NL challenge?

[coasterlover420]

How about we have a No Limits challenge? You could win on various things:

 

Layout of coaster; unique inversions; smoothness of track; etc...\

 

the people can download the coaster posted and you can vote on your favorite.

 

how about it?

[Dailey Enterprizes]

I'm up for it, but how are we going to do this?

[DATman]

Well, there should be some new rules

 

I think that you should only be able to vote if you downloaded at least 3 rides. The people on these boards are usually honest, so i think we can trust them to do so.

 

Also, since it is NL, i don't think 3ds should be used since a lot of us (me) fail at making those, so it isnt really fair for us. Suppotrts, on the other hand, should be counted.

[phazan]

i would love that but we had some problems with rct competitions. it would be a good idea to contact the admins first.

[Dailey Enterprizes]

I've always thought about doing a contest in a real life setting. If you're not quite grasping what I'm proposing; let me try to explain:

 

-Someone (I'm volunteering myself if nobody wants it) should make an "EMPTY" No Limits park where boundaries are placed, where cost is put into effect. For Example; lets say this small fictional park puts a $7 million dollar budget for a new coaster, but prices will be different for each coaster and coaster segment used. Like for a wooden coaster:

 

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Wooden Coaster: (Car Type) x (Number of Cars) x (Number of Trains)

 

($12,500/PTC 6 Seater Car) x (4 Cars) x (2 Trains) = $50,000

 

Track: $1000/ft

 

(5,230ft) x ($1000) = $5,230,000

 

Station: $10,000/ft

 

(60ft) x ($10,000) = $600,000

 

*Note: No extra charge for Pre-Brake usage, so I recommend you all start using gravity to your advantage.

 

Transports: (These prices are also addons to Station and Brake segments if they are added)

 

$2,000/ft for Tires

$10,000/ft for LIMS

 

(Neither Transports Were Put On This Coaster)

 

*Note: No points are taken off for using transport Tires and/or LIMS, but it can possibly take too much money away from your budget!

 

Lift: $1,500ft (Chain Only)

 

(175ft) x ($1,500) = $262,500

 

Brake: $5000/ft

 

(175ft) x ($5,000) = $875,000

 

Original Budget = $7,000,000

Total Cost = $7,017,500

Debt = $17,500

 

*During the judging process; your coaster will lose 50% of it's score if it goes anywhere in the red.

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Ok, so my fictional coaster went over budget .

 

 

That's what I'm thinking for this competition. Ofcourse there will be zoning restrictions, local authorities, and etc., so it's going to vary between each contest, as the park changes. Just like in real life! Tell me what you think guys...

[robbalvey]

At the moment, I would prefer not to do any "challenges" until I can work out some official details. The DVD project is sucking up all of my time so I haven't been able to think about.

 

To be honest, I would like the approach to be somewhat different. If I could set a simple guideline it would be:

 

"Participating without competition."

 

One of the overall themes of this site is that no one person is better than the next. That's why even with things like the video contests and the avatar/photoshop contests, they are done in such as way that, regarless of who "wins" everyone that participated is pretty much a 'winner.'

 

"Competition" only seems to add frustration and hurt feelings as seen with the RCT challenges. I perfer not to have that here.

 

What I *like* are things like the "Park that TPR built" where a larger group of people can be involved with something, share their talents with others and work together to make something GREAT!

 

It's a way of getting similar results that a "challenge" would create, but without the competitive nature.

 

Any ideas?

 

--Robb

[BiCoastal Kid]

^Yeah, over at CoasterSims there is a similar idea called "Track Tennis." Pretty much the track is passed around and people add elements/supports/theming in turn, and in the end they've all turned out pretty cool.

[phazan]

^i think that would be very fun.

this doesnt have anything to do with no limits but maybe we can do something with rct where we can have someone reserve their own section of the park and we just build a huge park and show it off.

[coasterlover420]

^That sounds great!

[BiCoastal Kid]

^^Isn't that already going on? Either way, Track Tennis is cool in that, even if the part that a person does sucks, it stays. It really allows for a varied design philosophy, but usually people try to get it smoothed with either the Elementary or AHG.

 

One time there was a noob element though, it ruled the entire track.

[Dailey Enterprizes]

I understand what you're saying Robb and the "Track Tennis" idea does sound pretty cool. I just thought it would also be cool to do a "modest" version of my proposal from before. I have some screen shots to show you guys. I thought about just having the zone made out where the new coaster should be built. Obviously the zone is marked by the white fence I made and the idea was to have this empty track file sent to everyone and have them build a coaster within the zone without destroying any trees and whatnot. I dropped that whole pricing system because it's going to get way too difficult. Perhaps if I made these Empty track files to look like real parks (IE:Rides, midways, kiosks, etc.) and then the idea could look better. Just trying to help...

another view

an overview of the construction zone

the permanent starting station

[arrowfanman]

One of the overall themes of this site is that no one person is better than the next. That's why even with things like the video contests and the avatar/photoshop contests, they are done in such as way that, regarless of who "wins" everyone that participated is pretty much a 'winner.'

 

Well, I am a judge for the CoasterForce NL Comps (we're going onto round 8 soon!), and I have to say, although our comps are quite small (no more than 6-8 tracks entered), everyone really has a great heart about it. As judges, we essentially grade the tracks. We provide constructive feedback, explaining our thought process, which leaves the participant with one of two thoughts: "Oh, I understand. I will fix that next time" or "I disagree, but theres always next time". We also make sure to outline the highpoints of the track. It always makes someone feel great when you find a strongpoint that the builder didn't even realize when constructing the track.

 

The comps themselves are very flexible too. We take sugguestions for possible comps, as well as allow amendments to current comps, in place, to better suit the general participation.

 

Thats basically the trick. Individual feedback, which may be harder as the comps gain popularity. If I put time and effort into a track, and send it in, lose, and never hear back from anybody about that track, I wont feel to hot--especially since NL tracks take so much time and dedication. But if I, despite losing, recieve a PM from the judge, explaining what they thouroughly enjoyed about my track, and what I can do to better my next track, I will feel a sense of "somebody sees potential in me".

 

 

 

Also, I suggest having no prize. We dont! It really helps when you lose (I have been there), because you know "ah well, I didn't really lose anything or lose a chance at something, and besides...theres always next time to win.

 

 

If you have any other questions as to participant behavoir or anything, feel free to ask.

 

-Jahan "Yay, I finally got to help Robb...assuming anything I said was helpful" Makanvand

[coasterlover420]

^what's wrong with doing something like this?

[crispy]

It looks like Robb is going to include NL in the Official TPR coaster challenges, which is pretty cool