Hints for beating day 20 fastest? (spoilers)

burguertime · June 12, 2011, 09:26:29 PM

We all gawked at the "under 200 seconds" scores for day 20, but how is it done?

My best try so far I was almost finished digging JUST THE FIRST block of hard ground, And I do not see how I could bet down there faster.

Any hints?

Ebon Heart · June 12, 2011, 09:48:11 PM

Well, what I did, was mass a ton of blasters and launchers right at the start to clear the pool of creeper, build a few C bombs, and an M at the same time. Then clear the pit, and build a ton of tech domes, and start digging through the shortest path (see attachment) with a dark beam lading... use a C bomb for the first pit in the way. Get the -20% unit upgrade first, then it's just a matter of packet speed, and not slowing your digging down. Build your path 2 cells wide whenever possible, and fill the second row with M rifts and beacons, so you're never slowed down by lack of light. The other cell, of course, should be for the dark beam. Just make sure there's only 1 cell where there's drones. (or you can just be super cool and clear away all the creeper and the drones while you're doing this too... I didn't worry about that) anyways, when you get to the bottom creeper filled... narrow pit, build 2 more dark beams (I forgot to do this) and start digging like a madman, reach the nexus pit, and clear all the creeper away from the baby nexus as fast as you can so it doesn't spawn.
EDIt: please note, there were a lot of things I could have done better in this run.

MadMurphy · June 13, 2011, 10:18:59 AM

This is good, just wasnt able to pull it off myself.

MokT · June 13, 2011, 04:23:36 PM

I ended up going down the other side of the map. it took me 2 hours to reach the nexus in time then another 20 min to kill it before forming. basically do like he said make a path 2 wide and alternate beacons and rifts.

Ebon Heart · June 13, 2011, 04:34:06 PM

Maybe I should try it down the other side... I've just done that path shown in the picture before, but it worked! a top 3 score on the last level isn't half bad. XD

MokT · June 14, 2011, 12:30:55 AM

:( i was fourth but got kicked down today. ill have to try it down that side once i get to level 20 again. just moved and cw2 is on parents computer.

burguertime · June 14, 2011, 12:40:04 AM

Hey ebon, I almost did it after some 15 tries (and still better than ICC heroic),

Just one question, the last mirror assembly, did you build them in situ or built them sideways then moved them to place?

Ebon Heart · June 14, 2011, 01:01:31 AM

I had a ton of mirrors prebuilt, and moved them into place. Remember, a cell with a mirror on it will destroy creeper... And mirrors can survive brief exposure to creeper. As long as you can get all the creeper away from the nexus in time, you'll be ok.

mopa42 · June 14, 2011, 04:12:09 PM

Wow, I got it to work! Thanks! I didn't think the really short times were possible.
I pretty much just followed ebon's method.
Couple of things I did differently. I'm not sure if they helped or hurt me.
At the beginning, I moved the LS up some and placed an entire row of launchers right above the creeper, then a row of blasters, then a row of long repulsors pointing down. And when I got to the end, I realized I had only purchased packet speed techs and didn't have the 20% less cost yet. So it is possible (though probably not faster) to win without it.

Ebon Heart · June 14, 2011, 04:35:03 PM

the -20% unit cost helps you build M-rifts and beacons faster, therefore, packets can travel a lot faster, and you're less likely to be slowed down by lack of light.

burguertime · June 14, 2011, 11:32:39 PM

I got a mirror setup surrounding the infant nexus like you did, but it did not stop growing. He was at less tan 99%. Did you use something (like a cbomb) to kill the creeper around the infant nexus?

MokT · June 15, 2011, 12:16:29 AM

i used a cbomb. on my save the cbomb was faster then a launcher. all i did was set up a blaster at each of the spawns once i was there to prevent more creeper from getting in. but you still need to take the creeper out that's underneath it.

Ebon Heart · June 18, 2011, 01:42:39 AM

Quote from: burguertime on June 14, 2011, 11:32:39 PM
I got a mirror setup surrounding the infant nexus like you did, but it did not stop growing. He was at less tan 99%. Did you use something (like a cbomb) to kill the creeper around the infant nexus?

make sure to aim a mirror at the nexus too, to kill the creeper hiding inside.

Kithros · June 18, 2011, 05:52:48 AM

You can't kill the creeper directly under the nexus with dark beams - but, when the nexus isn't finished, it will not be generating more creeper, so if you have anti-creeper and a dark beam looping around the nexus, the creeper under the nexus will spread out and get killed by the dark beams + die to AC.

RichieRich · June 22, 2011, 06:15:41 AM

Jeany I finally managed to get it done before the nexus went. Must have taked about 50 attempts with at least 15 restarts as the first moments are the crucial ones.

I actually went a different way down to Ebon posted above but scored the exact same point for point.

To be honest, favourite mission of the lot as in comparing my 42 minute first slog to completion to Kithros' time it became a real puzzle.

So,

Forget conversion bombs to clear the pool. They take too long to build.
Unlike Ebon, I found using the packet speed techs more effective than using 12 points on the cheaper unit tech.
I used 3 dark beams. One to protect the two others that went to the nexus.

In benchmarking, you want to be through the top half and digging down to the nexus by 2 mins and hitting the nexus by 2.30.