Custom Map #2666: PAC Trenches. By: Vertu

AutoPost · December 18, 2021, 11:11:33 PM

This topic is for discussion of map #2666: PAC Trenches

Author: Vertu
Size: 200x175

Vertu · December 18, 2021, 11:18:35 PM

I am rather satisfied for how my custom PAC units have been faring on these maps. They enable a larger diversity in tactics and options along with map making possibilities like this one. In my play testing I even used the Stash with max capacity at the center battle ground constantly, something that would not of been possible with the older stash building. All of the units have their role now in a more defined and possible way so expect me to start pumping out more PAC maps at a more reliable rate and constructive criticism is welcomed.

I am confidant in my abilities to make PAC maps that revolve around certain units more than others but without making your other available units (besides heavily specialized ones like the AntiNUKE and Armored LURE) worthless.

I hope you all have been enjoying my PAC maps a bit more now that I am getting a better sense of difficulty.

Malignantmind · December 19, 2021, 12:57:45 AM

I feel like this one might have some bugs and (maybe?) an oversight. Lack of tower energy means those big cannons that should be keeping you hiding in the trenches quickly run out of power and become a non-issue, allowing you to quickly swamp the map with minimal resistance (at one point, the enemy AI was at a 360 deficit) . Also, the Destroy Rift Lab objective seems to be bugged. Cleared the map but it never completed. Might just be on my end but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Otherwise, it looks like it should be a fun map, but ended up being laughably easy because of those issues.

Vertu · December 19, 2021, 12:49:58 PM

Quote from: Malignantmind on December 19, 2021, 12:57:45 AM
I feel like this one might have some bugs and (maybe?) an oversight. Lack of tower energy means those big cannons that should be keeping you hiding in the trenches quickly run out of power and become a non-issue, allowing you to quickly swamp the map with minimal resistance (at one point, the enemy AI was at a 360 deficit) . Also, the Destroy Rift Lab objective seems to be bugged. Cleared the map but it never completed. Might just be on my end but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Otherwise, it looks like it should be a fun map, but ended up being laughably easy because of those issues.

I gave the damn thing a SINGULARITY REACTOR for 500 power. So what you are telling me is it broke? The Blaster nests were connected to a M-Rift network that could be destroyed allowing you to do whatever you want. It's meant to be easy because no one likes my hard maps too much.

Also how the hell did you not achieve the objective. If the Rift Lab is not found on the map, you are given the objective.

MadVandal · December 19, 2021, 01:00:43 PM

Any docs on these units? The burst does nothing. The air thing counts down from 60 and appears to do nothing. That aside this is a good map pace wise. My only suggestion would be the dim the explosions a bit cause they really obscure terrain when trying to place units. Also the final alarm is a bit much for... whatever that thing is left over at the end.

Why is there a mission time for totems when it always starts out completed?

Vertu · December 19, 2021, 01:34:03 PM

Quote from: MadVandal on December 19, 2021, 01:00:43 PM
Why is there a mission time for totems when it always starts out completed?

Can't remove the objective if Totems exist on the map.

Malignantmind · December 19, 2021, 03:01:33 PM

Quote from: Vertu on December 19, 2021, 12:49:58 PM
Quote from: Malignantmind on December 19, 2021, 12:57:45 AM
I feel like this one might have some bugs and (maybe?) an oversight. Lack of tower energy means those big cannons that should be keeping you hiding in the trenches quickly run out of power and become a non-issue, allowing you to quickly swamp the map with minimal resistance (at one point, the enemy AI was at a 360 deficit) . Also, the Destroy Rift Lab objective seems to be bugged. Cleared the map but it never completed. Might just be on my end but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Otherwise, it looks like it should be a fun map, but ended up being laughably easy because of those issues.
I gave the damn thing a SINGULARITY REACTOR for 500 power. So what you are telling me is it broke? The Blaster nests were connected to a M-Rift network that could be destroyed allowing you to do whatever you want. It's meant to be easy because no one likes my hard maps too much.

Also how the hell did you not achieve the objective. If the Rift Lab is not found on the map, you are given the objective.

Yeah it seems like it broke. And yeah I took out the m-rifts too. I've seen enough different PAC maps where the destroy rift lab objective really means take out ~99% of enemy buildings. So I figured I'd try. But by the end, there was nothing left to destroy (except one structure towards the middle that didn't seem to take damage). Actually ran into the same problem with the objective on the Strong Arm map too, but nothing else seems to have broke on that one so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Mr$Hyper$ · December 19, 2021, 03:33:01 PM

Hard pass again for the 60th time

Crimson creep is a loser play and strangely it's not in every other PAC map than this. The endless blaster hell bolts litter my screen with particles that I, unfortunately, have to turn off or else I can't even see what I'm doing. The map is so dark that I got to turn off beautify terrain and play top-down which is annoying on CW4 so AGAIN I just went to pack my things and just play the non-modded versions are clearly a hell of time

ha11oga11o · December 20, 2021, 09:55:13 AM

Guys i tend to hate maps like this. But it seem slast maps are good. I did not encounter any problems with units, all of em were doing "their" thing. Only issue i had was lag, but thats due my pc.

Many thnx for making these maps intresting and "finishable" by us, casual players!

Cheers!

Vertu · December 20, 2021, 04:38:27 PM

Quote from: ha11oga11o on December 20, 2021, 09:55:13 AM
Many thnx for making these maps intresting and "finishable" by us, casual players!

SUCCESS!!!

MadVandal · December 21, 2021, 09:14:47 AM

Quote from: Vertu on December 19, 2021, 01:34:03 PM
Quote from: MadVandal on December 19, 2021, 01:00:43 PM
Why is there a mission time for totems when it always starts out completed?
Can't remove the objective if Totems exist on the map.

Ah, I see. I've only just start poking into the mod scripting language and so I haven't found a way myself either.

On a newer map the surge unit works for me, no idea yet why I didn't earlier on this one.

Vertu · December 21, 2021, 05:48:05 PM

Quote from: MadVandal on December 21, 2021, 09:14:47 AM
Ah, I see. I've only just start poking into the mod scripting language and so I haven't found a way myself either.

On a newer map the surge unit works for me, no idea yet why I didn't earlier on this one.

(Slight rant here)
Would also make it easier if my CPack scripts and units would stop reverting their properties to partially older versions and newer versions. I even had this problem with the Strong Arm map where I loaded a save I have saved over in edit mode easily 50 times by then with update after update only to find out EVERYTHING was reverted except for many scripts. Then I go to make this map and find the Stash script to revert to it's older version (noticed due to how I went to place a stash and the UI text didn't change to "Placing when capable." if unable to place at that moment) along with the PAC scripts having ALL OF THE GLOBAL CONTROL SCRIPTS DELETED FROM GLOBAL CONTROL.

If anyone happens to know what the hell is causing this instability when saving things, I would love to know. I do know however that recompiling scripts using the button in the unit editor DOES NOT UPDATE THE SCRIPTS FOR EXPORT. I have lost many hundreds of lines due to this but this lasted only for 1 PAC map, "PAC Instability" (has nothing to do with what I am saying) yet stuff like this keeps happening.

Also little note... WHY... THE.. HELL.. DOES ENABLING EDIT MODE WHILE PLAYING A MAP ONLY SHOW SCRIPTS AND UNIT PROPERTIES OF THE CPACKS WHEN THEY WERE FIRST DOWNLOADED (so it seems)?! It makes it IMPOSSIBLE to see a rare bug in action during a play test. Such a phenomenon may also be responsible for the units breaking as a few of you said happened and I can't make sense of.

Anyways, currently making a massive PAC map which is giving me "final level" vibes identical to when I played "Founders" in the Farsight expedition campaign (don't worry, I am hard checking it's difficulty). I would be very sad if I slip up and some save instability ruins something.

andz · December 21, 2021, 05:53:12 PM

Fun! I couldn't get through the middle, so I went along the south which took me straight to the rift lab. Didn't have to destroy any micro rifts except the closest one! Took 2 hours.

BilboGCL · January 04, 2022, 11:34:47 AM

For me, this map is unplayable: If I zoom out, I can't see anything.
I've added two screenshots, one with "nothing to see" and the other with "max possible zoomed out".

Vertu · January 04, 2022, 02:12:02 PM

Quote from: BilboGCL on January 04, 2022, 11:34:47 AM
For me, this map is unplayable: If I zoom out, I can't see anything.
I've added two screenshots, one with "nothing to see" and the other with "max possible zoomed out".

I fail to see how this is unplayable. It's just clouds. Now, if transparency was a thing I would make them transparent and we could forget about all of this. For reference, the clouds at at a height of 300 above the Weather Node which was placed at a height of 20. So the clouds are 320 cells above the map. Which is near the camera max height.