Scw55's Thread. Planet Coaster Calls (18-11-17)

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Guillemot has landed! (31/05/14)

I tried working with the breaks, but I wasn't able to get a smooth breaking rate going. So when I ended up with a smooth breaking, I left it how it was.

Regarding the second, I wasn't sure really what to do regarding realism. So what I did I thought was the best.

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Caer! (21/06/14)

Let me introduce Caer! (Welsh for Castle. Castell is another Welsh word for castle, but it looks very similar to the English word and I suspect it's an Anglo-Welsh word rather than a Welsh word)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bMQk9GglLM[/youtube]

This is the first time I have used a footage editing programme. This is the first time I captured multiple bits of footage. I didn't know what to do, so I did what I do best; look how other people do it and copy them.

I watched two of the prettiest and most popular RCT3 Youtube videos and I noticed a common structure:

Intro->Pan to reveal the ride->Footage of Train Leaving Station->Lifthill Footage->First Drop Footage->A number of shots of notable points->PoV Video->Credits

I had problems like my cursor being shown on footage which meant retaking the footage with Right/Middle Mouse Button held down.
I had problems where footage looked corrupted in the DivX player (default programme that runs Fraps recordings) where I refilmed it.
After my second PoV recording, I decided to preview the footage in Windows Media player and I was relieved it was fine. It was DivX player derping.

I used Windows Movie Maker. Quite intuitive. I made the two title slides in Photoshop. I had to Internet Search how to trim clips though because I didn't feel like the clips were tight enough.

If I did the video again, I'd have the title screens being shown for 3-4 seconds and not 5. 5 is too long.

Coaster-wise... yeah Port... I may have been heavily influenced by your Glider Coaster Project


From now on, this is how I want to present my projects because it's not that much work and I get so much in return. Who knows, I might revisit some old classic projects? After I get burnt out on the Cliff Park mind you.

The other advantage of this type of video is that the video is longer. I get a broader selection of free-to-use music. I may even be able to use more than one track if I want a change of mood.


In my mind, this coaster is a cousin of Guillemot. It features environment integration but the whole environment is man-made. The coaster "crashes" through a lot of walls and roofs. It's the darker relative. It's not free and open like Guillemot is.

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Caer! (21/06/14) & Others (22/06 onwards

So yes, because I can now film and edit videos easily... I've been delving into my backlog. I want to produce a video for every worthy previous coaster project.

The ones to do are:
[strike]Mini Inverter[/strike] Done
[strike]Duelling Wingrider V1[/strike] Park lags too much
[strike]Swinging Mine[/strike] Park lags too much
[strike]Duelling Tilt[/strike] Park lags too much. Project wasn't *that* good anyway. Time consuming to build, but fundamentally not amazing
[strike]Sci-Fi Flying[/strike] Park lags too much
[strike]Family Wingrider[/strike] Park lags too much
[strike]Duelling Insects V2/3[/strike] Done
Desert Wingrider
Sea Rock Flier
Sea Cliff Eurofighter

I'm going to start with the projects who don't have a PoV at all. So, probably will be Wingrider heavy.

Here's the first one: Skylark

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_XB5I7YYlE[/youtube]

To me this coaster is a milestone. I'm so utterly thrilled with it. It has no "dead space". This coaster is my Ode to WhyAreThereSoManyDestructionOrSciFiThemedWingriders?

A PoV over a year after I completed it.

(If there are any previous projects I've done and haven't listed, please mention them if you want a PoV recorded of it.)
-
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7JLCUzA90o[/youtube]
-
This was requested when I finished here, and here it is!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRua89mC5Y8[/youtube]

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Caer! (21/06/14) & Others (22/06 onwards

Here is a new Video for Sidewinder. Both POVs in one video, as well as off-ride footage.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbt9-dzCjhk[/youtube]

 

[rtotheizzo17]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Caer! (21/06/14) & Others (22/06 onwards

I love the themeing and detail you put in.

I know its RCT3 but some of your transitions and elements are too fast/snappy/harsh. I especially notice it on the inline twists/barrel rolls.

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Caer! (21/06/14) & Others (22/06 onwards

I love the themeing and detail you put in.

I know its RCT3 but some of your transitions and elements are too fast/snappy/harsh. I especially notice it on the inline twists/barrel rolls.

Thank you. I enjoy coaster and scenery interactions.

I've never ridden a roller coaster, nor have I been taught the relevant physics, so I am ignorant about that area. I've had to rely on riding things myself and guessing if it looks ok. If you could explain the relevant science of what I need to know, it would help me greatly.

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Caer! (21/06/14) & Others (22/06 onwards

In the mean time, I'll resume recording my backlog:

Guillemot has off-ride footage and I've changed the breaking systems due to feedback.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrsVSakdtso[/youtube]

If you could point out specific examples, it might help me understand. Either I can see what you mean, or I can see I no longer do that. Some of the videos I have shared are of old work.

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Draig! (10/7/14)

Here's my latest creation:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOWuIM50j1U[/youtube]

This coaster is heavily inspired by Nemesis at Alton Towers. I have wanted to build a terrain abusing Inverted coaster for years, and now I've done it. The water was an after thought, and I think it works well. I helps break up the repetitive nature of the mossy covered surfaces. It creates a damp atmosphere.

The theme is of the Welsh Dragon (Red train, Green supports and White track) in a rocky area. People have quarried and mined various things in Wales for many years (coal, slate, tin, copper, gold and other minerals and ores) and some of these sites recover. They create these awesome pseudo-fantasy Jurassic environments. I wanted to create one of those. Unlike Nemesis at Alton Towers, this ride's pit is meant to look like it's been here for a very long time. The train station is an after thought. When I finished theming the environment, I realised I hadn't built a station. Perhaps it's a small chapel.

This will be my final project from the park "Cliff - North Stack". There are too many objects in the park for my system to handle. It is obliterating my FPS when I record. You can see the effects in the latter half of my Guillemot POV footage in the Guillemot video. I had to discard some bits of footage from really nice angles due to the choppiness. I decided I would rather keep the overall quality of the video higher than include this interesting footage, The POV section was recorded with the in-game Video Recorder. This took about 35 minutes to record, but in return I get basically flawless footage. The reason I don't normally use the in-game recorder is because it takes ages to record. It takes ~23X longer than it would with Fraps. This also means I cannot realistically record off-ride shots. This is why my earlier videos consist solely of POV footage. I still need to re-record "Syth", but I'll see what takes my fancy.

I do have an idea for my next park and I have another two parks on the go. It's just frustrating when I am pressurised to stop work on a park when I am not ready to move on. To me North Stack was an amazing success, so I don't know if that makes it worse or better. At least the saved file hasn't been corrupted (I've had that before).

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. WIP New Park (20/7/14)

I've started making my new park. It's a multi-themed park. The quadrants are loosely based off Alton Towers. There's like 3 kiddy zones, 2 family zones and 2 thrill zones. This plan can easily shift however.

I've built a monorail system that circuits the park. I thought it was best to build it first and modify it around building developments.

I've marked out the themes in rough, but there is one theme which is concrete. Steam Punk.
I've been using in-game scenery sets really as the CS tends to devourer processing power.

The trouble with a park of this nature is that the whole thing is very "underconstruction". This section is across the lake from the park entrance. This zone isn't connected via pathway to the entrance.

My aim is to have two "future" zones (like Alton Towers has). A clean future (Steampunk/X Sector) and a dirty future (Forbidden Valley/Volcanic or Barren Wasteland).

I'm enjoying myself. It's just I notice that one day I spent about three hours designing weird Steampunk Industrial Worker Terrace Cottage with a village green.

I think the aesthetic works mostly.

I've also enjoyed using track ride types that have no need to be customly supported.

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. The Decline (Duelling Tilt Coaster)(28/7

Situated in a swamp of decay, stands an old house, morbid in appearance. The years of neglect has not been kind. No one dares approach the depraved husk of a home. The reason for its solitude has been lost from memory. What remains is the feeling of unease.

At night, the locals hear unearthly sounds rolling down from the hill. It is clear that the house is not entirely deserted. The stone walls slowly crumble. The village peoples pray that soon entropy will claim it. Perhaps then, the audible torment may cease.


Woo, I can still type improvised dramatic waffle. Yes, this is Duelling Tilt Coaster V2. I was sadly never able to record footage of the first project due to FPS issues in that park. So, I made another. Similar in concept, but the layout beyond the first drop (and Zero G Roll) is unique.

When making this, I realised I really need a bigger break from designing Duelling Coasters. It's so damn hard making the two layouts interesting in their own unique way, whilst maintaining synchronisation and preventing the whole thing from looking messy. The easiest way is to mirror what you build, but that's boring and disappointing.

I found it a challenge deciding how to finish both coasters off. I had to get the track on the correct side and have the train synchronised and leave enough room for a plausible break run. After many failed and messy attempts, somehow using the "The Smiler" knot (which I used to death) was the most sensible solution. I put off using that element because I think I use it too much, and usually the speed is too high to use it. But here, it worked nicely.

Choosing the right music for the video was a pain in the arse. There was no music that was of a similar length that sounded fitting. There was a nice creepy instrumental atmospheric one, that half way went all happy flutes and stuff.

I had a choice of using a really stupid sounding one that was funny, or choose a song that was too short, but sounded right and then to apologize for it. I chose the latter.

here's the video:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlGEoqSwZhM&list=UUvcBTE_RhAx3R39V5lLGzCA[/youtube]

 

[Jayden_412]

Re: Scw55's Thread. The Decline (Duelling Tilt Coaster)(28/7

wow this is cool

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. The Decline (Duelling Tilt Coaster)(28/7

Thank you for the complement.

(I'm probably going to take a little break. I've just returned from a trip to Spain [where I visited Port Adventura]). I need time to reflect on everything.

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Wadjet (I Aen't Dead) 29/10/14

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndM_drx1ZbU[/youtube]

During the summer, I had the opportunity to visit Spain (Catalonia) with a group of good friends. We visited Port Adventura (my second ever Theme Park visit anywhere) and it was great. Though I also felt sad (I'll come back to that later). It's a good theme park. It does theming well like Alton Towers does. They successfully create fake worlds. I almost believed I was indeed in the tropics (helped by the searing Spanish Sun).

I was able to look upon the majesty of Dragon Khan. I didn't actually go on any coasters (again). I went on the rapids (alright, enhanced by a friend overreacting to it) and the Deep Sea Odyssey Simulation ride (It made me anxious because for once I was the rider and not the ride architect). The Woody's queue was too long and I felt Dragon Khan was too much of a leap. Though, on coming back to cold Britain and watching PoVs, it doesn't see that bad. Especially in the company of good friends.

Due to the mixed emotions of the trip (we had to say good bye for the time being to one of us), I didn't want to jump back into coaster world. So after a month I slowly started RCTing again. I made a sort of reconstruction of Shambhala (which may get demolished) and this strange combo of Dragon Khan with Hydra & my own spin.

The area is where the Launched Coaster entry was. That coaster was poop and the theming potential of the area was bad. So I purged it. I changed the area to be an Egyptian/Arabic themed area. Taking queues from Port Adventura, this zone seamlessly bleeds into the Pirate themed area (sand and tropics).

You can probably see one element which I am not too happy with (due to close proximity to clipping), but I couldn't see a way around it.

I am currently working on another idea in the same zone. I need to be aware of how many coasters I have in this park. I have been good thus far.

I hope you enjoy it. (Sadly Two Steps From Hell have vanished from the free music to shove onto Youtube videos. So it's back to painfully selecting a suitable track).

 

[BBH]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Wadjet (I Aen't Dead) 29/10/14

Looks fab. The scenery is absolutely top notch and I love the terrain/building interaction with the coaster.

Quick question if you don't mind my asking. Is there a particular reason why you don't ride coasters when you go to theme parks? If you'd rather not say, that's understandable, too.

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Wadjet (I Aen't Dead) 29/10/14

My first experience of riding a ride was a small Swinging Pirateship ride. I was 7 years old and I sat in the back. I found the -G force painful.
Where I live, there aren't any local amusement parks. Even then, places like Alton Towers are quite expensive places to visit for an average family. Especially a family (whose parents) are more outdoor walking type people than Tourist-Attraction moths.

So I've never had the chance.

I visited Alton Towers when I was 14 with school, but didn't ride anything besides the Swans and the Cable Car. I wanted to look at Air, but the boy I said I'd go around with (out of empathy as he had no friends) was too afraid. I may have ridden Air that day. I declined going on Minetrain due to "looks too fast" and the Rapids because "it was too steep".

I went on a large Slide (plastic slope and you sit in a sledge) and I was terrified of falling out (which I did at the end. I was flung out and skidded across the floor and scrapped the skin off my knees through my trousers).

So, my experience of rides had been bad.
-
PortAdventura was the next chance. I went on the Rapids and was anxious. I knew rapids are short and sweet and family rides. But I was anxious. I found them, dull. It was my friend pretending that they were terrifying which made it more lively.

I went on a 3D simulation ride which was fine. But I was actually very nervous before hand due to the anticipation. As a fictional designer of rides, I know what stuff I'd want to inflict on riders. I didn't like the roles being reversed. But it was a fine ride. I was alarmed by the need of a lap bar, but the ride was fine.

Basically, it's me having bad experiences with rides when I was young makes me afraid of them. And I need to gently ease into it. I regret not going on Dragon Khan, because I think I could have managed it in that company. But, I was feeling very ill at the time; due to heat and dread of saying farewell (for the time being) to one of us at the end of the trip.

I could probably manage Nemesis. But I would probably bottle out in the queue line. Atmosphere really gets to me.

I suppose my inexperience of riding roller coasters will cap what I can do. I sometimes receive feedback commenting on realism of approach speed and it's like, "Unless you can explain to me why, I honestly cannot address this criticism."
-
Thank you for your complements. I'm glad this forum section isn't dead.

You'll be pleased to know I'm finishing off another (shorter project).

I'm very aware that I have too much empty space. One thing I wish you could do in RCT games is close gaps in reality. I wish I could delete the void between some zones. Otherwise I'll have to awkwardly use a flat or some scenery as filler. The individual zones themselves are shaping up nicely (the Egyrabian, Pirate and Steampunk). I'm glad I purged the "post apocalyptic honestly not Forbidden Valley Desert" zone.

I built a re-creationish of Shamthingbobby and need to decided to purge it or not.

(I need to hunt some sweet Asian theming. I adored the Chinese area in PortAdventura)

 

[Coaster Hipster]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Wadjet (I Aen't Dead) 29/10/14

It's good to know that CF's RCT3 section isn't completely dead :--D

You've gotten better and better at this game ! Your layout feels realistic and matches the typical B&M style - with the twist of the heartline roll at the start, which is very Hydra The Revenge-like. The pact is good throughout, except maybe for the Cobra Roll which is a bit slow in my opinion. The colours are nice and reminiscent of OzIris. As always in your rides, there is a fine amount of interaction with the scenery and some exciting near-misses.

For your Shambhala-inspired coaster, I recommend you ImagineerTom's Expedition Everest Flags: Link

Good luck!
Portem!ne

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Wadjet (I Aen't Dead) 29/10/14

I'm awaiting on my college learning grant which I would put towards a better computer.
Meaning:
Faster loading times. I will be more inclinded to use RCT3. I find long loading times put me off doing something.
Water. I will have the choice of having water overflowing the park's boundaries without worrying about file corruption.
Better graphic settings. Things look prettier.
Better recording. Reduced risk of stuttering (as seen in a few past things). Able to use in-game recorder as opposed to being reliant on Fraps.
Possibley better quality videos as my system would be taxed less. Maybe being able to use better software.
Better control over video music. Will be able to overlap royalty free music, instead of relying on Youtube music. I would then be able to montize the videos.

I look forward to when my themed zones bleed into each other. I think it's going to be exciting working out how to transition. Especially since PortAdventura did it so well.

Is it bad to have a park with a lot of coasters? If each coaster is valid and there's a nice proportionate number of flats. I'm not someone who swears by complete realism. I would like to have the freedom to potentially have twenty coasters in a park.

 

[Dapalm]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Wadjet (I Aen't Dead) 29/10/14

Your last projects look nice! Yeah, switching from poor graphics to higher ones is great. Everything will look better. And I don't think having a lot of coasters is a problem, take a look at Cedar Point, but I prefer parks more balanced. Like 5-7 coasters, like most theme parks. And one more thing: you shouldn't miss the opportunity of riding big coasters like Khan or Nemesis. They aren't scary at all once you are on board. The worst will be the queue line, so you should avoid big lines on your first ride. Once you lose the fear you won't stop!

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Wadjet (I Aen't Dead) 29/10/14

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

I think I will need to be in certain company though. To distract me from the atmosphere and generally give me more courage.

 

[scw55]

Re: Scw55's Thread. Talky Update (with teaser) 27/12/14

I have been able to secure finance to acquire a new system. I do not know when I will have it.

I have done some work on RCT3 today. I have even concluded one coaster to be finished. However, I am waiting until I have a more powerful PC before recording it. I may as well.

Here's a teaser image:

Perhaps, when I build my new PC and install RCT3, I will see there is more I can do under better graphics?

Could someone suggest a good (free) Video Editing programme? I've been using Windows Movie Maker and it's... serviceable. It would be nice if there is a more powerful free programme if I learnt how to use that. This is just in case I decide to start producing a different type of video.

Shalayamamafthingy has sadly been killed. On the plus side, it has left a huge hole.

I counted how many coasters and none-coaster rides I have in my park and it's at a 7:10 ratio. If I keep these two coasters I started working on today, it'll be 9:10. I don't want to have the coaster value to exceed the non-coaster value. I've worked on filling some voids I have between zones. I do wish there was a tool that lets me compress space. Like I might be able to in Photoshop. Oh well. Just sprinkle a few trees and buildings.