Park / Christchurch City Centre
- 23-May 21
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- Downloads 600
- Fans 8
- Comments 49
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83.00%(required: 70%) Gold
robbie92 90% no chorkiel 85% no G Force 85% no geewhzz 85% no inthemanual 85% no RWE 85% no saxman1089 85% no WhosLeon 85% no Cocoa 80% no In:Cities 80% no CoasterCreator9 75% no Scoop 75% no 83.00% 0.00% -
Description
On February 22, 2011, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand, the country’s second largest city. Already weakened by seismic activity in the previous year, this disaster caused widespread damage throughout Christchurch. The City Center was hit particularly hard due to its location and numerous historic buildings constructed prior to modern earthquake codes. Forced to prioritize funding for emergency housing and infrastructure, the City’s central district was left in a state of disarray. Damaged buildings were demolished and converted to dirt lots while others were left to decay, fenced off and partially collapsed.
Challenged to find a low cost project that would return activity to the area, the City constructed the “Mishmash Market” in 2012, using one of their most readily available materials: shipping containers. Repurposing containers as buildings blocks for a modern shopping district, this project would prove a kick starter for revitalizing the City Centre. Further, it came to embody the opportunity for unique and innovative developments in the wake of the disaster.
Today, Christchurch’s City Centre has been redefined through modern architecture and forward thinking urban design. However, their remain grim reminders of the City’s past. Ten years after the earthquake, sleek new construction stands alongside dilapidated buildings. In this way, the City Centre has become a place of duality, bursting into the future yet unable to shake its past. A city in transition.
No structure better represents this than the Christchurch Cathedral. Originally constructed between 1864 and 1904, the Cathedral suffered significant damage during the earthquake, including the collapse of its bell tower. The roof was partially reinforced, however, damage to the foundation of the building made restoration too costly. While the congregation decided to demolish and rebuild the Cathedral, preservationist from the community opposed its demolition due to the historic significance of the landmark. Unable to reach an agreement, the cathedral remains in a state of decay, a symbol of both the City’s past and its struggle into the future. - 8 fans Fans of this park
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49 Comments
Croustibapt Offline
I spent a part of my life in NZ. I was so happy to see Christchurch city centre recreated in RCT2. It was such a throwback, thank you so much for that!
In:Cities Offline
Alright - finally getting to it.
Lemuria
Ended up voting this one because I'm a sucker for Universal. I appreciate the new and daring approaches to the game, but this one was just lovely. Great color choices - although it does tend to blend together a bit in spots. Coaster layout was perfect, and had some fantastic interactions. Biggest gripe is some of the buildings are a bit similar. Lots of 2-wide structures. The details like the Trident, Mythos, rotating rapids, interiors, etc are what sold it to me as a successful Universal "land". I adored Christchurch, but this one resonated more. Nice work boys. Knew for sure that Steve was on this, but I should have guessed Xtreme as well. Looking forward to the next one!
Couple things I noticed / enjoyed:
Lovely use of open space leading up to the interlocking corks and Poseidon's trident. Really love that you guys included that set piece! Rockwork looks very nice too. Very Namibia-esque. Keep it up boys, you'll get there one day
I dig the Hulk-ish launch. I almost wish it were more prominently placed over a large entrance plaza or a lagoon though. Needed something contrasting in the background to make it pop more. Nonetheless really cool!
Love that you added a sculpture of my boy tolsimir
Interior is super cool. Great use of color, and I like the water tunnel. The parallels to IoA are what set this apart for me. Great idea
Poor sam always stuck with the grunt work.
Christchurch
Jesus Christ this map was incredible. Upon viewing more, I feel like I should have voted this one. Don't tell Steve though. The sheer amount of detail is just mindblowing. The growing building / painting trick is so well executed. The cranes, the cement truck, the lifts, bucket trucks, food trucks - all of it. Fantastic. I was personally a fan of the coaster. Cool station, nice long profile, curvy path border, nice arches, rooftop terrace. Just very believable. FK once again establishing himself at the forefront of realism building. While still also being one of the greatest fantasy builders this site has seen. Legend.
The two gripes I have with this park come down to personal preference. I generally enjoy the half diagonal pieces - but primarily when used as accents or integrated into a structure. The long streets just look so awkward I think. Took a bit of the immersion away from me I think - but really not that big of a deal. Secondly - it just felt a tad sterile. The structures are so good, and the details are wonderful. But I think it could have used a bit more "life". Lots of empty benches, balconies and tables. Maybe some peeps on bikes, or more small scenes. Protests, demonstrations, music performance - something. Sounds very nitpicky, but I think that would have elevated it for me. Although I personally really do sympathize with time restrictions haha. You guys should be mad proud of this one.
Some things I noticed:
I should have voted for you simply because of these posters. Great taste.
Can't NOT mention this thing. God its such a great idea, and executed so well.
Very believable little rooftop terrace. Would have loved to see a bit of activity on it. Even an angry smoking peep
Another awesome bit of architecture. Again - the terrace would have benefitted greatly from a bit of action
This is just so cool haha. Took me a second to realize how you did the seismograph. Invisible scrolling sign? Brilliant.
Best piece of heavy machinery i've ever seen in game. Sorry BelgianMan
Nice and curvy, just the way I like em
I see you FK
The closed building is pretty great. Nice detail with the construction debris and signage on the fencing.
The quality of every park this H2H is so intimidating
Steve Offline
A big one! The biggest so far, arguably. At least for me, and probably for Liam too since he let FK go absolutely off the rails and do another Grand Tour park! Just kidding, that was mean. But I also, it could be one! Did we go to New Zealand for the Grand Tour? We should've, I've always wanted to be in a Lord of the Rings film. I'd make a great dwarf. I might be too tall but I'm too funny not to be one. Elves have no personality so I would be the most annoying elf ever, probably. Who's the elf in that Rudolph cartoon? Hermy, right? He's more my speed. Merry Christ(ha!)mas I guess!
Anyway. The park! Or I guess it's not much of a park. The city! A city being built, even! Gotta say, an interesting concept and one more fit for H2H than other parks of this vein I think, so good call there. The tower being built is obviously a great feature. I sat there and watched it like a total idiot while open-mouth breathing and I'm not going to apologize for it. Eventually I had to move on, though. Seeing everyone talking about the Earthquake museum thing I had to check it out next. The little shaking tower thing is absolutely hilarious. In a cute way, though! You know, like me. I mean, what. A great little moment on the map, all the same.
As I took a gander around the map even further, I simply cannot hold back my hate on these diagonals. And they are in full force here. It's almost as if Liam had conjured up an elaborate scheme against me to use them simply to piss me off and boy howdy did that motherfucker succeed. I hate everything they stand for and sit for and drive to work in two hours worth of rush hour traffic for. The church, yeah, it's great! Obviously! The excavator and all the details around the church are more slick than dr dirt trying to talk shit about me while we almost beat two legendary parkmakers in Round 1. BUT THE ROADS. I can't look away. It's like a car crash. Will they ever grow on me? Will I forever be in utter disgust of these offset diagonals while the community soldiers on without me? Will I continue asking rhetorical questions in all of my reviews? The answers to all of these are an undeniable "yes" until my next review where hopefully the ones I ask there are a "no" and I can continue my pitiful existence in peace. Wow, that took a turn.
Turtle Offline
Really interesting matchup here, still not 100% sure how I feel about it. I voted for Christchurch, but I do think the better park won.
Christchurch - So, so clever. Really believable architecture and setting, tons of love and inspiration here in what could potentially be quite a "normal" setting. The ideas definitely set it apart, and are what swayed me to vote for it in the end. Mainly the under construction building, which was one of the cleverest ideas i've ever seen. Love how it's a new scenery idea that utilizes mechanics that exist in the game (watering gardens) to make it work.
Loved pretty much all of the buildings, and even the ones I didn't love in isolation worked really well in their setting, and had enough charm and believability that they didn't lower the overall impression.
Lemuria - A bold idea to rehash such an iconic classic, which i'll be honest I didn't love as a concept at first. Just felt like cheating, almost. But the more I looked the more I found, and it's pretty obviously an incredible improvement on the original. This may be my favorite ever "area", I can see this being in a park and absolutely fitting in. It made me imagine the rest of the park, and I wish this could one day become that. Hell, even a total reimagining of RoB would be amazing. The theming, the atmosphere, the colors, everything was totally on point, and i'm really jealous you got to make something so great. I feel like this was a worthy winner, even though I voted for Christchurch.
MrTycoonCoaster Offline
Faas Offline
I appreciated the classicness of Lemuria. Something I wished for prior to this round, and I got it. Great layout and interaction. I don't like the red/brownish blob behing the cobra roll (classic cobra roll!) and I would have liked to see the normal palette.
I loved the geological referencing throughout Christchurch, and the modern architecture. I think the single rail coaster felt a bit out of place though, and the church didn't do it for me. I also felt this park was a lot smaller?
Maverix Offline
My review of the parks!
FK+Coastermind Offline
Thanks for the review Mav! Was a lot of fun watching, and the bit of time since this round actually made it feel like a fun trip down memory lane, heh.
CedarPoint6 Offline
Here's a review of both parks. Really loved Christchurch. Some excellent city building.
https://youtu.be/11yavKLeyds
wheres_walto Offline
Christchurch is still so good, anyone wanting to dive into non-theme park realism should start here