Custom Map #3032: Real Nightmare. By: JoaoPistori

AutoPost · January 13, 2016, 03:03:09 PM

This topic is for discussion of map #3032: Real Nightmare

Author: JoaoPistori
Size: 128x128

Desc:
Here it is!! The map I have promissed after uploading "Desert Hills"! Features: #CRPL and (a lot of) new units: Enemy cannons that shoot at your units; Tech and Resource Crystals spawn during the game (like seen in "Desert Hills" map); Survival tech pods (like seen in "Protector" map); Units that throws a black shot, like in "Desert Hills" map; Defensive mines that explodes when activated by a certain amount of creeper; And an epic boss battle against a giant machine!! Next Map: "Obscure Hope"

JoaoPistori · January 13, 2016, 03:08:36 PM

If I want to create a PAC map using the terrain of this already created map, I just have to bring the PAC scripts, but how can I bring the custom images of a PAC map? Is there any download link with them or how could I extract custom images of an already created map with them?

RrR · January 13, 2016, 06:17:25 PM

OK, so this is hard. Not really got established yet. Opening is odd - unable to use controls while most of my forces were destroyed.

Top tip for the first minute

Spoiler

nullify those spore towers by your base as they are on a very fast firing cycle.

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The problem of AoO is that it is always unclear whether to use them immediately or to save them for use later in the game. I'm going to try using some early - otherwise I won't survive to use them later.

D0m0nik · January 13, 2016, 06:47:00 PM

Yeah, very hard. I am sure I will love this map once I complete it but giving up for today after 3 failed attempts.

Spoiler

Fast work took out the emitters to the east and west using two convert and two freeze AOOs. Also took out the NE emitter. All done within 3 mins. Used the east PZ and sniper to take out the blue unit in the west but couldn't get close to the one east side.

Was looking great at 15 mins, took out the NW emitter and then one of the big blue bombs got through my previously tight defenses (even though I had power and fully charged beams) and wiped out my CN. Crazy.

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I agree on the AOOs, it is a gamble but the only way to ever use them properly is on a second run through. Next time I am going to use them all early and see what happens. A few early PZs and control of the bottom third could be key but will need seriously fast work.

What I find a little challenging is that I do not see how anyone can possibly save all the tech. Three are wiped out within about 15 mins at which point you are still struggling for a foothold. Also limited forge is tough (tech?). I would love to know in advance, perhaps by clicking on them, what the tech will give me so I know what to prioritise, again this will be obvious on a second run through.

Joao - I love your maps as they present a genuine challenge to complete, looking forward to giving this a proper go tomorrow.

Johnny Haywire · January 13, 2016, 11:01:28 PM

Ok, if Dom says this map is hard then I'm scared. And it's late at night so the LAST thing I want is a "real nightmare". Maybe you could make a different version of this map called "Sorta-Nightmare" and include some Winnie the Pooh characters and music to help comfort us as we play it. :-\

Maybe I'll try it when we pay off the national deficit. Or at least in the daytime when it's bright and sunny. 8)

D0m0nik · January 14, 2016, 04:31:41 AM

Finished at 4th time of asking. Winnie the Pooh did not show up. At times I did feel like a bit of an Eeyore huffing and puffing. My tips:

Spoiler

The protected tech are forge upgrades, each one allows a couple of energy, ore and build speed upgrades and one move, range and fire rate upgrade.

Use all of the AOOs early to take out the surrounding emitters and free up PZs, you do not need any AOOs at all later on as it becomes quite straight forward in the end.

Rather than take out the east and west emitters first I went NE and took the two there using the cannons to keep digitalis at bay and a mortar and a sprayer to keep the creep back. I used two freeze and a convert.The reason for this is the E and W are not actually that hard to take and can be taken later.

For the E and W emitters a convert and a freeze were enough supported by one cannon and one mortar.

Every time a big blue bomb comes save the game before it hits just in case. You can move units that it is targeting and they will not be destroyed if they are in the air. You can then put them straight back down and rebuild a few collectors to connect your network back up.

Careful energy management a must, if you allow a PZ beam not to recharge quickly you are finished.

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My constructive criticism ::):
The start is very hard and getting energy up is very tough. I used one of the two PZs next to the CN for a reactor and still struggled for at least 10-15 minutes. The first 20 mins were tough and then once established the end was just a clear up job with no threat from the units in the north. Would have been nice to have something a little more challenging as you approach the boss, he was way to easy to kill.
Second the tech upgrades were too expensive, in such an energy starved beginning up I could not spare 1250 energy for one, let alone 5 techs. As a result I didn't collect them until I was stable and had, in effect, defeated the challenging part of the map.

This is indeed a nightmare and deserves it's name! A very good challenge for experienced players only, thank you for making it!

Johnny Haywire · January 15, 2016, 01:59:49 AM

Well ok, I'm sure the way everyone else did this map was pretty difficult. I can see how it's designed to be a real nightmare. I decided to try this map using Dom's super-aggressive, amazingly efficient methods but then I realized that might require too much thinking and I'm trying to cut down on potato chips this year. (YAY Doritos!) So I did something totally different and totally by accident it worked amazingly well. You probably shouldn't click on the spoiler but since some people won't be able to do this map any other way except the patented Haywire Hammock method...

Spoiler

Are you SURE you want the easy way? You sure you don't want a real nightmarish challenge?

Spoiler

Sigh ok then... click on this for a hint. And a hint is all you're getting.

Spoiler

Do nothing. Do absolutely nothing except maybe try moving stuff around just for the fun of it. You can cover the entire map with AC by 20 minutes into it. Probably even faster if you try. If you figure it out, it's probably a good idea to keep it to yourself. Still not convinced? Click on the next spoiler if you want a pic.

Spoiler

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So yeah. That's how I roll. Like rolling over on a nice Hammock... nice and slow, back and forth.

Amazing map, JoaoPistori! Kinda felt like there should be free tickets for Disney World at the end of it. Or a party. Or something like that. ;D

D0m0nik · January 15, 2016, 03:03:59 AM

What the.....

Johnny it looks like your better off the potato chips :)

JoaoPistori · January 15, 2016, 10:11:19 AM

I really didn't plan that. Thank you, next maps will not have them hahahahah (not even the power zones for your beams/reactors) 》》》》 GUYS PLEASE DON'T READ JOHNNY HAYWIRE SPOILER :P 《《《《

JoaoPistori · January 15, 2016, 10:15:07 AM

I forquot to mention:
This is a new triology, 1st map is this ("Real Nightmare"), the 2nd is "Obscure Hope" (PAC) and the 3rd and last is "A new dawn" (I'm thinking between sleeper or normal mode)

D0m0nik · January 15, 2016, 02:40:11 PM

I don't see it, what did you do Johnny?

TLFP · January 15, 2016, 03:20:45 PM

Quote from: D0m0nik on January 15, 2016, 02:40:11 PM
I don't see it, what did you do Johnny?

This is my guess:

Spoiler

He let his units get hit by spores and whatnot, but I can't get it to work so I'll try and fiddle around with it

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Johnny Haywire · January 15, 2016, 07:08:27 PM

Yeah I'll send a message individually maybe, but I'm not gonna ruin Joao's evil plan to give you all nightmares, lol. I will say on a side note I thought it was especially evil that the big blue attacking disk thing would destroy power zones. Didn't like that so much.

And yeah, Longfellow probably concluded that if I did nothing I let my stuff get hit. If you failed to make that logical deduction I'll at least give that one to ya. ;D I will say that what I did will work every time.

And btw, this doesn't make the map entirely easy... just much easy-ER. Excellent map, Joao. And next time you better have Winnie the Pooh to help comfort us and tell us it'll all be ok. Or at least Barney. :P

RrR · January 15, 2016, 08:00:17 PM

Yep, Johnny is right, it is easy to cover the map with AC. But by the time that is done, all the enemy weapons are in full attach mode, so while it is an alternative mode to victory (and one that should save all five tech pods) it is not necessarily fast or particularly easy.

TLFP · January 15, 2016, 10:05:29 PM

Quote from: Johnny Haywire on January 15, 2016, 07:08:27 PM
Yeah I'll send a message individually maybe, but I'm not gonna ruin Joao's evil plan to give you all nightmares, lol. I will say on a side note I thought it was especially evil that the big blue attacking disk thing would destroy power zones. Didn't like that so much.

And yeah, Longfellow probably concluded that if I did nothing I let my stuff get hit. If you failed to make that logical deduction I'll at least give that one to ya. ;D I will say that what I did will work every time.

And btw, this doesn't make the map entirely easy... just much easy-ER. Excellent map, Joao. And next time you better have Winnie the Pooh to help comfort us and tell us it'll all be ok. Or at least Barney. :P

I thought you did what the forge does...

Spoiler

If you have at least one totem (in any map) and the forge you can activate the singularity weapon, and that (if it compresses enough creeper) will convert it. If you let your units get hit with spores, it will produce SOME AC, but not enough to sneeze at.

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