AmyUD06

To those who are saying SFGA is a better park overall than CP, you are out of your minds. Here's a post I made on another forum on a similar topic. Note that the count for SFGA is now even less with the removal of Chiller. ~~~~ Here's my two cents... CP will always take the prize over SFGA for me. Maybe it's the proximity to SFGA so I'm not as impressed since it's always around, or maybe it's the fact that CP just has more stuff to do, and in many cases, better rides. I'll do a breakdown comparing similar coasters... CP ride - SFGA ride -Blue Streak - (nothing comparable): SFGA doesn't have a simple, classic-style woodie. (CP) -Cedar Creek Mine Ride - Runaway Mine Train: Honestly I can't remember CCMR that well, so I'll have to give the vote to RAMT (SFGA) -Corkscrew - (nothing comparable): the closest competitor here would be GASM, but they're too different of a ride. Though many people don't like it, I personally enjoy the simplicity of this classic. (CP) -Disaster Transport - Skull Mountain: SM was the closest thing I could figure, since they're both indoor coasters. I love bobsleds, so DT has to take the prize for me here, though SM isn't a bad ride when you don't have to wait and get the back row. (CP) -Gemini - Rolling Thunder: No conest, Rolling Thunder takes the win. (SFGA) -Iron Dragon - (nothing comparable): Once again, another coaster type that isn't present at SFGA. Some people don't like suspended swining Arrows, but I love them. (CP) -Magnum XL200 - Nitro: I find Magnum to be closer to Nitro than Millenium Force, as they're both out-and-back designs. Nitro takes the win here, but only by a small portion...I greatly prefer Magnum's cars to the "clamp you in" style of Nitro. (SFGA) -Mantis - (nothing comparable): Seeing a pattern? A lot of people don't like standups...either due to horror stories or not sitting in the ride right causing pain, but I love them. (CP) -Maverick - (nothing comparable): I've yet to get on it, but there's nothing comparable at SFGA. (CP) -Mean Streak - El Toro: I still have a hard time with this comparison, since I can't really see El Toro as a woodie because it just doesn't feel like one...but El Toro takes the win here. (SFGA) -Millenium Force - (nothing comparable): I've also yet to be on this ride, but again there's nothing comparable if you count Nitro as closer to Magnum. (CP) -Raptor - Batman the Ride: This one is close for me...but I'll have to give it to Batman. (SFGA) -Top Thrill Dragster - Kingda Ka: No OSTRs, more reliable, better theme > a few more MPH and a few more feet. TTD for the win (CP). -Wicked Twiser - (nothing comparable): Have yet to be on this, but again, SFGA does not have an impulse. (CP) -(nothing comparable) - Chiller: As much as I love Chiller, it's hard to give it a default point since it runs so rarely...but yeah, point here. (SFGA) -(nothing comparable) - Medusa: A good ride...not the best floorless I've been on, but CP doesn't have any, so (SFGA) -(nothing comparable) - Superman Ultimate Flight: I can't even give this ride a point; it's a one element ride that isn't even all that spectactular. I'll take the ancient, simple, and jarring CP Corkscrew over this any day. (no point) -(nothing comparable) - GASM: CP doesn't have a classic sit-down multilooper...(SFGA) So...do the math and we've got 9 points for CP, and 8 for SFGA. I omitted kiddie coasters since I don't ride them, and thus are no factor to my personal opinion of the parks, and CP's Wildcat since I can ride a Schwarzkopf "carnie coaster" at a half dozen different places around me. Okay, the points are close...now let's compare total coaster count (again, not counting kiddies or the Schawarzkopf): CP: 14 SFGA: 11 Even if SFGA may win some of the comparable coaster comparisons, fact is that CP has more period, and many of the comparisons are close calls (while I find Batman better than Raptor, it's not leaps and bounds above it...both are great rides). More is better. And if you want to factor admission price, it's clear to see that CP is easily the better value (a 2-day ticket is only slightly more than 1-day at SFGA). I haven't even brought flats in to the picture. [Of which SFGA has an ever-dwindling number.] Now don't get me wrong, I do enjoy SFGA and have a season pass. But in terms of bang-for-a-buck and sheer amount of things to do, CP wins.

Thank you all for the positive commentary! I have to say the supports were painstaking. Getting the "joints" on the diagonal supports on the spikes to look right was a terrible practice of "change and view." I am very much looking forward to NL2 being a "WYSIWG" editor. On the topic of pure-circle loops: I originally thought the same thing about Schwarkopfs, but having viewed several images of the shuttle loops and other "Looping Star" era coasters, it seemed that they are infact oblique (though more circiular than say, an Arrow or B&M design) and captured that as well as I could. On the topic of the "weak launch:" Having never ridden a shuttle loop nor being able to find statistics on the launch force and having viewed videos of shuttle loops in action, I figured that something of that vintage (and launch mechanism) would've probably had only about 1g accelleration. I could be completely wrong about this though. As for the length of the launch track, I used the calculator at NLDC.

Bump for the update!

Correct...the black pole is my best attempt at the weight-drop tower. You can also (barely) see the grey beams running below and through the center of the launch track to do the best job of simulating the cable housing.

There's a bit of a twist from the normal Shuttle Loop variant...a second loop! -56mph weight-drop launch in 2.55 seconds -125ft front spike / 80ft front loop -100ft rear spike / 70ft rear loop The Gs can get a little high, especially in the back row, but it is a Schwarzkopf after all. Enjoy! Inferno (Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop).nltrack

Even though mine is only one page back, here's a repost of Gigawatt. Logo Overview Gigawatt_Mike240SX_StandupContest.nlpack Packaged Version w/ Custom Car Logo Gigawatt (B&M Standing).nltrack Unpackaged Version

Here's my entry. "Gigawatt" Key Features: -57.5mph LIM enclosed launch -100ft vertical loop (tallest point on the coaster) -75ft overbank turn -90ft cobra roll -75ft immelmann -45ft Zero-G Roll -airtime hill -2841 feet overall length -5 total inversions 100% hand-designed track and supports. Also, this is my first time using the terraformer, so apologies if the water looks ragged. Enjoy. Gigawatt_Mike240SX_StandupContest.nltrack Unpackaged Version Gigawatt_Mike240SX_StandupContest.nlpack Packaged Version. No extra scenery, just the replaced car texture for the logo.

Rent a car. It'll be much cheaper than a taxi and you're on your own schedule.

Too late for me to get in?

A glimse at my new Intamina record-breaker...breaking every single record that I can think of: -Maximum height (485ft) -Degree of lift hill (TBA) -Degree of drop (TBA) -Non-launched top-speed (116mph) -Number of Inversions (16) -Tallest vertical loop (423ft) Totally unrealistic, but it is fun. Named, colored, and supported version to come. Intamin_480footer.nltrack

That said, making a coaster pass an e-stop test is pretty simple. Always make the MCBR either have a transport device or be on a downward slope, and then never build past whatever height the MCBR is (unless you've got a mid-course launch or 2nd lift hill). All coasters I build I set to Shuttle mode initially, this way you can still run them in the simulator even if you haven't made a complete circut yet. It's much easier to figure out if your element is pulling red Gs and fix it then rather than have to go back and make the changes to a completed layout.

Inspired by the early 1900s attempts at looping coasters. Auto supports except for the loop. Enjoy. Ol' Loopy.nltrack

A B&M LIM Launched sit-down. 100mph with some larger-than-life sized elements. Suggestions welcome on a color scheme and/or name. Final version with supports to come. B&M_LIM_01.nltrack Side View.

I vote for Arrow. Not kidding.

Man, that "looping water slide" brought me back. Action Park in northern NJ actually had something similar, though it was rarely open. The last time it operated was 1995 or 96, and it was torn down when Action Park's owners went out of business and the park was turned in to Mountain Creek. A google search for Looping Water Slide will turn up some good stories. I know that looks photoshopped, but believe me it is not. I never got to ride it (being 12 and under the weight limit when it last ran in 96/96), but I would always stare and wonder what it was like.

You may remember my "preview" thread a few weeks back...well, here is the final product. "DecaDemon" 158 feet tall 62 MPH top speed 4960 feet of track 10 inversions -Two giant vertical loops -Cobra Roll with a Zero-G Roll in the middle -Cutback -Two vertical loops -Double Corkscrew Comments of any sort appreciated. Overview DecaDemon.nltrack Final Design

Am I the only one getting glitchy sound in the new 1.7 Simulator?

You also need to not have the train go through the station building when it's coming around before the launch. Cool in theory, but in the simulator engine (at least for me) it goes right through a brick wall. Otherwise, not bad. I can't imagine how great my tidbits would feel after some of those Gs in the riding position.

I'd agree, if it was a barrel roll. I didn't use AHG on it, but I did spend a few hours manually smoothing and testing and smoothing and testing. It goes through that element quite smoothly. It's also not a B&M.

Just a teaser...any other views would give away my (AFAIK) never-before-done element. It's pretty much done, I've just got to finish the supports.

I can see from the turn before the lift hill that you know how to bank...it just boggles my mind why almost every other turn was flat.

Arrow Dynamics was put on the map by their compact Corkscrew coasters that were cloned countless times in various parks throughout the world. Their true glory came in in their massive multi-looper coasters like Anaconda and Great American Scream Machine which held world records for their time, What would you get if you combined the compact benefits of the old with the intenstity of the new? This: Only 100 feet tall at the peak of the lift with a footprint of 573x142 feet, this yet-to-be-named monster reaches nearly 50 miles per hour and traverses over a half-mile of track including 6 inversions: two vertical loops, a batwing, a corkscrew, and the rarely-seen "cutback." (This is the second coaster that I've finished in NL; the first was a simple out-and-back woodie. I know that it's rough at points and will hit yellow Gs in certain seats, but hey, it's an Arrow...it's supposed to be rough. Anyway, I'm pleased with it but in retrospect I think I may have gone overboard with the supports at times. I've also included a prototype without the cutback element or any supports. Any and all criticism is more than welcome.) EDIT: Turns out it didn't even hit 50mph; Modified some supports; New version uploaded. Arrow02.nltrack Prototype layout without the cutback or supports. Arrow02a.nltrack FINAL finished version. (Never tested in NL 1.5, so it may not make a full lap without the Improved Friction on.) Overview