Custom Map #1876: Hillside Fortress (alt version). By: Ranger Von Danger

AutoPost · July 03, 2021, 12:27:11 PM

This topic is for discussion of map #1876: Hillside Fortress (alt version)

Author: Ranger Von Danger
Size: 320x200

Niflthaena · July 03, 2021, 04:43:13 PM

I played this and the previous version back-to-back, and I'm not sure which one I prefer. This one's definitely more possible to play with just creeper, but there's so much of it that it somewhat trivializes the map. I went through it with just emitters and never really lost momentum.

There's a bit too much shattered land. The forward bases are no longer challenging at all, as they literally melt when creeper reaches their foothills. The main base... well, most of the shattered land is under the threshold (looks like 6?) so it does nothing - nothing except blocking mesh placement. There's no hardpoints in the base that would really require mesh, but it being unavailable as a tactical option kind of stings.

Overall, it feels you're going for a player experience of "choose a strength and overwhelm with it" rather than "find weaknesses and exploit them". There's too many snipers and Thors for surgical blobs or small groups of skimmers to make it - they need spamming. There's too many rockets and Thors for well-aimed spores to be useful - they need spamming. The channels are too long and the mortars and Thors too common to use creeper on multiple fronts - it needs to be concentrated and spammed.

Note that Thors show up in every one of those tactical judgements. They're a little too powerful across a little too wide a range - anyplace with a Thor will require some amount of spam to get through. It feels a little unsatisfying; it's not scalpel-like skill that carries the day, it's taking every single bit of one's resources and fashioning a bludgeon too big to resist.

ikkonoishi · July 03, 2021, 05:55:26 PM

Killed rift lab after 1h 7min placing only a single crimson.

BvF7734 · July 03, 2021, 06:30:33 PM

I played both maps. They both have their balance issues, but I feel that overall this one would be easier for players to play. The other was also fun and easily done. The hardest section of both maps was getting the foothold after the long channels. Great job on rebalancing this map.

Malignantmind · July 03, 2021, 06:33:45 PM

Significantly easier than the first map. Although I think maybe you overcorrected? The shattered land on the two forward bases wasn't really necessary, as neither of those were particularly difficult in the first map. I think you could have left in the AC breeder, as without it there's not much to hold you back once you get back there.

Overall though, I think this is a nice "easy" version of the previous "hard" map. Maybe some tweaks to make a medium one next?

CS Z · July 03, 2021, 06:58:41 PM

Both this map and the previous version have the same problem that the rift lab gets taken out before anything else in the base.

I thought the previous map was okay other than the placement of the Thor in the bottom lane and that the first of the map was 4x faster than the base. IMO, it would have worked better to just move that Thor to the top lane thus forcing the player to push the bottom lane first. Also blocking the sweepers from affecting the bottom lane would have made it more enjoyable to get through that section.

Ranger Von Danger · July 16, 2021, 12:22:01 AM

Quote from: CS Z on July 03, 2021, 06:58:41 PM
Both this map and the previous version have the same problem that the rift lab gets taken out before anything else in the base.

I thought the previous map was okay other than the placement of the Thor in the bottom lane and that the first of the map was 4x faster than the base. IMO, it would have worked better to just move that Thor to the top lane thus forcing the player to push the bottom lane first. Also blocking the sweepers from affecting the bottom lane would have made it more enjoyable to get through that section.

Thanks for the feedback. If I were to do this map again, i would take much of this advice into strong consideration. But 3x is overkill :P

ikkonoishi · November 11, 2021, 11:48:58 PM

I just realized that floods absorption range is large enough to pull from the other side of walls. You can build one behind a wall, let it soak up a little creeper, and destroy it to release the creeper. Also when a launcher spawns a skimmer it always sends it northwards before it heads towards its target. If you build skimmers to the south of something they will usually emp things to the north if you are close enough.