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Cogmind => Competitions => Topic started by: zxc on December 28, 2017, 09:26:23 PM

Title: Weekly Seed #107 [Beta 4] [Seed: ColdRagnarokSniper]
Post by: zxc on December 28, 2017, 09:26:23 PM
This week's seed: ColdRagnarokSniper



The Weekly Seed is open to anyone, and we encourage you to share your experiences, stories, and tactics over the course of your run.

The rules are as follows:

Good luck and have fun!



HOW TO ENTER A SEED

Press F1 to go to the MENU, select OPTIONS, select Seed, and enter this week's seed:

(https://i.imgur.com/vx1UQW3.png)


Select GAME, select ABORT:

(https://i.imgur.com/cCLoJgu.png)


If you have followed the steps [Manual seed applied: ColdRagnarokSniper] should display in the log window.

Congratulations on entering the seed, now get in there!
Title: Re: Weekly Seed #107 [Beta 4] [Seed: ColdRagnarokSniper]
Post by: nuzcraft on January 22, 2018, 08:47:42 PM
Hello everybody, this is nuzcraft and I just got my first win :) and on stream (https://www.twitch.tv/nuzcraft) at that :D

I wanted to play this run differently than I ever had before. This started in the scrapyard, where I equipped wheels instead of the more traditional legs or treads. -10/Mats was very good to me, providing a multitude of wheels and a grenade launcher (which would stay with me most of the game). My first evolution was a propulsion and utility slot, because I knew I wanted to get some sensors online and start working toward a hacker build. I left -9/Mats in much the same state that I entered, except that I'd augmented my arsenal with a rocket launcher and bolted on some armored wheels.

Leaving -9/Materials:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Once again, I evolved a propulsion and utility slot heading up to -8/Mats. After a couple firefights, I (gasp) started to run low on wheels, and began picking up legs as backup. In total my time in -8/Mats was very short, and  managed to pick up a chainsword right before ascending to -7/Factory. That chainsword would soon become my best buddy and stay with me till the end. I evolved 2 utility slots and began making my way through factory. A short time in, I busted a hauler to find 3 prototype flight units: improved cesium ion thrusters. I was eager to make the switch to flight, and reconciled my parts down to a manageable level with only one medium storage unit.

Initial Flight Build:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

With this build, I soon found an exit to -6/Factory. Once again, I evolved 2 utility slots and set to work. Going through -6/Factory seemed like a bit of a slog. I was trying not to be seen, while managing my energy and hacking as much as possible. After quite bit of back and forth (even finding the exit to extension) I made my way to the lower caves in an attempt to find DM.

I'd managed to find long range sensors and advanced signal interpreters on -6, so much of my time in the caves was spent sneaking around. Unfortunately, at one point my only way through was blocked by a squad of swarmers and a guardian, with a beast to the east.

Lower Caves Gauntlet:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

With the help of my chat, I managed to kill most of the swarmers with the rocket launcher, then aggro the guardian with an EMP Blaster and lure him around a cave formation so I could slip in behind. Unfortunately for me, the exit was guarded by a pretty serious looking squad.

Lower Caves Exit:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I used my superior propulsion and speed to fly right over their heads into the second part of the lower caves….which spawned me right in front of a patrol :(

Lower Caves 2 Entrance:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

This was bad…real bad. Unsure of what to do, I few past them to the north, and quickly found more bad robots to deter me. I had to stand my ground. I parked myself against a wall and start hitting them hard with my EMP Blaster. I took a couple volleys, but terminally corrupted a veteran and soldier :D I also got a smidge of loot!

Lower Caves EMP Volley:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The rest of the lower caves was pretty uneventful until I found a strange alcove in the wall with a barrier. I slashed through the barrier to find an alien artifact! Equipping it, I got the message 'INITIALIZER ACTIVATES AND LATCHES INTO THE GROUND'. At this point, I was really confused. I knew that it had to do something, but I also knew I was going to be leaving the level pretty soon, so I smacked it with my chainsword.

Alien Artifacts don't like bein' smacked:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

It was not particularly happy with me, and I still don't know what it does :D After a bit more exploring, I was pretty sure I found the exit, but it was guarded by a beast. I'd been savvy, switching off propulsion when recouping energy, but right before trying to blitz past the beast, I accidentally activated my propulsion armor treads instead of my flight units! :o Even so, I made it past the beast and into Zion!

Zion was the same as ever. I did a little restocking and got imprinted before heading out into the proximity caves. I was really looking forward to using some of the intel related Z hacks instead of just the roster ones.

Prox Caves, at least the beginning, was very interesting because I had an entourage. Where I'd normally be avoiding conflict at almost any cost, my friends were pretty intent on battling it out. In the end, I simply left them to rust and started exploring for the exit. Upon reaching the exit many turns later, I'm greeted by the return of my prodigal sons! Somehow a couple of my friends not only survived, but made their way to me through the chaos.

The prodigal sons return!:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Moving on up to -5/Factory, I evolved additional power and propulsion slots. I got some info from a couple Z hacks and managed to upgrade some of my flight units to cooled nuclear pulse thrusters!

Cooled Thruster Build:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Shortly thereafter, I ascended to -4/Factory, evolving 2 utility slots. In factory, I quickly realized that I was vastly under equipped for any sort of legitimate hacking build, so I set out to use my newfound Zionite hacking skills to get me more hacking suites. Unfortunately, I neither found many terminals, nor was very good at hacking, so we soon booked it to the upper caves.

Branchy Spoilers:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I evolved an additional propulsion and utility slot for my adventure into research. I've only been to sublevel three a couple times, and was well aware that this may be an uphill battle, but was still cornered fairly early on. I ran away quickly, and had to improvise much of the beginning exploration. I got to a couple good terminals, and managed to hack schematics for an improved hacking suite as well as branch access points. From there, I gathered a bit of extra hackware and headed towards quarantine with maximum recklessness.

Endgame Spoilers:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

It was such a great experience, I'm looking forward to finding more lore and more ways to win as I keep exploring!

Spoiler: Score: 21867 (click to show/hide)

This run, like all my others, will be uploaded to my Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfKrCBdatBePGqB1LsAKuw?view_as=subscriber), though not for a few weeks. I try to get Cogmind content up M, W, F.
I occasionally stream on Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/nuzcraft), stop by if you see me on.