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Planet Coaster, New Details from the Dev Diaries. Public alpha release March 2016
- Thread starter SpacePirate Ridley
- Start date
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
This looks amazingly amazing. Once it's out they should collaborate with the Cities Skylines people and make each others game better and rule the simulation world.
potatohead
Member
This looks so damn good.
So excited to see how this and RCT World pan out.
Great time to see these types of games return, it's been too long!
So excited to see how this and RCT World pan out.
Great time to see these types of games return, it's been too long!
Been playing RCT3 again recently. It's a fantastic game and I take great pleasure in running it on integrated graphics on an i5 powered ultrabook, considering it was a beast for system requirements 10 years ago.
This looks like the perfect successor. Probably my most anticipated upcoming game.
This looks like the perfect successor. Probably my most anticipated upcoming game.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Well, nvizzio asked help for RCTW to colossal order as both were done in unity, and that didnt work out. City Skylines is amazing, but its good doing its things and the same building systems (roads and water physics) cant be extrapolates well to a theme park simulator game with a micro scale instead of macro. Theme parks games need to go to the most minimal detail, while city simulators go with the bigger view of things. Thats why path system in RCTW sucks balls, you can compare how thene park paths work to roads for cars.
Huh? None of this makes any sense. It's not like Unity was made for Cities Skyline and anything else is shoehorned. They asked for help with creating a mod friend title à la Skylines, to say that didn't work out is beyond premature. Stat tracking is stat tracking and whether it's macro or micro it's still completely subjective to the game. I think being inspired by what Colossal did works for a RC game
I think Planet Coaster in the end will be my new amusement park builder addiction, but I won't give up on RCW until it actually releases. It's not out yet you're making final judgments based on a super early beta, or maybe just emotions? The devs seem to really care about it, and the fact that they didn't try and squeeze it out before the holidays in an unfinished state speaks loudly.
InaudibleWhispa
Member
During the beta it was anything but super early; the game was due out 6 weeks after the beta (Dec 10th). Then it got delayed because of the bad feedback from the beta. Of course people are going to make judgements about the state of a game when that's what they had to show so soon to launch. Making judgements is what got the game delayed.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Look, im a dev, im not calling nvizzio lazy, in fact, nvizzio is not the problem here and they are porbanly going to have a horrible time sadly working with atari.
Atari doesnt have a full game. Full stop. You cant ask a small dev to make a full simulator in less than 8 months after firing two other devs. You cant ask the community to finish your game, and thats what happening here.
I read the atari community manager (mattlab, he was there from the soaked! Expansion days) at their forums, and the only thing they are doing is shitty PR because the competition are better than them as they always have taken the project seriously.
Its not only the shitty beta, the game is super barebones (said by them) when its released. A few flat rides and badly designed coaster types, no building theming, no water rides, super simple guest AI, a horrible path system becuase as much as you want to twist it was made for ROADS not theme park PATHS, etc...
Theres really no turning back, theres no competetion, the damage to the brand is too big. There are going to be TWO good and serious projects of theme park simulator games. Planet Coaster as the successor of RCT3, and Theme Parkitect as the successor of RCT2 (btw just discovered theres going to be real theming building and thats super good news).
Atari is not even a real company anymore, they tried to release this game as soon as possible just to change the financial shit they are, you can see the other games they have released this past few months usin their old franchises to see they are not serious anymore.
And you know the sad thing about this? The blow that is going to take poor nvizzio when this chaos ends. I really hope they can get out good when all this finishes.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Some of the pieces of the B&M tracks where uploaded in their facebook page:
B&M Inverted coaster pieces, classic B&M and dive coaster B&M. All with its differents aand reallistic cakewalks and supports.
The work detail her is phenomenal.
In other news theres going to be a live stream with John Laws December 22 (this tuesday) at 9am GMT.
Thats 4am EST and 9am PST for americans.
Theres also going to be a Q&A during the streaming.
B&M Inverted coaster pieces, classic B&M and dive coaster B&M. All with its differents aand reallistic cakewalks and supports.
The work detail her is phenomenal.
In other news theres going to be a live stream with John Laws December 22 (this tuesday) at 9am GMT.
Thats 4am EST and 9am PST for americans.
Theres also going to be a Q&A during the streaming.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Lots of options I see, very nice. Nice touch with the chain motor. Usually we'd have to rely on mods for that kind of detail. No way am I going to be awake for that Q&A
Edit - Another:
Yep, the motor lift on that inverted B&M is a fantastic touch. I dont think Ive even seen that kind of detail wih RCT3 mods.
The dive coaster vehicles are looking good. I think ive tried to recreate Oblivion on every RCT that has released.
Full time lapse of the pirate village piece they built in the dev diary is up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzXbEZkopyQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzXbEZkopyQ
iceatcs
Junior Member
Yeah even worse with mods.
Look goods. I might give it a go. I need some theme park fixed.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Theres another time lapse video with Terrain building:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyK0aIuflZ0
This video shows at theb end how the queues will be built. You put to realistic paths, the queue one lets you get a super thin path and make it wider if you want. The normal paths seem to have super wide options also.
There needs to be a search function.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyK0aIuflZ0
This video shows at theb end how the queues will be built. You put to realistic paths, the queue one lets you get a super thin path and make it wider if you want. The normal paths seem to have super wide options also.
There needs to be a search function.
Watching that, it looks like there IS a search function! Unless that little magnifying glass on the right side of the scenery box is for something else.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
They put some biomes concepts to start the year.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
New DEV DIARY.
Number 3: Build, Create, Share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maYufgvcRis
Super realistic in all the right places. Incredibly excited by the game.
Number 3: Build, Create, Share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maYufgvcRis
Super realistic in all the right places. Incredibly excited by the game.
Stormwatch
Member
This looks really good! I wish they had some sort of super special edition that had both the alpha and the shirt and forum access.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mgso-BMq9U
Holy shit, the attention to detail is unreal.
Is this game actually being made, or is it just a really mean prank on RCT fans? Hard to believe....
Holy shit, the attention to detail is unreal.
Is this game actually being made, or is it just a really mean prank on RCT fans? Hard to believe....
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Haha. Brilliant.
TimeEffect
Member
Can this game get more love?
Feels like the next Skylines. I hope they are as successful. Time for a new generation of awesome classics
Feels like the next Skylines. I hope they are as successful. Time for a new generation of awesome classics
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Theres been a Q&A with Sam Denney in the Coaster Head Club forums (the paying section of the forum) that was super cool.
He has been the whole week coming back to the thread and answering questions, even thousgh her grandma died the same week and he had to go also thorugh a medical operation. Fantastic chap.
Sam Danney is the Lead Artist and coaster and ride designer, and has worked previosuly on all RCT since the expansions of RCT2, also on the rest of theme parks games by Frontier. His normal day job in Planet Coaster is:
-Research...lots and lots of research
-Defining and designing systems for roller coaster tracks and supports
-Amusement ride design
-Ensuring amusement rides are technically and proportionally correct
-Generating specification sheets for artists to create rides from
-Mentoring the team on art and technical direction
-Meetings with design, animation and code teams
-Technical game and design documentation
-Planning and team management.
Interesting tidbits he gave during the Q&A:
-They have, right now 40 rides, including flats, but still adding more.
-They are studying very seriously how to make dark rides and how to included them in the game (dark ambiance, omnimouver systems, etc...), He say they have their TOP MEN working with them. *My note, I wouldnt wait fot them for the initial release, seems more the stuff of expansions they way he spoke about them.
-Various coaster types already, including the new wooden-steel hybrids.
-The wooden coaster construction is going to be something very special (talking about the realistic way of builidng the wooden supports).
-"Modding was a big part of what kept RCT3 alive for so many years and that has not gone unnoticed by us. We've been inspired by what the community has managed to create with our game. Some of the things we've seen have been absolutely breathtaking.
I think it's too early to discuss if we'll have modding within Planet Coaster but as I've said, we understand it's potential."
-The audio of coasters and tracks is something they are really pushing from a technology stand point. The study individual track elements in real life to ensure the sound exactly the same. The B&M roar, the thud sound when you pass each track section, etc...The physics is a big part of how the sound works in this game, for example, the weight the wheels carry, the G-forces, and the parts of the car.
-On-board music, they are all over this and investigating all the various ways in which this could work.
-Water Rides. They are still experimenting with the water physics and they cant wait to show people how it looks. He says Frontier has always been proud that their water is fully interactable and good looking (see RCT3's water), and that here they are going one step more (probably talking about rides like log flumes, water rapids... interacting with fully bodies of water apart from the water in the tracks, like in real life). He says its going to be a big part of Planet Coaster. *My note: They already said water rides, even if it was a small number, were going to be there for the game's release.
-Recolouring tracks and rides, the game has a very robust colouring system, and you can customise colours of a variety of track elements and supports. He did a 16 page document just to cover the complex rules of one track!
-Studying station platform layouts to transfer tracks, multiple stations etc, and how they can include them. Pens (the term they use for the small queue rows just before getting inside the coaster inside the station) are very high in the "want to include" list.
And at the end of the Q&A he gave us a surprise, the first look to the transport rides the game is going to have:
The Connie Express, based on the C.K. Holiday train on disneyland. The name Connie Express is based on her grandmother, that died this last week.
He has been the whole week coming back to the thread and answering questions, even thousgh her grandma died the same week and he had to go also thorugh a medical operation. Fantastic chap.
Sam Danney is the Lead Artist and coaster and ride designer, and has worked previosuly on all RCT since the expansions of RCT2, also on the rest of theme parks games by Frontier. His normal day job in Planet Coaster is:
-Research...lots and lots of research
-Defining and designing systems for roller coaster tracks and supports
-Amusement ride design
-Ensuring amusement rides are technically and proportionally correct
-Generating specification sheets for artists to create rides from
-Mentoring the team on art and technical direction
-Meetings with design, animation and code teams
-Technical game and design documentation
-Planning and team management.
Interesting tidbits he gave during the Q&A:
-They have, right now 40 rides, including flats, but still adding more.
-They are studying very seriously how to make dark rides and how to included them in the game (dark ambiance, omnimouver systems, etc...), He say they have their TOP MEN working with them. *My note, I wouldnt wait fot them for the initial release, seems more the stuff of expansions they way he spoke about them.
-Various coaster types already, including the new wooden-steel hybrids.
-The wooden coaster construction is going to be something very special (talking about the realistic way of builidng the wooden supports).
-"Modding was a big part of what kept RCT3 alive for so many years and that has not gone unnoticed by us. We've been inspired by what the community has managed to create with our game. Some of the things we've seen have been absolutely breathtaking.
I think it's too early to discuss if we'll have modding within Planet Coaster but as I've said, we understand it's potential."
-The audio of coasters and tracks is something they are really pushing from a technology stand point. The study individual track elements in real life to ensure the sound exactly the same. The B&M roar, the thud sound when you pass each track section, etc...The physics is a big part of how the sound works in this game, for example, the weight the wheels carry, the G-forces, and the parts of the car.
-On-board music, they are all over this and investigating all the various ways in which this could work.
-Water Rides. They are still experimenting with the water physics and they cant wait to show people how it looks. He says Frontier has always been proud that their water is fully interactable and good looking (see RCT3's water), and that here they are going one step more (probably talking about rides like log flumes, water rapids... interacting with fully bodies of water apart from the water in the tracks, like in real life). He says its going to be a big part of Planet Coaster. *My note: They already said water rides, even if it was a small number, were going to be there for the game's release.
-Recolouring tracks and rides, the game has a very robust colouring system, and you can customise colours of a variety of track elements and supports. He did a 16 page document just to cover the complex rules of one track!
-Studying station platform layouts to transfer tracks, multiple stations etc, and how they can include them. Pens (the term they use for the small queue rows just before getting inside the coaster inside the station) are very high in the "want to include" list.
And at the end of the Q&A he gave us a surprise, the first look to the transport rides the game is going to have:
The Connie Express, based on the C.K. Holiday train on disneyland. The name Connie Express is based on her grandmother, that died this last week.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Yes thank you! It looks amazing! I love the amount of detail going into the models.
Ended up falling for it and purchasing the Early Bird edition. The price of a full game and a bit, but eh, already paid a lot for the Elite Dangerous beta. This company is the only one that has made me purchase a beta or early access thing... and twice, to boot!
Can't wait for them to release the game. Wonder how much content will the early bird edition have.
Can't wait for them to release the game. Wonder how much content will the early bird edition have.
Not really afaik. All they've said is Early Bird next month, "a few months" before final release. I'd say late this year for the final release?
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Just some head up:
Theres going to be a stream with art director John Laws TODAY at 7pm GMT (2pm EST, 11am PST) in this link:
https://www.youtube.com/c/planetcoaster/live
He is going to answer some questions that are being asked in one of the Planet Coaster threads and also show a couple of new exclusives too.
Wouldnt surpirse me if the alpha release date was siad in this stream.
Theres going to be a stream with art director John Laws TODAY at 7pm GMT (2pm EST, 11am PST) in this link:
https://www.youtube.com/c/planetcoaster/live
He is going to answer some questions that are being asked in one of the Planet Coaster threads and also show a couple of new exclusives too.
Wouldnt surpirse me if the alpha release date was siad in this stream.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Double post, I know, but ithe stream is just about to start, to anyone interested:
https://www.youtube.com/c/planetcoaster/live
https://www.youtube.com/c/planetcoaster/live
TimeEffect
Member
First SimCity is reborn as Cities Skylines
Then Harvest Moon as Stardew Valley
And now Rollercoaster Tycoon as Planet Coaster.
I'm so happy.
Then Harvest Moon as Stardew Valley
And now Rollercoaster Tycoon as Planet Coaster.
I'm so happy.
Dee Dah Dave
Member
Looking forward to this. I spent and obscene amount of time on the old games.