My Custom Rides

[X7123M3-256]

I thought I'd post another update on the state of my custom track project:

Since the last time posted about this I have added half loops, but the most significant improvement is the use of arc length parametrization for all track piece curves, which eliminates the distortion that was previously visible on many track pieces, particularly diagonals.

I also found that the geometry of the diagonal slopes was incorrect; fixing this has made the discontinuities between diagonal pieces much less severe.

 

[Gymnasiast]

That is certainly looking more aligned with how RCT's tracks look! One question: is this still Intamin track? I don't recognise the track style, and searching on the internet only seems to return a track style that looks like RCT's Giga Coaster.

[X7123M3-256]

2 hours ago, Gymnasiast said:

One question: is this still Intamin track? I don't recognise the track style, and searching on the internet only seems to return a track style that looks like RCT's Giga Coaster.

This is Intamin double spine track, first used on Intimidator 305 and now frequently seen on Intamin's larger rides such as Skyrush, Red Force and Flying Aces. They still use the classic triple-rail track for smaller installations.

I would really like to do the triple rail track as well, but it's so hard to match the existing sprites. I honestly don't think my renderer is capable of reproducing existing track with any settings - something is missing and I think it's probably the lighting. I only use one light source but it was pointed out on the Gitter that some sprites are clearly lit from multiple angles. It's such a widely used track style, I may have to give it another go.

[X7123M3-256]

I had a go at building an RMC Raptor layout:

Not really finished yet but I quite like the layout.

[X7123M3-256]

I tried rendering some of my B&M models with Oli414's new renderer. I'm not sure these sprites really show the full potential that it has, but they already look better than my existing ones IMO.

 

 

[InstantMix]

This is all looking lovely dude - especially that Intamin track! Can you go into any more detail about the modelling and rendering processes you are doing to come out with those sprites?

[X7123M3-256]

6 minutes ago, InstantMix said:

This is all looking lovely dude - especially that Intamin track! Can you go into any more detail about the modelling and rendering processes you are doing to come out with those sprites?

All my 3D modelling is done in Blender. I make use of a plugin called fSpy to line up the Blender camera with photographs and then trace over the top of it. I also use schematics and drawings where I can find them. The process of modelling a train was always a very slow process, which is why I haven't done one in a while. For track sprites, only the straight track piece need actually be modelled, I have code that generates the rest of the track pieces automatically.

The rendering has always been handled with my own rendering code, which completely automates the process of turning 3D models into RCT sprites. That code has changed a lot over the years, and in fact has changed greatly since the last time I posted anything in this thread.  The sprites shown in this thread are all rendered using a single light source, and the train sprites did not use antialiasing either. Since then I have rewritten the renderer with support for multiple light sources (which I've carefully tweaked to match the existing sprites very closesly), ambient occlusion, and improved anti aliasing support, as well as a few other improvements to get my sprites looking much more like the originals. So far, I have only used this new code for track sprites. Here are some more recent screenshots (note that the train sprites have not been updated, only the track):

[JMBuilder]

The more progress I see on these, the more I think they should be an integral part of OpenRCT2, if only to simplify park sharing compatibility. They're just that good. 😁

Will the Intamin steel coaster have access to vertical chain lifts like Fahrenheit?

Edited August 14, 2020 by JMBuilder

[X7123M3-256]

18 hours ago, JMBuilder said:

The more progress I see on these, the more I think they should be an integral part of OpenRCT2

That's the end goal. I already have a PR open for my RMC track, although it's currently on hold as the sprites need improvement. The additional pieces for the LIM track shown above are also very close to finished. I haven't been working on this project for the last few weeks, but I'll probably come back to it soon.

19 hours ago, JMBuilder said:

Will the Intamin steel coaster have access to vertical chain lifts like Fahrenheit?

Yes, although it doesn't have them at the moment. The Intamin track is proving particularly difficult to get looking right, so I don't expect that one to be finished soon.

[etut2t6t]

Screen Shot Ride Object File Upload Please me.

[X7123M3-256]

3 hours ago, etut2t6t said:

Screen Shot Ride Object File Upload Please me.

Umm ... what exactly are you asking?

[etut2t6t]

This in the screenshot  OBJECT File Upload Please Me.

[X7123M3-256]

9 hours ago, etut2t6t said:

This in the screenshot  OBJECT File Upload Please Me.

This isn't a syntactically valid sentence and I can't figure out what you're trying to say. I don't know what object that is but it definitely isn't one of mine.

[JMBuilder]

Hyped that these are slowly but surely becoming "official" features of OpenRCT2. 😁

A couple of brainstorms, mainly because I love vomiting ideas everywhere even though I know they're tons of work and obscure in many cases... 😐

• Standard trains for Mine Ride - Mack also produces a more basic steel-coaster-type train for their powered roller coasters, seen on Arctic Blast at Hong Kong's Ocean Park.
• Diesel Roller Coaster - An extremely rare and simplistic coaster powered by a diesel engine fitted in the first car and controlled by a staff member in the front seat of the second car. The only remaining example that I'm aware of is Dragon at Jannat Al-Ahlam in Algeria. I imagine it would function like a Mine Ride, although the track structure is quite different.

[X7123M3-256]

On 20/03/2021 at 21:28, JMBuilder said:

Hyped that these are slowly but surely becoming "official" features of OpenRCT2. 😁

A couple of brainstorms, mainly because I love vomiting ideas everywhere even though I know they're tons of work and obscure in many cases... 😐

• Standard trains for Mine Ride - Mack also produces a more basic steel-coaster-type train for their powered roller coasters, seen on Arctic Blast at Hong Kong's Ocean Park.
• Diesel Roller Coaster - An extremely rare and simplistic coaster powered by a diesel engine fitted in the first car and controlled by a staff member in the front seat of the second car. The only remaining example that I'm aware of is Dragon at Jannat Al-Ahlam in Algeria. I imagine it would function like a Mine Ride, although the track structure is quite different.

I will probably merge more new ride types in future, not sure in what order or exactly when as I've mostly lost interest in this for now. Currently, I have yet to produce any vehicle sprites of sufficient quality to merge, which is a problem.

A diesel powered coaster would be an interesting opportunity to use the engine sound effect, but other than that it's far to obscure to be a priority for me (Not that this is necessarily a problem if the ride type is sufficiently interesting - the vanilla game includes such oddities as the Hooper reverser and Skytrak, and I have considered making an Arrow pipeline).

[JMBuilder]

Yeah, I'm kind of a sucker for the more obscure stuff, especially older examples like the first-ever looping coasters.

There are even a few obscure thrill rides I know of at the Texas Renaissance Festival (near my home city). All of them are manually operated by staff members. There's a kids' jousting ride where opposing platforms have horse-shaped carts on single-rail tracks roll down a small slope, letting the kids whack at each other with foam lances before they hit a second slope and roll back to where staff members pull the carts back up the first slope.

There's a spinning ride that gets manually wound up by cables attached to a tall pole. There are two different swing rides; one is a series of swings that are like smaller versions of the swinging ships in RCT, and the other is composed of long swinging benches. Heck, they even have an elephant riding area.

Transportation around the park? You have your choice of horse-drawn carriages or rickshaws pulled along by beefy staff members.

So much potential that I just geek out over all the time. 🤪

Edited March 25, 2021 by JMBuilder

[Klonopino]

On 05/08/2020 at 12:29, X7123M3-256 said:

This track is absolutely beautiful and I am DYING to have these track pieces to make custom designs. Are you still working on this project? Are you able to upload the sprites for this? I am in love with the inversions. 

 

[X7123M3-256]

7 minutes ago, Klonopino said:

Are you still working on this project?

Not really, I still have all the source files, but I just can't get the sprites to look good enough (and I doubt I ever will) so I haven't done much more with it since I made that layout (except to add large half loops, but that was a side effect of implementing them for the single rail track). I might come back to it, it would be a nice track type to have but unfortunately also one of the hardest to get right.

I can upload the source code and sprites if you want them.

[Klonopino]

3 minutes ago, X7123M3-256 said:

Not really, I still have all the source files, but I just can't get the sprites to look good enough (and I doubt I ever will) so I haven't done much more with it since I made that layout (except to add large half loops, but that was a side effect of implementing them for the single rail track). I might come back to it, it would be a nice track type to have but unfortunately also one of the hardest to get right.

I can upload the source code and sprites if you want them.

Yes please. I would love to play around with it!

[ZacharyLunsford]

I really wish that there's a Schiff Wild Mouse custom track looked like this:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WeveGylFlx4/VAz7VjsoDZI/AAAAAAAAg6c/-8WNr45Yef0/s1600/Wild%2BMouse%2B2.jpg

for Schiff Wild Mouse CTR by Realsteels.

Edited June 19, 2021 by ZacharyLunsford

[JMBuilder]

Even if the new track pieces end up a tad bit wonky, it's ultimately a 2D game where suspension of disbelief is important. I really don't think anybody would mind a few visual oddities. It's already beyond what I expected to be possible as far as modding the game goes.

Edited June 25, 2021 by JMBuilder

[CSEverett]

Seconding the call for uploading the new Intamin track. I can't find anything wrong or poor looking with the track in the pictures you uploaded. Even if they're not perfect, the important thing is that they still look a heck of a lot better than what we currently have, which is merging with a completely different type of track that with a result that looks pretty darned bad. Your track is a huge improvement over what's currently possible the way it is right now, and I think just about everybody would love to get to play around with it as-is.

Edited September 8, 2021 by CSEverett

[NightHawk]

Thirding the call.