H2H7 / [H2H7 Round 5 Match 1] - Italian Stallions vs The Rat Pack

Since when is Roomie on Heaven's Atlas?

Since when were we up against Heaven's Atlas

Area52
Concept:
An area51 based park with a slight twist isn't really that original IMO, but I really like the whole setting of the park within the canyon, even though it would have been cool if both sides of the park had some elevation change. It's a wacky fun park without being fantasy or realism, but it definately has the true assence of RCT which makes it really charming.
Macro (Park Impression):
As I said the canyon wall being only on one side is kinda strange to me, but it's no big deal actually. The canyon wall itself is the main eyecatcher on the map. I find it kinda odd tha the Aqua Trax mountain was placed on the opposite side of it though. What I also didn't like that much were the wind turbines. They didn't really fit the concept IMO and should have been placed either alongside the cliff or on the cliff itself for efficiency. The colors are nice in the park, I like the clear seperation of areas in the park which makes it easy to look at. The strata coaster is also a nice eyecatcher but kinda falls short because of the wind turbines and the drop tower next to it.
Rides:
What I like most about Taranis is the interaction with the cliffs and the whole SFOT-inspiration it has. But I feel the layout could have been much more exciting including diagonal parts or more inventive order of ride elements. I didn't like the fact that some parts were directly on the ground and the last turnaround corkscrew combination felt kinda off, the part over the path felt also strange to me. The Aqua Trax was kinda fast and hard to follow but I really like the setting it had. The color was kinda drab because it was mostly brown, but the UFO details scattered around were really nice. I wasn't a fan of the station because it wasn't very prominent and the queue felt like it belongs to the car ride instead of a major ride. The strata coaster was really nice as well, my favorite ride in the park even though the launch track could have been a little longer. The Swarm didn't do much for me unfortunately, but it was ok I guess. The hacked rides were all phenomenal of course. The condor is a masterpiece, the time machine ride funny as hell and the LSD ride (while it was a bit too abstract to me) was trippy.
Architecture:
Some buildings were really nice and inventive, but others felt a bit strange and rushed to me. I really loved the brick building at the entrance area, the cafe, the hangar, the lab, the petrol station and the time machine building. But the other buildings weren't on the same level IMO, they kinda missed clear direction and thought behind it and looked a bit messy.
Micro (Details):
Of course the park was scattered with nice details, sculptures and ideas throughout. My favorites being the vehicles like the rocket, the copter and the drone. Excellent work on those. The distinctive areas were really nice, the flight school area being my favorite. Peep-ability was a huge plus as well as the custom music and the naming of the staff. All in all an excellent park with great ideas throughout but felt kinda lacking in continuity. Feels kinda like a Kumba park with a lot of things put on the map without the common thread binding it into one solid package.

Universal Studios
Concept:
Another park based on a chain used for H2H? Fine by me - as long as its well executed. And this park really is a solid Universal park IMO. At least upon first inspection. I know Universal has rights for all the franchises used in the park, but I felt like the Pokemon area didn't fit at all, it felt like filler and was crammed into the corner there. I think either a Simpsons or a Jurassic World area would have been much better there with a bigger size cutting away from the large studio halls backsides and backlot areas.
Macro (Park Impression):
The park layout and overall feel feels kinda similar to American waterfront, but the studio halls and the B&M sets it apart from it. What I don't like is that sudden height change at the Harry Potter area and that huge hall. The colors are popping all over the park nicely and give the park a friendly atmosphere. I think the entrance area feels kinda crammed there and again getting rid of a view backlot details and adding it to the more important areas of the park would have helped a lot IMO.
Rides:
NYC Dreamin' is a sleek ride, love all the diagonal parts, the sexy turnaround  and the turns near the lake. What I didn't like was the fact that it's not working properly. If you can't get 3 trains on a track working (maybe due to the diagonal MCBR) then at least put one onto the transfer. I don't mind that the coaster is not working on startup, accidents happen though should be checked before sending in, but the train stopping on top of the lift is a big nogo! The other coasters seemed kinda lackluster to me. The Maurer was nice but was lacking the typical Maurer feel (overbanked turns, mouse curves,...), also I don't get the huge building at all and the outside part of it. Why is this ride not situated inside Gringotts (green domed building), or why isn't the queue starting there at least? What are those 3-colored buildings? Why is there no indoor theming but supports and why is it closed from all sides? The Minion ride had no block section, a short queue and was enclosed again. Why not opening at least on one side? I don't want to see parking lots, show me MIB and Minion interiors! Shrek was similar. I don't get why this coaster is mostly on the outside with nearly no content inside that huge castle building? And why is there nothing inside? Right now it's just an oversized station building.
Architecture:
Architecture is nice. It's sometimes bordering the overdetailed-ness, but in most parts it's ok. Kudos that most buildings have something inside and you showed that some structures are only backdrops. Diagon alley is crammed like the 'real' thing, but it's really hard to figure out what's going on there. A more linear layout would have helped here I think to show it's one street rather than a confusing quarter. The London facade as well as the studios were spot-on and along NYC my favorite spots of the park. The MIB entrance was also easily recognizable.
Micro (Details):
I discovered a lot of nice details throughout the park. The little glimpses of indoor parts near Pokemon and the tiny Hogwarts indoor part left me wanting more indoor parts, though. Path details like cars, stalls, lamps, toilets and trees were spot-on amd added a lot to the park, Shrek's swamp was also nice! Staff names could have been thought to the end - I discovered the fireworks show, so why not other details in the park like that? All in all the park was fun, had a lot of glimpses of brilliance but unfortunately also some mis-planning on the other hand.

Great work both teams!

"MFG"

Man Dave, shoulda told us this while we were building

Universal definitely threw me off... it definitely had a GDB vibe, but after seeing the map of who did what... GDB, since when did you learn to make normal, sensible park layouts? The cramped layout in the back with Hogwarts is what I expect of you!

pfthahahaha

Agreed, trav. I was extremely impressed with this park, but being that I'm a stickler for chain parks I unfortunately had too many problems with it. It's still a great park though, and was even more impressed with the fact that gdb built most of what I was certain was Stoksy's work. I'd love to build with either of them in the future.

I'm wondering why people aren't commending the incredible hacks and ideas in area 52? 

Because more than half of us can't view em ingame....

Man Dave, shoulda told us this while we were building

 

Haha yeah I thought the same while writing this, but on the bright side - you won anyways!

 

"MFG"

Because more than half of us can't view em ingame....

Nice try, but 22 people voted this round. That means 22 people viewed the park in game, and 12 of them even voted for the park, and yet we barely have any comments commending the great work that was done. If the Wild West can get review after review, why can't area 52?

I'm wondering why people aren't commending the incredible hacks and ideas in area 52? 

Because people are too tight to spent a fiver on a game that will help the site with competitions like this but will probably spend 10 times that on a toaster that prints hello kitty on their toast later

Anyway I've been away a lot this week and haven't had time to comment.

To the people who mentioned the park seemed a bit rush that's spot on. When I started out I wasn't expecting to have to do almost all of it and I've had a really busy schedule this last couple of months that made it tough. Csw helped out where he could and made a good effort but was pretty burned out after having to do almost all of week 2.

The area I struggled the most here was architecture. With constantopia I had a lot of experience in that area to work with. But when it comes to goverment buildings or secret buildings I didn't even know where to start. I mean is there even a consistent style of such things?

The park was fun to work on though because of my love of all things Sci-fi. I like just being able to splurge ideas out but in a competition like this I need people to guide my random ideas into something more cohesive. It's something that keeps plaguing me in this competition.

After last season where my partner quit the team and left me building the whole park myself. And then the team fell apart around Kong and cena leaving me to finish the semi finals park alone and in 2 weeks. This is the third park in a row I've had to do pretty much alone. It's really tough to get good results this way and it kills my enjoyment a lot. The afterlife with jimemo stands out as the most fun I've had making a park and I miss that.

Anyway I digress. IS put up a great park this week. One that ultimately saved the barons hides I'm very impressed and the builders really stepped up their game. Must be the closest run match this year.

One thing no one mentioned was the time machine ride in area 52. The ride takes visitors and makes them appear out of thin air them at the entrance of the park so they can start their day again. A stupid ride but one I thought was quite funny.

Anyway I've typed far more than I planned to. Glad we got the win but sad we couldn't overturn the barons.

You both did a great job, Roomie and csw!

Sorry I couldn't help with the park like I planned to because of Winhack and the trainers not working properly

 

Good match!

 

"MFG"

It makes me sad to know that all these cool ideas and tidbits like the Time Machine ride gets lost and unappreciated by those are able to view the parks and vote.

@roomie

about last season, I didn't quit the team for pebbles I just can't do LL any justice and I felt like more of a burden than anything else in a format I can't do anything in. and indeed the entire team falling apart like it did after the round robin didn't help with that either.

 

I really liked what I could see in the video review from area 52 but if I can't explore it ingame I can't really comment on it I feel, how stellar it even is so me not having LL really bums me in h2h in the sense that I can't view a lot of the content but I don't want to go out of my way to get it running because I've had a lot of problems with it in the past.... 

You can get a toaster that prints hello kitty??

I wasn't actually talking about you BG haha. Gee quit before copper creek got under way. For many of the same reasons. I actually forgot about you originally being on pebbles (sorry that's probably more insulting haha)
Not blaming either of you. Its just the way it happened.

GDB and Stoksy really advanced to a new level in my eyes after this performance. 

So why did this park never go up for accolade? I'm confused. As far as I can tell every other park has even Universal. 

 

Is it just because people are too lazy to vote on LL parks these days?

a park needs 10 public votes to go to the panel. Area 52 has got 8. 

So it's cuz people don't vote on LL enough.

..and the fact that two of the frequent LL voters built the park