Custom Map #444: The Ultimate Ship Factory. By: JoaoPistori

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This topic is for discussion of map #444: The Ultimate Ship Factory


Author: JoaoPistori
Size: 400x448

Desc:
#PRPL - Custom Modules Ship!! Added a new one since the last map - the "Laser Gun" ship with 4 Laser Gun modules! EPIC BATTLES AGAINST STRONG PARTICLES AND LOTS OF DOPPELS AND ENEMY SHIPS! With the custom modules ships, your fleet's firepower becomes extremely big... or probably just strong enough to face this ultimate enemy ship factory. This map is sequel of my map "Strong Particles". If you haven't played it yet, you should play.

[strigvir]

Lots of custom ships and none of them are useful for breaking through starting enemy ships. Also no tank ships either, despite that all other ships don't have any tanks on them.

[JoaoPistori]

Why are you trying to fight them when they are built? Think about.

[planetfall]

Please choose quieter SFX for your fast lasers...

[JoaoPistori]

Should I post a small opening walkthrough here? I was typing one in a .txt file then I figured out that the map is more complex than I thought

Edit: As soon as I published the map, it got five 1/10 ratings in less than 15 minutes. This means players must have got angry and stopped playing during the opening.

[svartmes]

Finally managed to beat it. By far the hardest map I've tried so far. I really enjoyed the map but don't expect a high ratings on such a difficult map. I'd advice to put clearly state that it's an "expert" difficulty map or something, that might help set people expectations but overall I'd pay no attention to the ratings.

Your new ships are really cool. It's kind of annoying that the shots can bounce away from other explosions though, making the efficiency a bit random. I'd also like for them to be able to rotate abit faster, since micromanagement and manual aiming would become a choir.

[JoaoPistori]

Thanks! The third map of the sequel will have even more creative modules. Also thanks planetfall for the scripts and images published on his custom modules topic that allowed me to have greater ideas.

Will put an "expert-only" in descriptions for 3rd and 4th map :P

Demolisher's rockets and Siege Ship's energy ball are guided by a particle, so when one explodes it makes other particles to change their direction angle. I haven't tested if changing projectile's particle mass would fix it yet because when bouncing around and traveling in circles the particles trail protect much more your ships (and also damages enemy ships near) from enemy projectiles. At least this influenced a lot when I was playing, but anyway is a thing that I'll check and test for next maps.
Adding more engines would allow them to rotate faster (yeah, I also had some problems when the "Latche Bus" wave came behind by ships). Not sure for the Siege Ship, since my main idea with it is the long range and correct positioning.

[D0m0nik]

Wow, expert map for sure, just the map maker and one genuine time!  ;)

I have failed first few goes but have an idea to beat it.

Spoiler

Rather than take the bottom of the map first, head up the right hand side and try and take out as many ship spawners as possible. If you do not have an early advantage just holding your ground becomes very very difficult, let alone advancing!

[close]

Amazing map, beat me for now but this is what I expected from the game, huge and tryly epic map, well done. But yes it is tough!

[JoaoPistori]

Thanks! This map was carefully planned to be hard - from the starting point until the last ship spawner's initial delay.

And yes, it is possible to conquer the first of the three "map divisions" in less than five minutes (even before sending a single ship to the second "division"!).
Let me tell a hint to you:

Spoiler

LaserGun and Economic ships can stay out of the green energy range, and early amp gem(s) can upgrade energy range for the Fast Ships, and BigLatchers/Demolishers should be built ASAP to build the mines and attack the two resting ship stations. In 5 minutes you should have conquered all the "first map division"! (Almost the only way to capture Siege and Mini Thor ship pickups in time before enemy's big ships start attacking)
Edit: Early omnis also help with "latching"

[close]

[svartmes]

Seeing as I'm currently the only one who has beaten it except for the author I'll tell you what I did:

Spoiler

I started by getting the mini-Thor to get it built as fast as possible, iirc I think I also took out one of the nearby mk7 spawners. Then lathing the 2nd row of spawners(by the 3 islands). After that it was a gruesome battle using my mini-Thor to defend aswell as timed counter-attacks to slowly take over the map bit by bit, in order from bottom to top. It was doable but just barely, this is where some of my criticism of the ships comes in, sometimes the ballshots would take out the enemy quite easily and sometimes it would miss completely. Careful placement is needed but there still was a element of chance. I think I saved and reloaded at least 20 times making my total playtime on this map around 4 hours or so.

In retrospect it would definitely be a better choice to focus on the upper part thus avoiding most of the ship battles completely, but in my run I had troubles dealing with the cannons so I focused on getting my fleet up instead, hoping the fourthcoming ships wouldnt to be that bad. By the time I realised that my tactics werent optimal, my stubbornness and conviction that it was still doable made me continue on.

[close]

Like D0m0nik says, truly an amazing map. I both hated it and loved it! :)
I hope you won't get discouraged by the low scores and make more "expert" maps. It's an acquired taste and these kind of maps adds so much to the game.

[Sorrontis]

I'm going to have to play this one aren't I. Looks like I can learn something from you JP!  8)

[D0m0nik]

It is certainly a goodf test of your skills even with spoilers, I also spent about 4 hrs at my first attempt and failed. I did manage:

Spoiler

To take the entire bottom, half the middle and the top right hand corner but then the big nasty ship came through and wiped me out again and I just lost the will to live, this happens from time to time in this map!!! Disable as many ship builders as early as possible as the map becomes savage at around 20 mins or so.

[close]

[Sorrontis]

Wow, I've seen evil...

[JoaoPistori]

Hahahah! So here's one more tip (x3):

Opening:

Spoiler

Don't forget that you can only destroy the enemy mine (and build your own mine) and the stationary ship once (while it's CM is very vulnerable). Without the energy mine, the building will be slowed down and you can latch it later (focus on latching other stuff)

[close]

Mid-Game:

Spoiler

Laterals (the land with the piercing cannon) can be easily taken with omnis. A single Hammer Mk2 can tank damage without being destroyed. And also, there's enough space in green range for your demolisher :D
You can destroy the two Mk7 stations (near the Mini-Thor pickup) by using Siege Ships from the laterals. Demolishers should be used to protect against other ships.
It's also time to build 2 grabbers and leave them over your friendly emitters (of the starting point). Accumulate particles and throw them against the Latche Bus that comes from the middle. The lateral Latche Bus should be destroyed by your Demolisher.

[close]

Late-Game:

Spoiler

Siege Ships take Mk7 stations down quickly. But never forget the micro-management: Mk7's shots will hit hard almost all your ships. At this point your HQ should be very far from the fight.
Well... when I was playing to upload I had managed to reach the top of the map before the 2nd enemy Mini-Thor wave came (and yes, I was with my Mini-Thor), making it easier. Ah, I came from the laterals. I didn't advance from the middle.
If its not your situation, try going straight from the middle and hitting the super energy mine to unpower enemy ships and piercing cannons.

[close]

[GoodMorning]

One note:
The noun (in English, at least) is "lathe", not "latche". Further, so is the verb: "lathe" not "latch".

To "latch" refers to fixing something in place. Doors are the most common case, having a latch which when latched will hold the door shut. Latches tend to be easily changed between states. In logic, a latch is something which is held in a given state. In PF, a common type of latch would be a recapturable flip-emitter.

I mean no disrespect, but seeing it used that way was messing with my tiny mind.