Custom Map #310: The Dig

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This topic is for discussion of map #310: The Dig


Author: garry131

Desc:
Dax is at last ready to rescue Angie from the hands of Styglek. Can you figure out how to get the capsule that is entombed in solid rock?

[UmberGryphon]

Wow, it is way too easy to mess this map up in unfixable ways.  You have to get through the rift to rescue the pod and get rift technology before the creeper destroys either end of the rift, or you can't win.  You have to keep the gateway nearest the rift alive, or it won't break open walls to the dark mirrors, and you can't win.  You can't use anti-creeper on the gateway nearest the rift, or its packets won't get to the rift and you won't win.  You can't let any of the phantoms near either end of the rift, or it'll kill the rift and you can't win.

...I can't imagine why the map author is the only person to submit a score.

[Cavemaniac]

Wow, it is way too easy to mess this map up in unfixable ways.   

What he said!

Some nice multi tasking/planning ahead here.

I don't know how many re-starts I had before I cracked it...!

[garry131]

UmberGryphon has clearly summed up all obstacles,
without spoiling it for everyone who likes a challenge!

I guess you have to try it to see what he means.

Anyway, I kept losing one rift or the other, to one thing or another.
Finally I settled on my own (slow) way to victory!

I have come to look to Kithros for the fastest time!!

[Colin]

Well done Garry! You made a difficult yet not
frustrating (for me) map! I had a lot of fun
playing it, especially near the end where all
hell broke loose . . .  ::)

Thanks for the fun map! 8)

[Kithros]

Well done Garry! You made a difficult yet not
frustrating (for me) map! I had a lot of fun
playing it, especially near the end where all
hell broke loose . . .  ::)

Thanks for the fun map! 8)

I suppose I didn't have the same experience of 'all hell breaking loose' since I pretty much pre-emptively attacked everything - I attacked the creeper on the top half of the map before the long decayable terrain finished decaying, I used anti-creeper on the bottom half of the map to make sure it dug through the top path first so I could attack that part earlier. Once it finished digging through the top half I vacuumed up the anti-creeper.


As far as the phantoms go, it's easily possible with a bit of bad luck for a really early phantom to kill the top microrift since there's a gateway right next to it (certainly possible to build enough phantom coils by then, but it will be bad for your time), and the drones you don't even need blasters - I used 1 blaster for the gateway that sent dig packets, but the rest of the drones I only ever used shields since the intervals were pretty low.

[Colin]

I suppose I didn't have the same experience of 'all hell breaking loose' since I pretty much pre-emptively attacked everything - I attacked the creeper on the top half of the map before the long decayable terrain finished decaying, I used anti-creeper on the bottom half of the map to make sure it dug through the top path first so I could attack that part earlier. Once it finished digging through the top half I vacuumed up the anti-creeper.


As far as the phantoms go, it's easily possible with a bit of bad luck for a really early phantom to kill the top microrift since there's a gateway right next to it (certainly possible to build enough phantom coils by then, but it will be bad for your time), and the drones you don't even need blasters - I used 1 blaster for the gateway that sent dig packets, but the rest of the drones I only ever used shields since the intervals were pretty low.

Well, I didn't plan very much, so I just let
all the decayable terrain decay and I
wasn't "ready" but I was able to hold out
until I got dark mirrors from the bottom.
Now I wouldn't have thought of using AC
so it dug the top part first . . . Hmm . . .
I may have to try that!  ;)

Also I did use some shields for the
gateways, especially when first breaking
into them.

[garry131]

Thanks Colin,

I am glad you enjoyed the map.

I think I know exactly what you are talking about.

You are trying to defend the upper rift, and the creeper is seeping out of a different hole on the surface, where there are no blasters yet.
The chamber of creeper in the middle has been released, and is heading toward you and your bottom rift.

You have already had the phantoms kill your rifts a few times, and they may do it again.

And the drones are sometimes in a fast clump, and at the last second they veer to the right of the rift, and don't destroy it.

Until, you tech up, and get a handle on the creeper.

That's basically how I handled it anyway!