Wanted to throw people a preview of a map I'm working on.

[Courtesy]

It's both a famine and endurance map. I've been finding it rather fun to make (even if I had to chop almost all the CRPL), but the most interesting thing is the maps personal history to me.

I've had to play it 12 times now, because I keep finding small details that make the map unreasonably hard, even to me. The first change I had to make was literally doubling the spore towers time to fire. Even if I could get there in time, the one time I didn't, I suddenly realized they were way too powerful. Immediately after that, I beat the map, so I took away a few of the players toys. I played it again, to discover to my dismay it bordered on impossible again. This happens another 6 or 7 times over the course of the last 3 days.

Suddenly I get bored, throw a bunch of random/not random crpl on it, like fog of way, an enemy command node/collector CRPL, just smut. Laughed at how broken it was, deleted most of it, kept a few neat things, and plucked at the map some more. This time I'm relatively certain I've got it though...

But if I don't, here is a screenshot in preview of the map: Adaptive Simulant

[teknotiss]

chuck it on this thread for play testing if you want dude! i know you'll get some volunteers :)

[Courtesy]

I don't know how to do that  ???

[Flabort]

Start a new post.
Click Additional Options.
Click Attach: Browse...

~yourfolder/Documents/CreeperWorld3/WorldEditor/~yourworld/save.cw3

[Courtesy]

I beat it again, but I still think it was a bit -too- difficult. So I reduced the creeper intensity on all spawners by 5% and removed the CRPL core that doesn't let one pause.
I'm going to play it again and see if it makes pushing too easy now, or if I struck a better balance. Here is the map for anyone that wants to give it a try.

[warren]

This map is not for me. It is big, allows minimal units, repetitive, and offers few strategic options. I was unable to play it long enough to assess if it is easy or hard.

[Courtesy]

Some of that is things I want in this map, but a few things aren't. Strategicly, the options are supposed to be in deciding which islands to take in what order, but with how much creeper is currently released by the emitters, this option doesn't actually exist.

I'm going to half the rate at which all of them release in my next rendition, to see if it opens up more strategic options. Additionally, with the low amount of weapons available, it'll make punching through the large pools of creeper already present by the time you arrive easier, and should cut at least an hour off the time needed.

Reducing slog, and increasing strategic options actually available are both good things imo. I'll post the new rendition when I get done tweaking it.

[Grayzzur]

... and should cut at least an hour off the time needed.

I haven't tried it, but I can tell you from that statement right there you're losing most of your audience. Most people don't like to play hour+ maps. 10-30 minutes is a good range. 45-ish if it's an interesting challenge. Maps long than that usually aren't due to difficulty or challenge, but merely unnecessary slogging to reach the finish line.

I think I'll wait for your next revision for a playtest.

[Courtesy]

Yeah, that's why It's taking me so long to balance it. I wanted to try my hand at making a long map that is difficult not through slogging but actually through challenges. By limiting access to supplies, my hope is I can force people to come up with a route to appropriately lance through in efficient routes that allow them to make progress earned not through slog, but through wise decision making.

Unfortunately in the last rendition, I discovered later areas of the map had a bit too much creeper being deployed, which entered the realm of slog instead of strategy, and unnecesarily took 2 hours to punch through, when I didn't expect it to take me more than 20. I'm aiming for a 1 hour completion time, and the map currently averages me 2

[Courtesy]

I changed one of the starting guns into a shield to give more early pushing power. I've also reduced the creepers spawn values to lower numbers that result in there not being -much- creeper in any particular area of the map by the time you get there. Effectively allowing you to push into almost any landmass with 1 shield, 2 blasters, and 1 mortar. I think I've gotten it to a point where instead of slogging through creeper, you're navigating the map while simply handliong the digitalis: which was intended to be the true enemy of this map.


Map Goals: Make a massive map that proves to be fun, while making use of all the space available
Make use of the limited unit value in a way that benefits fun instead of destroying it
Allow multiple, meaningfully different routes through the map. (Currently the top route grants access to more weaponry, the southern route grants you a siphon (which allows you to access a HUGE amount of recourses) and the middle route is 'straight for the heart' with enough relays and energy supplied to permit you to actually get there)

Overall, I'm feeling much, much better about the pacing of the map as it currently is, however it is still a bit on the slower side due to map size. I don't think I'm done balancing this yet for maximum fun. I'd love it if someone wanted to check out the most recent rendition and suggest ways to improve it from here.

EDIT: I think the next step is to thin the Digi so that a blaster can maintain it better Currently too many of your supplies need to get used on holding digi in place on your treck towards a nullifier. I'm probably also going to work on another map for a while after I test that change... 'cause it takes 20 minutes of play to reach a period where I can see what issues exist since I know the early game is fine. I'm trying to allow the player to reach a point where they have amounted enough strength to effortlessly push on to victory around 30-35 minutes in, and secure a victory screen within another 20. About an hour playtime if I do it right. This still takes me an hour thirty currently.

[Flash1225]

If you haven't finished that yet, when you do, I'm probably gonna take FOREVER to finsh it. I usually progress slowly against that kind of creeper, and almost don't make any at all without Anti-creeper. And spores? Same as the other two games. Hate them (unless they're AC), and they require a lot of energy to destroy. Yep, this one's gonna be a nightmare...

[Flash1225]

Another thing: Complex CRPL and I don't mix, if it's the bad kind (enemy CRPL). I'm having issues with planetfall's maps that use missile launchers, plus the castle map is WAY too hard. Those enemies come way too fast and come in numbers way too high that you can beat before the next wave spawns. But if it's stuff like Farbor-style CRPL and maps, that's when I definitely snap. I'm already having a hard enough time beating Farbor ( best run was connecting both fronts on the main island), so I can't take that on well.

[Courtesy]

Another thing: Complex CRPL and I don't mix, if it's the bad kind (enemy CRPL). I'm having issues with planetfall's maps that use missile launchers, plus the castle map is WAY too hard. Those enemies come way too fast and come in numbers way too high that you can beat before the next wave spawns. But if it's stuff like Farbor-style CRPL and maps, that's when I definitely snap. I'm already having a hard enough time beating Farbor ( best run was connecting both fronts on the main island), so I can't take that on well.

Yeah this map got ditched when my old comp burned out. I could load it back up on this comp, but I forgot what I was doing, so it's a dead project now.