eyeamthu1 Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Hiya everyone - I'm doing an Engineering degree in the UK at the moment, and my design project for this year just so happens to be 'Design a Roller Coaster'. (Pretty lucky considering I'm a coaster enthusiast too!) The project guidelines are pretty general - we've essentially been given a blank canvas - a flat, fairly large green field on which to build the coaster. There are no limitations to do with money, height etc etc. Our task is to build the best possible world class coaster on that site. My job is to work out what makes a roller coaster world class and why - and which types are the best. Now, I have my own opinions on this, but I'd quite like the viewpoints of everyone else as some form of qualitative data for my report. I first looked at which roller coasters are ranked the highest in the world, according to the Mitch Hawker poll and the Golden Ticket poll. Considering both, I found the following: ==== WOODEN COASTERS ==== It seems the best wooden coaster manufacturers are: Gravity Group (best example: The Voyage) Intamin (best example: El Toro) GCII (best example: Thunderhead) * * What in your opinion makes these rides great, and why? Height? Speed? Forces? etc etc * * ==== STEEL COASTERS ==== It seems the best steel coaster manufacturers are: B&M Intamin * * Why do coasters from these companies tend to be the best? * * It seems the best 'models/types' of steel coaster are: Mega/Hyper/Giga (ie. 200+ft tall) Inverted coasters Accelerator coasters Dive Machines Multi-element coasters (e.g. Maverick, Farenheit) * * Again, why are these TYPES of coasters so good? * * In particular, the most popular combinations of manufacturer and model are: Intamin Mega B&M Mega B&M Inverted Combining all of this info together, I have picked out four rides which many consider to be cream of the crop: - Superman Ride of Steel (SFNE) - Intamin Mega - ranked 1st in both polls - Nitro (SFGAdv) - B&M Mega - ranked an average of 6th in both polls - Nemesis (Alton Towers) - B&M Inverted - ranked an average of 9th in both polls) - Maverick (Cedar Point) - Intamin Multi-Element - ranked an average of 11th in both polls * * What makes these rides in particular so good? * * ==== FURTHER QUESTIONS ==== * * Steel vs. Wood - which type is best, and why? Why build one over the other? * * * * What other factors - other than the ride make, type and layout - make a coaster world-class? - Theming? Location? etc etc. * * Basically, I'm just after opinions on what makes a roller coaster good and why! I've essentially got a blank canvas (RCT style!) and would like opinions on what is the best possible coaster I could build on that space. Wood or steel? Which manufacturer? Which type of coaster? And very importantly - WHY are these the best selections? How can I make this coaster world-class? Please answer as many or as few of the questions as possible! Thanks sooo much! -Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaceace12 Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 For me, on wooden coasters. 1. Airtime 2. Re ridability 3. smoothness, not super smooth though. My top two coasters are wooden. Voyage (great airtime, moderate rerideable, somewhat smooth) Evel Knivel (floater air throughout, ejector air in front, very re ridable, super smooth. Raven (good airtime, easily re rideable, almost smooth throughout). As for steel, I haven't ridden very many steels that made quite an impression as those three woodies has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pufferfish Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 On woodies, I look for high, constant speed and a lot of airtime. For an example my favorite wood is Thunderhead. Steel coasters are a little more complicated. For me it has to have constant fluctuations in g forces, fun elements, and smoothness. Also, there are more coasters out there that are very good that did not come from B&M and Intamin. The reason B&M and Intamin are so highly rated is because there is more of them. Those two companies almost dominate the market. More people have ridden coasters from them than any other company. I know some coasters that B&M have made that are complete flops when it comes to my expectations of a good steel. An example of what I'm saying, my number 2 coaster is Mystery Mine. A Gertslauer Eurofighter. I'm just saying, it doesn't have to be Intamin or B&M to be a good coaster. Your project is to build a "world class" coaster. World class means that it is something unique that someone can compare to another park and say I'd rather go ride that one than the other one. Like in my home park, we have 2 "world class" coasters. Nighthawk and Afterburn. Nighthawk sucks, but it still draws in a crowd. That's just to show a difference between "a good ride" and a "world class ride." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 First of all, height and speed mean nothing to me. They do not make a ride in my opinion, and when they are only used as a gimmick (Millennium Force, Raging Bull, Alpengeist, Dragster, Son of Beast etc) they bring the ride down as far as I'm concerned. What I look for in a ride is how dynamic it is, layout progression, pacing (NOT overall speed), the out of control factor, and obviously forces. My favorite wood coaster company was actually the defunct CCI, which many will say is now Gravity Group, but there is clearly a difference in the ride styles. CCI used great pacing, dynamics in the layout, and progression, a very clear example being Raven. The ride is split up into two very different portions, split up by the infamous drop 5, finishing with the low to the ground high speed finale. While Raven isn't my favorite coaster, I think it's the easiest to use when describing their progression style. I loved CCI's use of underbanked turns which have amazing laterals, which translates (at least to me) to the out of control factor which is the biggest part of the ride for me. I can not speak for El Toro or Thunderhead as I have not been on them, however what makes Voyage great in my opinion is the completeness of it. It really does everything that I like in a ride, although it does have a few quirks I do not care for (that most people wouldn't think twice about, so I won't bother explaining). Steel coasters do not do nearly as much for me - I do like some of them, but it really takes a hell of a ride to impress me when it's steel. I think people just like B&M because they are smooth. IMO that's not a completely legitimate reason, and if someone could explain it further I would love to hear it, but to me just being smooth does not make a ride. I do like B&Ms older layouts, like Mantis, Chang, Raptor, but the newer ones like Alpengeist and SFNE's Batman I do not care for. They are smooth and nothing more, no forces, progression, etc. Intamin I do like. They really do have some amazing rides (Superman SFNE, Maverick, Volcano) which have pretty much everything I look for in a ride with the exception of the out of control thing. I do like wood overall more than steel, just because of the out of control factor and the grittiness of it. I think the closest I've come to finding a steel coaster that matches a wood coaster in aggressiveness is Phantom's Revenge, it's only downfall being it's length. Roughness doesn't bother me if the ride is good - example being SFNE's Cyclone. The ride is very bumpy but it fits with the style of ride Cyclone is - very aggressive and out of control. I think some other factors that make a ride great are the setting and atmosphere, terrain interaction, and crowd interaction. My favorite coaster is Boulder Dash which is a good example of all of those things. Things like the station flyby and running along a pathway really get the crowds hyped up, and I think the terrain/setting is self explanatory. All in all a world class coaster to me would be a wood coaster that maintains high speeds throughout it's layout, progresses during the ride, has many hidden and underbanked turns, many moments of airtime (-1g on Intamins is fun and all, but I really like a mix of floater and ejector) is aggressive on the rider, and leaves you wondering what just happened when you hit the brakes. I also kind of like inconsistency - I know most people on this forum hate that, but I think it makes a ride better. It's a different ride ever time and you don't know what you're going to get. Again, my favorite coaster is Boulder Dash, and that is because in my opinion, it excels at doing all the things I like in a ride in my opinion. -Freddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom25 Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Boy, you'll be able to write a paper just from all the responses I suspect you'll get. I think the components of maintaining speed, good laterals, smooth yet forcefull, pacing, and uniqueness makes a world class ride. Maverick is low to the ground and still gives a great "world class" ride experience. Part of it is the unique lift hill and beyond verticle drop. Farenheit has it's verticle lift and beyond verticle drop, making it a world class ride along with all of the other components of pacing, speed, and elements. If you've never been on RoS at SFNE, it is the combination of all of the above that makes it the #1 coaster in the world on many polls. Two tunnels, two helixes, flat section, amazing EJECTOR airtime, relentless pacing, and significant length combine to make it one hell of a ride. Your ride doesn't have to be big, but if it's unique and has striking elements like the pretzel loop on B&M flying coasters, it will set your work apart. Hope you share it when it's complete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLIPDUDE Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Personally what I love about rides is first and foremost - ejector airtime. The kind that really kicks you outta your seat and maeks you grab onto the lap bars for dear life(Which has litteraly happened to me on Cornball Express, mind you...) The Voyage and the Phantom's Revenge are my favourite coasters for that reason. Also, a coaster must have comfy lap bars. Over the shoulder restraints can totally kill a buzz. Now, this is not a must have, but a definite plus would be if it had both a lift hill and a launch, like on Maverick. Because there is nothing quite like the full minute you go up slowly(or quickly, for that matter) not knowing what awaits you, and seeing the ground drop below you(which is also why the lift has to be at the start of the ride, otherwise it's more of a rest stop). But there's nothing like the sensation of a good launch that pins you into your seat either. However, because theres no element of "time to worry" in it, it can come later in the ride. Another thing is that it would be better if the track could nto fit a certain mold. And by that I mean that, while some of the most successful rides in the world are ones that can be devided into segments(drop, airtime hill, loop, dive loop), a coaster enthusiast loses alot of excitment abotu the ride once they figure out the basic layout. A layout that is completely unexpected, and that is just one continuous insanity that is hard to get an idea of the layout which it follows will keep the element of surprise for much logner. Also, outside-banked turns totally rock. P.S. I do think height matters, but not as a gimmick, simply as a means of scaring someone's pants off during the lift hill when they realize how far up they are. Like on Nitro's lift hill when you have signs ont he side telling you that you jsut passe dthe height of the tower of Piza etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcoaster Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Two words define a great coaster for both Wooden and Steel Type, Speed and Airtime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom25 Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 ^^ Excellent points while I definitely forgot about restraints - OTSR suck - period. Ejector air rules (no doubt) - ET and RoS. And regarding lift hill height, there is no doubt the higher you go, the scarier the situation becomes - MF - TTD - etc... I've been on MF at least 75 times, and I still get a tingle in my spine when the lift kicks into high speed, and you approach the 300 foot point - my god - exhilarating. I will take exception with any ride that has multiple lifts or launches - they suck. The ride gets a great pace going (Maverick), and then you stop (? - WTF) and launch - WHY? It feels like I'm on two small rides instead of one large one. I just don't get it, and for me, it doesn't add to the experience. With that said, Volcano rocks, because you don't stop, you just accelerate to an even higher speed - SWEET. I wish Maverick's launch was more like Volcano's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLIPDUDE Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Yeah, a complete stop or significant slowdown is somehting you're going to want to avoid. T-Express looks like it has everythign to make it the best coaster in the world, but the mid course brake run gives people a second to catch their breath, which is a big coaster no-no. It's hard to safely combine a nonstop, long ride(rides that are too short suck) and a proper amount of mid-course emrgency blocks. Unless of course you build a coaster like Millennium force that can handle without it. And two more bulletpoints: 1) First drop has to be steep and continuous, a la MF, El Toro, or goliath. 2) Double/triple downs. On many rides these provide such an insane, fun amount of ejector airtime. In The voyage the triple down is in the dark tunnel so you never expect it, since people assume that the trian goe sup after it goes down. Oh, another thing I liked about Maverick is that the launch makes it go so fast that people who know how tiny the track really is know that the train is goign waaaay too fast to be safe. But it brakes right before it does anything praticularly dangerous. If the ride gives some sort of experience (a la expedition everest or whatnot) that's a huge plus too but not a must-have. Something that I could easily give up on is Inversions. Sure inversions are cool but I don't know if any looping coasters made it to my top 10 list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom25 Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 ^ Excellent point with mid-course brakes - even on Nitro - WHY? People bash Intamin way too much. I know why they exist (capacity) and thank god some rides don't have em. Another reason RoS just kicks ass. With that said, I do not understand your Maverick observation at all. Was it a joke? Maverick brakes before the launch and comes to a complete stop (arg). There is a brake at the top of the hill after, but fortunately that is barely felt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLIPDUDE Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 ^No that's nto a joke, and I wasn't reffering to the part where the alunch starts. I meant htat hte launch gets you going really really fast, so when you leave the tunnel you know you're going too fast for the smallcompact track ahead. but thena t the top of the hill it brakes. Yeah, it doens't brake violently, but it brakes enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolhandluke Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 ^^Sometimes Maverick just slows down a bit on the brakes before the launch without stopping, then enters the launch for an additional burst. I suppose it could still kill the cohesiveness of the 2 halves of the ride, but it certainly isn't near as halting as the complete stop. As for the topic question, my favorite aspect of the ride is airtime, followed closely by sense of speed, both of which can be found on either wood or steel coasters. I have yet to ride any noteworthy wood (Beast and Blue Streak are my tops...ouch...), so I can't use any testimonials there (though Beast does fulfill my sensation of speed fix). As for steel, I think a lot of the previously mentioned rides are well-critiqued. Also, I thoroughly enjoy indoor coasters, especially launched indoors (a la FoF or RnR), once again, for their sensation of speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedten Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Yeah, a complete stop or significant slowdown is somehting you're going to want to avoid. The Flight of Fear models and the voyage are the only coasters I have found that I can completely love even with the MCB on so hard to the point it almost stops the train. Voyage has a pretty hard MCB but it gets more insane after the MCB! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XII Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 For me, I'd have to say what makes a roller coaster great are sudden changes. Whether it is a sudden pop of airtime or a sudden turn, when you suddenly adjust to a new speed or g force, it just seems great. That's what makes ejector air, wild mouse turns, and intense launches great. And on a ride like Maverick, the constant rapid adjustments are what makes it great despite it only being 100 ft tall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chauncey Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 well, i might be a bit weird, but, first: “airtime” is over-rated — as is “smoothness!” actually, i kind of like rough rides… the main thing that i look for in a coaster isn't so much any one element, or rides type, or whatever, it's intensity! i don't want to get off a coaster smiling and jumping for joy (although, that can be nice, i guess…), i want to get off bleeding, and crying, and scarred for life! in terms of “ride types”: i tend to prefer the classic look, and the rough, wild, and “out of control” ride, of wooden coasters, but steel coasters can do so much that wooden coasters simply can't do — or maybe just that wooden manufacturers simply aren't willing to do? (i'm not enough of an engineer to know!) — and, i quite like some of those things… i honestly think that all of these crazy ride types (inverted, floorless, etc) are silly gimmicks that serve no real purpose, and whatever originality they have wears off quickly (although, the rides can still be great for other reasons…) — besides, the “classic” seating position actually seems to provide a more thrilling and intense ride, somehow… in terms of “ride elements”: i want all types of forces — positive Gs, lateral Gs, negative Gs, etc — and i want them all as intensely as i can have them! i also want every kind of element — hills, turns, inversions, etc (and every kind of hill, turn, inversion, etc!) — and, again, i want them to be as intense as possible! i hate when a ride only focuses on one thing, and forgets everything else — i've never ridden a B&M “multi—looper”, for instance, that i thought wouldn't have been improved with a few less loops, and a few more hills, turns, etc… however, what creates the greatest sense of intensity, to me, are rapid changes in direction, equally rapid changes in forces, and pacing that makes it feels like the ride's constantly becoming faster and more “out of control” right up until the very end — and if it beats you up a bit, it only adds to the effect, as far as i'm concerned! also, for whatever it's worth, i've never ridden a “launch” which i honestly preferred to even a mediocre first drop… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b&mforever Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 ^ Excellent point with mid-course brakes - even on Nitro - WHY? People bash Intamin way too much. I know why they exist (capacity) and thank god some rides don't have em. Another reason RoS just kicks a$$. With that said, I do not understand your Maverick observation at all. Was it a joke? Maverick brakes before the launch and comes to a complete stop (arg). There is a brake at the top of the hill after, but fortunately that is barely felt. Nitro needs that pause in it for the some people cause its helix prior to it is notorious for causing people to black out. Compared to other B&m hypers it trims very little off as well. Also, in the back row the drop following is one of the best parts of the ride. the same goes for Apollos Chariot's MCBR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFjunkie2010 Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I think that what makes a top-notch ride is completeness. I think rides that have one trick and then end are kinda lame, and rides need to have the complete experience. Airtime is my favorite experience on a ride, but that cannot be a ride's sole trick. Speed, unique elements, comfort, capacity, and location also add to a complete ride. Rides like (Superman Ride of Steel SFNE, Boulder Dash, Dueling Dragons, etc.) are complete and have something unique to offer, making them top-notch ride experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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