What's even more galling is the fact that all that time building boring buildings would be better spent making the coaster great. I'd much rather see a slightly less finished map with a great coaster than I would a more complete map with a crap one.
In my experience a good coaster with great theming will always beat a great coaster with good theming. Coaster design just isn't that important to most people voting. There are a few here who I know look closely at the coaster design but they're in the minority.
About the boosters...I don't know why it would make the player 'lazy'. I remember using the boosters on Helios that every one disliked so much. I spent hours on trying to fix the layout so I wouldn't need them, but nothing worked out. Even after rebuilding the whole ride I would still get the same problem, so the boosters were my only solution. It wasn't because I was lazy, it was because it was the only thing that worked for me. And why is everybody so crazy for realistic coasters? I miss the days of seeing incredibly unrealistic, insane rollercoasters. It'd be nice to see one of those once in a while.
Maybe I just have a thing against layouts that require them then. If your layout really needs boosters then maybe you should try a different layout :-\ I'm just not a fan at all.
I classify a coaster with a "lift hill" as being a coaster that gets 'lifted' up the hill, not pushed or launched up the hill.
And, in rct, I try to avoid boosters at all costs.. however, in real life, I wouldn't mind if the coaster had boosters, as long as it doesn't slow down too much before it gets boosted.
NE is rumored to be the top site for RCT with the best parkmakers around. I'd pretty much have to agree with this to a certain extent. So, why is it that the majority of the coasters I see these days are timed so terribly?? I don't have any exact numbers or percentages, but I'm constantly seeing coasters stop at the top of lift hills, waiting for the previous trains to clear the MCBR!
Why is that?? People have such a problem with boosters on a coaster, but nothing is said when the trains ALWAYS stop at the top of the lift....
As an example (and I don't mean to pick on any one park because it certainly isn't alone), the Tigers park has 1 big coaster in it. It's obviously meant to be the focal point of the park, so why spend so little time working out the timing?? The first train I watched stopped on the lift...
I agree with you completely. I thought that really marred WME's Chaos Of Time project too.
I don't actually understand the point of block brakes anyway - well I can see why they're useful in real life but in rct they just piss me off.
So yes I think you are right, Todd. People should either use them inobtrusively or not use them at all.
That's a good point, and it's a pet peeve of mine as well. And the thing is that usually, you don't even have to do much. Set your minimum dispatch time to 30-40 seconds. Set the max to... I dunno, 60-75 seconds. Voila. Problem fixed in most cases.
I think it's another remnant of the non-LL generation. I remember that in LL, everyone timed their coasters. The people who left their minimum and max load times at the default were a minority. That's just the way the game was played.
But as we've progressed more and more towards a theming-oriented RCT culture, coasters have suffered, and this is one example.
The use of the block brake allows for more trains on the track with a small station.
I also hate when a trains stops on the lift hill. I have two ways of dealing with this problem (sometimes I use both)
1 - Adjust/increase the "Minimum wait time" so that the train sits in the station vice on the lift hill. I then play with the times so that as soon as the first trains clears a block section the other train is 2-3 seconds from the top of the lift hill
2 - Design pre-lift hill track so that it takes some additional time to get to the top if the lift hill. Although Coyote Hills was not great, it did have three trains on each track and it did not stop on any lift hill.
Just my two cents as I'm no way an expert on coaster design
James
edit - Sorry cork, I did not see your reply as you stated the same thing.
I agree with you completely. I thought that really marred WME's Chaos Of Time project too. I don't actually understand the point of block brakes anyway - well I can see why they're useful in real life but in rct they just piss me off. So yes I think you are right, Todd. People should either use them inobtrusively or not use them at all.
I think it's essential to have properly timed trains on a track that's fully braked. Especially since most parkmakers here are demanding realistic components such as realistic track layouts, realistic track supports, catwalks, and transfer tracks. To demand that and not demand properly timed trains with block brakes doesn't make any sense to me. I'm surprised there isn't more discussion or complaints about it in H2H since most coasters haven't done it very well.
Well I suppose it pays to be consistent yes. I think I am being consistent, though, because it's not often I care about completely realistic supports/catwalks/transfer tracks. My knowledge of real coasters is minimal so I just do what I think looks good. I know there are people out there who would probably think it'd be better if I didn't bother with any of that, but hey, it's what I got used to.
edit - oh and all you people who think this is a vaguely controversial match-up, you have no idea how much h2h has mellowed since the old days. (Posix, I still think you're a complete idiot in that topic...although not as much of an idiot as chauncey and wme )
edit - and just to remind Kumba of how annoying he could sometimes be. and freak, too. shame I didn't call you out on that one, freak, before the topic was closed.
Looking back at stuff that like that, I'm also finding it increasingly hard to understand why the "no one can openly speculate as to who built the parks" rule is so strictly in place nowadays. It makes sense in some regards but in others it's kind of a killjoy. Maybe the policy should be don't shout it out if it's obvious, but guessing is OK if it's not, or something? I dunno.
edit - oh and all you people who think this is a vaguely controversial match-up, you have no idea how much h2h has mellowed since the old days. (Posix, I still think you're a complete idiot in that topic...although not as much of an idiot as chauncey and wme )
Yeah i've been reading all the old topics. It was such a good time.
But you know the saddest thing about it is that in that h2h more people couldn't vote because they didn't have rct2 than the other way round. How times have changed
edit - and just to remind Kumba of how annoying he could sometimes be. and freak, too. shame I didn't call you out on that one, freak, before the topic was closed.
Wow, I used to be smart. Going off about human nature and all that. Heh.
PS - Read the last post. That topic has the best punchline ever.
165 Comments
Phatage Offline
ekimmel Offline
In my experience a good coaster with great theming will always beat a great coaster with good theming. Coaster design just isn't that important to most people voting. There are a few here who I know look closely at the coaster design but they're in the minority.
Kevin Offline
mantis Offline
Todd Lee Offline
I classify a coaster with a "lift hill" as being a coaster that gets 'lifted' up the hill, not pushed or launched up the hill.
And, in rct, I try to avoid boosters at all costs.. however, in real life, I wouldn't mind if the coaster had boosters, as long as it doesn't slow down too much before it gets boosted.
CoasterForce Offline
Todd Lee Offline
NE is rumored to be the top site for RCT with the best parkmakers around. I'd pretty much have to agree with this to a certain extent. So, why is it that the majority of the coasters I see these days are timed so terribly?? I don't have any exact numbers or percentages, but I'm constantly seeing coasters stop at the top of lift hills, waiting for the previous trains to clear the MCBR!
Why is that?? People have such a problem with boosters on a coaster, but nothing is said when the trains ALWAYS stop at the top of the lift....
As an example (and I don't mean to pick on any one park because it certainly isn't alone), the Tigers park has 1 big coaster in it. It's obviously meant to be the focal point of the park, so why spend so little time working out the timing?? The first train I watched stopped on the lift...
mantis Offline
I don't actually understand the point of block brakes anyway - well I can see why they're useful in real life but in rct they just piss me off.
So yes I think you are right, Todd. People should either use them inobtrusively or not use them at all.
Corkscrewed Offline
I think it's another remnant of the non-LL generation. I remember that in LL, everyone timed their coasters. The people who left their minimum and max load times at the default were a minority. That's just the way the game was played.
But as we've progressed more and more towards a theming-oriented RCT culture, coasters have suffered, and this is one example.
John Offline
RCTNW Offline
I also hate when a trains stops on the lift hill. I have two ways of dealing with this problem (sometimes I use both)
1 - Adjust/increase the "Minimum wait time" so that the train sits in the station vice on the lift hill. I then play with the times so that as soon as the first trains clears a block section the other train is 2-3 seconds from the top of the lift hill
2 - Design pre-lift hill track so that it takes some additional time to get to the top if the lift hill. Although Coyote Hills was not great, it did have three trains on each track and it did not stop on any lift hill.
Just my two cents as I'm no way an expert on coaster design
James
edit - Sorry cork, I did not see your reply as you stated the same thing.
Edited by RCTNW, 03 August 2006 - 10:03 AM.
ekimmel Offline
I think it's essential to have properly timed trains on a track that's fully braked. Especially since most parkmakers here are demanding realistic components such as realistic track layouts, realistic track supports, catwalks, and transfer tracks. To demand that and not demand properly timed trains with block brakes doesn't make any sense to me. I'm surprised there isn't more discussion or complaints about it in H2H since most coasters haven't done it very well.
mantis Offline
edit - oh and all you people who think this is a vaguely controversial match-up, you have no idea how much h2h has mellowed since the old days. (Posix, I still think you're a complete idiot in that topic...although not as much of an idiot as chauncey and wme )
edit - and just to remind Kumba of how annoying he could sometimes be. and freak, too. shame I didn't call you out on that one, freak, before the topic was closed.
Panic Offline
Milo Offline
There is also this topic where Butterfinger and TPM had a go at eachother. Old h2h was a lot more fun to watch .
Edited by OLE, 03 August 2006 - 11:40 AM.
Panic Offline
Edited by Panic, 03 August 2006 - 12:10 PM.
tracidEdge Offline
mantis Offline
But you know the saddest thing about it is that in that h2h more people couldn't vote because they didn't have rct2 than the other way round. How times have changed
Coaster Ed Offline
Wow, I used to be smart. Going off about human nature and all that. Heh.
PS - Read the last post. That topic has the best punchline ever.
Kumba Offline