No Limits Dictionary/Guide

[paintballer]

Please help fellow members out by contributing definitions to the NL dictionary/guide

 

Post a defintion below and I will add it to the list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A:

 

Airtime- Anytime on a ride where you experience negative G forces. If you feel like your stomach is moving up your body, you are experiencing airtime.

 

AHG: Shorthand for Auto-heartline generator, an NoLimits tool which applies a heartline to a track, giving it the correct shaping and banking to eliminate lateral G forces.

 

B:

 

Batwing- An inversion that is comprised of a half corkscrew into a half vertical loop, then another half vertical loop into another corkscrew facing the same direction as the first.

 

Block Brakes: Section of the ride where the car comes to a complete stop so other cars may complete a section without causing an accident in an emergency. You can make a block brake by double clicking on a brake section and toggling the "Block Break" button.

 

Brakes: Brakes slow and or stop your ride. You can toggle the selectiong by pressing CTRL+5. In the editor, the track color is pink. To edit your brakes, double click on the track, you can control the Speed Limit, Hysteresis, and Decelaration. You can also toggle the Catwalks on the sides and the placement of the car on the brakes when stopped. Brakes can also have transport abilities.

 

Bunny Hop- The smaller version of a camelback; the train navigates a small hill, producing airtime.

 

C:

 

Camelback- An element commonly used on roller coasters where the roller coaster has a large, non-inverting hill. The element is used to produce airtime.

 

Chain Lift- The most common method for eventually creating kinetic energy for a roller coaster. A mechanism on the bottom of the train connects to the chain, and is pulled up the lift hill. At the top, the train is released and gravity takes over. Chain lifts are generally slow; faster climbs are accomplished through a cable lift.

 

Circle Builders: A 3DS object in the shape of a circle (duh), used as an outline for handbuilders (See Handbuilt) to eliminate most pumping, and to get a constant radius. These are often useful.

 

Corkscrew- An inversion in which the trains rolls upside-down while moving forward, but rolling horizontally.

 

Cobra Roll- An inversion that consists of a half loop, followed by a two half corkscrews, and then another half loop going the same direction as the first.

Control Handles: These are used to shape the track. They only appear when the node they are attached to is highlighted. Changing the positions of these change the shape of the track. They can be moved by clicking and dragging them, or bringing up the Vertex Panel and changing the coordinates of them and, and changing the values in the CP1 and/or CP2 boxes and pressing 'Apply CP1' and 'Apply CP2'

 

 

Custom supports- Supports which are customly made by the user (hence the name) These take time but look much more professional.

 

D:

 

Diving Loop- An inversion in which the train climbs track like a skateboard, then rolls upside-down at the top, and falls back to the earth in a half loop motion.

 

E:

 

E-Stop: Emergency Stop, toggled by F12

 

E-Stop Test: When one uses E:Stop to test if the trains will make it back to the station. If they don't, the ride fails the E:Stop Test.

 

F:

 

Flanges- These are the small support segments or 3d's that many No Limits users use on their rides. In real life they are the parts of the supports that are used to bolt two support tubes together.

 

G:

 

G-Force- The force of gravity enacted upon the riders. When resting, you are experiencing 1G which is your regular body weight. When on a roller coaster, you may feel four times your actual body weight or 4Gs.

 

H:

 

Handbuilt: Real obvious: coasters completely laid out and shaped by hand. An alternative to handbuilt coasters are tool-aided designs using complex formulas to generate the coaster's elements. With that said, there are 2-worlds in designers: Handbuilders, and Tool-Aided Users. The drawback to hand-built coasters are the fact that they tend to be quite pumpy

 

 

Heartlining -means to rotate the track on a point based on the average position of the riders’ heart, instead of a point located between the rails or anywhere else. The idea behind that is to keep the body of a rider in one place instead of throwing them to the side which would occur if the ride was not heartlined. This keeps the lateral G forces caused by rotation down, which generally means less head-banging. Heartlining does not completely eliminate transitional forces, as you are still rotating around a point, it just lowers the roughness and lateral forces in the transition

Helix- A ride element where the ride has turns that last usually are greater 360 degrees.

 

 

Hysteresis (brakes): How much over the speed limit the train must go before brakes are activated on a given section.

 

Eg. If the speed limit is 10mph, and the hysteresis is 3mph, the train must be going 13mph or more to activate that brake section. Also, the train will then be slowed to 3mph below the speed limit.

 

To have a more sensitive brake section, have the Speed Limit and Hysteresis values closer together.

 

I:

 

Immelman- An unique inversion that first appeared on Montu. An Immelman is an inverse dive loop. The train climbs in a half loop motion, but once at the top, the train rolls into a drop.

 

Interlocking Corkscrews- Two corkscrews that interlock. A first corkscrew is navigated by a train, then there is a tight turnaround into another corkscrew, the same direction as the first, passing through the first corkscrew.

 

Inversion-Any part of the ride that turns riders completely upside-down.

 

J:

 

K:

 

L:

 

L: Lift hill segment - Activated by pressing "Ctrl and 4", or selecting segment; lift.

 

This is used to carry the train to its tallest part (in most cases), giving the train enough energy to complete the course.

 

Lift hills should be made into at least three pieces. One leading into the straight section, one straight section (you do this by highlighting the segment and pressing "I") and finally a section leading out of the lift hill and into the drop/element.

 

M:

 

Mid Course Brake Run- A portion of a roller coaster in which the train encounters brake midway through the ride. The brake is in the process of system blocking. If a previous train should have not made it back to the station, the next train will be stopped on the mid course brake run to keep the trains from colliding. The brake can also be used to regulate the speed of the train. As known as a block brake.

 

 

N:

 

Negative G-Force- When a rider weighs less than one G and is weightless for a split second. Usually occurs when going down drops and over hills. Also refer to airtime.

 

Nodes: The blue spheres between track segments, or red spheres at the end of supports. These are the control points for both track and supports. The track nodes (blue) when clicked on allow you to pull, bend, angle, and shape the track. The support nodes (red) allow you to stretch, move, and angle the given supports.

 

O:

 

Origin: The exact center of the NL building area. This point's coordinates are 0,0,0, and it is marked by a gray four-pointed star. This is also where the start node is placed by default. (See: 'Start Node' for more information on it)

 

P:

 

Positive G-Force- When a rider feels heavier than their actual body weight. Usually felt at the bottom of hills

 

Prefab supports- The supports that No Limits gives as a default for supports. These can be found on the toolbar and are easier to use then custom supports, however they are generally frowned upon.

 

 

Q:

 

R:

 

S:

 

Start Node: The first node on a No Limits track. Denoted by a standard blue node with a purple cone surrounding it. This is by default placed on the origin, (See: 'Origin') but can be moved by clicking the node and dragging it, or changing the coordinates in the Vertex Panel. Typically, the track is built after the start node, by placing more track nodes with the "build after" button, (the dashed line followed by a red circle in the top menu) however, one can build "before" the start node by using the "build before" button. (Immediately to the right of the build after button. Has a picture of a red circle followed by a dashed line with an arrow on the end.) The node that is defined as the start node can also be changed by selecting the node, and going to Edit -> Set First, or using the Key Command Shift+F.

 

 

T:

 

 

 

Tunnel: A structure surrounding portions of the ride. You can add a tunnel by double clicking on a track piece and selecting tunnel. All other section you will double click on the track, select track settings and toggle the tunnel button.

 

Tunnel Test: When a user makes a tunnel around the whole ride to test if riders have clearence for there body parts. If any piece of track, supports, or tunnel are hitting the tunnel, the ride fails the test.

 

U:

 

V:

 

Vertical Loop- The most common inversion; a 360 degree loop standing at a 90 degree angle.

 

W:

 

X:

 

W:

 

Y:

 

Z:

 

Zero Gravity Roll- An inversion in which the train rolls a complete 360 degrees around a specific point; produces weightlessness

[Sasquatch]

Hysteresis (brakes): How much over the speed limit the train must go before brakes are activated on a given section.

 

Eg. If the speed limit is 10mph, and the hysteresis is 3mph, the train must be going 13mph or more to activate that brake section. Also, the train will then be slowed to 3mph below the speed limit.

 

To have a more sensitive brake section, have the Speed Limit and Hysteresis values closer together.

[paintballer]

^ Thanks

[mcjaco]

This is great. Once we get enough of this completed, I'll move it to the Sticky section.

 

Thanks paintballer!

[bravo]

Thanks, good idea!

[rollerboy]

L: Lift hill segment - Activated by pressing "Ctrl and 4", or selecting segment; lift.

 

This is used to carry the train to its tallest part (in most cases), giving the train enough energy to complete the course.

 

Lift hills should be made into at least three pieces. One leading into the straight section, one straight section (you do this by highlighting the segment and pressing "I") and finally a section leading out of the lift hill and into the drop/element.

 

Hope this helps.

[RCT3D]

Airtime- Anytime on a ride where you experience negative G forces. If you feel like your stomach is moving up your body, you are experiencing airtime.

 

Batwing- An inversion that is comprised of a half corkscrew into a half vertical loop, then another half vertical loop into another corkscrew facing the same direction as the first.

 

Bunny Hop- The smaller version of a camelback; the train navigates a small hill, producing airtime.

 

Corkscrew- An inversion in which the trains rolls upside-down while moving forward, but rolling horizontally.

 

Camelback- An element commonly used on roller coasters where the roller coaster has a large, non-inverting hill. The element is used to produce airtime.

 

Cobra Roll- An inversion that consists of a half loop, followed by a two half corkscrews, and then another half loop going the same direction as the first.

 

Chain Lift- The most common method for eventually creating kinetic energy for a roller coaster. A mechanism on the bottom of the train connects to the chain, and is pulled up the lift hill. At the top, the train is released and gravity takes over. Chain lifts are generally slow; faster climbs are accomplished through a cable lift.

 

Diving Loop- An inversion in which the train climbs track like a skateboard, then rolls upside-down at the top, and falls back to the earth in a half loop motion.

 

G-Force- The force of gravity enacted upon the riders. When resting, you are experiencing 1G which is your regular body weight. When on a roller coaster, you may feel four times your actual body weight or 4Gs.

 

Helix- A ride element where the ride has turns that last usually are greater 360 degrees.

 

Immelman- An unique inversion that first appeared on Montu. An Immelman is an inverse dive loop. The train climbs in a half loop motion, but once at the top, the train rolls into a drop.

 

Interlocking Corkscrews- Two corkscrews that interlock. A first corkscrew is navigated by a train, then there is a tight turnaround into another corkscrew, the same direction as the first, passing through the first corkscrew.

 

Inversion-Any part of the ride that turns riders completely upside-down.

 

Mid Course Brake Run- A portion of a roller coaster in which the train encounters brake midway through the ride. The brake is in the process of system blocking. If a previous train should have not made it back to the station, the next train will be stopped on the mid course brake run to keep the trains from colliding. The brake can also be used to regulate the speed of the train. As known as a block brake.

 

Negative G-Force- When a rider weighs less than one G and is weightless for a split second. Usually occurs when going down drops and over hills. Also refer to airtime.

 

Positive G-Force- When a rider feels heavier than their actual body weight. Usually felt at the bottom of hills.

 

Vertical Loop- The most common inversion; a 360 degree loop standing at a 90 degree angle.

 

Zero Gravity Roll- An inversion in which the train rolls a complete 360 degrees around a specific point; produces weightlessness.

[haux]

You really should write E-stop. Use a hyphen. That colon makes it look pretty confusing, especially if that's the alphabetical system you use. "E:stop" just looks odd, and it's not really grammatically correct.

 

Could we define really simple things like the colors of G-forces? Like red G's, yellow G's and green G's.

 

We should probably try to make this like a simple complement to the read-me that comes with the program. We could use the jargon we've all become familiar with. Maybe we could name the manufacturer of the coaster types. Like the corkscrew coaster is Arrow or Vekoma.

[Sasquatch]

^^ They are generally for rollercoasters, not specifically to No Limits.

 

Pumping: Where a curved piece of track (horizontal or vertical) does not have a consistent radius, making the ride seem bumpy.

[Vekoma Fan Boy]

L: Lift hill segment - Activated by pressing "Ctrl and 4", or selecting segment; lift.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Actually, to transform a section of track, you press Ctrl + "number" (1 for standard track, 2 for station track, 3 for transport section, 4 for lift, and 5 for brake section) to select the type of track, and then 'X' to actually change the section.

 

You probably knew that, just wanted to make sure the newer users did too.

[mcjaco]

You really should write E-stop. Use a hyphen. That colon makes it look pretty confusing, especially if that's the alphabetical system you use. "E:stop" just looks odd, and it's not really grammatically correct.

 

Could we define really simple things like the colors of G-forces? Like red G's, yellow G's and green G's.

 

We should probably try to make this like a simple complement to the read-me that comes with the program. We could use the jargon we've all become familiar with. Maybe we could name the manufacturer of the coaster types. Like the corkscrew coaster is Arrow or Vekoma.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. We donlt need a dictionary of elements. Just NL jargon to get newbies used to certain terms to describe things.

[coastb2]

Should I define jet coasters? And their breaks, track types and support types?

[mcjaco]

Should I define jet coasters? And their breaks, track types and support types?

 

Just NL jargon to get newbies used to certain terms to describe things.

[Vekoma Fan Boy]

Maybe this would be a good place to state general G-Force limits that should be used for certain types of coasters. (I.e, For an Intamin coaster you generally won't see G's go above +x.x/-x.x Vertical G's, +/-x.x Lateral G's, +/-x.x Accelerational G's, etc.) Not exactly a dictionary term, but I think that would be a good idea if we are trying to expand upon the help section that comes with NL.

[paintballer]

Thanks Everyone!!!! Lots of defenitions.

 

Maybe this would be a good place to state general G-Force limits that should be used for certain types of coasters. (I.e, For an Intamin coaster you generally won't see G's go above +x.x/-x.x Vertical G's, +/-x.x Lateral G's, +/-x.x Accelerational G's, etc.) Not exactly a dictionary term, but I think that would be a good idea if we are trying to expand upon the help section that comes with NL.

 

Could you try that out and I'll post in after the the dictionary, Maybe even a help thread?

 

Please alert me if I made any mistakes or I missed something, that'd be great!

[Angry_Gumball]

Circle Builders: A 3DS object in the shape of a circle (duh), used as an outline for handbuilders (See Handbuilt) to eliminate most pumping, and to get a constant radius. These are often useful.

 

Origin: The initial starting point for the track. Denoted as a purple 3D arrow.

 

Nodes: The blue spheres between track segments, or red spheres at the end of supports. These are the control points for both track and supports. The track nodes (blue) when clicked on allow you to pull, bend, angle, and shape the track. The support nodes (red) allow you to stretch, move, and angle the given supports.

 

Handbuilt: Real obvious: coasters completely laid out and shaped by hand. An alternative to handbuilt coasters are tool-aided designs using complex formulas to generate the coaster's elements. With that said, there are 2-worlds in designers: Handbuilders, and Tool-Aided Users. The drawback to hand-built coasters are the fact that they tend to be quite pumpy.

[paintballer]

Thanks!

[HCLcoasters]

Prefab supports- The supports that No Limits gives as a default for supports. These can be found on the toolbar and are easier to use then custom supports, however they are generally frowned upon.

 

Custom supports- Supports which are customly made by the user (hence the name) These take time but look much more professional.

 

Flanges- These are the small support segments or 3d's that many No Limits users use on their rides. In real life they are the parts of the supports that are used to bolt two support tubes together.

[the ghost]

Heartlining -means to rotate the track on a point based on the average position of the riders’ heart, instead of a point located between the rails or anywhere else. The idea behind that is to keep the body of a rider in one place instead of throwing them to the side which would occur if the ride was not heartlined. This keeps the lateral G forces caused by rotation down, which generally means less head-banging. Heartlining does not completely eliminate transitional forces, as you are still rotating around a point, it just lowers the roughness and lateral forces in the transition.

 

Also, this is from an AHG tutorial, so this is a long definition, but you can condense it if you would like.

[Vekoma Fan Boy]

 

Origin: The initial starting point for the track. Denoted as a purple 3D arrow.

 

 

I would just like to point out that the origin is actually 0,0,0 on the grid (just like when you were graphing equations in school. 0,0(,0) was the origin) and is denoted by a gray 4-Pointed star. The purple arrow would be the start node.

 

Not by any means trying to be an ass by correcting people. I just want to make sure information is as correct as possible.

[paintballer]

^ No dude, you aren't being an ass, improving defenitions is nothing to be ashamed of, I don't think anyone minds either; We're working for a greater good here, remember?

[Vekoma Fan Boy]

^I know. Its just that some people tend to get angry when they are corrected.

 

Though honestly, I would split the Origin/Start node definition. Like this:

 

Origin: The exact center of the NL building area. This point's coordinates are 0,0,0, and it is marked by a gray four-pointed star. This is also where the start node is placed by default. (See: 'Start Node' for more information on it)

 

Start Node: The first node on a No Limits track. Denoted by a standard blue node with a purple cone surrounding it. This is by default placed on the origin, (See: 'Origin') but can be moved by clicking the node and dragging it, or changing the coordinates in the Vertex Panel. Typically, the track is built after the start node, by placing more track nodes with the "build after" button, (the dashed line followed by a red circle in the top menu) however, one can build "before" the start node by using the "build before" button. (Immediately to the right of the build after button. Has a picture of a red circle followed by a dashed line with an arrow on the end.) The node that is defined as the start node can also be changed by selecting the node, and going to Edit -> Set First, or using the Key Command Shift+F.

 

Also, a few more definitions:

 

Control Handles: These are used to shape the track. They only appear when the node they are attached to is highlighted. Changing the positions of these change the shape of the track. They can be moved by clicking and dragging them, or bringing up the Vertex Panel and changing the coordinates of them and, and changing the values in the CP1 and/or CP2 boxes and pressing 'Apply CP1' and 'Apply CP2'

 

Vertex Panel: The properties panel for a vertex (node). Can be opened by double clicking a node, or by highlighting a single node and pressing the 'N' key on the keyboard. Properties that can be changed in the Vertex Panel are the coordinates of the node and its control handles, the roll of the node, continuous and relative rolling, and handle lock.

[paintballer]

Im going to Bold important definitions, tell me which ones I should also bold.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^I know. Its just that some people tend to get angry when they are corrected.

 

Though honestly, I would split the Origin/Start node definition. Like this:

 

Origin: The exact center of the NL building area. This point's coordinates are 0,0,0, and it is marked by a gray four-pointed star. This is also where the start node is placed by default. (See: 'Start Node' for more information on it)

 

Start Node: The first node on a No Limits track. Denoted by a standard blue node with a purple cone surrounding it. This is by default placed on the origin, (See: 'Origin') but can be moved by clicking the node and dragging it, or changing the coordinates in the Vertex Panel. Typically, the track is built after the start node, by placing more track nodes with the "build after" button, (the dashed line followed by a red circle in the top menu) however, one can build "before" the start node by using the "build before" button. (Immediately to the right of the build after button. Has a picture of a red circle followed by a dashed line with an arrow on the end.) The node that is defined as the start node can also be changed by selecting the node, and going to Edit -> Set First, or using the Key Command Shift+F.

 

Also, a few more definitions:

 

Control Handles: These are used to shape the track. They only appear when the node they are attached to is highlighted. Changing the positions of these change the shape of the track. They can be moved by clicking and dragging them, or bringing up the Vertex Panel and changing the coordinates of them and, and changing the values in the CP1 and/or CP2 boxes and pressing 'Apply CP1' and 'Apply CP2'

 

Vertex Panel: The properties panel for a vertex (node). Can be opened by double clicking a node, or by highlighting a single node and pressing the 'N' key on the keyboard. Properties that can be changed in the Vertex Panel are the coordinates of the node and its control handles, the roll of the node, continuous and relative rolling, and handle lock.

 

So if you wanted to one could just type in x,y,z co-ordinates for a node instead of having to shape it by hand? Whenever I try building from the back of the default start node it just connects & twists the track.

[Vekoma Fan Boy]

^ Yes you could. But it would be a good deal harder since you don't know the correct coordinates for them. But what do you mean by it connects and twists the track when you try to build behind the start node?