Custom Map #678: Data Corruption. By: Decagon

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This topic is for discussion of map #678: Data Corruption


Author: Decagon
Size: 180x320

Desc:
The conflict continues. A large GalCorp fleet is en-route to the ancient AI Core that controls the automated defenses and manages the Dyson Sphere as a whole. The Crystallids must defend it if they have any hope of surviving against the iron fist of GalCorp. Note: Map contains ships larger than normally allowed. Play at your own risk.

[Keeper Decagon]

2nd Note: Intradictor (Progenitor) does not actually clear out enemy ships, just structures. Dunno why, since Rift Totems do kill ships too.

Also, for a reason I am unable to determine, the Progenitor detonates itself upon spawning. If anyone has a clue why that happens, do tell me. There is no code to make the thing kill itself, only to spawn it.

[GoodMorning]

If it happens reliably, please give V a save from just beforehand. That's a serious bug.

[Dark Ambition]

I couldn't beat it. 4 tries, no luck :(

I can just about defend the place until the Intridictor arrives in all attempts, but by then I've lost so many units that I can't get to it and GalCorp takes out everything.

Is there end dialog to this? Can you PM it to me if there is? I know there is a way to take it to the map editor, but I forgot how.

Edit: Nevermind, I remembered how.

[Exodus Legate]

2nd Note: Intradictor (Progenitor) does not actually clear out enemy ships, just structures. Dunno why, since Rift Totems do kill ships too.

Also, for a reason I am unable to determine, the Progenitor detonates itself upon spawning. If anyone has a clue why that happens, do tell me. There is no code to make the thing kill itself, only to spawn it.

Interestingly, for me, the first time, it spawned normally. Then I reloaded (Without bothering to win first) to get my lathe ships in position to start lathing immediately for a good time, and that time, it detonated upon spawn.

As to the map in general... Okay, some honest feedback: I didn't like it nearly as much as your last one. Once I had taken over the asteroid belt and settled down at about 7 minutes, there just seemed no real pressure until the flagships arrived at 19 minutes. Even when I threw half my fleet away having a go at getting past the enemy lines (Which I would have succeeded at if not for the invulnerability- I did get one ship spawner and the stunner on one side), I still didn't have to reload. I understand that you don't want to make it too hard, but I'd like some way for good play to be rewarded with a better time. In The Homeworld, pre-clearing everything got a better time, and if you were really good (Far better than I), you could even do it before the dreadnaughts spawned. Same with The Great Sphere as to before spawn, though not so much on pre-clearing.

It just feels frustrating when I can spend over half the time on 4x speed because there's nothing I can do to better my score. :/

I really love your maps, but this recent trend for win at time X with very little ability to influence that is putting me off.

[Dark Ambition]

2nd Note: Intradictor (Progenitor) does not actually clear out enemy ships, just structures. Dunno why, since Rift Totems do kill ships too.

Also, for a reason I am unable to determine, the Progenitor detonates itself upon spawning. If anyone has a clue why that happens, do tell me. There is no code to make the thing kill itself, only to spawn it.

Interestingly, for me, the first time, it spawned normally. Then I reloaded (Without bothering to win first) to get my lathe ships in position to start lathing immediately for a good time, and that time, it detonated upon spawn.

As to the map in general... Okay, some honest feedback: I didn't like it nearly as much as your last one. Once I had taken over the asteroid belt and settled down at about 7 minutes, there just seemed no real pressure until the flagships arrived at 19 minutes. Even when I threw half my fleet away having a go at getting past the enemy lines (Which I would have succeeded at if not for the invulnerability- I did get one ship spawner and the stunner on one side), I still didn't have to reload. I understand that you don't want to make it too hard, but I'd like some way for good play to be rewarded with a better time. In The Homeworld, pre-clearing everything got a better time, and if you were really good (Far better than I), you could even do it before the dreadnaughts spawned. Same with The Great Sphere as to before spawn, though not so much on pre-clearing.

It just feels frustrating when I can spend over half the time on 4x speed because there's nothing I can do to better my score. :/

I really love your maps, but this recent trend for win at time X with very little ability to influence that is putting me off.

How was it so easy for you??? I couldn't get anywhere near the asteroids, four tries.

[Exodus Legate]

How was it so easy for you??? I couldn't get anywhere near the asteroids, four tries.

Hmm, let's see. At the start, Amp gems into both energies, omni reactors, cannons, build speed, energy range, mine cannons, defensive struc.
Then start building about eight-ten omnis at the far edge of your energy range toward the asteroids, and a bit closer to home, all the small and medium ships- that'll energy stall a bit at the start, but no too badly. Now you can unpause the game. Once the omni's are done, send them out to the asteroids to reinforce the mire spawners and take out the enemy ones. Don't wait for them to fill up, their reactors can do that and it'll drain energy you need for building. Start the big ships building early too, since they need very little energy while their command modules are spawning. I used the HQ pretty aggressively at the start to take the mines, but you do need to be careful since you REALLY don't want to pause your building from mines due to destruction.

The omni's should keep the mines locked down, and the struc will help with that too after a little while. The southern two asteroids are a little harder to take, but I had them done by seven minutes.

My 3.5 minute state is attached-as you can see, the left-hand side is more stable, while I'm in the process of locking down the right hand side. The first batch of extra amp gems went one on the HQ, one to mine dischargers. That could probably have been done better if i'd built the omni's in the right position to start with, dunno.

[Keeper Decagon]

Alright, I've read your comment, Exodus, and I understand that this map is definitely not as good an idea as I thought it was prior. It was a clearly misguided attempt at creating a "wave survival" sort of map, and it simply didn't hit the mark. As to the time limit/win requirement... well, I really don't know why it's there. It's just one of those things that has crept into my latest maps for whatever reason. Honestly, I think it was because I began to feel my maps were becoming... boring somehow. Every map, just the same old stuff. I wanted variety, but clearly not this sort of variety.

So yeah, my next map will be much different. No time limit or time requirement. I'll just have to find other ways not to make my maps boring as crap.

[Dark Ambition]

Alright, I've read your comment, Exodus, and I understand that this map is definitely not as good an idea as I thought it was prior. It was a clearly misguided attempt at creating a "wave survival" sort of map, and it simply didn't hit the mark. As to the time limit/win requirement... well, I really don't know why it's there. It's just one of those things that has crept into my latest maps for whatever reason. Honestly, I think it was because I began to feel my maps were becoming... boring somehow. Every map, just the same old stuff. I wanted variety, but clearly not this sort of variety.

So yeah, my next map will be much different. No time limit or time requirement. I'll just have to find other ways not to make my maps boring as crap.

Do you have anybody quality testing your maps? If not, I think it would be a good idea to get a different view on them before posting the maps. Perhaps they can suggest new ideas for the map that could add to it's value as well?

[Keeper Decagon]

Alright, I've read your comment, Exodus, and I understand that this map is definitely not as good an idea as I thought it was prior. It was a clearly misguided attempt at creating a "wave survival" sort of map, and it simply didn't hit the mark. As to the time limit/win requirement... well, I really don't know why it's there. It's just one of those things that has crept into my latest maps for whatever reason. Honestly, I think it was because I began to feel my maps were becoming... boring somehow. Every map, just the same old stuff. I wanted variety, but clearly not this sort of variety.

So yeah, my next map will be much different. No time limit or time requirement. I'll just have to find other ways not to make my maps boring as crap.

Do you have anybody quality testing your maps? If not, I think it would be a good idea to get a different view on them before posting the maps. Perhaps they can suggest new ideas for the map that could add to it's value as well?

Well, I do have them up for testing before I post these maps. Only FOXX so far has actually given me feedback, and from that feedback I didn't think this map was going to be that bad.

[FOXX]

Yeah, i tested this map and in my opinion it's far better then the score it recieves.
I liked 'The Homeword' more but this is not a bad map.

Keeper Decagon -> Next time i will be more straight to the point. [more player view on it] I think the issue with this map is that the time you are in the Southern part of the map until the time you beat the map is too long.
For me that was about 14 mins. As i said i lost the Prisms and was quite a battle and had to build up again but if you don't lose the Prisms you are kinda stuck there for that time.
I still think the 'Wave Survival' is a good idea but maybe more liked if you take a map in steps instead of in one time.

[GoodMorning]

Thought: Soon enough, we hope to be able to PRPL-spawn ships. At that point, a new wave can arrive at a certain time or when another event occurs, such as the player counterattacking.

[Keeper Decagon]

Thought: Soon enough, we hope to be able to PRPL-spawn ships. At that point, a new wave can arrive at a certain time or when another event occurs, such as the player counterattacking.

That would be extremely useful, and not just in dedicated wave survival maps.

[ChaosMaster130]

In other news. I'm at the 14 minute mark and I've cleaned out the entire enemy area and locked down every protected emitter/spawner.
I think I'm a bit too push-happy on these type of maps >_>

[Keeper Decagon]

In other news. I'm at the 14 minute mark and I've cleaned out the entire enemy area and locked down every protected emitter/spawner.
I think I'm a bit too push-happy on these type of maps >_>

Holy crap, I didn't think that was possible without extreme losses... :o