Custom Map #20: Scorpio. By: jaworeq

AutoPost · September 15, 2016, 04:01:58 PM

This topic is for discussion of map #20: Scorpio

Author: jaworeq
Size: 300x150

Desc:
Map made by the wife! Remember - marriage requires sacrifice!

Karsten75 · September 15, 2016, 04:26:42 PM

What did you do with the blue particles? I can't shift them with either grabbers or emitter control?

jaworeq · September 15, 2016, 04:43:38 PM

That's an excellent question. I wrote a separate topic pointing some issues, that energy-source magnet being one of them.

Also, I just made another map. 1 blue emitter, 1 energy source, 1 red emitter far away. As soon as I took over source, particle turned around and glued themselves to the source.

knucracker · September 15, 2016, 05:24:16 PM

When making blue emitters, I almost always turn the targeting percentage down to 0. By default an emitter will create particles that 100% (all of the particles) target energy sources. That makes sense for a red emitter, sometimes. For blue emitters you probably want particle targeting turned off since the player will send them around.

The other thing for blue particles is to set some timeout on them. Like 2400 frames or something in that range. If you don't, the can live forever. If they live forever, and don't auto target, then they might pile up somewhere and be annoying for the player to go collect them. If they timeout, then any 'waste' will clean itself up over time.

Sorrontis · September 15, 2016, 10:52:54 PM

That's very artistic. I'm still working through the missions first :)

Cavemaniac · September 15, 2016, 11:35:18 PM

Quote from: Sorrontis on September 15, 2016, 10:52:54 PM
That's very artistic. I'm still working through the missions first :)

Yeah - I think you're gonna need the practice.

I took one look at it and and went 'What the...?'

Then I got scared and went away.

And I've been playing PF for 18 months!

;)

Will tackle it later when I'm in the mood for a monumentally fluid battle...

TheWife · September 16, 2016, 01:07:39 AM

Ok, I had no idea that their main target would be energy source. It did seem fishy, but we couldn't work out what was wrong.
Why is 100% default, then, if you ALWAYS change it down to 0 or a bit more than that, then? :D Set it to, I dunno, 50 at least? :P
Also, even with particles misbehaving, hubby managed to get through the map without bigger issues. There are 3 grabbers, after all. (: Imagine there was ONE in the first version of the map - and it was still playable. :'D It was fun to watch, though, the level of micro-management of that single poor grabber... :D
I'll try to mess with it later.

Cavemaniac · September 16, 2016, 03:54:20 PM

Quote from: TheWife on September 16, 2016, 01:07:39 AM

Ok, I had no idea that their main target would be energy source. It did seem fishy, but we couldn't work out what was wrong.
Also, even with particles misbehaving, hubby managed to get through the map without bigger issues. There are 3 grabbers, after all. (:

Greetings TheWife, welcome to the forums.

Congratulations on a superb first map.

It was a happy accident that lead to the dynamics of this map - a massive concentration of particles (both red and blue), but with options limited enough to make you think.

Nice mix of space and land warfare.

It wasn't as hard as I first feared, but it was no pushover either!

I really like the new ships - powerful, and yet affordable.

Make more maps!

Cavemaniac · September 16, 2016, 03:59:10 PM

Quote from: virgilw on September 15, 2016, 05:24:16 PM
When making blue emitters, I almost always turn the targeting percentage down to 0. By default an emitter will create particles that 100% (all of the particles) target energy sources. That makes sense for a red emitter, sometimes. For blue emitters you probably want particle targeting turned off since the player will send them around.

The other thing for blue particles is to set some timeout on them. Like 2400 frames or something in that range. If you don't, the can live forever. If they live forever, and don't auto target, then they might pile up somewhere and be annoying for the player to go collect them. If they timeout, then any 'waste' will clean itself up over time.

There's no such thing as a flaw - only undocumented features.

As evidenced by this map!

The massive, localised concentrations of particles made for a very different play experience to what I've seen up 'til now.

I actually utilised the 'clean up in aisle 4' technique to grab a pool of trapped particles and blast them where they were most needed.

I suspect we'll see more maps which use these features, both intentional and un!

(for better or worse, too...)

TheWife · September 16, 2016, 05:55:50 PM

Quote from: Cavemaniac on September 16, 2016, 03:54:20 PM
Greetings TheWife, welcome to the forums.

Congratulations on a superb first map.

Aww, thank you. :) I'm glad you liked it. In that case, since it seems it IS playable, I'll just leave it be.
Cheers,
Di

Karsten75 · September 16, 2016, 05:56:53 PM

I also played it. was just fine, if not a tad better. At least a break from the brutal PF maps... :)

Grynn · October 19, 2016, 08:22:01 PM

Beautiful Map. And the Endgame was pretty intense by sacrificing 60% of my Fleet to just getting a Hostile Emitter. Also the Kamikaze Ship was making a Good work.

10/10

yum-forum · October 20, 2016, 05:56:22 PM

I finished it just now. WOW! Very hard end of game. I several times tried to use all ships to attack even 1 emitter but it was unsuccessful. Blue particles not so helpful. KAMIKAZE was nice but only one ship and very expensive and need long time for building.
I won it only when decided to use grabbers and discharger as a "bomb"! ;)

Very good experience for me. Thank You! :)