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Straight shot w6++ [extended game spoilers].

(1/1)

Valguris:
Rules: No visiting of branches (other than branches at -1). No visiting of Wastes. No visiting of Garrisons.
Objectives: Climb as high as possible. Kill as many bosses as possible. Win.

I decided that  flight hacker that transitions into flight melee for the endgame is the easiest/most reliable approach for this type of challenge. I was not sure whether to go with 2-prop flight or a more regular flight build at first. So I postponed this decision until later by evolving only utility slots at first. I was playing slow combat for Materials floors and for most of the first Factory floor, to get sufficient parts for a flight hacker build. Once I got enough parts, I transitioned and started hacking for high level schematics. I was lucky to find multiple SL3 (security level 3) terminals in -7/Factory, which allowed me to fabricate Adv. Hacking Suites that early. In Factory, I was using Datajacks on serfs to find nearby Chute Traps, and therefore avoid accidentally falling into Wastes.

In the midgame I found some Gravity Neutralizing Apparatuses, which made me decide to go for 2-prop flight. They are barely better than Adv. Weight Redistribution Systems which can be salvaged from Haulers, but I decided they're good enough for me. It would be much harder to fabricate all the stuff for the endgame if I had to also fabricate all of my midgame parts, so finding some of my midgame parts was a great find! I was using Exp. Cesium-Ion Thrusters for their speed and mass support utilities for, umm, mass support. For my flight builds I also like to have only 1 power slot and rely on Fusion Compressors for additional power.

Even without looping a floor or visiting any branches, I managed to get all the schematics that I wanted and fabricated all the parts that I wanted. My final build wasn't looking any different than non-challenge runs at this point. I even managed to squeeze in terrain scanning setup, which was important for finding my way into the final level (remember, without branches there is no TR). Notably I forgot about Phase Shifters :(. With the changes introduced in Beta9, I decided to go for Plasma Lances instead of Nanoswords, and for regular Powered Armor instead of an advanced one due to mass constraints.

I planned to tunnel around Doom Corridor guards, but I haven't done that in a long time, so I messed up and got spotted. This almost cost me this run. I lost too much integrity on my armor and Exp. Utility Shielding, and I had to fight MC with Combat Programmers shooting at me. Fortunately, I managed to kill MC and run away from Combat Programmers before I lost my other parts. I hid in a room for the duration of the civil war and then scavenged for missing parts, in particular Imp. Utility Shieldings dropped by Collossi and some Medium Armor. Unfortunately I lost one of my Imp. Fusion Compressors. I had a regular Fusion Compressor as my backup plan, but I was running low on energy for my Exp. Force Field.

MC dropped a Dimensional Manipulator, which I planned to use. He did not drop his Exp. Powered Armor, unfortunately. I did not pick the Dimensional Manipulator immediately, because I was running away from Combat Programmers. When I came back, the Dimensional Manipulator was gone, probably due to a nearby explosion -- either from Demolishers or from a chain reaction of an engine due to EM damage.

For digging into A0 I hid all my parts (except for processors) in Medium Storage Units salvaged from recyclers, and equipped treads and armor found on the floor. This saved my actual build for the final floor. Notably I also brought a few full matter pods, because changing my entire build takes a lot of matter and I still need even more matter to run my Fusion Compressors. And I remembered to pack an Adv. Phase Shifter this time.

The final level went without any trouble. My terrain scanning found the telepads easily. I was moving at 19 speed, so enemies didn't have time to shoot a lot. Once the telepads were gone, I found a nice place to fight and I fought the Architect. My first melee attack took ~1/3 of his core ;D.

In the end I won, with 11 matter remaining ;D.

Scoresheet:
https://cogmind-api.gridsagegames.com/scoresheets/N31uCAxCGFYbh9vGy.txt
Log is in the attachment.

VODs:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Joshua:
Congratulations! This is amazing. I really enjoy your streams (usually after the fact because of timing) and I know I've learned a ton about the game from them and the careful way you approach it. Thank you for sharing.

I especially like the boring machine setup, never thought of that -- I tend to be much more hasty with my decisions, which is usually a mistake.

Kyzrati:
Damn this is really impressive. So it can be done!

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