Custom Map: Nice Job 14: The Squad Leader

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This topic is for discussion of map: Nice Job 14: The Squad Leader


Author: UpperKEES

Desc:
After a couple of rather hard maps, this time a quick and fun map suitable for every player. Please save the president of the United States of America and 7 other world leaders from the terrorist attacks!

[UpperKEES]

Title:	Nice Job 14: The Squad Leader
Difficulty:	Medium
Creeper type:	Air only
Remarks:	After a couple of rather hard maps, this time a quick and fun map suitable for every player. Please save the president of the United States of America and 7 other world leaders from the terrorist attacks!
Description:	You feel honoured, as you were given the lead over an anti-terrorist squad. But you also feel a bit nervous, because today is the big day.... The president of the United States of America will travel by Air Force One to the annual G8 meeting, accompanied by 7 other world leaders. You are responsible for their safety during this flight. As you walk through the airport terminal, you suddenly hear somebody laugh: "Hahaha! I have placed quite a lot of semtex. This will be tough for them, heheh!" You look around and notice a guy with a laptop, staring at his screen. Without any hesitation you take him into custody, as you are well aware of the danger of this plastic explosive. "I have heard everything you said about the semtex, so don't deny it!" "What about the SAM techs? I'm UpperKEES and just creating a Creeper World map!" "Yeah, yeah.... that's what they all say! Now where did you put the semtex?"
Download page:	Nice Job 14: The Squad Leader
Full size screen shot:
More maps:	Apply here for another job ;)

[ontheworld]

found it too hard, couldn't get resupplies in time without getting 57 decifit

[UpperKEES]

Spoiler

I don't resupply every SAM. I just resupply the SAMs on the side the AWACS radar indicates and deactivate the others (temporarily).

[close]

Spoiler

Besides that you can also move/switch SAMs that have been unlocked, so I do a bit of a SAM shuffle. ;) 20-25 seconds is enough to reposition them and recharge a few, while still building relays.

[close]

[NNR_Alex]

hmm 'AWACS' radar.....'attack which area creeper shows'.  I'd argue this map is harder rather than easier than the past ones.  I tried to move a few sams around in one level but when i've got a bunch i havn't activated yet that's a problem since i can't swap them out, and part of it is luck based, i got destroyed early in one round just by bad luck on which sam missles shot off.

Edit: two questions.  would you say it's worth building new SAMs after you get the tech for it, or just going for the already existing ones?  And if i build a lot of collectors can i draw the spores away from the survivor pods or do they target the pods in paticular?

[UpperKEES]

hmm 'AWACS' radar.....'attack which area creeper shows'.

Not sure what you mean with that last part, but you only have to look at the direction of the blaster barrel. It will point to the side where the next wave of spores will be coming from. Of course you shouldn't move that blaster, because you won't be able to put it back on top of Odin City, but I guess you figured that out.

I'd argue this map is harder rather than easier than the past ones.

Heheh, for some reason this is said about all my medium maps, but once people finish them they see it wasn't that hard at all. It just requires a bit different approach, but the solution is pretty straight forward.

I tried to move a few sams around in one level but when i've got a bunch i havn't activated yet that's a problem since i can't swap them out, and part of it is luck based, i got destroyed early in one round just by bad luck on which sam missles shot off.

I can play this map 10 times and will also complete it 10 times, as you really have enough spare fire power.

Spoiler

Maybe it's a nice tip to start building the relays to the back first after you've built the collectors on Air Force One and collected the upgrades. I always build 2 relays simultaneously (top and bottom).

[close]

would you say it's worth building new SAMs after you get the tech for it, or just going for the already existing ones?

Spoiler

No, I wouldn't. You should have more than enough SAMs, even more than you'll be able to refuel.

[close]

And if i build a lot of collectors can i draw the spores away from the survivor pods or do they target the pods in paticular?

Spoiler

Yes, this is possible (I've done that on other maps), but in this case I would spend all my energy to reach my goal fast. The spores target the relays and the collectors that are underneath the SAMs (SAMs attracting spores, don't you love it? :P). The pods (under the semtex ;)) are not targeted at all, but the spores are heavy enough to kill them.

[close]

Spoiler

One more hint: I build nothing but relays and collectors....  8)

[close]

[NNR_Alex]

thanks for the hint i wasn't sure if i should build any speed or storage, i usually build two relays together as well i just wasn't sure when i should start building them telling me to do it after i get the upgrades and fill up air force one with green is helpful.  also my first post, i was just figuring out the acronym for the AWACS radar
A.ttack
W.hich
A.rea
C.reeper
S.hows

I have no idea if that's what it stands for or not, just my thought.  and yeah i don't move it at all as then i actually would have land creeper to worry about.  although it looks like you don't get the usual collection boost that odin city gives you this time? most likely because of how you had to set up the radar.

anyways i'll keep trying at this and say what finally worked for me.

[UpperKEES]

thanks for the hint i wasn't sure if i should build any speed or storage, i usually build two relays together as well i just wasn't sure when i should start building them telling me to do it after i get the upgrades and fill up air force one with green is helpful.

You're welcome. :)

also my first post, i was just figuring out the acronym for the AWACS radar
A.ttack
W.hich
A.rea
C.reeper
S.hows

I have no idea if that's what it stands for or not, just my thought.

Ah! Now I get you....

AWACS stands for Airborne Warning And Control System. Your acronym is maybe more applicable is this case. :P

and yeah i don't move it at all as then i actually would have land creeper to worry about.  although it looks like you don't get the usual collection boost that odin city gives you this time? most likely because of how you had to set up the radar.

anyways i'll keep trying at this and say what finally worked for me.

You'll indeed start with an energy collection of 0.6 instead of 0.8 as a result of OC placement. You may have noticed the same thing with The Soccer Player last week, where you started with a 0.7 collection. The minimum collection is always 0.6, because Odin City has 2 onboard nuclear reactors. The collection is always truncated (not rounded) to 1 decimal, so you might actually collect a little more.

[NNR_Alex]

hah i see, so that's what it usually stands for.  Anyways I'm still having trouble (it's amazing how many attemps you can make in so little time)  the upgrades i've tried are all the green and then range.  all the greens and movement speed, and now i've been trying two green (build faster and less cost) and two red (range and speed)

[UpperKEES]

Anyways I'm still having trouble (it's amazing how many attemps you can make in so little time)

The good thing is that you probably know within 3-4 minutes whether you'll succeed or not. ;)

the upgrades i've tried are all the green and then range.  all the greens and movement speed, and now i've been trying two green (build faster and less cost) and two red (range and speed)

Spoiler

I'd definitely go for 3 times green. The goal is to remove all semtex fast, so the rift will open and you have to build collectors (early game) and relays (rest of the game) for that. The green upgrades will help you do this faster, so they contribute most to the goal of the map, including the 10% more energy because this means there will be more energy available for building when you are refuelling the SAMs.

[close]

Spoiler

The last upgrade you can debate on. It's or the 20% range increase (to make to SAMs detect the spores earlier), or the 30% movement speed increase (to switch SAMs faster). If you're good at pausing, switching and (de)activating, I'd choose the second. The range increase might cost you more energy because more missiles will be fired that won't hit a spore after the last one has been killed. Do you see a lot of duds leaving the screen after a spore attack? Then you've wasted precious energy. This is also the reason I rather place my SAMs a little apart from each other, so they won't fire at the same spore (that's another tip ;)). On the other hand those missiles go after a different spore when their initial target has been destroyed, so it can also be an advantage. I used the range upgrade for the score I've set (my first attempt in weeks), but that was actually out of habit. :-[

[close]

Spoiler

One more tip I like to give: you can always fly deactivated SAMs back to Air Force One and then refuel them when you have some energy left (or just need them). Then fly them to the location of the next terrorist attack, indicated by the AWACS. When you first fly out the empty and deactivated SAMs, you'll have enough space available there. When everything is still locked this means you don't have a relay set up yet, so you have at least one free spot. When you still lack enough room you can use the tail section of AF1. With the range upgrade this will probably be close enough as well.

[close]

Edit:

Spoiler

Now I think about it: you might want to select the range upgrade, but only use it when some of the SAMs have run dry, while other (but further located) SAMs still have ammunition. This way you will probably spill less missiles/energy.

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[F0R]

just wondering i've probaly already asked this but how do u make these backgrounds

[UpperKEES]

Yep, you asked before (in the comments on The Teacher) and this is what I replied:

First I create the map itself, so I know where all objects/elevations will come. Then I start off with a 700x480 background and cut & paste parts of textures onto it with a paint program, counting every pixel (groups of 10 correspond with 1 block in the map editor).

I've attached the examples for those two maps, so you'll get an impression how to do it. It's quite some work, especially to make the colors match so you can still see everything clearly while playing. When you look at the images don't forget that at different shades will be applied to the various terrain levels by the map editor. Something that you should take into account before you start designing it.

[Germanboy]

to hard map  :-\
cant reach all the survial pods with relays before one explode  >:(

[UpperKEES]

The 2 most important tips are:

Spoiler

- Save the pods/semtex in the appropriate order (spores hitting is no problem when that area is safe).

[close]

Spoiler

- Move some charged SAMs to area's that can use them.

[close]

For more details about these tips, please see my previous posts (above).

[Fisherck]

Well, redownloading it worked. I guess, as they say, third time is a charm. :)