Alright, I downloaded this map today to give it a try. Then I couldn't stop. I ended up getting through stage 15 on the first playthrough. I didn't experience any glitches or bugs over the course of the game, and I also never looked at the walkthrough.
I'm not sure what kind of "insane micro" is being mentioned. I'm not the best player, but didn't have much issue with most of the fights (especially the first one, I beat that on the second try, you literally just run around the corner and stay near edges so you can fight them one at a time; the idea that less guys hitting you means you take less damage should be common sense). Just using strategic positioning in regards to the terrain and other units was enough to beat most enemies, and of course killing enemies in the correct order. I wouldn't call that "insane micro". Some people were making it sound like it's impossible.
I really enjoyed the diversity of gameplay, and all the new elements constantly being introduced. The gameplay stayed fresh and challenging without ever feeling impossible or frustrating. It was a good balance between feeling like my skill mattered, while never feeling like it wasn't possible.
Anyways, I usually don't like single-player maps that much, but this was really engaging. I'd recommend anyone to give it a playthrough, and also to not read the walkthrough beforehand.
Some of my favorite things:
Spoilers
The opening cinematic. The music matched it perfectly.
The level designs. It's obvious that a ton of work went into designing the levels to balance the fights properly. Good job.
Being able to kill an innocent and getting a hidden dialogue and reward for it. These are the kinds of details most mapmakers don't bother with, unfortunately. It was unexpected.
I liked the part with the doors, beacons, and mines. I sort of wish this mechanic had made an appearance later in the game, after things got harder.
Bringer Totems! Probably my favorite extra feature. These were pretty awesome and introduced another layer of skill into the game. I really liked the implementation into the numerous puzzles that used them, and especially the first boss battle.
Dolls! Even though by the end of the stage I was saying "Fuck you, doll." When I realized what was going on the first time, I was like "NO STOP" but it was way too late to do anything about it
The first boss battle! I'd say this was when the game really impressed me, even more than it already had. I loved this classic arcade-style boss fight. Making the timer visible was a nice touch, it made learning the patterns a lot easier than they otherwise would have been. The music here was fantastic as well. When I beat her, I had literally 1 HP left. It was an exciting and incredibly well-designed fight. Overall, this stage was phenomenal.
I liked Stage 9, I played through both versions. The dynamic between the two units in 9a was interesting, and the dodging section of 9b was a decent challenge.
After you get to the encampment, the part where they explain the alarm outside the exit. This is another example of fine details that are usually overlooked by mapmakers. Most maps would just have you assume the guards are positioned there all the time, whereas this explanation was much more intelligent and believable, and by extension, made the game more immersive.
Mari. This part changed the gameplay significantly. When I got the hang of her, I had her wait as I went to remove the mines, but then I fell for the zealot trap Pretty evil, but I liked it. To make up for my low APM, I ended up using movement waypoints to beat the last segment, which made it easier since I only had to focus on one character at a time.
Second boss battle was pretty involved. It took me quite a few tries to find a combination I liked. I preferred Dide and Doll, personally. I don't know how well the other ones worked, but once I got the rhythm of the fight down, I managed to beat him with 16 HP left. Another great arcade boss battle.
The puzzle with the mines and bunkers was neat, although I wish there was a way to make sure the person actually figured it out instead of just guessing I'm sure some people will die there when they pick at random.
Some comments on things in your walkthrough:
Spoilers
Quote
Oh, and, you can't clear this puzzle without getting hit. If you're lucky, you'll have about 7~8 HP. If you're not, You'll probably have 1~2 HP.
I had 11 HP I remembered wondering if I could survive another hit or not. I was only hit once by the scourges.
Quote
Give it some tries, and you'll be able to clear it anyway. Some testers even beat this stage in the third attempt.
I beat this on the second try Although with only 1 HP remaining.
Quote
Lettlesens Quest
I missed this, damn. I'm currently playing through from the beginning, I'll be sure to look for it this time.
Edit: Updated some information to make it relevant to the new version of the map.
Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Feb 1 2013, 11:09 am by Azrael.
I'm not sure what kind of "insane micro" is being mentioned.
spoiler
I had a very difficult time getting past the teleport with psi emitters past the scourge area, so for players like me I would consider it insane micro. I did get past it eventually, it just took me a while to get the hang of it. Although the fact that I was willing to spend so much time on that obstacle shows what a great map this is (so far)
I'm not sure what kind of "insane micro" is being mentioned.
spoiler
I had a very difficult time getting past the teleport with psi emitters past the scourge area, so for players like me I would consider it insane micro. I did get past it eventually, it just took me a while to get the hang of it. Although the fact that I was willing to spend so much time on that obstacle shows what a great map this is (so far)
I should agree with this in fact. (Well, I assume you mean stage 9a by this. If you mean stage 4, hm.. I know it's a bit hard, but it won't be frustrating like that.) I also think some parts were made too difficult beyond fun. I made such parts hard since I wanted to give players challenging achievements, but yeah. It was unnecessarily difficult. It should really have been easier, as well as that crazy stage 15 lurkers. For that scourge part,
spoilers as well as helpful information
aiming dark swarm directly on a scourge usually gives the best result. The gap is just perfect that way, and aiming the next scourge will further progress to the goal. Just remember that you have to catch that emitter that's visible for only a brief moment, so it's recommended that you keep playing with X key pressed.
The best strategy I found out is: Jump aiming the first scourge, jump to the corner, then jump to the edge of low dirt, and click the totem. Also, there is a chance the defiler gets teleported back after stepping on the edge of low dirt. In this case, quickly move the screen towards the totem. If you're lucky, the totem will still be in sight. Click it.
In fact, I hate that part too... I just playtested that part again, and even with this helpful information, it took more than 20 minutes. (Well, possibly due to thefact that I playtested in W-Mode, but anyways)
If you think some stages are too difficult, Here's a way: Play this in single player. When you encounter that part, set the game speed to a slower one, such as 'fast' or 'normal'. This can help you a lot. When it's over, put it back to the fastest difficulty.
Post has been edited 3 time(s), last time on Jan 29 2013, 9:11 am by zzt.
I'm not sure what kind of "insane micro" is being mentioned.
spoiler
I had a very difficult time getting past the teleport with psi emitters past the scourge area, so for players like me I would consider it insane micro. I did get past it eventually, it just took me a while to get the hang of it. Although the fact that I was willing to spend so much time on that obstacle shows what a great map this is (so far)
Yeah, but Oh Man was talking about needing "insane micro" on the first level, with the drones Some parts later are harder, but I didn't feel like the micro was really approaching insane until stage 15.
As for stage 15, I don't know if you're open to suggestions, but it seems like the level would be a lot more manageable if the lurkers were on opposite sides of you (instead of both being on one side of you). If one lurker attacked from the top and the other one attacked from the bottom, it wouldn't seem so ridiculously hard lol.
The map always glitches on me after I respawn when the reavers kill me on stage 4. Vulture spider mines appear and attack me, and I don't think they're supposed to? Then the doors don't work. Can I just have the code for stage 5?
The map always glitches on me after I respawn when the reavers kill me on stage 4. Vulture spider mines appear and attack me, and I don't think they're supposed to? Then the doors don't work. Can I just have the code for stage 5?
I'm sorry for that Leeroy. It is an old bug that I thought I fixed in previous versions, and I can't really think of a reason it would happen again. Yeah, vulture spider mines aren't supposed to appear there. I'll give you a code for stage 5. If you'd like to know what happens in the rest of stage 4, watch my Youtube video in my walkthrough post.
I'll try to fix it asap.
Edit: Thx to Az, I figured out the cause and the map is updated now.
Well, here goes part 3 of the walkthrough. I once thought of editing a previous post, but I just decided to write a new post to make things clear.
Note that the map has been updated lately, and this version has only a few bugs left. Azrael helped me a lot, so I included his name in 'Special Thanks to:'
It's the last part of the walkthrough!
Stage 13
Battle (Reaver)
You don't really need a guide here. Just anticipate the timing for scarabs and jump with totems. It's almost literally hit and run - well, hit and jump, to be technical.
Puzzle (Bunker)
Clues
Look at the room carefully, and wonder why it's in that shape. Doesn't it look a little weird compared to a normal rectangular room?
Solution
Get in both of the 'hole's that are located in the bottom of the room. By not being able to see the bunkers, their true colors will be revealed... A little ironical, if you ask me.
Find the Exit
Solution
A rock sprite is hiding a totem.
Overall
Possible Gems
In the forest area, there will be a tree hiding a totem. When you go there, you'll see a 'point' sprite. Get there, and you'll be able to see a hidden totem. When you get there, you'll be able to see the stargate.
And that's another puzzle by itself. Try to figure out what to do. The clue is those four vessels on top.
Stage 14
I placed four broodlings in the first room for no big reason. It's just for making you read the conversation with Getuc while dealing with not-so-threatful broodlings.
Battle 1 (Hydralisks and Drones)
One thing you're going to notice is that there is a invisible barrier between enemy units and Nefed. Another annoying thing is that every time a hydralisk gets hit, it flees away! (Even I don't know why exactly it does so. Of course it's an intended feature, but I just don't know why it acts that way.) The saddest news is that, your HP is slightly not enough to just run around the room waiting for their hallucination timer to expire.
Guide
The good news is that drones exist. Get to a corner, and all four units will follow you and get right next to the invisible barrier. When a hydralisk gets surrounded by the other hydralisk and tth drones, attack it. The hydralisk will try to flee, but since other units are blocking it, it can't and Nefed should be able to deliver it a few more strikes. When you kill one, hit the other one, go to a corner, and when it's right next to the barrier again, get close and hit again, and repeat. By this you should be able to kill both hydralisks.
If both hydralisks are dead but you don't have enough HP, just get out of drones' attack range. Their hallucination timer will automatically expire.
Battle 2 (Hydralisks and Marines)
Solution
When the marines and the templar appear, go downwards so that the high templar can get past the totem. When the templar does, jump to the totem and slaughter the marines. Then go up and make the hydralisk come to Nefed. Jump to the totem again and kill it!
Hidden Action
Jump to the totem, then quickly run towards the hydralisk. When you finish killing it, the marines will hit you. Even though they're at mid ground, their attacking Nefed slightly reveals their location. Jump to the totem with that sight and kill them.
Find the Way
Solution
In the forest of doodads, there is one way that's not covered with any doodad. Just follow that line. After that, there will be a rock. That's just a fake sprite rock, so get through that.
Overall
Possible Gems
Nothing other than that hidden action.
Youtube Video (+Hidden Action)
Stage 15
Welcome to the craziest part of the map! Well, at least it once was. In the latest version, it has been modified a little so that its difficult would be less crazy.
Part 1 (Lurkers)
I honestly admit that this difficulty is just crazy as hell. Seriously, this difficulty is far beyond fun and challenging. It's just frustration. Well, that's why I gave it a patch. Now the stage is easier than the nightmare it once used to be.
Youtube Video
This video is Azrael's. He fails some time before he finally succeeds.
Part 2 (The Battle)
Personally, I think this is the most difficult part of all. Not only figuring out what to do is crazy, but performing that is another hellish problem.
Clues
Notice that this is the first time a blue guy and a brown guy is appearing at the same time. They act just like before - blue ones try to hit Nefed directly, and ignore dolls. Brown ones try to hit dolls, and ignore Nefed.
Solution
Quickly kill four dolls surrounding you, without getting much hit from blue firebats in the meantime. Then, get to the final doll, and when you're right next to it, press hold position. Then the weirdest thing happens: Brown drones try to reach the doll behind, but Nefed is in their way. Blue guys try to reach Nefed, but the brown guys are in their way. The situation seems like a stalemate - until their timer expires. Boom!
Youtube Video
0:00~0:25 is a failure scene.
Overall
Possible Gems
No gem here.
Stage 16
Part 1 (Sunken Colonies)
Guide
You don't really need more than 6 colonies. You can't control more than than unless your game speed isn't 'fastest'. As you would see during the game, you should focus on everything that isn't a broodling or a drone. It's crucial to correctly target the first two zerglings as well as the first two zealots. Also, if you let too many drones and brodlings attack the doll, they will also deal a considerable amount of damage as well, so whenever you have spare time, make sure that no colony is doing nothing at all.
Youtube Video
Perhaps this won't help you much, since I had some luck on this - since I kept too many broodlings alive, they blocked the zealots' way and that helped a lot.
Part 2 (Meet Evar-Getuc)
Getuc is definitely broken! He's even stronger than Mari, since his cooldown is faster and his attacks are automatic - no wonder why he's a creator. (Well, the only disadvantage is that his range is slightly shorter.) However, again it's Nefed who's not invincible.
Guide
After you die 4~5 times, you'll see which units appear when. They appear clockwise - counterclockwise - then clockwise again. You have to flee. Not getting surrounded by enemy units isn't pretty hard, but ranged attackers really screw you. Have Getuc kill ranged attackers - if your control isn't fast enough and can't control Getuc while controlling Nefed at the same time, you can flee in a way that ranged attackers would get close to Getuc, thereby making him kill them.
Overall
Possible Gems
After meeting getuc and going through the first door, you will see the corridor. Ignore the first door (with grass) you see and go straight. Then you'll see another door that looks typical. Enter that, and a gem will appear.
Stage 17
Wow! A stage that you can't fail! If I recall correctly, this is the only stage that you can't fail no matter what you do. Well, perhaps this stage is a little too easy for stage 17... Maybe it should have been placed somewhere near stage 9.
I think you're not going to need walkthrough until the part when you meet the first mine.
Part 1 (Spider Mine & Two Beacons)
Solution
Pick up the switch, get close to the mine, and put down the switch when it gets up. Go up a little, and the mine will roam around the maze. When you think you're enough away from the mine, get down, pick up the switch, go up a bit, then put down the switch again. Repeat this whole process a few times. Then, finally, go up and the mine will try to get you going through the maze. When it's on the beacon, activate the switch and it's on the beacon.
Nah, it's really hard to describe this with words. I'm not sure if I described the process right.
Part 2 (Spider Mine, Totem & Recall Switch)
This solution was removed due to a recent update. I gave up describing how to perform this solution, so you just figure it out and do.
Overall
Possible Gems
In part two, you'll notice that between the beacon and the nuke dot, there is a passible tile blocked with something invisible. That's a dark templar, and it's destructible with the mine. There is a gem behind that DT.
Stage 18
Part 1 (Firebats)
A really weird message - 'You fail if you go through this door.'
Clues
Getuc said Nefed should go to a hidden part. Where can it be? Also, the first totem you see is a hint too.
Solution
Make those firebats stand right below the totem. If they block enough space under the totem, the totem will lead Nefed to the space above it. That's the hidden part Getuc mentioned.
Part 2 (Reaver)
Solution
You would have noticed that when you use the totem, all scarabs will go to and explode at the location Nefed had been before the teleport. So this is the strategy: Wait at the totem, and when the reaver launches its scarab, use the totem and move. This way you'll be able to go quite a lot of distance, since the reaver first has to wait until its first scarab goes there and explodes until it launches its next shot. When you go down and left, you'll see a totem. Use that.
Part 3 (Tank, Broodlings and Zealots)
Intended Solution
Anticipate when the tank is going to shoot. When it's about to shoot, get next to a zealot and make the tank's splash damage affect the zealot. Then go back and face broodlings, then face zealots when the tank's about to shoot again, and so on. This needs some practice, but it's eventually not that difficult.
Part 4 (Dolls)
Guide
When the firebat and the zergling appears, follow the firebat and kill it on the way. Then kill the zergling and the dolls. Then run towards the totem. When it's in your sight, jump to it and go right. You'll see the dolls. Kill both of them before the drones reach them.
Overall
Possible Gems
No gem here.
Stage 19
Yes, another boss stage. One thing you have to notice is that this is the first time you're going to confront player 2 (blue). Also, look carefully at the skill units and the boss unit itself - they all share one thing in common. What is it?
Youtube Video
Also, this is the last stage you can check the number of gems, so don't forget to!
Stage 20
Do you need a guide here? Really?
Post has been edited 4 time(s), last time on Feb 10 2013, 3:52 am by zzt.
If anyone is interested, i'm going to be streaming this game at this link.
Edit: Wow what a very well constructed game. It almost seems too perfect.
A few glitches:
Spoiler Box
Frequently hallucinations will fail to spawn
On the mission first introducing the teleport emitters, when I first beat it, i simultaneously died and reached the end (I think?), causing the mine to not drop (afaik?) and i got vision of the reaver den without walking over. Somehow. It's in the first recording on my twitch channel somewhere. If you want I could dig it up.
The ultralisk froze on me, making the fight significantly easier than it should be in the first boss.
Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Feb 4 2013, 3:12 am by TiKels.
"If a topic that clearly interest noone needs to be closed to underline the "we don't want this here" message, is up to debate."
I made an update of this map. And thank you TiKels, I found out some other unintended glitches thanks to your videos. To see the changes, look at 'update log' in the OP.
I'm waiting for the next video, TiKels! Do you have any specific plans for the next one?
I can't even get past the first section it seems like you are priotising insane micro as opposed to puzzles, based off the first section.
I mean, the first level was so easy
But yeah, I'm pretty bad at micro and was still never frustrated. A little critical thinking and strategic unit placement go a long way.
Edit: That's not to say it was never challenging, which certainly isn't the case. It's almost always challenging, it just never seemed impossible. When I died, I could say "Alright, I did X wrong, I can take that into account on the next attempt." I find that kind of challenge enjoyable.
Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Mar 23 2013, 9:53 pm by Azrael.
Please un-private the Youtube videos of the stage 12 boss fight if you ever happen to read this. It's the only thing so far that's felt like more trouble than it's worth to pass for me.
Worst comes to worst, I'll just cheese the password system until I get one for stage 13, though.
Please un-private the Youtube videos of the stage 12 boss fight if you ever happen to read this. It's the only thing so far that's felt like more trouble than it's worth to pass for me.
I beat it without looking at the walkthrough, although it took some attempts to find a combination I really liked. I'd recommend using Dide and Doll together.
I've tried every combo a couple times, I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. (I've even put it on a slower game speed to eliminate my 'skill' being a factor, something is just wrong with my strategy) Going to try it some more today.
Your main focus should be to minimize the damage to yourself as much as possible, as quickly and efficiently as possible. With Dide and Doll, the way to accomplish this should become pretty clear. Strategy is definitely important on this one.
Please un-private the Youtube videos of the stage 12 boss fight if you ever happen to read this. It's the only thing so far that's felt like more trouble than it's worth to pass for me.
Worst comes to worst, I'll just cheese the password system until I get one for stage 13, though.
Oops. I'm afraid I can't un-private it. (Privated it before because Youtube pointed out BGM copyright issues - the map itself breaks copyright because I used musics from other media directly. I think I can un-private it, but it's possible that Youtube points it out again.)
I thought there won't be much trouble watching the private video as I shared them in the walkthrough post - if you have problems watching it, please tell me specifically what the problem is. I'm eager to help you. As written in previous posts, strategy is obviously really important for this one. Also, every combination other than corsair and vessel can beat the stage. (What corsair and vessel can do is almost identical to that of each other, and they can't really efficiently deal with ghosts and broodlings.)
Also, if you look for the codes for stage 13, here it is:
da real donwano shouted: This is the first time I've seen spam bots like this on SEN. But then again, for the last 15 years I haven't been very active.
it's pretty common
[2024-4-11. : 9:53 pm]
da real donwano -- This is the first time I've seen spam bots like this on SEN. But then again, for the last 15 years I haven't been very active.
[2024-4-11. : 4:18 pm]
IlyaSnopchenko -- still better than "Pakistani hookers in Sharjah" that I've seen advertised in another forum
Although with only 1 HP remaining.
I just playtested that part again, and even with this helpful information, it took more than 20 minutes. (Well, possibly due to thefact that I playtested in W-Mode, but anyways)
I kind of figured after this:
ooooo
ooooo 
ooooo
