Custom Map #9248: Cursor-14 Abraxis. By: TrickyCorp

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This topic is for discussion of map #9248: Cursor-14 Abraxis


Author: TrickyCorp
Size: 173x173

Desc:
You find yourself on this weird planet system where there is a Super-Terp and a bunch of other Cursor structures. Includes a random event option for the Super-terp which is to be used with caution...

[Johnny Haywire]

Another cool cursor map!

The rapid-firing spore tower may scare some people, but it's really quite manageable. Don't let it scare you  ;)

If you just let the map run after clearing the lower left side, you can delete all your units except the forge and the spores won't attack you at all. Not that you'd want to use this strategy, but it's just an idea.

The top island was doing some weird wavy-like action after I killed the emitter. It actually looked like the creeper was passively growing  :o   Is that from the rotating emitter, or were my eyes playing tricks on me?

There are lots of different ways to successfully approach this map. AC is a little limited at first but once you capture the emitters on the SW hill, you'll have all the AC you need.  ;)

Thanks for the map!  ;D

[TrickyPlayer]

The top island was doing some weird wavy-like action after I killed the emitter. It actually looked like the creeper was passively growing  :o   Is that from the rotating emitter, or were my eyes playing tricks on me?

Actually, the ungrown digitalis does create a bit of creeper. Not much, but enough for it to exist. It's a script that replicates CW4 breeder in a non-intensive way.

Did I forget to mention it in the level? Whoops, my bad.

[TrickyPlayer]

I would like some feedback on this level. Specifically, the following things:

1: Are the random events useable, or are some effects too destructive? How is the balancing on that option?

2: In order to prevent abuse of the random events, I added a save limit. Did anyone of you actually encounter it? Should I even keep it in levels with random events?

3: Is the help-menu useful? By that, I mean the dialogue that shows up when you press ctrl+I. Should I change it?

4: Should I make more Cursor levels like this, or do you prefer CSM Cursor levels?

5: Does the popuptext (text that shows up when you hold the cursor on a building) provide enough information?

6: This isn't a question, but I would like to inform you that I'm gonna create a Cursor level that's closer to the very first cursor level.

[Riskbreaker]

I would like some feedback on this level. Specifically, the following things:

1: Are the random events useable, or are some effects too destructive? How is the balancing on that option?

2: In order to prevent abuse of the random events, I added a save limit. Did anyone of you actually encounter it? Should I even keep it in levels with random events?

3: Is the help-menu useful? By that, I mean the dialogue that shows up when you press ctrl+I. Should I change it?

4: Should I make more Cursor levels like this, or do you prefer CSM Cursor levels?

5: Does the popuptext (text that shows up when you hold the cursor on a building) provide enough information?

6: This isn't a question, but I would like to inform you that I'm gonna create a Cursor level that's closer to the very first cursor level.

1. the destruction random event destoyed a powerzone along with the beam on it and i imediatelly loaded the save :P

2. there was a save limit? :P

3. i laughed hard at the "i gave enough information but i guess this wasnt enough for you", i hope people dont get insulted by that haha. If you plan on investing on the help topic, maybe add a sumary with the described itens, and a page for them. This way, someone who wants to learn about one structure can skip the rest of the text faster until they reach that page specially because it seems it will be one help message for all maps, even if the mentioned structures arent in the current map. Also a pattern where the first line in every structure is its name, so people can orient themselves better.

4. i like the idea of not being able to beat the map with cursor alone, but still having parts where it is necessary to progress. Also liked the superterp because it adds a wide range of abilities which means you can be creative (and more hardcore) on obstacles too. Not sure if its possible to have more than different super terps, so you wouldnt have to keep all the abilities in one.

5. Yes, but i already knew what they did...in my first experience with towers, i got confused because i wasnt sure what was affecting what until i put anticreeper on them lol. and then, when i did it, i could see that the text was right, and i just didnt know said building was called that.

[Johnny Haywire]

My experience might be a bit different since I played for only about 5 minutes (to capture the SW land and the Forge area) then destroyed everything except the forge and let it run for a few hours as I shoveled snow. So having established that...

1) I didn't notice any random event. Everything seemed fine to me.
2) I'm not even sure what the save limit is. I didn't save the game at all.
3) The help menu is useful. My inability to remember that there IS a help menu is not helpful. Can you fix that?  ::) (lol)
4) I like these levels about as much as the CSM Cursor levels - they're both very fun and challenging!
5) I think the text is helpful enough. Unless you could maybe add pictures like in a Lego Instruction Manual?  (heh heh)
6) Thanks for the warning!  :D :) ;)

And thanks for the info about the digitalis... I think that's interesting, and it did make the creeper pretty difficult to kill without AC which is what I tried on my first run.

[TrickyPlayer]

I would like some feedback on this level. Specifically, the following things:

1: Are the random events useable, or are some effects too destructive? How is the balancing on that option?

2: In order to prevent abuse of the random events, I added a save limit. Did anyone of you actually encounter it? Should I even keep it in levels with random events?

3: Is the help-menu useful? By that, I mean the dialogue that shows up when you press ctrl+I. Should I change it?

4: Should I make more Cursor levels like this, or do you prefer CSM Cursor levels?

5: Does the popuptext (text that shows up when you hold the cursor on a building) provide enough information?

6: This isn't a question, but I would like to inform you that I'm gonna create a Cursor level that's closer to the very first cursor level.

1. the destruction random event destoyed a powerzone along with the beam on it and i imediatelly loaded the save :P

2. there was a save limit? :P

3. i laughed hard at the "i gave enough information but i guess this wasnt enough for you", i hope people dont get insulted by that haha. If you plan on investing on the help topic, maybe add a sumary with the described itens, and a page for them. This way, someone who wants to learn about one structure can skip the rest of the text faster until they reach that page specially because it seems it will be one help message for all maps, even if the mentioned structures arent in the current map. Also a pattern where the first line in every structure is its name, so people can orient themselves better.

4. i like the idea of not being able to beat the map with cursor alone, but still having parts where it is necessary to progress. Also liked the superterp because it adds a wide range of abilities which means you can be creative (and more hardcore) on obstacles too. Not sure if its possible to have more than different super terps, so you wouldnt have to keep all the abilities in one.

5. Yes, but i already knew what they did...in my first experience with towers, i got confused because i wasnt sure what was affecting what until i put anticreeper on them lol. and then, when i did it, i could see that the text was right, and i just didnt know said building was called that.

1: it's supposed to destroy a single unit at any found coordinates (20 times), I guess the script somehow hit the same spot twice, and hit the powerzone at the first trigger. I'll have to exclude powerzones from remove-able units at the script then. I'll also make the earthquake a bit weaker so that it won't destroy stuff too easily.

2:nice

3:Sounds reasonable. In future versions, pressing skip will skip to the next building/item.

4:Since the super-terp will trigger on the press of a button, it would be a bad idea to split it up into multiple towers, because then they would all trigger at the same time.

5:nice.

[TrickyPlayer]

My experience might be a bit different since I played for only about 5 minutes (to capture the SW land and the Forge area) then destroyed everything except the forge and let it run for a few hours as I shoveled snow. So having established that...

1) I didn't notice any random event. Everything seemed fine to me.
2) I'm not even sure what the save limit is. I didn't save the game at all.
3) The help menu is useful. My inability to remember that there IS a help menu is not helpful. Can you fix that?  ::) (lol)
4) I like these levels about as much as the CSM Cursor levels - they're both very fun and challenging!
5) I think the text is helpful enough. Unless you could maybe add pictures like in a Lego Instruction Manual?  (heh heh)
6) Thanks for the warning!  :D :) ;)

And thanks for the info about the digitalis... I think that's interesting, and it did make the creeper pretty difficult to kill without AC which is what I tried on my first run.

1: random events are an option on the special brown structure. They are completely optional and quite cheap.
2: Save limit prevents abusing the random events a little bit.
3: I might add a reminder to the start of every level that there's a help menu, which can be disabled by getting a shield key on a specific level which will be extremely easy.
4: Thanks
5: I can't add pictures I barely put together my current list of 3 custom images. Though I may consider it if it was actually needed.

[Johnny Haywire]

5: I can't add pictures I barely put together my current list of 3 custom images. Though I may consider it if it was actually needed.

Lol, I was totally kidding  ;D ;D  but hey, thanks for actually thinking of whether you could make my suggestion work.

I really enjoy your maps and some of them are actually really challenging. I can tell that you have an exceptional mind, both creatively and analytically - thanks for sharing your ideas with us!  ;)

[FallGuy314]

Enjoyed the first 30 minutes of this level, but once the full auto spore tower starts I'm not sure what to do. Don't suppose there's any chance of a hint?
I thought it might be possible to mass build beams, but the unit caps (especially the reactor limit) stops that.