAL boss. It won't be the final boss by a long shot -- I have a few truly brutal ideas in mind for future levels, which I intend to save.

Also, if this boss is weak enough, it might be possible for a later boss to spawn it as a minion! (evil laugh)

tornado · April 23, 2014, 04:02:03 PM

I repeat my earlier comment

Jamz · April 27, 2014, 05:16:27 AM

Really fun map this. Very sad to see such a poor rating for this map because I do think it was quite clever and interesting too.

I think one little problem about this map to note though, and it's nothing to do with the shields and how there were no beams or anything (well after all, having beams would've defeated the purpose of this map). I believe the starting of this map may've been a bit of a nuisance for some players, especially for those who don't act quick.
The main thing to do here is to get those 3 shields on those 3 PZs asap. That's the problem. Not everyone realises that until a little bit later or some people are just a bit slow in getting the shields there. What happens is that even if a little bit of creeper comes past those 3 PZs, then once you do eventually put the shields there, that little bit of creeper which has gone past, would then get pushed back further to your infrastructure due to the repulsive effect of the shield, destroy your infrastructure, break your connection, shields no longer working, and now you gotta build cannons etc and rebuild your energy stuff, whilst more and more creeper begins to accumulate, and then you realise you're kinda screwed.
Now, it's nothing a simple restart cant solve, but I'd imagine this to be a bit of nuisance. The problem is, unless players dont place the shields on the PZs asap, and I mean ASAP, then there is a chance, that some of the creeper can get pushed back towards your infrastructure and cause some frustration.

Anyway, apart from that little initial nuisance, everything else was great. I liked the way the sanctuary shield operated and I think it's a very fair, not-overpowered unit. It has many fantastic uses but this doesn't come without significant investment in terms of time, energy and space to make it. And even with all uses it provides, it's not completely invulnerable. I like how you can make it more durable and efficient by upgrading it with the constructor. I think it was quite simple and straightforward to make and understand.

I like how you actually provided a decent amount of space with flat terrain so that we could make use of multiple constructors to simultaneously build and upgrade multiple shields. This was the first time I felt the need to make another constructor although in hindsight I think I should've had 3 instead of 2.
I like how the multiple emitters were nicely and evenly spaced out so that as we progressed further, more PZs would pop up along the way upon which we could place more shields, so that they effectively acted as "stepping stones" to push further and further.
Also liked how there were multiple aether packets since this map really needed it as well for all those energy upgrades and for build and packet speed upgrades.
I also like the look of the new shield barrier. Looks pwetty.
Oh and also...

Spoiler

THERE WERE NO RUNNERS!!!!!
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[close]

One tiny tiny complaint I do have though is it would've been nice if part of the dialogue there was mention as to why there were no beams for this map. Was it disabled for some reason? Was someone on board trying to play around and tinker with the schematics for the beam only to have seriously goofed it up hence why it was not available? Not necessary but would've been nice.
Oh, and another tiny complaint. Not big, but not something I understand. Why does the game have to be paused in order to place units under the sanctuary shield's barrier. Is it because of a bug or something you haven't quite figured out how to get rid of or is this something you deliberately designed. Like I said, nothing biggie but I just don't get the purpose.

All in all, I think this was a very well thought out and very clever map (apart from the little starting issue.)
Really sad to see the rating for this. Would be nice if the people who really downvoted could mention why. Was it because of the difficult starting, were they overwhelmed with missiles, didn't know what to do? Again, another thing makes me wonder, is how many of these are new players (especially cos of the recent step in to Steam.) If it is because they didn't understand how your stuff works, how many of them have played your maps from the very beginning. Again, there is no mention in the map description that players should consider playing from the beginning or something.

Jamz · April 27, 2014, 05:21:12 AM

Final final thing.

I'm not a huge fan of the new art. In particular, didn't really like the new enemy totems or the new flamethrowers. I preferred the older looks.
Not sure if anything else was changed, probably was but I didn't notice.

planetfall · April 27, 2014, 12:56:58 PM

Quote from: Jamz on April 27, 2014, 05:16:27 AM
Oh, and another tiny complaint. Not big, but not something I understand. Why does the game have to be paused in order to place units under the sanctuary shield's barrier. Is it because of a bug or something you haven't quite figured out how to get rid of or is this something you deliberately designed. Like I said, nothing biggie but I just don't get the purpose.

I don't have to do it, but it allows me to make the crpl more efficient (rather important to me since I have an older computer). Instead of having each shield or missile call GetEnemyUnitsInRange (a relatively processor-heavy command) every frame, the shield sets each cell under its area to feign having 20 units stacked up on it. Then missiles only test for shields if they are on such a cell.

Quote from: Jamz on April 27, 2014, 05:21:12 AM
I'm not a huge fan of the new art. In particular, didn't really like the new enemy totems or the new flamethrowers. I preferred the older looks.
Not sure if anything else was changed, probably was but I didn't notice.

The corrupted forge was changed as well.
(So were pteroformers, but it will be a map or two before they make a reappearance. And their old sprites were thoroughly horrible to begin with.)