Screenshot / Cataclysm 9.0
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01-November 17
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nedesigns
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Layout is good except for the tight turn before the loop. Get rid of the fire effects in the lava, and this'll be solid.
Can definitely see the Nemesis 'inspiration', although I would say you've gotten rid of by far the best part of the ride, which is the helix before the roll.
I would say there's not a lot to comment on here. The architecture is very basic, the landscaping is confusing with 4 different land types used in a very small area, and the foliage is a little simple. There's also only half custom supports, not sure if that's purposeful or not.
However, what I can see here is some great promise of composition. Even if it is taken from Nemesis, having that path running along the trench, the swooping turn over the queueline and the exit path going over that bit of track, it all shows that you've thought about the placement of these elements.
All the stuff I spoke of above, such as the architecture, is all stuff you can improve on as you look at other people's work and play more yourself. Composition is something extremely hard to 'learn', so the fact that you're showing great signs of that is something that makes me excited to see what you do next.
Though, you’re showing potential with the trench work and multiple path levels. These are the types of complexities to bring to all other aspects of your building.
There are some awkward sections really holding this back right now. namely, the very long sections of "I really wish this lined up better in-game": the lead into the heartline roll, the exit out of the loop, and to a much lesser extent, the flat straight section under the brake run.
The lead into the heartline could be so much more exciting. I am absolutely in love with the idea of that diving loop element in place of the corkscrew. But it makes my heart ache to see how badly it jarrs the transition into the heartline roll in comparison to the original layout. In reality both do the same thing: inversion, 90 degree turn to the left, rise into the next inversion. However, how the 90 degree left is handled is what makes Nemesis and breaks this layout. Basically, this track looks like the drop into the inversion is a bent paper clip into a very straight, un-flowing hill to the heartline roll. Some sort of curvature or other element to break up that straight section of track would make this so much better. I'd even try spacing the inversion a little further to the left of the lift hill, which would allow you to make the corkscrew go toward the lift hill instead of away. This gives you a reason to inject a curved element or turn around into the heartline roll. If you keep the corkscrew the same way, maybe consider putting a banked right-hand helix around the lift hill to spice up the layout a bit. The track would then cross both over and under the lift hill in that area and offer a little more depth.
This goes into another thought I had which is to shift the position of the heartline roll. The turn around after the roll is really great, good shape, flow, and interaction with the things below. The murderous right-hand turn into the loop, however, needs to go. Moving the heartline roll could fix this. Keep the awesome turn around, just move it in a position that lets you easily lead into the loop. Another benefit of shifting the heartline roll is that it allows you to adjust the previously mentioned transition from the first inversion.
After the iconic loop, is another straight section of track that I think could be made a lot better with some thought and experimentation. Maybe making the changes above would help, maybe not. The main problem here is the difference in elevation between the exit of the loop and the entrance of the (very nice looking) left-hand turn into the final corkscrew. Adjusting that entrance into the loop might allow you to set the loop lower (maybe add a minor trim brake if the train is taking it too fast), or you could put a tunnel over the transition downward to align it with the upcoming turn.
The final straight section from the last corkscrew to the final turn into the brakes looks kind of weird just sitting under the brake run support structure like that in my opinion. Maybe just making this a tunnel (possibly lower that section a little to help with clearance space) would help immensely.
Which leads me to my last point of land interaction. Notice how the real ride is deep in ravines and tunnels. This helps blend/hide weird transitions and also gives the ride some of its lurking monster feeling. I think sinking the layout a little more into the ground might help the track work as well as the feel of the ride and area.