Micro Madness 2019 / MM3 R1 Group I - Liampie and Jaguar win

Djeez, can you all stop with the amazing parks?! It makes it very difficult to vote!

Nibiru Periapsis: Clear winner IMO. It makes total use of the entire surface and doesn't waste a single opportunity to add some kind of detail or narrative element to it. Also: space dinosaurs. Little problem I have is that it might be too busy and sometimes difficult to read.

Karst: I voted for this second as I was quite impressed by the sheer size of it and how uch you actually added to what on firt sight seemed to be quite an empty map. The details on the rock faces for instance or the winding gear on top of the elevator. I can just imagine what kind of Tomb Raider/Indiana Jones kind of thing is going on here. It's great.

Ponta Delgada: In:Cities gives us a Portuguese micro that is very well executed end for me narrowly doesn't get second vote! For me however, the point of the coaster was kinda lost apart from having a coaster in it. Sorry Josh, but I liked Karst just that little bit more!

Pollution at its finest: If only this had another name... The composition in this was very strong, the coaster was great and the buildings were very nice and refined! Too nice and refined. Just a few yellow patches of grass and some white puffs of smoke sadly don't really feel like pollution for me. I was expecting more something along the lines of Pierrot's Symphony of Pollution but that might've been too much asked.

Again, this round was very hard as all entries were actually very well made and lied very close towards each other in terms of quality and originality. Sadly however, I had to make a ranking. I do hope you all keep building, as I do want to see more from all of you!

1) Karst - I thought this was quite nice, very adventurous.  It didn't necessarily have the absolute highest level of execution to me, with a few things awkward in the way they were constructed but overall no big deal.  I think the layers of rides through the cenote.  I don't think you necessarily needed the extra rocks placed here and there in the landscaping.  I liked the stalactites if they could use a more appropriate texture.  Nice jungle birds.

2) Ponta Delgada - Had a nice composition and I loved the white with the new brown combo.  The coaster looked really cool nestled above the majority of the park.  Only thing I didn't care for was the tiny steep bump added after the cobra roll, but it's a small nitpick.  I liked the underground bit, and gave it the needed "there's more than meets the eye" look to it.  Good atmosphere.

Nibiru Periapsis - Pretty wild man, I remember this idea being tossed around in the HA forums.  I'm glad to see it come to life, as Dig Site was sort of an offshoot of the weird aliens thing.  The flying pyramids were the best part, as well as the tractor beam.  I do wish this idea was saved for later, however, and given a complete picture as it's one that deserves a complete setting.  The only reason I struggled to vote for it was that it felt like a collection of those wacky ideas thrown on a map, rather than something at least a little bit organized.  Music was fantastic.

Pollution at Its Finest - Excellent submission from you, you should be proud of the quality you produced here, it was a strong entry and I'd venture to guess would've fared better in another bracket.  Started to build up the theme well, but I think it could be pushed a little further, stylistically.  It could've used some gritty/dreary atmosphere in there, in my opinion.  Overall, good work.

1.) Jaguar - loved this, it's amazing how much you fit onto the map, but could've used more color variety.  8.5/10

2.) Liampie - so much movement, super creative, but another level or increasing the height of some things might've helped it feel less cramped to me.  8/10

3.) In:Cities - Gorgeous architecture and colors, but you got unlucky with your matchup I reckon. 7/10

4.) barNID - really nice stuff, wish we could see more from you but you got a tough group too.  6/10

A fantastic set of entries.

Liam: Super impressive.  There was a ton to look at here but a very cohesive theme.  It was definitely messy, but I'm not sure that's a terrible thing.  I like you still manage a pretty nice coaster layout in the middle of all the chaos.  I'm still finding new stuff to look at as I continue to browse.  An easy pick for me.

Jag: Also very impressive.  It's almost a bit too much because I can't always find my way and have to keep switching back and forth with see thru scenery and reorienting when I turn the map.  But you can't help all that.  Great layering on the whole and I really like those trees you did.  I can appreciate how long this whole thing must have taken you.  Good work!

InCities: A great aesthetic with this map, but I'd expect no less from you.  The coaster is a little oddball, but not awfully so.  It's nice to see a different style than usual.  I like the initial source of inspiration and the white architecture contrast really well with the brown trim.  I like the little flume you managed to squeeze in below too.  Great work.

Barnid: Very nice stuff here-- a solid showing.  The architecture is the strength here, which is both detailed and varied.  I think the coaster and supports may have held you back a little bit, but it was still fun to watch.  I'd recommend peeps for next time as it would definitely give the map some more life.

1. Priapism
2. Ponta Delgada

Incredibly difficult group to decide on.

1. NP - The more I looked at this the more I smiled. So many details, all fitting together to make what seems to me to be a very unique aesthetic. The speedy ice music works so well. If the world ends let it be like this.

2. Ponta Delgada - Every tile is packed with thoughtfulness here. It has depth that still feels realistic. The mix of natural features, pathing, and architecture feels great. Ultimately the textures and colors won me over, at any perspective this park is beautiful to look at.

3. Karst - It was so hard to put this third, but the feeling of Ponta just spoke to me more. The details here are incredible. I appreciate how functional it is as a park despite the height. If I had to complain about something, maybe it's that things feel a bit too occluded by the terrain. I'm glad this is getting lots of first place votes from others though, it absolutely deserves it.

4. Pollution - This neat plot could definitely have moved on in a few other groups. The architecture is nice and I like how the coaster runs though it. Perhaps the park is lacking a strong theme, there doesn't seem to be much pollution aside from a few smokestacks and the foliage actually feels lush.

I'm saddened to have to place one of these last. All fantastic entries.

#1 Liampie - Nibiru Periapsis

Pure, ridiculous insanity, and I love it! The idea itself is outrageous, and a perfect way to combine themes I've never seen combined before. The consistent movement throughout is jostling for attention, and I find myself keep returning back to what I was watching because I'm not getting to look at it properly before being drawn to something else, keeping me entertained for ages! Loads of little tricks (sped up ice music - excellent idea) and I like the way half the stuff is crashed or broken upon opening this, with the mechanics scurrying around trying to fix everything. The ride excitements all at 666 is hilarious too, and something I've never considered before. Yeah, brilliance all round, and definitely first place for me.

#2 In:Cities - Ponta Delgada

The colour scheme pushes this up for me, with the browns, whites and peaches complimenting so well. The palette choice is spot on in that respect. The architecture is beautiful, and the foliage and rockwork really complete the scene. The boat tour logs meandering through the caves are great to watch, and I really like the way Corsair reaches its peak inside the tower. Not sure what the staff typos are about, but funny nonetheless. A really good-looking submission all round.

#3 barNID - Pollution at Its Finest

Given the industrial theme, I'm pleasantly surprised with the colours used in this, as well as the variation in shapes, as I think it would be all too easy to create very boxy factories and warehouses. The coaster is quite cool too, and I can imagine a short story as it travels (whether this is intentional or not), with the frantic ups and downs of production through the large factory, and then the sudden slow as it enters the other buildings - somewhat mimicking the nature of deadlines and industry. I thought the lack of peeps was a bit of a shame, but that's just because the park's closed, and opening it sorts that right out Nice balcony and structure work throughout, and overall an easy to read design.

#4 Karst - Jaguar

It pains me so much to put this here, as the sheer amount of effort and determination gone into this is evident. It's all high quality too, and I can only confess that it's my dislike of the whole tomb raiding/dusty cave theme that's causing me to place this fourth. All the snippets of action visible through the rock face are cool, as is the lift shaft and the cables above it. So many well-crafted little scenes dotted throughout, and overall a magnificent sculptural landscape.

Group I - Results

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Winners
Liampie: 27 + 18/2 = 36 points
Jaguar: 24 + 17/2 = 33 points

Eliminated
In:Cities: 9 + 21/2 = 19.5 points
barnNID: 1 + 4/2 = 3 points

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Brief comments from KaiBueno!  (Disclaimer - I'm renewing myself to the community and know very little of you, your parks, styles, etc.  My views are framed from what I see as I open it, with a twisted 2005 perspective of wazzup.)

Ponta - So pretty, and I saw your reference picture too.  The coaster is a classic style, but leaves enough open space for the plaza and the tower on its own to shine.  Very well rounded effort.  The boats around the bottom edge/grotto were a great touch.

Nibiru - Oh the chaos of war, and you've pulled it off well.  It's cluttered, it's chaotic, things are flying everywhere.  I'm isolated and you're surrounded.  Somehow I feel safer for it.  Now just to land this on the Vegas Strip to replace Luxor.

Karst - Looks epic from the aerial and the effort inside is of that level too....but it just doesn't work for me.  Maybe it's the isometric view, but I don't like the detail rocks, even if I like the layering under it and the trees on top.  Hard to explain.  Don't hate it, just don't love it as much despite clearly a huge amount of effort.  Good job though, it is mammoth.

Pollution - Stacked bracket, stacked coaster.  Solid launch ride that doesn't have enough space to wind down on a small map without the stark ending.  I'd like to see that first half in the glass building fleshed out to a longer ride someday, was really fun and I'd want to ride it.  The scenery on the ground was a lot of pavement, but I did like the glass building the coaster goes through.

Highlights

Nibiru Periapsis: lasers

Karst: stalactites

Ponta Delgada: arches

Pollution at Its Finest: large industrial building