need more grinder!

[Benedict9999]

why aren't tere any grinder option for the new maps

[Kador01]

I agree. I like the 2 new maps so far but was a bit disappointed in the low number of game modes on each one. No grinder, super grinder, I think only one of them has poison core, etc.

[Benedict9999]

doesn't the 2nd map just look delicious as a grinder?

[alien3456]

The first time I played it, I made a giant elaborate maze that was completely overpowered in preparation for a long grinder, but it ended before I even finished my layout!

I've now beaten it with about 12-15 towers in a small loop near the cores (9 guns in a U-shape, command, concussion and temporal towers in the center of the U, with 3 cannons placed near the exit for the final boss wave on harder modes).

[Mobious918]

They posted it somewhere, but the devs were talkin about why they left grinder mode off the new maps. Since they release the game for the 360 as well, they have to be sure every level and mode will run smoothly on the xbox first (since you cant exactly upgrade its hardware), and grinder modes take up a TON of memory and cpu they have to be careful about which maps can have it so it wont kill anyone's Xbox. The newer maps all take up a bit more memory than the origionals (according to them) and between that and the amount of power needed for grinder the Xbox couldnt handle it so they left it out.

I have DG for PC so its a little disappointing to hear that we're gettin held back by consoles, but I can see where they're comin from. Just good to know they are determined to produce a quality product no matter what, maybe they'll patch it in at some point :)

[Kador01]

ahh that sucks. held back by the crappy 360 hardware and its not even the 360 version.

I hope they reconsider and add some more game modes to the pc version.

[Benedict9999]

why don't they just make it for pc >_>
i mean the map ends before I even finish building the maze.

[Mobious918]

why don't they just make it for pc >_>
i mean the map ends before I even finish building the maze.
Cuz they decided to port it to XBLA a year or so after releasing it for PC to increase their exposure and thus increase sales. Unfortunately this locks them into the current issue where they have to limit PCs by dumbing down the entire game to make sure everything works for 360.

[Kyorisu]

Unfortunately this locks them into the current issue where they have to limit PCs by dumbing down the entire game to make sure everything works for 360.

It does no such thing they've simply chosen to keep platforms identical. There is no reason why each platform couldn't have it's own variation of each level. Alternatively give us a level editor of some sort but they wouldn't do that it'd kill their DLC offerings on PC.

[Haas82]

yeah screw 360 gimmy grinder!!

[PolarisOrbit]

Yep, I gotta agree that they need more grinder. If the new maps take up more memory then I gotta ask the question WHY is that? Waste Disposal was a huge map with complex paths and it had grinder. Turnabout was a map with lots of fine grain re-routability and it had grinder.

The new map seems like it would be the best grinder yet, except that it doesn't have the appropriate modes. That's highly disappointing.

I really see no reason why they couldn't optimize these new maps to take less memory like they already did with previously released maps. That excuse is unconvincing.

[pobst]

The maps themselves don't typically take up much more memory, what they do is have different amounts of possible tower build locations. Each tower build location (if a tower is built there) can draw against the available memory needed...

Jeff

[PolarisOrbit]

The maps themselves don't typically take up much more memory, what they do is have different amounts of possible tower build locations. Each tower build location (if a tower is built there) can draw against the available memory needed...

Jeff

Thanks for the response.

I'm still not convinced though. My reaction to this is: Why is the map so large? IMO, this map would have played better if were about 3-4 tiles shorter on both dimensions in the first place (it's so big that building across the whole length of the map performs worse than building partway across), so if its excessive size is preventing it from getting the most obvious mode to put on a map like this then that's one more reason to shrink it!

[Mobious918]

Thanks for the response.

I'm still not convinced though. My reaction to this is: Why is the map so large? IMO, this map would have played better if were about 3-4 tiles shorter on both dimensions in the first place (it's so big that building across the whole length of the map performs worse than building partway across), so if its excessive size is preventing it from getting the most obvious mode to put on a map like this then that's one more reason to shrink it!
I'd hate to see that map get shrunk actually, it's just big enough that you have to scroll over the whole thing to see the edges, would feel very small (to me at least) if from the farthest zoom I could see the whole map. I think the point is for the map to feel bigger than it looks since all the workspace is consolidated.

[bessent]

I'm still not convinced though.

If you got a direct response from the developers and you're still not convinced, then you apparently don't know much about how computers work!

[mchlor]

yes do add grinder mode to all maps except the tutorial maps.

[mr_realization]

Wouldn't it be awesome if it was easy as saying in the code:


if (platform == PC) { enableGrinder = true }
if (platform == XBOX) { enableGrinder = false }

DONE!!! :)

[PolarisOrbit]

If you got a direct response from the developers and you're still not convinced, then you apparently don't know much about how computers work!

Thank you for your input :)

[minerva79]

Grinder and Super Grinder for Roundabout please. I am not tearing enough hair out of my scalp yet.

[fortunz]

I agree wholeheartedly. Most of the game's replayability comes from the grinder modes. There were no grinder modes on borderland maps and Jeff has said (at the hidden path forums) there won't be any in the remaining Resurgence packs either, which is horribly disappointing.

I wonder what the distribution of sales is between XBLA and PC, and whether any PC only DLC would be profitable for HP. Especially if the DLC is nothing more than grinder modes on a few maps (Height of Confusion, Roundabout, Forge and any suitable remaining resurgence maps). I'd happily shell out another buck for 6 or so more grinder/super grinder modes.

If you got a direct response from the developers and you're still not convinced, then you apparently don't know much about how computers work!

That's a bit of a non sequitur. But don't worry, the exclamation point really sells it. :rolleyes:

[fortunz]

Add Tactical diversion to the list of maps that would go well with grinder.

[54x]

We just need a cheat code that will let us use grinder anyway. ;) It's interesting that Last Stand can support Grinder but the new maps can't- Last Stand seems bigger than most of them.

[Vandabo]

I made this account just to say that I desperately want more grinder maps. At least make them as separate PC only DLC. This game is too good to be hampered by a weaker platform.

[Verbal1970]

The grinder and super grinder modes have provided the greatest amount of game enjoyment and re-playability for me. Its the 1st thing I look forward to doing on a map once I complete it in story mode. Not having those two modes available for for any of the DLC maps has been a huge disappointment. Then after reading this thread and finding out that the people who purchased this game for PC, myself included, aren't getting those modes because the Xbox360 can't handle them due to hardware issues just makes it worse.

On the one hand, I totally understand porting the game to XBLA. More exposure = more users = more money. But on the other hand, I just don't feel like that should hinder Hidden Path from allowing those very popular game modes on the PC version since PCs can handle the extra needed memory usage.

Bottom line, I guess I'm just disappointed that (1) we're not getting those modes and (2) the reason why.

:(:mad::(

[pobst]

It's been a while since the decisions were made, but my recollection is that we had grinder modes on some of the levels and had to pull them because we'd run out of memory and it would cause crashes.

I understand that folks with different PC's have different capabilities, but it was important for us to put out content that worked for everyone who has the original system specs.

That all said, clearly folks want more grinder and we'll see what we can consider and what it would require for hardware once all the map packs are out and the versions of the game are out.

I'm not sure if we'll have the ability to do this with our projects that are going, but we definitely hear you.



Jeff

[fortunz]

That all said, clearly folks want more grinder and we'll see what we can consider and what it would require for hardware once all the map packs are out and the versions of the game are out.

I'm not sure if we'll have the ability to do this with our projects that are going, but we definitely hear you.

Yay! "We hear you" is better than "screw you". I've heard the latter from quite a lot of software companies over the years. Good luck.

[Verbal1970]

It's been a while since the decisions were made, but my recollection is that we had grinder modes on some of the levels and had to pull them because we'd run out of memory and it would cause crashes.

I understand that folks with different PC's have different capabilities, but it was important for us to put out content that worked for everyone who has the original system specs.

That all said, clearly folks want more grinder and we'll see what we can consider and what it would require for hardware once all the map packs are out and the versions of the game are out.

I'm not sure if we'll have the ability to do this with our projects that are going, but we definitely hear you.



Jeff

Thanks for the feedback and thanks for at least keeping those game modes in mind for future DLCs.