Spark Run!

[MillForce2k]

427: 2,657,200 points (+10,700) – 8 runs @ 1680%
428: 2,667,900 points (+10,700) – 9 runs @ 1680%

[MillForce2k]

429: 2,678,700 points (+10,800) – 7 runs @ 1680%
430: 2,689,500 points (+10,800) – 9 runs @ 1680%

[MillForce2k]

431: 2,804,100 points (+114,600) – 8 runs @ 1680%
432: 2,815,400 points (+11,300) – 6 runs @ 1680%

432 had two forest stages and two mother lode mine segments.

Although there’s a big jump every 10th level, the target points are also increasing. This seems to be why I’m not really increasing the number of runs required to complete a run. I didn’t notice a difference from 420 to 421 since my promotion bonus changed at the same time, but noticed a difference between yesterday (430) and today (431) since they were the same promotion level.

Here’s what I’m tracking, before promotion bonus:
From 411-420
WWMT: 500
Pig: 250
Gold: 1250
TNT: 125
Everything else: 25

From 421-430
WMT: 520
Pig: 250
Gold: 1300
TNT: Didn’t note
Everything else: 26

From 431-440
WMT: 540
Pig: 270
Gold: 1350
TNT: 135
Everything else: 27

[GrimLockdown]

@millforce2k I have noticed the same increase (or decrease when playing levels less than 300). The changing promotion–% has partly masked this.

[MillForce2k]

433: 2,826,600 points (+11,200) – 7 runs @ 1680%
434: 2,837,900 points (+11,300) – 8 runs @ 1680%

[ABT]

If they scale up the point rewards as you level up, then 4M total points may not be that hard. Of course, I’m not sure I would attempt 4M points @ 630% promotion if they have a new squad (or the Officers squad which requires PrimePass to unlock a TF).

EDIT: Just noticed the new Event’s bonus squad is Officers… this is going to be a loooong week…

 

[MillForce2k]

@abt Long week indeed. At least the number of runs stages required is consistent with two weeks ago.

435: 2,849,200 points (+11,300) – 18 runs @ 630%
436: 2,860,500 points (+11,300) – 17 runs @ 630%

[Pinokio]

Superion is really very good at Spark run, exept speed. Yesterday first 2 fast TF’s died very fast, but Superion as backup finished without problems … in more then 30min lol

[MillForce2k]

437: 2,871,900 points (+11,400) – 19 runs @ 630%
438: 2,883,300 points (+11,400) – 17 runs @ 630%

[MillForce2k]

439: 2,894,700 points (+11,400) – 17 runs @ 630%
440: 2,906,100 points (+11,400) – 18 runs @ 630%

[Pinokio]

In the middle of Spark run game freezed, then crashed. Lost near 320k coins and 20min of my life. Crash happend 1st time this year, so no problem. But looks like Spark run have some “crash potential”, which can rise after next updates.

[MillForce2k]

441: 3,241,700 points (+335,600) – 22 stages @ 630%
442: 3,254,400 points (+12,700) – 18 stages @ 630%

@papakarlo I’ve had a couple crashes. Luckily, they were during pig week.

[MillForce2k]

443: 3,267,200 points (+12,800) – 17 stages @ 630%
444: 3,280,000 points (+12,800) – 19 stages @ 630%

It was a pretty huge jump yesterday, but the target points had a big jump as well.

[GrimLockdown]

Let’s call the rightmost column in @millforce2k’s table “Base”. Then

• TNT is 5 times the Base
• Pig 10 times
• WMT 20 times
• Gold 50 times

The Base for levels 401–410 is 23.

Some kind of rule for the Base increments is that it increases by 1 for every 100k in point goal increase when the point goal increases by at least 100k between two levels.

[GrimLockdown]

I don’t have a model for levels 400–500 but when I plugged in the latest data from @millforce2k and made some estimates I came up a point goal for level 500 that is very close to 5 million. That’s quite nice round figure but on the other hand R/E can choose whatever figure they want to.

If the point goal for the level 500 is high enough (at least the aforementioned 5 million) and remembering that, if all of your bots die during the Spark Run you get nothing, I think that we don’t get any more promotion levels nor Spark Run slots because that would make the Spark Run easier.

[MillForce2k]

445: 3,292,800 points (+12,800) – 19 stages @ 630%
446: 3,305,600 points (+12,800) – 16 stages @ 630%

As long as the target point increase, we shouldn’t have to go much into the 20s. So far, Blaster has been able to complete the run. The times he died, I think I was dozing off due to the mind-numbing, repetitively boring runs.

[Pinokio]

@millforce2k Blaster can complete the run if you hold him walking most time. He is not very fast, espetially after speed nerf. I hold him mostly in vehicle mode, and he can barelly gather 1mil points because of flying pigs etc. But time! Holding all TF’s in vehicle mode can reduce run time x3 and more, compared to Superion run time. Playing Blaster mostly in walking mode is really boring.

[Pako]

How are your stashes of pigs and coins? Between bot upgrades and spark runs, my coin stash has taken a dive. I used to be able to keep it steadily at 16 million, not anymore. I am burning through it faster than I can recoup it all back. With pigs is the same situation but not as dire, as I don’t use them for anything else.

[ABT]

@papakarlo I’ve actually switched to Nautica as my first TF. She is about 2x faster than Blaster and her EMP can knock out almost all of flying pigs with 1 shot. It can also stun WMTs and falling monoliths too. I can get to about 1.6-1.8M points w/ her alone while spending ~50% of the time in vehicle mode. Then, Blaster as my 2nd TF will get me another 1.2-1.4M also with 50% in vehicle mode. Usually, I can finish with 1 heart left, so a 3rd TF isn’t needed.

It takes me about 16-18 minutes (also around 16-18 stages) to get to 3.0M-3.3M points with 630% promotion (spending about 50%-60% of the time in vehicle mode). It might help if you have a faster device.

@pako Before the format change in Spark Run, I had slightly over 1M pigs and 20M coins. Now, I’m down to 950K pigs and 7M coins. I used to have over 100M+ coins, but I wasted them on opening 30-40 steel crates a day when coins were useless.

I’ve had a few crashes and hang ups that costed me pigs/coins. Because I play mostly on my phone, sometimes if I get a phone call or need to respond to a msg, I would lose my progress + pigs/coins if I don’t finish a Spark Run in one session. I’m kind of annoyed that they deduct pigs/coins BEFORE it starts, so you get nothing and wasted your time + pigs/coins if you don’t finish or if it crashes. R/E could have easily deducted the pigs/coins after it’s over since you still lose your time and get no reward unless you reach the end.

[GrimLockdown]

My vote goes to Nautica.

Energon Starscream might be an option but I don’t know how long he will last if one tries to “speedrun”.

[Pako]

@abt, I’ve never had more than 25 million coins and half a million pigs at a time. Before the new spark run I was using pigs to shorten missions’ time and coins for bot upgrades and crates (in hindsight, they were an utter waste). My main sources for both of them were the weekly events and the spire, barely played nodes.

And yes, spending back then useless coins on crates was the worst decision ever. All those upgrades obtained through them gone to waste with the 2.0 update, and with no compensation whatsoever. I have to think RE’s decision to reboot the game in such a way was to level the playing field, but it certainly left some of us, longtime players, not too happy.

 

 

[JoeBlack]

Spark Run = I turn the sound off & substitute Beethoven’s 7th Symphony (1st & 2nd Movements) followed by the finale of Vivaldi’s ‘Flight Of The Valkyries’ (sometimes I start w/this). I cracked up, the first time, my player was moving right in time to the music. I laughed so hard my drink came out my nose. bwhahaha!! I use the pause button as well….when my brain starts to ‘sketch’. Anyway, ‘that’ music is working for me now.

[MillForce2k]

447: 3,318,500 points (+12,900) – 17 stages @ 630%
448: 3,331,300 points (+12,800) – 19 stages @ 630%

@papakarlo Yea, that was with mostly walking. I’d been doing that with the old thinking that at L500, it would take an insane number of stages and wanted to make sure Blaster could make it a large portion. Now with knowing that target points are increasing and we probably only need 20+ stages to complete during these 630% weeks, I need to start driving more and just make sure I have three bots that can make at least seven stages.

@pako I’m just under 3M pigs and about 35M coins. I want to keep my coins above 30M, so I’ve stopped upgrading my new bots. I’m gestimating 5M coins per week, so next week I’ll upgrade a bot when I get back to 35M.

@abt Yes, a faster device is indeed helpful. It was taking almost an hour for Blaster mostly in walking mode.

[Pako]

@millforce2k, I’d decided to keep upgrading over getting sparks, at least for this week. I don’t play that much to have a healthy influx of coins and I don’t want to run out of them just in case R/E got creative again.

It’s my impression that one is more likely to get upgrades to under-15 levels through golden crates if there are bots below level 15 in the barracks.

 

 

[Pinokio]

@abt I played Nautica + Blaster since 300lvl and all was OK. But last week event with 630% promotion and 3.2 mil scores those two TF died too early. Actually Nautica have very weak defence. So now I use Mirage. Slower then Nautica, but made whole runs alone. All those TF’s have maxed levels and accessories, but looks like only Mirage have best ballance between defence and attk power for Spark run. And not bad speed at all. Atleast faster then Blaster still.