Six Flags Over Texas (SFOT) Discussion Thread

[KDcoasterMAN]

^ From the way I see it now... "That which we do not speak of"will begin after the midcourse!

[AJClarke0912]

Yeah, that video doesn't look real at all to me. I wouldn't take anything there as "fact."

It looks like horrible NoLimit-ing to me. Probably created by park reps instead of the company itself. I remember the iSpeed video being the same, so it's hard to take things accurately. The tunnel seems to be true though.

[Funky Cold Medina]

And even so, surely the company would use a REAL coaster simulator, not No Limits? I do agree with ^, maybe it was someone who knows a lot of information, but not necessarily someone from 6FOT themselves (if that makes sense).

Edited October 11, 2010 by Funky Cold Medina

[Houston Thrills]

The ride's looking pretty wicked right now, and there's still not enough evidence to say either way if it's going around once or twice.The pass of the lift that is currently in place is a low, ground-level turn, though, which should be really exciting. The lead-in to the finale is slightly changed, as they got rid of the banked hill lead-in and now you dive into a turn, the first hill immediately follows, and then dives off of the bridge into a higher hill than was there before. It looks like it may be pretty crazy.

[texcoaster]

And even so, surely the company would use a REAL coaster simulator, not No Limits?

 

No Limits is a real coaster simulator. Just because they let mere mortals buy a copy doesn't make it any less real.

It has been used as the basis for animations of rides by Holiday World, Indiana Beach, Cedar Point, Gravity Group, Gerstlauer, Vekoma, Six Flags, and several others I could probably think of after I've had some coffee.

[A.J.]

And even so, surely the company would use a REAL coaster simulator, not No Limits?

 

No Limits is a real coaster simulator. Just because they let mere mortals buy a copy doesn't make it any less real.

It has been used as the basis for animations of rides by Holiday World, Indiana Beach, Cedar Point, Gravity Group, Gerstlauer, Vekoma, Six Flags, and several others I could probably think of after I've had some coffee.

 

And...those developers and engineers have access to a better copy of NoLimits which can be used to simulate their own trains (such as Gerstlauer and their original launch coaster layout).

 

The creation presented in the preview was most likely a marketing job than an engineering job though. It's really poorly made.

[mightbeawannabe]

And even so, surely the company would use a REAL coaster simulator, not No Limits?

 

It's called Nolimits Pro. Accessible only by companies in the business. I'm guessing it's by no means a free service for Ole to provide custom track styles and cars, or even the program itself. I guess it's 90% identical to the normal version, but with the option to import new cars/track with a better rendering. More info here.

 

On Topic: Has anyone seen the most recent construction on the flying carpet section? Helix in the works?

[Funky Cold Medina]

And...those developers and engineers have access to a better copy of NoLimits which can be used to simulate their own trains (such as Gerstlauer and their original launch coaster layout).

 

The creation presented in the preview was most likely a marketing job than an engineering job though. It's really poorly made.

 

This is what I meant, and thanks for the link ^ and from the time lapse pictures, it looks as if the magic carpet is getting more and more track each day.

[Coaster Mike]

It's called Nolimits Pro. Accessible only by companies in the business. I'm guessing it's by no means a free service for Ole to provide custom track styles and cars, or even the program itself. I guess it's 90% identical to the normal version, but with the option to import new cars/track with a better rendering.

It's nearly identical to the consumer version of No Limits, in fact I'm quite sure it uses exactly the same physics engine. The only difference is the level of detail that goes into the sim. It can be used as a standalone or as other companies (like CF, SF, ect) do, they import the tracks and such into 3Ds Max and take it to the next level. I would give an arm, a leg, and my kidney to get my hands on this program...

 

As for something pertaining to the topic, it's great to see this progressing so well. So will the newly added wood be stained to match the existing support work?

[Houston Thrills]

Most of the finale has ledgers up, but judging by the position of some of them, I'm kind of wondering if they might have to go through and re-work that entire section.

 

Also, I believe that the helix will be going around twice, not once.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Houston Thrills

[Zingoman]

On that animation, the ride was showing what we know as fact to a degree, and the second half of the ride was entirely wrong. I'm not thinking anyone at the park did that. The approach into the helix was wrong, and the turn is going under the lift, not over as shown in the video, and there is still evidence showing that the ride may still come back around and go under the lift again. There has been no evidence of a tunnel for the finale yet either (to my knowledge). Looks to me like it was done by someone who thought they had the ride figured out and had their own wish list for the ending. haha. Pretty much all the ledgers are in now though! VERY exciting!

[rcfreak417]

Unfortunately, there is only one loop around the lift hill. That video is legit from Six Flags. They use the no limits simulation on their website as the front picture. http://www.sixflags.com/overtexas/rides/TexasGiant.aspx

 

Also, there are pictures from October posted, as well as more information about the trains.

[Zingoman]

^That picture isn't from that video. The video didn't have the new trains. Just the PTC ones standard on no limits with some wierd front on them. That does look like a No Limits shot, but it doesn't seem to be from the same video or they fixed the trains since we saw the animation. Interesting though that the sun burst graphic and the GO BIG slogan is on there. Maybe that video did come from the park, but its fact that it is not a correct rendering of what the new ride will be.

 

There is very convincing evidence saying the helix could still go around. I'd post a photo but it isn't mine to post. It's a shot showing ledgers to the left of the lifthill. One set sits to the right for the inner half of the helix, and one set sits to the left leading to the finale. They are CLEARLY not going to connect there. Only option is a vertical loop or to come around the lift again.

[Houston Thrills]

Unfortunately, there is only one loop around the lift hill. That video is legit from Six Flags. They use the no limits simulation on their website as the front picture. http://www.sixflags.com/overtexas/rides/TexasGiant.aspx

 

Also, there are pictures from October posted, as well as more information about the trains.

 

Though the video does appear to have come from Six Flags, it is highly inaccurate with regards to the helix. In fact, every part of the helix in that video is wrong, judging by what is currently visible.

[robbalvey]

Unfortunately, there is only one loop around the lift hill. That video is legit from Six Flags. They use the no limits simulation on their website as the front picture. http://www.sixflags.com/overtexas/rides/TexasGiant.aspx

Just because a piece of concept art came from a legit source does not necessarily mean that concept art or video is 100% accurate. Case in point, this recent concept art came from Gardaland:

 

 

And that is not exactly how that ride is going to look either.

 

I guarantee you the park is more interested in giving their local customers "an idea" of what the new ride is going to be like and don't really care about having that video detailed out for enthusiasts.

 

--Robb

[cedarpointfangirl]

Heres a short video they had on one of our local news channels this morning. Didn't give really any new news we didn't already know but still a neat little clip. Enjoy!

 

http://www.wfaa.com/news/entertainment/Instant-Live-8-Sneak-peak-at-Texas-Giant-coaster-renovation-104775034.html

[texcoaster]

And that's why I hate local news... it seemed that the whole thing was just a ploy to show off their "nobody else can broadcast from here" system.

 

The only info I really got from it was in the text at the bottom of the screen that says "Renovation expected to continue until March"

 

The park opens March 5. Of course, this is the news media (and local yokel news at that) and accuracy isn't their strong suit. It could mean that the coaster will open in March or it could mean that the work is expected to be completed in March (followed by testing, tweaking, approval, etc) and the coaster would actually open some time later.

[texcoaster]

I just noticed on the SFOT site http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/rides/TexasGiant.aspx

In the second pic under October 2010, it looks like the rail on the loading side of the station is flush with the station platform. This would be a change from the original design, which had the rails sitting lower than the platform (like on the exit side in the same pic).

 

Is it just an illusion of the angle of the shot, or did they lower the platform to meet the rail? If so, why?

 

I wonder if there would be a problem with people accidentally kicking stuff up under the wheels, which would be visible and exposed if the rail were at the same height.

[KDcoasterMAN]

^ It looks like an illusion. I mean why would one side be higher or lower than the other...

[Zingoman]

And why would they lower the entire platform? That would be a very large undertaking and would have been obvious to people at the park. I've been every weekend this season and they have done no such thing so it would have had to be a preseason project. Makes no sense though. It has to be an illusion but it does look kind of convincing.

[mightbeawannabe]

It looks like a warning line thingy at the edge of the platform that gets very close to the trains in operation.....it just happens to be the same color as the rail and it's still a bit above the rail so the train's floor will be at the same height as the platform.

 

 

...Am I wording this right?

[Zingoman]

^ I get what you mean, and I think you figured it out. Looks to be painted on the floor.

[texcoaster]

YES, I think that's it. If you look closely, the left hand red strip is just slightly narrower than the right hand rail, so that can't be track there.

 

Good eyes!

[rcfreak417]

They just posted the video on the Six Flags website. I'm guessing it's official now. It's a bad representation of the roller coaster, but I'm guessing they wouldn't screw up a single vs. double helix?

[Converging]

Whoever made that video isn't very good at NoLimits. I think it's been said before, but the video is pretty inacurate of what's already there, seeing how the first turn isn't over banked(as seen in construction photos) as well as the third. In all honesty, the video just looks very slapped together. Instead, they would of been better off just using a graphic image highlighting one of the newer elements being added to the ride.