Contests / New Element Design Challenge 6 - Layout Selection

For this edition of the New Element Design Challenge we have opted to include a public pre-selection of the layout to be used. We have invited alex, CedarPoint6 and Pacificoaster to design an original layout for us, with the instruction to make use of the newly introduced track elements in OpenRCT2. All three responded enthusiatically, but only one layout will be chosen to continue into the main tournament where entrants compete to design the setting of each layout.

The three layouts below are the options for this edition's base layout, with which you are tasked to create a Design by theming to your desire without modifying the coaster. The poll will remain open for approximately four days after which the layout with the most votes is selected as the official layout for NEDC6. The overview for each is provided below along with a blank save containing the layout.

Excellent logo, also loving the presentation, including the coaster colours. I will inspect the layouts and hope to vote before the deadline (unlike what happened with the awards) and choose the one I'm most likely to build with. Would be nice to enter a contest again.

 

Can we work in duos? Or will the full set of rules and regulations only be revealed after we picked the layout?

Full rules are on the main post here: https://www.nedesign...gn-challenge-6/

Can't work in duos unfortunately, the entry should be solo with a 10% share by the layout builder.

Super awesome layouts, all would be great picks, hard to chose any one honestly. Really excited to see what people come up with!

Three great layouts, I spent some time watching through them at all angles. In the end I went with Pacs. Just some comments to all three...

CP6 – Awesome interaction with the trains on that dive loop element. I nearly went with your layout because of this. Love the dropped exit on the top hat to keep that momentum going for the coaster, I could imagine a really nice trench for the layout at that point. Some good theming opportunities. I feel this layout would offer lots of different entries and the coaster would feel different each time.

 

alex – Booster into the run through the elements was special, great coaster, lots of great theming opportunities. Yet again could've happily voted for this. What stopped me was the small turn before the mcbr and then the turnaround on the interlocking corkscrews felt quite sharp, even without peeps. Purely nitpicking however because that's what is being asked of us at this stage. If this layout isn't chosen, I hope it's not wasted in any way.

 

Pac – My choice. Your layouts always have such a flow to them and how this coaster cycles through the elements feels so, so smooth. Pacing was exceptional and I liked this layout through 3/4 orientations the most.

 

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I'm not sure if I'm building this NEDC and I'm kicking myself for it because I have such a cool idea for a theme but Pixar really is that close. I just don't know if I can pour my energy into NEDC and then have to pickup where I left off with the solo again.

Tough choice! It was between alex and Pac for me. It's a shame we don't have proper vehicle sprites yet, and I think CP6's layout was more reliant on elements that made the trains look bad. That's one reason why I didn't go with that layout, another being that I think the other two trigger my imagination more; they're a bit more spaceous leaving more room for theming and landscaping. So contrary to J K, I think the two beemers would reuslt in more variety among entries. Following the same logic, I went with Pac's layout. It has a footprint that is easily woven into an immersive environment, alex's is more linear. I want to see cool interaction and Pac's offers a middle ground between alex and CP6's.

 

Purely judging the layouts, I think alex wins. Beautiful flow!

There are custom vehicles by X7 plus one packaged with OpenRCT2 (Modern Twister I think it's called) that have the vehicle sprites for the giga coaster btw. No sprites for the b&m trains currently.

Tough choice! It was between alex and Pac for me. It's a shame we don't have proper vehicle sprites yet, and I think CP6's layout was more reliant on elements that made the trains look bad. That's one reason why I didn't go with that layout, another being that I think the other two trigger my imagination more; they're a bit more spaceous leaving more room for theming and landscaping. So contrary to J K, I think the two beemers would reuslt in more variety among entries. Following the same logic, I went with Pac's layout. It has a footprint that is easily woven into an immersive environment, alex's is more linear. I want to see cool interaction and Pac's offers a middle ground between alex and CP6's.

 

Purely judging the layouts, I think Alex wins. Beautiful flow!

  I agree about Alex's layout being the "best", but I don't think it would serve the contest quite as well as the others since it's so clearly supposed to be a specific version of a ride.  I ended up choosing Pac due to taste, but I do think CP6's layout would lend itself best for diversities sake.  It's a shame that we've seen so many giga tracked coasters recently though. So I wouldn't be surprised if one of the beemers take it purely based off of burnout.  Would've been neat to see an arrow coaster with the new pieces make an appearance as one of the options.  

By no means am I an expert on track layouts and this was a really tough choice for me also. I could only wish I could build a layout like these. 

 

I went with CP6's entry as, being someone who has been away from the game for so long, this was new for me to see in the game.  Additionally, theming this layout will be much more challenging with the tightness of the track's interactions with each other.  Finally, it just seemed to flow better for me.  

All that said, All of these are top notch layouts and any of them will produce some fantastic entries.

\ I think CP6's layout was more reliant on elements that made the trains look bad.

 

I agree I wish we had the right trains.  The request for these layouts was to use the new pieces, so I definitely leaned heavily into this. 

 

Loving both B&M layouts here.  So smooth and flowy.  Pac's is fairly traditional but so nice with the new pieces.  And I enjoy Alex's new take on a classic with the Hulk style start.

 

Great coasters all around!

Would've been neat to see an arrow coaster with the new pieces make an appearance as one of the options.  

 

I was so close to submitting an arrow actually! In the end though i thought it wouldn't offer as much flexibility in terms of building styles, since they tend to work best with more gritty realism where you can push the support work and infrastructure detailing.

 

My goal was mostly to build something that has an open feeling where it can surround path plazas and offer a few different composition options. I don't agree with Liam's comment that it's linear or Scoop's comment that it's pushing you build something in a similar fashion to Hulk. Both mine and Pac's are clearly our own twists on existing B&M layouts.

 

I'm hoping to have some time to enter and looking forward to building with whichever one of these! I think I will find CP6s the biggest challenge but maybe that's more fun.

Lovely layout Alex hope it wins but the others are good too. It was a close one

wow these are all outstanding, we are really spoiled for choice. whichever wins we all win

The layout poll has now closed and the winner with over half of the votes is Pacificoaster! His classic B&M styled layout has fantastic flow between its elements and provides numerous possibilities for theming, setting and interaction. And for those of you more fantasy-inclined, don't lose hope as we saw multiple great fantasy takes that made strong use of Louis!'s NEDC4 layout.

With the layout decided the contest now kicks off and building is open! The main NEDC6 topic has also been updated with the chosen layout along with a few common Workbench options provided and the official deadline! Full details here: New Element Design Challenge 6

Great job to Pac, CP6 and Alex, what a great start to the contest!