Trying out the new track pieces

[X7123M3-256]

I tried making a small junior coaster using the new steep to flat pieces. I thought it turned out OK, but I had to use the RCT1 trains as the RCT2 version don't have the appropriate sprites to go with the steep track. They do not look good in RCT2 - I will probably use custom junior trains in the future.

 

[giraty]

That's great!!! I wish I know how to do it, especially I think the RCT1's Steel Roller Coaster vehicle design is better than RCT2's

[X7123M3-256]

Just now, giraty said:

I wish I know how to do it

Steep slope pieces are available in the latest develop build - nothing special needs to be done to build this, the only cheat used was zero clearance for some of the scenery. Just update to the newest version, and you should find you can use steep slopes with the junior coaster now.

[imlegos]

Also noteable about this: A proper version of Diamond Heights can now be made... (also, the original file from RCT1 can be loaded properly)

Now, if only someone would make new versions of the RCT2 trains with the proper frames, probably something like Ladybird+ and Log+

[X7123M3-256]

I am considering rendering new versions of the RCT2 junior trains, as the RCT1 ones aren't satisfactory (a quick browse through csg1.dat confirms these are far from the worst RCT1 trains - many are just awful, and having only 16 sprites per rotation looks really awkward). Porting RCT1 trains to RCT2 is not as time consuming as making a completely new train, but the latter would give a better result, though it's still really hard to make it fit in with the rest of the game.

Edited August 31, 2016 by X7123M3-256

[jensj12]

I can't yet use the steep pieces with the arbitrary ride type change cheat. With the cheat converting a vertical to a junior with steep pieces is pretty easy.

[X7123M3-256]

You did previously have to do that, but this layout was built without using any cheats except zero clearance. Are you sure you're on the latest version? The new piece was merged four days ago, so if you haven't updated since then you won't have it.

[jensj12]

I tried updating with the launcher and with git, both (which should be the same build from today) didn't give me the option to build steep tracks.

[X7123M3-256]

That's strange - it works for me.

[jensj12]

Found the issue: it only affects new games, so not my standard test park.

[Gymnasiast]

@jensj12 You need to turn 'sort by track type' on in order for it to work. (Or use a type of train that enables steep slopes itself.)

[X7123M3-256]

Oh, that'll be why. I never thought to test it with the vanilla trains because I knew they didn't have the right sprites.

[jensj12]

It works just fine for the normal train without 'sort by track type'. Just had to start a new scenario.

[imlegos]

So, has anyone else noticed this appears to have been removed?

Not even playing in an RCT1 scenario seems to make them useable.

[X7123M3-256]

The pieces have definitely not been removed - I just updated to the latest develop and I can still load this park. You do now need the arbitrary ride type cheat to build with them, whereas you didn't when I built this, but they're still there. I assume this was changed because the default trains don't have appropriate sprites.

[imlegos]

Ohhh

[giraty]

@X7123M3-256 I just realised now that you use RCT1 sprites. How do you do that?

[X7123M3-256]

I extracted the RCT1 sprites and put them into an RCT2 object file. The process is fairly straightforward, if tedious. The sprites are in the same format, but the RCT1 sprites are in a different order and must be manually reordered to match what RCT2 expects (you could probably automate this process, but it's not really worth it). @Gymnasiast sent me video of the actual RCT1 trains so I could adjust the spacing and friction to match.

The awkward thing is that RCT2 expects 32 angles of the train, whereas RCT1 only provides 16. I worked around this problem by simply doubling up on the RCT1 sprites, but it does result in some minor visual issues on turns. I am hoping that if a new object format is implemented, it will fix this because I think @Gymnasiast mentioned better support for RCT1 sprites as a possibility.

I also did the RCT1 ladybird trains but they weren't used on this ride.

Edited October 27, 2017 by X7123M3-256