Creep Behavior and General Graphics

[Flavaflame]

This is a very rare complaint from a loyal fan. I have thousands of hours invested as both a player and a custom map author in everything that KC has created since 2009.

I think this is the first time the creep behavior has confused me. I can set a defensive line of ships and shields and be fine. The creep quantity holds steady for several minutes (on accelerated speed, so probably 10 min or so), and it looks like I can start pushing forward. Suddenly, and for no visible reason, the creep surges, wipes me out, and starts taking over the map. The behavior is really frustrating, and it isn't fun to play.

The graphics choices are confusing and disjointed throughout the game. The title screen (as an example, not that it matters terribly), the title is bold, rounded, and shadowed, the menu options look like they are in a fixed system font, and the copyright / discord text is different yet again. I'm not a graphics snob by any stretch- I'm 100% here for the game play. But, visually, there's no continuity between the various elements of the game and it's a distraction. The graphics are a downgrade from CW2-4/PFE. When I played the demo and it said 'some alpha graphics', I figured we'd get upgraded textures, buttons, and titles on release. I guess it is always possible that this should be viewed as a pixel art game.

I understand that raw firepower should not be able to overcome all creep, and that strategy is needed. But the random creep/AC bleed-throughs in the terrain, the sudden behavior spikes, the lack of ability for defenders to quickly and effectively wipe out areas of thin, minimal creep, the poor graphics, the broken tutorials, the lack of useful tool tips, etc makes me think this should've sat in beta awhile longer. I understand that there was probably a need to get this out in time for Christmas, but it could have also been tagged as an early release. Open up CW3 and CWIXE side by side, and look at a ship orbiting a planet.

[tyr2009]

They added that rocket explosions create creep shockwaves, if you push too fast, the resulting surge kills the troops. Additionally, some of the maps have gravity changes, if you push forward as the gravity shifts, it can exacerbate the surge. Also, some of the breeder lands causes pulses instead of steady flow, this can also exacerbate the shockwave effect.

[Flavaflame]

Originally posted by tyr2009:

They added that rocket explosions create creep shockwaves, if you push too fast, the resulting surge kills the troops. Additionally, some of the maps have gravity changes, if you push forward as the gravity shifts, it can exacerbate the surge. Also, some of the breeder lands causes pulses instead of steady flow, this can also exacerbate the shockwave effect.

I appreciate the reply. I think the story line might be improved to help highlight the new behaviors, but I'll go back and re-read. I might've skimmed past it. The shock wave effect is a bit different, because (I *think*) in previous versions the missiles would just fully deplete the creeper in that spot + some splash damage in a certain radius outward. Now it's deplete + displace. That will take some getting used to. I'll watch for the gravity shifts and land pulses. I think that the left side of the vicious map probably does that as well.

[tyr2009]

Yes, previous iterations created a hole/void and the creeper collapsed. They added surge/shockwave physics to the explosions, which is a new dilemma.

[esotericist]

as another fun one, there's also the situation where cutting digitalis off from its source node causes any creep still in the digitalis to get squirted out the end

[Balsover]

I agree, I can't figure out what causes the "surge". You would think emitters are a fix rate, the creeper shouldn't come in waves, its slow and steady.

[Paradox Edge]

If you have played 2 you know how to deal with ixe. Narrow openings, and a means to block said opening. In 2 it was repulsor stacking. In ixe, it's cryon ships. Don't forget to arc your missiles around corners for increased depth penetration.

[Crunchy[Daz]]

There has to be something with pressure and moving the liquids. I've noticed that you could be holding the line against the creep and thinking its all good but its still gaining in pressure and amount. Then you think you are fine because you've held out so long and as soon as you let up on the attack a tiny bit, it surges.

[Sunday Driver]

Building shield walls is really useful on many maps. You can take out the robot drones with large deep shield wall arrangements and tunnels that are plugged with shielding gives you a powerful position to push back from.

It's a rare game where it helps to be methodical and more turtling in your mindset, even though some maps do have time pressures to rush to before you get room to breathe or rarely push you to the end.