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Ideas

Started by GoodMorning, March 25, 2016, 08:48:19 AM

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GoodMorning

Hello all,

I have had various ideas for CRPL custom maps, and have implemented some previously.

However, rather than clutter the maplist with things which aren't all that much fun, I thought to place some future ideas here.

These include:

  • Machines making machines making...
  • A construction station for a greater unit, which has player units slotted into it periodically, in order to add functionality, eventually becoming very powerful.
  • Emitters that breed, die, and can mutate (for different vulnerabilities, abilities, ...)
  • An credits-style game where the player is loyal to the Loki.
  • A game of Battleships, player versus Creeper, moving Pulse Cannons to fire.

I put these here to save people playing a "proof of concept" map.

Anyone who likes an idea, please say so, or suggest something. I haven't been here long enough to know what is/is not going to be fun for others. Thus do I ask for feedback.

Also, the Breeding/Hydra Emitter seemed to be appreciated the first time, but not later, in a more in-depth variant. Why, and how to fix it? (Or was it only enjoyable as a once-off?)
A narrative is a lightly-marked path to another reality.

Vanguard

#1
Quote from: GoodMorning on March 25, 2016, 08:48:19 AM
I put these here to save people playing a "proof of concept" map.
Actually, I would applaud proof-of-concept maps. Just put in a few challenges, that is easily done.

Check my "creeper cannon" map. It´s very simplistic, but shows that the cannon has a minimal range, and you can play around a bit by either trying to save the forge or building your own after the prepalced one is destroyed. It still is basically a proof-of-concept or demonstration map.

Honestly, without being mean spirited about this: With the amount of "achievement" or "mostly empty, but two emitter one a featureless plane" maps in userspace, proof of concept maps would be better and more interesting by a mile.

If I would have to chose, and I´ve given this a lot of thought ( hence the late reply ), from the ones you suggested I´d like to see the mutating emitters map. Every X seconds, an emitter is spawned either wandering to the new location or spawning on site, extending a digitalis network. This would give a nice escalation phase as when you don´t deel with the multiplying emitters, you will get run over.

However, this needs to come with a certain set of parameters.
1) Limit player expansion or energy available.
2) Limit emitter expansion radius.
3) Limits on where you can spawn an emitter ( no spawning in players base or defensive line ).
4) Change the emitters output values based on age. As they grow, they spew out more. Maybe even make younger emitters start as AC and switch to C as they grow.
5) Once all the territory to expand to has been expended, instead of emitters they will grow Spore towers which grow in power over time

Gogogo, you have two days, then I want to play it.  ;D

Edit: Added point number 5 to the list of things that the creeper does to "make your life miserable".  ;D

GoodMorning

#2
I have commitments, but will have a go after a time.

Search "Creeper Breeding" for the last map I did on the same line.

Reply edit:
The Spores would help, and stop the map from being impossible to lose. It will be more than two days... ...much more, to do it well.
A narrative is a lightly-marked path to another reality.

GoodMorning

After some consideration, and a partial implementation, I have concluded:
1. There are two ideas here.
1a. The constructor-unit, making part-random sub-units. (Part-done, easier to balance)
1b. The breeder-unit, making pseudo-random clones. (More fun, harder to balance, longer to make)

2. Currently I can't do much with either, as life is getting in the way.

I have put the first one on hold. The second, I will do when I have time, but don't expect it soon.

The partial implementation of the first idea is attached, for anyone who wants it. For my part, it's going to be a while before I return to it, so if anyone wants to lay claim...
A narrative is a lightly-marked path to another reality.

Vanguard

Holy moly!  :o

I need to free me up some time to look at it! But I definitely shall!

GoodMorning

As I said, take it and welcome.

The other one will create units that actually evolve (in the literal, definitive, mathematical-selective sense...) which is why I really want to do that.

The one you have feels like an adaptable idea. A thought on both, though: Perhaps terrain levels could be used to contain them? That way we can delimit a customised area easily, and the player can bottle them up.

An alternative is a hugely inefficient full-map SetTerrainOverride reacting to TERPing, which can allow all kinds of interesting stuff.

(Also, I just found out that void+digi = height 0 for Creeper. I always thought it was height 1, or something very special...)
A narrative is a lightly-marked path to another reality.

GoodMorning

OK, for anyone who wants it:
This is a code excerpt from the evolver, where we set most of the child's param.s.

It will refer back to this manager core for the drift rates, etc when it breeds.

If anyone has suggestions, now is the time, before it becomes rewriting.

The core will eat Creeper, and the better it is, the more it eats. Currently they can wander through AC without harm, but will rapidly starve.

Entire design is mutable, subject to feedback.


#Here we go... (this version deems drift to be constant, so there's no mutation/stability multiplier)
  "GrowthMetabolicInterval" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "Eat" @MutatePC @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "StomachSizeMul" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "LifeInCycles" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "MetabolicInterval" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "ExpectedChildren" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "BreedAfterCycles" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "BreedInterval" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "Health" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "NullifierDamage" @MutatePC @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "SniperTargetChance" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "BeamTargetChance" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "DigiLayerChance" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "TerrainTolerance" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
  "Speed" @MutateRange @SetSelectedEvolverScriptVar
 
  #Now calculate the growth cost and feed bill. Formula not written yet, but will be a mix of constants, flags, exponents and linears.
  #This will require calibration, as it will be a line somewhere between OP, UP, Creep-devouring, and mainly pop-limited.
A narrative is a lightly-marked path to another reality.

milkev

oh my, i thought this was just going to be creating emitters near-by and increase the new ones stats... you guys are amazing at this 0_0
i geuss it would eat creeper thats at its coords (by removing it or setting anti-creeper) and have a chance of evolving once its "full" of creeper and that chance would turn into a chance for one of its stats.

GoodMorning

The current plan is that, when it meets the criteria for "breeding", it will randomly choose stats to keep/change, and then make a "growing" child-core.

I do like the idea of something that gets stronger as it eats Creeper, but it would have to breed late, and then it would be almost indestructible AND spawning...

Another idea, but I will finish this first. I don't know that they would work well together.
A narrative is a lightly-marked path to another reality.

milkev

Quote from: GoodMorning on April 12, 2016, 09:59:09 PM
The current plan is that, when it meets the criteria for "breeding", it will randomly choose stats to keep/change, and then make a "growing" child-core.

I do like the idea of something that gets stronger as it eats Creeper, but it would have to breed late, and then it would be almost indestructible AND spawning...

Another idea, but I will finish this first. I don't know that they would work well together.

eating creeper could requrie more and more creeper each time, so it gets to a point were the requirement is over 2000 and it cant get enough?

GoodMorning

Could be...

Having something that will eat until it bursts would be interesting. Perhaps it would spawn up to two offspring before bursting, which could do the same, etc...?
A narrative is a lightly-marked path to another reality.

Vanguard

Quote from: GoodMorning on April 14, 2016, 02:41:29 AM
Could be...

Having something that will eat until it bursts would be interesting. Perhaps it would spawn up to two offspring before bursting, which could do the same, etc...?

Oooohh, I love this idea. Like snipeable units that just nomnom on creeper until they spill double the amount and two childs.   :o

GoodMorning

It seems that double AND two children would be OP.

On the other hand... if they gradually toughen, and don't die until they get up to ~2K Creeper contained... And they are not too hard to blow up young... And they grow, gaining health and resistance... But slow as they do...

Then they might stop being Beamable, then Snipable, then Nullifiable, then pop... That way the invincible ones can be killed by overfeeding, but you have to be careful of destroying all Creeper.

Maybe it should eat AC and shrink, but if it spawns in AC it becomes an AC version.

This would be easier to make than the factory or evolver (The evolver is close to done now,but it will be a while before I get back to it). Could be fun to play with an a variety of places. Could be a high-Creeper nest, making a near-conversion density area, or a Bickford effect.

Could we limit the terrain heights?

A bit of calibration could give us a form that eats Creeper, but pops and tries to spill, say, 2400 Creeper, making about 2K AC, or vice-versa.

(Note: don't let this type eat AC in your base.)
A narrative is a lightly-marked path to another reality.

Vanguard

Quote from: GoodMorning on April 14, 2016, 05:48:31 AM
Maybe it should eat AC and shrink, but if it spawns in AC it becomes an AC version.
--------
Could we limit the terrain heights?
Well, terraforming should probably be disallowed then. If you/we use terrain as a limiting factor, it must be a static variable.

I like the AC-shrinking idea, not so sure about flip-emitter style nomnoms.

I have reserved a few hours on the weekend to finally take a good look at this. Time´s hard to come by.  :-[

GoodMorning

I know. I'll be out of action for the next week or so, unless I can steal time from other things.

I was thinking of a few "passes" that insulate the main mass from your base. Take a pass, Terp it to height 10, and the poppers won't be able to return.

I was thinking that we could make the AC form an investment, so that a very limited AC supply can be boosted by investing in poppers. You'd have to put them in a pit to stop them taking all the build space, or maybe make them be shootable...

Could be interesting, a map where the poppers will drain your Beams (if left on), but they are eventually the only defence against Creeper.
They could eventually become an AC Emitter - workalike...
A narrative is a lightly-marked path to another reality.