Qixote

I always regarded the current StR as just a big kiddie ride, quite the snoozefest that ironically lacks any rapids to shoot. So I was surprised to learn that this ride was capable of injuring anyone.

Can't say I have been on many of them. But I will always have fond memories of CP's trains which have always been real coal burning steam locomotives. Although the experience was somewhat better in its older days when the park had much more woodland, now mostly gone to make way for all the big modern rides. And the whistle heard throughout the park has become the park's signature sound.

Well maybe I should have rephrased that. Putting the same new rides into two popular parks within the same state gives people in that state less reason to visit both parks to see the new ride. In Ohio, years ago when CP and KI were owned seperately, they would each get new big rides every year, or every other year. People here would visit both parks to primarily ride the new rides (along with the old ones the've already rode many times). No reason to visit both parks when the new rides are the same; unless you just want to go to ride all their old rides at both again. But new rides are typically what keeps the crowds coming to parks. Anyway, I was not trying to be an alarmist. Was just saying I do not want CF to make that a trend.

Being in central Ohio, it was very obvious when the too biggest theme parks in the state got the same ride in the same year. Imagine if Cedar Fair continues doing stuff like that. What point would there be to visit both CP and KI when they would be essentially the same park. Yes I know the Space Spiral type towers were common decades ago. Although CP's was a bit taller than most others. But in terms of discussing an observation tower replacement, I would wish for something more unique.

But Windseeker is too generic. Cedar Fair in all their wisdom thought it was a good idea to buy them in bulk and install them in all their parks. CP deserves features that are more unique.

At first I was sad to see that Space Spiral is being removed. It has been part of the CP skyline for longer than I have been alive (trust me, that's a long time). But I came to realize that for awhile now it has been dwarfed by coasters and other rides taller than it for many years now. Although I wish CP would eventually replace it with a new observation tower that once again dominates its skyline. The peninsula craves for that. It would need to be at least 500 ft tall or else it would not be worth doing. Eh, it will never happen anyway. Good move getting rid of DT. Never did like that kiddie ride in disguise. It has been a waste of prime real estate ever since it began as Avalanche Run. Now if they only get rid of the biggest waste of space. . . Mean Streak. Or give it the Texas Giant treatment.

Great pics, as always. I don't understand the point in the new Shoot the Rapids. Where are the rapids? I recall the original STR before it was replaced by the also retired White Water Landing (yes, I'm that old) and it actually had rapids to shoot in the flumes. This new STR looks basically the same concept of Snake River Falls only slightly longer with 2 lifts instead of 1.

My first NL coaster was also called Stalker, but it was steel. Although it got slaughtered by the few who downloaded it from CS. It was a NL noob experience for me. Ah, the memories.

Showing my age, I remember when CP had another sky ride to Frontiertown.

Charles Trippy and Alli bring their vloggity vlog to CP with another one of his interactive videos. (For those who don't know, Trippy is one of YouTubes more popular vloggers.) He's captured some great PoVs. Good stuff here.

But when you are forced to say at least a couple sentences about BT, A, and O with 20% (or whatever the exact policy was) of coasters you download, after awhile it got impossible to say anything original and meaningful. For BT, people just automatically thought "hmmm, now how can I sound technical. I know! Your coaster was pumpy. I'm such a helpful coaster genious!" Or with O "I've seen many wooden coasters here before, so it's not too original." WTF? Yet people were allowed to post that kind of crap all the time and get by with it. If you question it, the mods let it slide.

At least NLDC had the courtesy of notifying people, unlike most other websites that go bust.

coastercrazy is working fine for me.

Lots of balsa wood, some wood glue, and an infinite amount of patience. I once used tiny white cylinder plastic beads as footers, glued the balsa "timbers" to them, and they worked out perfectly. Never did finish the coaster, I got the lift hill complete and part of the second hill. I just didn't have the meticulous patience.

It's really crappy how they don't even say it's closed on their official website. Is it really that hard for them to update it with a quick message saying "sorry folks, SOB is closed." Instead, people travel to the park and spend full price admission thinking they will get to ride it. I hope a bunch of people go all Griswald on the park.

So basically, if you make a smooth wooden coaster, you are criticized for it being too smooth. If you make it intentionally rough, you get criticized that is not smooth and is pumpy. Feels like I'm at CS all over again. I thought this was an excellent woodie. It was not "too smooth", it had some of the same roughness that the best large terrain woodies have. The supports were fine also (not perfect everywhere, but they don't suck). Exceptional use with the terrain. Great job!

Well, that wasn't who I had in mind. But evidently more than one members were like that.

For the record, I didn't say every CS member was a snob. But I can describe the type of members to which I am referring. From the description, you can probably guess exactly who I am describing, but I will not mention names. One of my favorite coaster makers was also one of the most harshest in his reviews and on the boards (and I'm talking about other peoples coasters, not mine. I've only uploaded a couple and he never reviewed mine). His coasters were always superior technically, and with the extra added 3DS. Yet, if another person uploaded a coaster with good 3DS and even a good technical layout, he would always rant about how people use too much 3DS. So although he was a superior coaster designer, and well liked by the "inner circle" I'm sure, he was also blatantly hypocritical, especially to those not in the inner circle. Then you have the types that tell others they don't know how to rate correctly. Now that's a kick in the pants. Not only does someone not know how to build a technical masterpiece as mr coaster god, but they don't know how to rate. Apparently, you have meet certain qualifications to give your opinion on what you liked, or didn't. I believe most members just wanted to be able to enjoy other peoples coasters, offer their opinion, and were quite capable of taking constructive criticism. But if any were like me, they got tired of much of the attitude that came with the criticisms. Countless time I have read reviews of other people coasters, and see mr. coaster god say to them "shame on you for that one vertex that was not placed properly, no excuse. I'm deducting 5 from BT just for that and I'm being generous." Um, yeah. . . that was real helpful. Welcome to our friendly community.

I understand where you are coming from. CS was notorious for being home to many snobs who expected you to be a professional mathematician or physicist before they would ever consider riding your coaster or say anything good about it. I often refer to them as the pump queens. Some of which have coasters that are admittedly among my favorites. Over time I just learned to ignore their attitude and just enjoy the coasters only. But I think it was this snobbery that was part of the reason their attendance was rapidly decreasing over last few years, as evident by the decrease in uploaded coasters each week. There has been less prey for the vultures to feed on.

People will actually pay money to use that Haystack Dryer?

I'm already a member there too. But I don't think their entire library of NL coasters is as extensive as CS was. I noticed that a bunch of my favorites from CS aren't uploaded here or coastercrazy.

This could be a bad thing for NL sales, and potential future NL2 sales. Although user made coasters can be downloaded from various sites, including TPR of course, I think CS had a much larger library of coasters to download than anywhere else (unless I am missing something, then let me know). Making coasters is just one reason to buy NL. But riding other people's creations and sharing your own are other huge reasons. What are the chances of NL2 having an integrated coaster sharing feature? That would be so cool.

Give 3DR a Darwin award. They've earned it.

Yes, woot! about getting the terrain tunneling working right. It was a pain and time consuming to have to become a 3ds expert to do it on our own.

Sigh. I remember when the frontier trail really looked like a trail to the frontier (at risk of showing my real age). Now it's not much more than a walkway with a few remaining trees, surrounded by roller coasters everywhere you look. Ah well, the price of progress at an amusement park.