I have a lot of problems with beating the Epicycles levels in Osmos — do you have any tips for transitioning orbits without wasting a ton of material?
Osmos hard level strategies
osmos
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Well, I'm afraid it's pretty easy. The video card you're using is quite old, and it doesn't support Windows 7. Seeing as Osmos is a relatively new game, it's going to be slow.
You could try updating drivers, but seeing as ATI doesn't support Windows 7 for that card, it might or might not be successful.
Short answer: Yes, but so can the "standard" levels be with a fixed seed.
I think there is some confusion on procedurally VS randomized - they are not exactly different things, but strongly connected.
Procedural generation means "content [is] generated algorithmically rather than manually" - this algorithm is parametrized, such that when you provide it with parameter values, it will generate a level. For the same parameter values, the level will always be the same. And if you randomize these values, you get a random level instead. (You may stop reading now if you're not into details)
Due to the (probably vast) amount of parameters, it is very common to go one step further and use another algorithm to generate these parameters from even less parameters, usually a Pseudorandom number generator which takes one single argument, called a seed, and which then can create infinitely many numbers from it. So now you just need one seed to obtain as many parameters for your level generator as you need, and if you use the same seed you will get the same level again (which is e.g. why for Minecraft people don't need to distribute their savegame to share a nice world but simple provide the seed).
Whether the standard levels in Osmos are also generated procedurally (i.e. someone fixed specific values for the level generator and made sure these level versions are winnable) or their design was entirely manually (i.e. really placing each object at their specific position) I cannot tell, but either is possible and since randomization of these values will randomize the levels and this is implemented anyway for the forever levels, I suspect the former is the case since that would only require storing a seed instead of an entire level. This could also be used to argue why there is no savegame mechanism - it was never necessary to (re)load a level but it is simply recreated from its parameters.
Best Answer
I think there are a couple key ideas that help for transitioning orbits. First, the path visualization is very useful to have on. On the orbiting levels, I tend to eject material only forward and reverse of my direction (except for emergency/panic maneuvers). I think that's the most efficient way to increase/reduce the size of one's orbit. Also, it's usually easier to increase the size of the orbit than reduce it.
The best way I've found is to break out of your current orbit in an arc that intersects where the next attractor will be.
When you get close, decelerate enough to prevent hitting the wall.
Stabilize your orbit.