H2H4 / H2H4 Preseason Rankings

This is just a fun little thing I had wanted to do before the draft but will do anyway. You know in fantasy sports, where Yahoo (being used because I play Yahoo's fantasy sports) ranks players according to some magical combination of stats to determine who's the best for the sport? Well, I want to do that here. The idea is that I'll have rankings before the season starts and after it ends, and we can see which parkmakers' stock rose and which parkmakers were flops.

KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE RANKINGS RELATE TO H2H VALUE. THEY ARE NOT RANKED ACCORDING TO WHO IS THE BEST HISTORICAL OR OVERALL PARKMAKER. FOR EXAMPLE, AN AMAZING PARKMAKER WHO DOESN'T BUILD A LOT MIGHT BE RANKED LOWER THAN A GOOD PARKMAKER WHO CAN MAKE THREE PARKS A SEASON.

That's also why I'm ranked first, ahead of several people who'd kill me in a "Greatest Parkmakers Ever" list.

Factors that go into this include:
- RCT Skill (theming, architecture, atmosphere, coasters, hacking, naming)
- Distribution of RCT Skill (well balanced vs specialization)
- Productivity and dependability (can you expect this person to make parks and meet deadlines, and how many parks can he/she make?)
- Performance in previous year(s)
- Creativity, originality, ingenuity
- Experience

Now, I'd wanted to get Iris' input, but whatever. This will make it more fun to argue over. Also, since I'm not familiar with everyone's work, the people at the bottom of the list will probably be mashed together and not as well ranked. Apologies to you and don't take it as a slight. I didn't have enough time to research every single person who signed up.

Also, this is probably not as completely refined as it could be, but it'll do for now. Sorry if you didn't get a blurb under your name.



[rankings coming up in next post]

[1-25]

1. Corkscrewed
Reigning H2H3 MVP and undefeated at H2H with a 4-0 record (5-0 unofficially if you count the Bonus Park, Calatravas), Corky brings a well balanced skillset, great theming and architecture qualities, nice coasters, and a hardworking mindframe. He is very productive and can be depended upon to produce 2-3 parks a season by their deadlines.

2. Xcoaster
His stock has soared since DisneyAIR, and this is perhaps the parkmaker with the biggest upside. It's clear that he can pack in the details and come up with some amazing ideas, and he may very well go down as one of the all-time greats.

3. x-sector
In terms of pure skill, this X maybe the best of all, and while we haven't seen much of him, he's proven that when it comes to H2H, he delivers. His parks echo with a spectacular aura, and he's a true five tool player, excelling at theming, atmosphere, architecture, coasters, and naming.

4. Phatage
The most explosive parkmaker, Phatage is the man when it comes to intricate details and incredible ideas. He's got that genius in him that very few people have, but a weak showing last season drops his stock down a little.

5. X250
Another strong parkmaker who is at the top tier in terms of quality. His PT2 entry was magnificent, though a notch lower than those ranked above him. Still, the parkmaker with the coolest real name has plenty of skill in all categories, a strong work ethic, and good dependability.

6. Turtle
A parkmaker who makes some of the most beautiful parks, Turtle is one of the few who can combine detail with the big picture to produce something that transcends the whole and creates something truly exquisite. Only recent doubts about productivity can knock him down a peg.

7. cBass
Mr. Hit or Miss, NE's resident fish is nevertheless heavily loaded in coaster skills, creativity, and details. Theming and atmosphere are debatable topics, but cBass has shown that he's definitely dependable, and even if you don't see much of him, you can count on him doing something for you. And if you ever fall into doubt, just remember his Escher section in Master's Pallette.

8. Titan
Titan suffers from Foozy-itis. Everything he's done has shown flashes of brilliance, but the question is how much can he do? And can he prevent his files from getting corrupted and lost forever?

9. Steve
He is slob reincarnated (who in turn was like Schuessler reincarnated or something). Steve is the master of the pleasant, tranquil atmosphere. Not as extremely minimalistic as slob, and definitely a bit more dependable, Steve nonetheless poses some questions as to whether or not he can finish parks, or whether his PT2 submission was just a fluke.

10. Toon
He'd be at the top of this list... if it wasn't for the ever-constant threat that he might disappear at any moment. But hey, when you've got two successful restaurants, I guess you have a good reason. He'll also make custom scenery if you need it. But again, the only question is whether or not he'll be able to produce, or whether he'll wind up on the pine like Ken Griffey Jr.

11. ride6
Ride6 practically carried his team last year to a championship, and he's improved immensely since then, as evidenced by Euphoria City. The man can produce a ton of stuff, and he's really matured in a solid player with skills in every position. All that's missing is that "absolutely incredible" feeling in his parks, but this season, that may change.

12. JKay
The Man. The Machine. JKay would probably complete five parks this season if he was allowed to, but this guy's biggest commodity is being able to put together a ton of stuff in very little time. He's also honed his skills and gained discipline in his parks as well, to the point where his realistic work is definitely not bad anymore. But if you want fantasy, there's few who are better.

13. Fatha
The question here is if he'll play RCTLL (which he's supposedly retired from) or RCT 2, and how well he'll do. We all know Fatha has CoasterEd mastery of LL, but with that mastery comes the extra time needed to put in all that detail. With RCT 2, it'll depend on how fast he can pick up the game, and whether or not he'll produce. A true wildcard.

14. metalface
The question here is if he'll play. If so, slob is definitely underrated. But given his nonexistence in the spotlight over the past year, the question marks definitely surround him.

15. John
See above. At least slob cranked out a few parks last season; John only produced one--although it was one helluva park!

16. Kevin
See above squared. At his best, Kevin is a top five H2H player, easily. But the question again is whether he can do that, or not.

17. Kumba
Another enthustiastic, super creative, super fast parkmaker, the only reason Kumba is ranked this low is because his lack of discipline can sometimes go too far, such as when it cost him the championship last season. Still, he's got the hacking skill to rely upon, tons of ideas, a neverending enthusiasm, and a guaranteed ability to produce the max three parks this season. It's whether he can leash his abilities that's the key.

18. Magnus
Take Toon and Phatage, combine them into one, and that's what Magnus potentially could be. Unfortunately, he also suffers from questions of productivity. Which Magnus will show up, the one who surprised many people with a superb PT2 entry, or the one who'd barely released anything before that?

19. artist
He's this low because we haven't seen from him in a while. But if he cranks out a couple of Spotlight quality parks, he'll have proven himself underrated as well.

20. DarkJanus
Sort of a lesser version of Phatage, DJ definitely has the concepts and creativity nailed, but again, it's his productivity that's in question. We know he can make something truly amazing, but there's also the chance that no one understands it. Still, he's got the potential to be huge. Will he finally unveil it?

21. egg_head
Solid on all levels, although coaster skills could use some improvement, egg_head is an extremely valuable supporting player who can carry a bottom half teammate or help one of his team's stars produce an absolutely godly piece of RCT parkmaking. And his architecture is definitely one of the game's bests.

22. Evil WME
One of the old guard, WME can play LL or RCT, knows how to hack, and has a way of making things come together. He's one of the best coaster designers and has plenty of experience in the game. Questions of whether he's still excited linger, however.

23. tyandor
Supposedly, this guy is incredible. It's just that he's never released anything. So the only thing holding Ty back is the fear that he won't be able to complete anything in time. Other than that, the sky's the limit.

24. Master Jay
Solid second tier performer with no major weaknesses and an ability to make solid stuff that will win most matchups.

25. Metropole
Similar to Jay, but has a slightly grittier yet more intricate style. His best work has yet to be shone, however, and with the right teaming and/or park idea, Metro definitely might amaze some folks.

[26-50]

26. leighx
Artist's best friend and real life and also his "mini-me" in RCT. Leigh's got a style similar to Chris, but he's always been regarded as sort of a lesser version. Something tells me that he can theme just as well if he puts his mind to it, however, and he can produce some stunning works given the right time and motivation.

27. J K
Another rising parkmaker, J K has already shown himself to be quite talented with his design, Cape Congo. At the very least, he can produce some very nice work. Questions do arise about creativity and originality, but he's definitely a solid supporting role guy, and he's also got the potential to help carry weaker members of his team.

28. Blitz
Showed that he could singlehandedly defeat one of the greatest H2H players ever. Unfortunately, was only able to do it once.

29. chapelz
Solid theming skills and pretty dangerous when motivated. He's sort of like Kobe in a way... don't get him pissed, or he'll play pretty damn well.

30. Marshy
It's a matter of whether he'll play. His design, Chamonix, was simply amazing, but then he disappeared again. However, should he be committed, he can probably match parks with the best of them.

31. Emergo
Our only female player in the contest (and most likely, only female parkmaker at NE... ever), Emergo has demonstrated some great skill in architecture and theming. It's a tad unrefined in areas, but Emergo seems to be ever-improving and ever-enthusiastic, two key ingredients in becoming a great parkmaker.

32. rainbow connection
Excellent coaster builder, but hit-or-miss in style. Limited to LL. However, he's got that certain sense of humor and style that can be pretty damn addictive when he uses it.

33. RCTFAN
One of the most underrated parkmakers on the site, RCTFAN has shown some excellent work in the Ad District, and is in between the area of "great supporting roleplayer" and "can carry people on his own." But he could be a big darkhorse, and he could also use H2H4 as the podium for finally validating his place in the parkmaking community.

34. Loopy
Excellent LL player who recently showed that LL can still be beautiful. Dabbles in RCT 2 as well, so there's an advantage there.

35. Panic
He's going to USC next year. That automatically makes him awesome. But seriously... one of the most knowledgeable guys in the game, and pretty good at LL as well. He's got the brains to be a great leader, and the skills to produce good stuff.

36. Themeparkmaster
Last year's all-LL captain boasts the same solid, refined LL skills as the others in this list. Unfortunately, it's the LL exclusivity that drops him so low.

37. Jazz
Surprised a ton of people with Mossflower Wood, Jazz has definitely been improving and has become a very nice "realistic fantasy" parkmaker. His parks have a nice charm factor, and he seems to have the enthusiasm to produce several parks, if needed.

38. Six Frags
Master of the dark, haunted style, Six Frags has been a solid parkmaker for a while now. He's seemingly struggled to make the transition to the next level, but he can still produce some nice stuff relatively quickly (stepping in for the Hurricanes last year, he built like half the park in a couple of weeks!)

39. Richie
Potentially underrated as well, Richie has knowledge of the game as well as a well balanced skillset to back him up.

40. Xenon
Good theming skills and relatively flexible, as evidenced by last season's works.

41. Mama Bear
Oh yeah, she's not a guy either, eh? So forget that Emergo comment earlier. Mama Bear brings solid theming with a whimsical twist and great discipline to the plate. She is a great team player and has a knack for infusing her parks with a certain sense of charm that makes them quite appealing, even if they are not amazing in the technical sense.

42. Twisted
He's been around for a while too, and is a terrific LL player.

43. Gymkid Dude
Another person who's been in the shadows lately, GKD nevertheless has great H2H experience and a solid plate of ideas. Remember, he's the one who made the GTA qualifying park that started the trend of special effects-laden adventure rides.

44. RCTNW
Another experienced and disciplined parkmaker, RCTNW seemed to get some unfair heat last season for "lack of production," but he's a great worker and certainly knows what he's doing.

45. Drew
Remember that Drew helped slob in Sierra Glen too, and his style can also produce some beautiful parks.

46. RMM
Always enthustiastic, RMM has quickly developed strong roots in LL and is as solid in the game as anyone else.

47. yyo
Another experienced and balanced parkmaker, yyo should remember not to get his team disqualified this year.

48. Micool
Another LL old guard member, Mike's got experience and skill and crazy ideas. Hopefully, he can still play.

49. Trav
Everyone still remembers the Trav that sucks, but he's actually gotten pretty darn good. One of the hardest working people I know, Trav has honed his craft over the past year and continued to play despite getting shot down, and now, at least based on screens, he's certainly not that bad!

50. Supertrooper
A man's man in parkmaking, Supertrooper certainly has the ability to produce solid work. Last year's Redwood Downs was a pretty nice example of what he can do.

supertrooper is so much better than that. remember the big top park?
and does no-one remember Wonderful Fun Island?!

[the rest... at this point, I'm not sure I can really accurately rank these guys in relation to each other, so when the numbers stop, that means I really am not sure anymore]

50. CoasterForce
Showed some great promise in the PT2 qualifying round. Definitely has a well-rounded skillset, but fails to really have anything eye-catching.

51. Levis
Similar to CF, Levis's works aren't bad, but they come off as slightly simplistic.

52. tracidEdge
Great LL'er, but seems to lack passion these days.


53. super rich
Another veteran of the game.

54. yeshli2nuts
I just looked back at his IOA Hollywood thread and realized I probably ranked him at least ten spots too low...

55. BreakAway
Shown some skill in architecture with recent screens and seems to be enthusiastic and eager to learn.

56. hobbes
Underrated, but definitely pretty damn good. Doesn't really call attention to himself.

57. CedarPoint6
Made some nice stuff in the RCT Olympics, but didn't seem to be able to keep up quality over a larger area.

58. Old Red
Great landscaper and purveyor of interesting ideas... it's just that all of his parks look so ugly...

gir

Jon

ACEfanatic02

FrEdD

MiFuNe

RCTCA

Tom Dj

Ruiz

SenZ

5dave

PK+Coastermind

Thrice

Lucas92

Hyperion

Hpg

AlchemistL7

marinersfan59

Geewhzz

blah188

Thirteen

ChillerHockey33

eman

ekimmel

Cap’n Quack

LoneMarine

G-Ride

Trajan

A2nxpimp

SU182

sexy overload

supertrooper is so much better than that. remember the big top park?
and does no-one remember Wonderful Fun Island?!

No...

Again, H2H style playing factors into this as well. He sort of had a disappointing showing last season, so he's ranked lower going into this season.

Of course, you can argue these as well, which is half the fun.

Based on his screens, I'd say RCTFAN will have probably gone up quite a bit on there by the end of this season.

Anyways, I'm happy with my placement . It makes Kumba's trade seem less silly, too. Though I do have a pretty big weakness of never having worked on any collabo before (outside of that one that isn't going anywhere, and the RES, which also went nowhere).

Based on your placements, it looks like the Hurricanes do indeed have a pretty good team. 6 in the top 25, and J K just above that. Coolness.

EDIT: Oh, and I find Mama Bear's ranking kind of funny, considering she didn't get picked. Well, like was said earlier, she'll probably be at the top of the replacement list and will thus almost invariably end up involved (unless if everyone is really dedicated).

I think she should have gotten picked, actually.

I ranked these before the draft, so yeah.

I think she should have gotten picked, actually.

Well, yeah, that's what I meant. I'm surprised she wasn't picked, considering her rank. I guess the way I said it it sounded like I meant it the other way around.

I just made a list what that means for the teams. First number is the place on corkscrewed's list, the one in brackets is the draft position.
(If there are just 9 names on some teams that is because these people are not listed on corkscrewed's chart.)


Demigods

4. Phatage [3]
10. Toon [10]
16. Kevin [14]
18. Magnus [23]
28. Blitz [18]
30. Marshy [34]
40. Xenon [30]
50. CoasterForce [41]
58. Old Red [53]


Hurricanes

2. Xcoaster [9]
9. Steve [12]
15. John [21]
17. Kumba [c]
21. egg_head [20]
24. Master Jay [37]
27. J K [29]
43. Gymkid Dude [44]
51. Levis [32]


The Italian Stallions

3. x-sector [2]
20. DarkJanus [11]
25. Metropole [13]
32. rainbow connection [22]
34. Loopy [33]
35. Panic [c]
42. Twisted [19]
48. Micool [35]
50. Supertrooper [42]


Tycoon Bandits

1. Corkscrewed [1]
6. Turtle [4]
12. JKay [c]
31. Emergo [31]
33. RCTFAN [17]
37. Jazz [40]
38. Six Frags [24]
54. yeshli2nuts [35]
55. BreakAway [52]


Ferocious Tigers

7. cBass [5]
8. Titan [16]
14. metalface [8]
22. Evil WME [c]
23. tyandor [25]
44. RCTNW [28]
45. Drew [48]
56. hobbes [51]
57. CedarPoint6 [39]


Strangelove

5. X250 [7]
11. ride6 [c]
13. Fatha' [6]
19. artist [15]
26. leighx [26]
29. chapelz [27]
36. Themeparkmaster [49]
39. Richie [38]
46. RMM [50]
52. tracidEdge [43]

Edited by Magnus, 03 May 2006 - 04:42 AM.

Aww... unranked. Guess that makes me a sleeper pick.

I'm also unranked

But it's a nice list Corkie

wow I'm ranked .

well I guess youre right and I think I should even be a bit lower (tom_dj should be above me i guess).

i can understand being unranked due to having little work released here. hopefully that wont mess up my chnaces on the replacment list.


FK+Coastermind

somehow everyone spells my name with a P

Great list Cork. A great read. I like how "unbiased" it is, meaning, just a list of pure H2H talent, nothing more. Its really accurate too.

Although, I'm sure it will change quickly throughout the season though, as there's a ton of people who could explode on the scene.

supertrooper is so much better than that. remember the big top park?
and does no-one remember Wonderful Fun Island?!

Thanks for that. Now I am more determined than ever to do well and be remembered. I am even currently working on a park and using (gasp) custom supports, something which I have never been able to do well....but it's coming along pretty nicely (although the park was started before the release of Toon's supports). So anyway....yeah...thanks again Mantis.

Oh...but what is Wonderful Fun Island?

Edited by supertrooper, 03 May 2006 - 07:19 AM.

Dude, Richie isn't on Strangelove, Rainbow Connection is.

Ride6

Yeah, last year I ended up 2nd in the sleeper of the year award..
This year I'm going for #1

SF

Thanks for that.  Now I am more determined than ever to do well and be remembered.  I am even currently working on a park and using (gasp) custom supports, something which I have never been able to do well....but it's coming along pretty nicely (although the park was started before the release of Toon's supports).  So anyway....yeah...thanks again Mantis.

Oh...but what is Wonderful Fun Island?

Heh you're welcome.
And WFI was harakiri and ak's h2h park from the first contest. Was just trying to remind people that a good bit of LL can be very impressive.

I'm underrated. Go me.