Custom Map #5343: CWDig Claustrophobia. By: cornucanis

AutoPost · January 22, 2018, 07:30:01 AM

This topic is for discussion of map #5343: CWDig Claustrophobia

Author: cornucanis
Size: 80x60

Desc:
WARNING: This map is very heavy on the CRPL elements! You should play #5229 CWDig Introduction before playing this map as it will explain the CRPL scripts used in this map. This map is quite difficult. You'll need quick thinking, careful micromanagement, and precise strategy to overcome this puzzling mission. Do you think you're up to the challenge? #CWDig #CRPL #NoDigitalis #TechLimits #ACEmitters #AntiCreeper

cornucanis · January 22, 2018, 08:01:41 AM

Unless I missed some loophole, this map should be VERY difficult. You'll have to restart many times to figure out how to get a foothold. This map is not for the weak of will. There are several parts where you're barely able to pass by the skin of your neck, so manage those packets wisely!

arby793 · January 23, 2018, 12:50:21 AM

I cant figure it out. I think I will wait for it to come out on video.

Builder17 · January 23, 2018, 09:40:29 AM

Quote from: arby793 on January 23, 2018, 12:50:21 AM
I cant figure it out. I think I will wait for it to come out on video.

That's better than giving silent ragequit 1 like many ppl seem to have done. :) Thanks for it!

cornucanis · January 23, 2018, 01:04:12 PM

Quote from: Builder17 on January 23, 2018, 09:40:29 AM
Quote from: arby793 on January 23, 2018, 12:50:21 AM
I cant figure it out. I think I will wait for it to come out on video.

That's better than giving silent ragequit 1 like many ppl seem to have done. :) Thanks for it!

I made this map to be brutally and punishingly hard so a low rating was expected before ever posting it.. This map wasn't designed to be completed by the average player. I will make more accessible maps in the future, I just wanted to make one that was extremely difficult and see who can pass it..

Spoiler

Looks like nobody so far ;)

[close]

D0m0nik · January 23, 2018, 01:16:30 PM

I tend to avoid maps that have only one strictly limited method of completion, it is just not fun knowing that you are blindly seraching for just the correct arrangement and timings of limited resources. This is just my preference though, there is a place for every kind of map so well done for making this!

cornucanis · January 23, 2018, 01:31:35 PM

Quote from: D0m0nik on January 23, 2018, 01:16:30 PM
I tend to avoid maps that have only one strictly limited method of completion, it is just not fun knowing that you are blindly seraching for just the correct arrangement and timings of limited resources. This is just my preference though, there is a place for every kind of map so well done for making this!

Definitely understandable. I like using unit limits, but there are usually many ways to approach my maps. This one is a bit different, though, in that regard. I honestly mainly just made it to see if I could really make a map that stays at 0 posted scores for a decent amount of time. I'm up to over a day so far! I'm expecting shingetsu or baba to post a score soon though since they usually finish any map no matter how punishing it is.

My future maps definitely won't be this brutal. Future maps in this particular series will still have limited units since that's the theme of the series, though. I'm gonna try to go back to making more relaxed maps now so they'll be more accessible.

D0m0nik · January 23, 2018, 01:39:27 PM

I'll defo give it a go when I have a spare few hours, should be an interesting puzzle. Got a load of work in though so won't be today :-[

D0m0nik · January 24, 2018, 01:27:34 PM

Wow, got there in the end! Despite my earlier comment I really enjoyed it beacause it was quite a challenge and so very rewarding conquering each quarter. Tough map though.

cornucanis · January 24, 2018, 02:18:26 PM

Quote from: D0m0nik on January 24, 2018, 01:27:34 PM
Wow, got there in the end! Despite my earlier comment I really enjoyed it beacause it was quite a challenge and so very rewarding conquering each quarter. Tough map though.

Nice! I'm glad someone finally beat it. I tried to make many different challenges in this map. I think most people don't get past the initial "stabilize base" challenge though, because I made that one especially rough. You definitely need a lot of tricks in your arsenal to conquer this map, I wanted to make a map that would be very satisfying for people who are able to successfully pull off all the tricks.

One thing's for sure though, this is definitely never gonna be a speedrun map ;D

Vizjerei1 · January 25, 2018, 11:27:53 AM

oh no man! thats too much :-[

POMie · January 27, 2018, 06:04:55 AM

Thanks for the great map Cornucanis. Another night of lost sleep! I really admire how you and the other guys make such finely crafted maps. My time is twice yours so I'd love to hear how you did it. Please make more!

cornucanis · January 27, 2018, 03:50:54 PM

Quote from: POMie on January 27, 2018, 06:04:55 AM
Thanks for the great map Cornucanis. Another night of lost sleep! I really admire how you and the other guys make such finely crafted maps. My time is twice yours so I'd love to hear how you did it. Please make more!

Good to hear that you enjoyed playing! I'm happy to see several people have solved the map now. It was fun balancing this map so you have to dance on a razor's edge to get a foothold, but I was worried I had made it too tricky.

Spoiler

Ok so regarding the speed.. There are a few challenges in this map, but they get easier as you progress. The first challenge (securing a foothold in the emitter room) has pretty much only one solution, so I assume that isn't where you're losing time. The second challenge (gathering weapons and attacking northeast room) is probably the one that makes the biggest difference for time. After you've secured the northeast room the rest of the map is pretty easy by comparison.

So I've made an Imgur album dump of my strategy for this "second challenge". You can see in the first image I've already made the first room, the "landing pad" and the "satellite collector" safe with my terp. I assume you did this all more or less the same as I did since it's straightforward.

The first thing I do after securing those locations is to make room for my CN in the emitter room. Having your CN in the emitter room allows you to connect the little island to the west to your network and collect the nearby blaster tech. It also allows you to connect to the little "landing pad" to the east and the collector over there by extension.

After collecting the first blaster tech I move the CN over to connect the collector and start terping a "hallway" in the northeast room. You'll have to make a few blaster suicide runs to thin the creeper enough to start terping. This hallway focuses the AC right where you want it and lets you connect the room to your CN network so you can acquire the other blaster tech. Note that bridging (using flying units to connect network) is also an option here, but is much more laborious and not worth it in my opinion.

Once you've collected the second blaster tech it's pretty much a steamroll over the rest of the map. I used the same "hallway" technique in the northwest room to quickly acquire the mortar tech. Hopefully this helps you out, I think this portion of my strategy was probably the main difference. I'd be interested to know how your strategy differed in general though.

[close]

I probably won't be making maps quite this difficult in the future. It's fun making one every now and then, but I like for most of my maps to be accessible to the average player. This one definitely does not fit that description :P

POMie · January 28, 2018, 06:00:22 AM

Thank you - your approach is very helpful and, as I suspected, my starting position made it much slower.

Spoiler

I foolishly positioned the CN to the left of the room as soon as possible and hovered my terp to get the blaster when I had my first beam. Looks like it would have been better to build more beams but I could not seal the room at the very start and had one wall square covered in creeper which leaked so I needed the blaster to clean up. If I could have sealed all the walls it would have needed less micromanagement and I could have repositioned the CN to the top of the room and left space for the blaster to address the path NE. Also, I omitted to remove the second wall of the room which would have given me more space for the AC wave.

I tried a few combinations of 1, 2 or 3 collectors plus the terp in order to seal the room in the first minute but failed. Now I see I overcomplicated it and micromanaged to a weaker position. (I think I managed once and made a subsequent mistake and had not saved - this map could use 20 save slots!) Your pics are very useful.

[close]

Keep up the great work!

chwooly · June 13, 2018, 01:53:42 AM

I really enjoy starting a map, finding it extremely hard, then going to the forum for hints or tips and seeing the designer assuming that people gave it a low score due to rage quitting. Why is it so hard to believe that people don't enjoy micromanaging and restarting maps and the low score is a reflection of that dynamic? While I am sure a couple might have been due to "ragequiting" not all are and most people that play don't post on the boards.

If you're unhappy with the score then make a map that appeals to a wider variety of players.

I restarted 5 times could not for the life of me figure out how to get a single weapon and gave it a 1. Not a rage quit 1, a reflection of the map not to my liking.

Cheers.