Custom Map #2504: All you need is a shield. By: Sorrontis

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This topic is for discussion of map #2504: All you need is a shield


Author: Sorrontis
Size: 31x256

Desc:
Just a single shield. Now go forth and survive!

[PMouser]

i cant survive

[Sorrontis]

you have to be quick

[warren]

Challenge accepted! 0:)

[PMouser]

i tried to be quick and i cant the energy is too low

[thumbmaster]

I don't understand the low scoring of this map. It's original and challenging without being impossible. The replay value is extremely high for those who want to shave that extra 1/10 of a second off the score.  8)

Spoiler

Grab the energy pod and start building the nullifier immediately. After you kill the emitter, build the shield and fly it up to the cannons. Meanwhile, build a network of relays to power them. The creeper flow is very slow so you can easily do this. Pause often so the task doesn't overwhelm you. At some point you'll need to make a forge to upgrade energy and packet speed. Make lots of collectors in the empty lanes.

[close]

[Sorrontis]

I don't understand the low scoring of this map. It's original and challenging without being impossible. The replay value is extremely high for those who want to shave that extra 1/10 of a second off the score.  8)

Spoiler

Grab the energy pod and start building the nullifier immediately. After you kill the emitter, build the shield and fly it up to the cannons. Meanwhile, build a network of relays to power them. The creeper flow is very slow so you can easily do this. Pause often so the task doesn't overwhelm you. At some point you'll need to make a forge to upgrade energy and packet speed. Make lots of collectors in the empty lanes.

[close]

I can understand why some people wouldn't like this map. Especiallly the first emitter.

[PMouser]

ty, but my orbitor did go to orbit and i did not lose i just waited the timer out and came back and resumed play along the spoiler you gave. ty

[warren]

In my run I was not quick enough and the orbital returned to orbit. I restarted, did the exact same thing, and built a shield right next to the orbital after nullifying the emitter. How would a shield get rid of the creeper? Its a shield. It shouldn't work. It has something to do with the underlying mechanics of creeper.

It is a bit TLDR

Spoiler

The edge of the creeper undergoes evaporation. This occurs when the creeper falls below .01 or thereabouts. So shields do take out a small amount of creeper, by creating an edge closer to thick creeper, or creating a larger edge.

This is also why blasters can push back an edge easily. A blaster clears five squares of creeper. About four of them immediately fill up with 20% creeper from their neighbours (the flow rate). The next frame, the middle one fills up with 20% of 20% (4%). 4% is below .01, so the creeper just disappears. This is why a blasted area usually stays clear for four or five frames or so.

The creeper left under the Orbital.

Code Select Expand


  .1 .1 .1
  .1 .2 .1
  .1 .1 .1

Why does it stay in such a small area? It wouldn't unless 20% of .1 were less than the evaporation level.

The effect of a shield:

Code Select Expand


   0  0  0
   0 .1  0
  .1 .2 .1
   0 .1  0

The shield pushes the creeper south, and in doing so, causes squares to switch between creeper and clear. Each time it does that, the shield kills that creeper. As the amount of creeper becomes smaller, pushing the creeper into empty squares does not turn those clear squares into creeper squares, and the shield kills creeper that way. :I

[close]

[lividbishop]

on the first try i was able to put the orbital directly on the emitted.  the second time through, i could not do it, its outlined in red.  i tried everything, strating fresh, restarting everything, pausing, not pausing... it will not let me place the command node on it anymore.

[thumbmaster]

on the first try i was able to put the orbital directly on the emitted.  the second time through, i could not do it, its outlined in red.  i tried everything, strating fresh, restarting everything, pausing, not pausing... it will not let me place the command node on it anymore.

The original orbital was allowed to land because it was "landed" by the map creator. If you try to land it again before killing the emitter, you will find that is impossible. Just let it land the first time and continue with the game. That first emitter is a bit of a challenge but once you kill it, the rest is very workable.