Useful Tips and Useful Gameplay Observations

FIREST0RM000 · Post by **FIREST0RM000** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:08 am

This thread is for all of those little game tips that can help people do better when playing Nud.

When Posting Tips
-Do not include whole runs in this thread (do that here).

-This would be a good place for general tips, math observations, small turret combos that work well, and anything else that doesn't really fit in the other two threads.

-I'll try to add tips to this first post as I can and keep them organized.

-I will provide credit for whoever gave the tip. please include your name and version # in this format "([your forum name] - [versions it applies to])"
EX: (Firestorm000 - all versions) or (thecannon - 0.02 and 0.03)
I'll add the italics.

-Include version #, and where this tactic would help (if applicable).

-If I have any incorrect info here, please post!

Tips 4 Newbies
-The game can be paused by hitting the [X] in the top right corner. This brings up an in game menu. Since version 0.04, the game now includes [P] as the pause key (thecannon - 0.02 and 0.03)

-Read the help file. It can be accessed by going to info from the main menu. Read it; you'll thank me later. (Firestorm000 - all versions)

-You get interest for the money you have. The interest is given once per second or so, and it depends on how much you currently have. So, if your turrets can hold the creeps without building more, save the money so you get some extra. (note: This is only important in normal mode; in survival, your money has no effect on score, so spend it all and save your lives)(Nyme - v0.03)

General Computer Tips
-If you need to get to your desktop and don't want to close Nud, simply press [Ctrl][Alt][Delete] on your keyboard and this should allow you to open "Task Manager". From there, go to the applications tab, right click "Nudv???" and select minimize. (Firestorm000 - all versions; don't know if this works on vista)

-If you just want to switch windows, simply use the windows key on your keyboard or the [Alt] + [Tab] hotkey (Skasi, Firestorm000 - all versions)

- The maximum speed that you can get to is limited by how fast your computer is. The speed multiplier probably just changes the FPS limit to a higher # (IE: 30 frames per second limit to a 90 FPS limit), so you should be able to make it run faster by shutting down any other programs you have running. (Firestorm000 - v0.03 : this one needs more testing)

-If you have an old version of the game, you can move "nud.dat" into the new versions main folder to immediately unlock all levels that you have previously beaten. (Firestorm000 - 0.01 to 0.03)

-[F9] takes screen shots (Firestorm000 - v0.03)

Math Tips and Observations
-Multipliers are applied after absolute bonuses. That is: ([turret dmg] + [addition bonuses]) * [multiplication bonuses] or (80 + 10) * 1.20 (TH15 - All versions)

-when a mononud is surrounded by other mononuds, it will see a 36% increase in DPS. for duonuds, you will get a 50% increase in DPS ( 60 - 5 * 4 = 40; 60 / 40 = 1.5 ), and for trinuds it will be 66% (Nyme - 0.03; note that this is compared against a non surrounded nud of the same level)

-speed is the # of frames between shots. lower is better

- Especially while upgrading Monos, it is usually better to upgrade all of them to Duos first, and not upgrade them fully to Tris at once. This means better DPS per money spent. (Nyme - v.0.03)

- A tile is roughly 32 by 32 pixels. The diagonal can be calculated to about 45 pixels. (Skasi - All Versions)

-Crit(ical)s make mono/duo/tris deal double damage or in case of the Warp, double effect size. For Lancets, a crit also makes it penetrate twice as many targets. A shrap's projectiles calculate crit individually. Crit shots appear yellow or white for the Lancet. (Cycerin - V0.04)

Building Strategy
-In the beginning, it is usually better to complete your maze before upgrading any turrets. Build the maze with Mononuds, which are the cheapest available. (Nyme - v0.03)

-The more connections one nud has, the higher it should be upgraded. For 3x3, or bigger boxes this means, that the middle nud becomes a Tri, those that boost it become Duos and those in the corners remain Monos.
This is not only because the middle nuds receive and give most boosts, but also because they can shoot most of their time, while mainly those on edges get to shoot the least time. only applies to 3x3 boxes (Skasi - v0.03 ; someone actually needs to do the math on this as to the most efficient way to upgrade.)

-Shraps work best in the middle of long corridors, so that most of their shots will hit something, and because you wanna link with as many monos as possible. Also, they kill bosses well because bosses tend to absorb a lot of their shots. (Cycerin - V0.04)

Good Combos: what works well with what and what doesn't go together well?
- Lancets/Warps go well adjacent to each other. Lancet gives range to the Warp, and Warp gives critical chance to Lancet. Also, warp nuds keep the creeps in range longer, allowing the lancets to score more hits. (Skasi/Lightstriker (not sure who got it first) - v0.02 to 0.03)

- Monos/Duos/Tris are greatly improved when they are built in large blocks

- Especially while upgrading Monos, it is usually better to upgrade all of them to Duos first, and not upgrade them fully to Tris at once. This means better DPS per money spent. ( Nyme - v0.03 )

- Basic nuds (Monos, Duos, Tris), can miss creeps, if they are under the warp effect, while Lancets don't - at least not nearly as "often". This is because they do not need to aim their shots anyways. (Skasi - v0.03)

-If you want to defend a long corridor but can't cover it all with a single lancet, then build two (or even three) together in a line so that they are shooting down the length of the corridor. The range boost they provide each other can be enough to cover corridors spanning the entire screen, especially when upgraded. Bear in mind though that when you upgrade a lancet, it gives bonuses to the OTHER nuds.(the mulletron - v0.06)

-Lancets don't just have to be used to protect long corridors. If you have a few empty spaces or nuds that are too far away from a corridor to be of any use, use the lancets range bonuses to give surrounding nuds the boost needed to reach the distant corridors. This tactic is better used during the late game phase, when you have cash to burn, where it can give you the edge needed to last a few more waves.(the mulletron - v0.06)

Nyme · Post by **Nyme** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:53 am

Good idea.

These are for NUD v3. Most of these one can figure out him/herself.

General
- You get interest for the money you have. The interest is given once per second or so, and it depends on how much you currently have. So, if your turrets can hold the creeps without building more, save the money so you get some extra.
- In the beginning, it is usually better to complete your maze before upgrading any turrets. Build the maze with Mononuds, which are the cheapest available.

Nuds and combos
- Lancets/Warps go well adjacent to each other. Lancet gives range to the Warp, and Warp gives critical chance to Lancet. Besides, Warpnud helps the Lancet to hit the enemies more often. (Skasi discovered this combo first for real, so give credit to him)
- Monos/Duos/Tris are greatly improved when they are built in large blocks, leading to better bonuses on their fire rate. A Mono surrounded with four other Monos gains 36% more DPS (damage per second). For Duos this is 50%, and for Tris it is 66%.
- Especially while upgrading Monos, it is usually better to upgrade all of them to Duos first, and not upgrade them fully to Tris at once. This means better DPS per money spent.
- Orbs have poor accuracy when not firing at creeps coming straight towards the Orbnud. However, they can "store" DPS while nothing's in their range. This means that Orb is most effective when guarding only one path, and when it is in the end of the path.

Skasi · Post by **Skasi** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:50 am

I already wanted to create this thread yesterday, but have been too lazy. I am very glad, that somebody else did that for me!

(I've also thought of a wiki - Wyrdysm games needs one!)

I will edit stuff out of this thread, when not needed anymore - so don't cry, if I post anything that makes this post not look clear, short and.. stuff like that.

FIREST0RM000: Why don't you suggest people to use ALT+TAB to minimize the game?

expansions to all previous tips

Lancets/Warpnuds:
Warpnuds should be used to cover the line of fire of your Lancets.
Basic nuds (Monos, Duos, Tris), can miss creeps, if they are under the warp effect, while Lancets don't - at least not nearly as "often". This is because they do not need to aim their shots anyways.

Boxes of basic towers:
I did NOT calculate, whether this is the best option, but think it looks like it could be.
The more connections one nud has, the higher it should be upgraded. For 3x3, or bigger boxes this means, that the middle nud becomes a Tri, those that boost it become Duos and those in the corners remain Monos.
This is not only, because the middle nuds receive and give most boosts, but also because they can shoot most of their time, while mainly those on edges get to shoot the least time. (this does only apply to 3x3 stuff, as on 4x4 and bigger boxes the edges get to shoot more than other outer nuds)

FIREST0RM000 · Post by **FIREST0RM000** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 4:56 am

FIREST0RM000: Why don't you suggest people to use ALT+TAB to minimize the game?

the alt tab shortcut doesn't actually minimize the game, and I hadn't even thought of it since I never use it. I'll include that as an option, as well as pointing out that people can just use the windows key

I've also thought of a wiki - Wyrdysm games needs one!

BSF already has a wiki, though it's been dead since before I joined. you could see about a nud wiki, but probably not yet.

Skasi · Post by **Skasi** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 12:51 am

oh.. I just thought it would be a good idea to tell people stuff related to ranges:

One tile basically has a range of 33,33(...) - to be exactly, 32px.
The gray square that marks an "undeveloped" tile only has half the range of its tile - 16px.
So most of your nuds will fire over 2,5 tiles. (while 0,5 is the radius of the tile the nud has been built on, so there are only 2 left)
The diagonal range of a tile is around 45, if you calculate it using 32px. (v0.03)

th15 mentioned, that he will increase the range for mononuds by 20, so they'd hit 100 - that's basically 3 tiles. (v0.04)

Cycerin · Post by **Cycerin** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:17 am

About crits:

Crits make NUDs deal double damage (or in case of the Warp, double effect size)

For Lancets, a crit also makes it penetrate twice as many targets. A shrap's projectiles calculate crit individually.

Crit shots appear yellow, or white on the Lancet.

Shraps work best in the middle of long corridors, so that most of their shots will hit something, and because you wanna link with as many monos as possible. Also, they kill bosses well because bosses tend to absorb a lot of their shots.

FIREST0RM000 · Post by **FIREST0RM000** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:37 pm

Sorry I've been a little lazy getting this updated. Every thing is in there now , so give it another read through and keep those tips coming

Normandy · Post by **Normandy** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:01 am

Skasi wrote:(I've also thought of a wiki - Wyrdysm games needs one!)

[snip]

http://www.wyrdysm.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2942

We have one, but its depreciated and hardly ever updated. But I suppose if you beat a dead horse enough it comes back to life, at least on the internet.

Himura.Kenshin · Post by **Himura.Kenshin** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:42 am

Every single 'Normal Mode' level can be beaten with only Mononuds.

the mulletron · Post by **the mulletron** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:59 pm

If your still updating this FIRESTORM000, I would like to add a few tips...

These tips work with NUD v0.06.

-If you want to defend a long corridor but can't cover it all with a single lancet, then build two (or even three) together in a line so that they are shooting down the length of the corridor. The range boost they provide each other can be enough to cover corridors spanning the entire screen, especially when upgraded. Bear in mind though that when you upgrade a lancet, it gives bonuses to the OTHER nuds.

-Lancets don't just have to be used to protect long corridors. If you have a few empty spaces or nuds that are too far away from a corridor to be of any use, use the lancets range bonuses to give surrounding nuds the boost needed to reach the distant corridors. This tactic is better used during the late game phase, when you have cash to burn, where it can give you the edge needed to last a few more waves.

FIREST0RM000 · Post by **FIREST0RM000** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:32 pm

If your still updating this FIRESTORM000...

I'm still here. I thought nud was on hold with the new release of BSF .90 and all, but since development is still ongoing with this, I'll keep the updates coming.