Zen Attractors 3?

[onetrueboo]

- I finished all the intro osmos levels (liked epicycles 3 the best!) save 'zen attractors 3'. This level is driving me berserk. I understand what I've got to do, however I always loose too much mass changing my orbit and/or my orbit goes too eccentric...

It seems this level puts a premium on precision, and I just waste too much mass altering my orbit. Any suggestions?

Honestly I think this level is a bit too hard, especially compared to the others. I'm losing interest.

[Shredding Day]

I've beaten this level through sheer repetition and have to agree that it is way too difficult. If there's a trick for this level I don't know what it is either.

[Supersnake]

- (cut)

Honestly I think this level is a bit too hard, especially compared to the others. I'm losing interest.

I fully agree with you, have been on the 3rd sub-zone for four frustrating days and am ready to quit the game over it.
I have started a post requesting that the Alt + Z command apply to whatever sub-zone you are currently playing instead of merely tossing us back to the first sub-zone, or an optional Save game command that applies to where you are.

[lordnikon]

I had trouble completing this level, but it can be done, honest! I found that perseverence and patience are key and you need to be ready to wait - this is how I finished the level, may not be the right way/best way, but it worked for me...

Firstly make sure you've got the orbit tracking turned on (ALT+O). Randomize the level once or twice until you get an "edible" mote close to you - within one orbit, if you will (when I completed this level, the first edible mote was within my own orbit ie. it was closer to the sun than me). Now, slowly (and by slowly, i mean one click per 15 seconds say) move towards your target mote - the aim here is to get your orbit to crossover the orbit of the target mote - you dont want to be in exactly the same orbit, the two orbits merely need to cross. Try to avoid slowing down if you can, as the slower you get the more likely you'll plunge into the central sun. Once the orbits of your mote and the target mote are crossing, speed up time and watch closely - it won't be instant, but at some stage, the two motes will be within a very close distance of each other - close enough that you can do a quick direction change and absorb the mote, or potentially even abosrb the target mote without any extra movement on your part. Be ready to right click twice to get into very slow mode, and try to avoid left clicking lots. If you don't absorb the mote the first time round, speed it up and wait for the next occasion where the motes are in the same vicinity - it will happen, it just might take a bit of time (so long as the orbits aren't identical)...

However, the above isn't perfect. However you randomize, it's likely that your orbit won't only cross the orbit of the target mote, but also a mote that is substantially larger than you. This is why it's imperative you watch the whole time, and be ready to go into slow mode if it looks like your going to smash into the/a bigger mote - if this is going to happen, slow down time and carefully SINGLE CLICK your way out of it - it's key you single click and don't waste mass. A single click should alter your orbit enough to avoid a collision, but again, watch closely and be prepared to fire off another one or two bits of mass to ensure you don't crash.

Using the above strategy I was able to complete the level in about 30 mins (give or take 5), but like I said, this isn't necessarily the right/best one. I'd be interested to see if anyone else has any suggestions - was anyone able to beat this level quicker than 30 mins say?

[jeffplum]

Hi all, some interesting ideas here. I already posted my thoughts on this over here: http://www.hemispheregames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=193 Hope this helps!

[Supersnake]

I had trouble completing this level, but it can be done, honest!

I needed that reassurance - thanks! With your encouragement and inspiration I finally completed it and in an unexpected 20 minutes. This is not to imply that I was any faster than you but after four days of attempts I had become all too acquainted with this problematic level.

Randomize the level once or twice until you get an "edible" mote close to you - within one orbit, if you will (when I completed this level, the first edible mote was within my own orbit ie. it was closer to the sun than me).

Yes, I discovered that critical advice on the third day of my four day series of attempts. Your reiterating it here confirms the need to do so. To the best of my knowledge whenever you activate the randomizer (Alt + Z) it will randomize only the first sub-set, so be cautious that you do not randomize on latter sub-sets in Zen Attractors or else you will be restarting the level on the first sub-set. In short use the randomizer to setup that optimal orbit of the your target sub-set only for the first sub-set after you finish the initial one where you have to 'fly away' and enter the large group of tiny motes that are orbiting en mass in an opposite direction.

Try to avoid slowing down if you can, as the slower you get the more likely you'll plunge into the central sun.

Excellent advice. You will notice that it takes but very few "slow down" clicks to change your orbital display line from a white to a red line - and a red colored orbital line means you are headed for either the destructive sun or the destructive outside edge of the screen. That of course doesn't mean you are guaranteed to be destroyed but have you noticed how much mass you will need to waste in order to revert your red orbital line back to a white orbital line? With the exception of the very first sub-level within Zen Attractors (the one where you are forced to 'go against the flow' in order to engulf the massed group of very small motes) one is forced to avoid 'red lining' an orbit.

Once the orbits of your mote and the target mote are crossing, speed up time and watch closely - it won't be instant, but at some stage, the two motes will be within a very close distance of each other - close enough that you can do a quick direction change and absorb the mote, or potentially even absorb the target mote without any extra movement on your part.

Agreed. And I would assume that by the time you reach Zen Attractors you would have realized the importance of that nuance. In Zen Attractors it is not only important but virtually necessary to apply as few orbital corrections as possible in order to preserve your mass.

Be ready to right click twice to get into very slow mode, and try to avoid left clicking lots.
If you don't absorb the mote the first time round, speed it up and wait for the next occasion where the motes are in the same vicinity - it will happen, it just might take a bit of time (so long as the orbits aren't identical)...

Great job of describing a complex action in an easy to follow manner. I couldn't have described it as simply and clearly as you just did.

However, the above isn't perfect. However you randomize, it's likely that your orbit won't only cross the orbit of the target mote, but also a mote that is substantially larger than you. This is why it's imperative you watch the whole time, and be ready to go into slow mode if it looks like your going to smash into the/a bigger mote - if this is going to happen, slow down time and carefully SINGLE CLICK your way out of it - it's key you single click and don't waste mass. A single click should alter your orbit enough to avoid a collision, but again, watch closely and be prepared to fire off another one or two bits of mass to ensure you don't crash.
Using the above strategy I was able to complete the level in about 30 mins (give or take 5), but like I said, this isn't necessarily the right/best one. I'd be interested to see if anyone else has any suggestions - was anyone able to beat this level quicker than 30 mins say?

Have applied a bold highlight to your SINGLE CLICK for added emphasis. Only comment I can add is when your goal is to absorb a single target mote and that mote is almost-but-not-quite aligned to cross over into your orbit then slow down the speed to the slowest and apply your single clicks as sparingly as you can. I endorse how you wrote Now, slowly (and by slowly, i mean one click per 15 seconds say) as I learned by trial and error that there will be instances where you discovered that your "additional" single click that that you applied to your own orb within less than the figurative 15 seconds - was found to be unnecessary. If you have ever watched a target mote overshoot your own orb than you undoubtedly have over corrected. Avoid over correcting the orbit of your own orb by applying those single clicks sparingly, you may be pleasantly surprised to observe the target mote ever-so-gracefully intersect with your own orb with one less correcting click than you thought you needed.

Thank you Lordnikon

[zingar]

this is one special level,im jus gonna say how i did it

i beleieve randomizing (ALT + Z) is really important here. i tried this mission for hours yesterday and no luck. today after randomazing a few times i got an incredibly good map, with the smallest one being closest to the sun, and then the 2nd smallest being the 2nd closest to the sun (not counting myself), 3rd smallest being the 3rd closest and so forth!(there was 1 exception i think, the 4th was switched to the 5th but i could absorb both by the time i was thinking of em so it didnt bother me) i was scared because many times i had done ALT+Z when i didnt want to and if i had done so here im sure id never get such luck ever again :p
anyways i think you do should try to randomize until you get at least the 3 smallest orbs closest to the sun without any big one interfering. it is important because that way you can jus expand your orbit a little without worrying about a big one crossing you (which is more probable to happen first since its bigger )
even if it takes many ALT+Z to accomplish that, in the end im sure itll save you time
to expand my orbit i always went to the same direction. the direction its kinda hard to explain for me (im not english) so ill expand a little. lets imagine a line between you and the attractor, lets call it R. then imagine another line thats perpendicular to R and passes through you, lets call it S. well i think you should always try to move towards S (not against the orbit direction of course) and you should also do it when your closer to the attractor and thus going faster. at first youre always at the same distance but as you expand you orbit, it will start looking more like a huge U (the U its closed at the top)than an O. and when your in the "bottom" of the U its when you should move (if your going faster your orbit will expand easily with less mass loss on your part, at least i think so )
after making sure your orbit crosses the one of the desired orb, just sit tight and enjoy the ambient and the beautiful music because sometimes it may take a few mins to absorb it. (i think sooner or later you will absorb it so you dont need to waste mass, you could be very unlucky though and both orbs will make the full circle at the same time, but thats easy to notice, and if you do notice that , then change your orbit a bit and it should fix it)

hope it helps someone!
sorry for my english

[mrex]

Orbital Mechanics

This drove me crazy, but I beat this level without randomizing. Instead, I studied up on Orbital Mechanics. See these posts to understand:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_mechanics
http://www.braeunig.us/space/orbmech.htm#maneuver

Keeping mass is paramount, so you must understand how to intersect your target with the smallest and fewest moves (burns). This is the same problem faced by the Space Shuttle when it must dock with the International Space Station.

Without a doubt, the worst thing to do is to try and just aim at the target and fire away. You'll lose too much mass as you overshoot or undershoot the target, and end up either getting absorbed, crashing into the edge of the universe, or hitting the attractor.

Instead, you must understand how to use 2 moves (burns) to change your orbit, and how to use a 3rd move (burn) to kill when you are close, and then burn a 4th time to restore your orbit.

Its counter-intuitive, and its hard, but it can be done.

Signed,
Hohmann Had It Right

[datacz]

Orbital mechanics seems to be easy for my brain. So Zen Attractors no problems at all. You must think that every burst changes the shape of your orbit. Bursting in other direction than forward or backward relatively to your actual movement is pointless. Forward burst increases speed => increased orbit. Backward burst lower speed => lower orbit. Stretching circle to elypse and back is intuitive.

[datacz]

- I finished all the intro osmos levels (liked epicycles 3 the best!) (cut...)

Epycicles 3 and 2 are most dificult...
You done it by luck ? If you managed to understand epicycle orbit, so you shouldn't have any problem with Zen3...