Custom Map #4297: small power puz. By: rb

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This topic is for discussion of map #4297: small power puz


Author: rb
Size: 20x20

Desc:
just a small easy puzzle..So easy just play for time...

[Johnny Haywire]

48.8 is the best I could do after 2 tries. I wonder how much faster it can be done... 45?  :o

[POMie]

I tried a few times Johnny and I cannot see how to improve the approach but Alter Old and ea3401 still have a 0.3s better score at 48.1s.  At this stage I'm wondering if turning off AC Dispatch and Ore Receive on the CN might speed production by a frame or two!  Perhaps it's down to the PC clock or operating system but maybe I'm overreaching to cover my inadequate gameplay ;-)

[cornucanis]

I feel like I'm missing something obvious here.... I started building nullifier at 10 seconds to get a frame of reference, and that gives victory at 54 seconds. So to achieve victory in 49 seconds you have to start building the nullifier 5 seconds into the game.

Now here's the part that gets me. You have to clear at least 3 crystals to make room for a nullifier. It's simple enough (though tedious) to drain a 250 energy crystal within the span of a few frames once you've gotten a siphon on it. The problem is that it takes me 6 seconds just to get the 3 siphons built. It doesn't matter if I let them build all at once or build one first and let the rest build as soon as the first is finished.. It seems to take 6 seconds to get those siphons up either way, so how the heck do you get a nullifier started 5 seconds in? I probably just have tomatoes in my eyes  ::)

[POMie]

Hi cornucanis.  According to my tests, with unlimited power, nullifier can be built and blows in 42.7 seconds.

[cornucanis]

Hi cornucanis.  According to my tests, with unlimited power, nullifier can be built and blows in 42.7 seconds.

It's actually 41.7 if you hover over the nullifier, but yes 42.7 without hovering. That still doesn't quite answer my question though, as I was speaking in the context of this mission where you have to build a couple of siphons before making the nullifier.

Here's how I started: Place a siphon on a crystal next to the CN, then place siphons on the 4 crystals south of the "opening" and the other 1 energy crystals. Once those are built you go frame by frame building siphons on every other crystal, passing a frame so they all request a packet, then destroying them all and repeating the process.

Doing this I was able to get the nullifier placed at 6.5 seconds. That gives a minimum completion time of 49.2 seconds (6.5 + 42.7) if I take the time to drain more crystals so I can move the CN next to the nullifier. Even if I had managed to somehow start building the nullifier as soon as I got the siphons up without the 15 frames I used to drain them, I would still have a minimum completion time of 48.7 seconds (6 + 42.7). Yet you and 3 others have posted times slightly faster than that, so that's what I was asking about. It seems like you started in a manner that allowed you to place your nullifier slightly earlier than 6 seconds, but I didn't see how that was possible. Hence me stating that I must have been missing something obvious  :P

[POMie]

Yes, you'll kick yourself for this!

Spoiler

First siphon completes building at 2.6s but then you have 250 energy - enough to start building siphons on nearly all resource packs. Build on the ones necessary to make space for the nullifier and also on those necessary to allow you to move the CN closer to it. I think I needed a collector to reach further packs and was then able to hover over the nullifier.

[close]

I'm still learning from your videos - please keep them coming!

[cornucanis]

Yes, you'll kick yourself for this!

Spoiler

First siphon completes building at 2.6s but then you have 250 energy - enough to start building siphons on nearly all resource packs. Build on the ones necessary to make space for the nullifier and also on those necessary to allow you to move the CN closer to it. I think I needed a collector to reach further packs and was then able to hover over the nullifier.

[close]

Ah thanks for the further info! I think what I was missing was the hovering, which is funny because I even mentioned it myself in my last post! Hovering will save an extra 1 second, which would give a minimum time of 48.2 for completion with my first nullifier placement time.. I'm not going to replay it and make room for 2 landing zones because boy would that be tedious, but at least I know what I was missing now!

I'm still learning from your videos - please keep them coming!

Thanks! I didn't know if many people had even watched them. I'm certainly not gonna claim to be the best speed runner around (we all know who holds that title) but I'm always happy to share what knowledge I have. It's fun comparing strategies with other speed runners too, that's probably my favorite thing about the forums.

[GoodMorning]

Drain? Unless there is CRPL here, you can destroy them directly.

[cornucanis]

Wait, what? You can destroy energy crystals manually without draining them?

[Keeper Decagon]

Wait, what? You can destroy energy crystals manually without draining them?

Yeah, you can. I believe there is a button for it on the UI when selecting a Siphon.

[D0m0nik]

Wait, what? You can destroy energy crystals manually without draining them?

;D ;D ;D

I hope you didn't waist too much time on this one!

[cornucanis]

Oh boy, well I feel silly now. The tomatoes have finally fallen from my eyes! So to answer your original question POMie, the reason they were able to get slightly better time was likely due to nullifier positioning and careful timing for the hovering. I was able to score 48.2 now, still a few frames shy of Alter and ea with 48.1.