RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 in the Sandbox (many pics)

If you'll indulge my narcissism for a second (you should all be used to it by now).

There's a lot of talk these days about sandbox games. Fallout 3, Far Cry 2, GTA 4. Of course, what you do in a literal sandbox is build and create, limited by your imagination. That's the other end of the sandbox game spectrum. Games like the Sim City series, The Sims, or RollerCoaster Tycoon 3.

I love amusement parks. I love the roller coasters, I love the themes and decorations. So the RollerCoaster Tycoon games have likewise appealed to me. RCT3 was a fairly solid evolution of the series, the first 3D version. While not perfect, it scratched an itch and wisely included a pure sandbox mode that let you build a park without worry of money. After finishing the campaigns, I started on a sandbox park of my own. At some point I got distracted and stopped, but when I got back from Disney World back in December, the urge to resume the park hit me and I finally finished it.

It may come as a bit of a surprise, but this game can require a pretty beefy machine. This park, for instance, gets roughly 5 to 10 fps in fullscreen mode, and much lower while windowed. This finished park takes over 13 minutes to load from file.

The cleverly named Stone's Park. (I forgot to turn back on terrain features outside the park, so it looks like it's sitting in the middle of a bizarre wasteland).
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The main promenade bisects the entire park and is decorated with flowers, fountains, and generic unthemed rides. The monorail can be ridden right away to other sections of the park.
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At the far end of the promenade is the reflecting pool and the opposite monorail station.
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The main fountain is carved from marble is a popular place for groups to arrange meets.
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The reflecting pool, with its nearby jumping fountains, is ar elaxing place to stop and sit for a bit.
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The double deck observation tower is the perfect place to take in the entire park. It rises 355 feet into the air and takes so long that some visitors complain. Naturally, their complaints are ignored.
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[color=red][size=18]Fistful of Fun[/size][/color]
Fistful of Fun is a wild west-themed area and was the first sub-park I built. The western theme in RCT3 is one of the better fleshed out ones available. It's got a lot of decorations, buildings, shops, and rides available to use.
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The monorail makes it first stop here, though if you're taking it from the park entrance it's probably just faster to walk.
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The originally-named coaster "Mount Doom" was the first coaster in the park. It's a wooden mine car ride that plunges inside a mountain for a couple of twists and turns. In terms of real coasters in the park it has longest ride time at one and a half minutes.
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[color=red][size=18]Prehysteria![/size][/color]
This part of the park is a mix of zoo, safari, and dinosaurs. You can take a nice cruise around dinosaur island or take the secret underground tunnel that runs beneath the water.
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The Jungle Safari tours takes guests on a relaxed Jeep ride around the 3 animal enclosures where they can see elephants, rhinos, zebras, ostrich, antelope, and many others.
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Can you tame the Wild T-Rex? Of course not! NO ONE CAN!
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[color=red][size=18]The World of Tomorrow[/size][/color]
In stark contrast to Fistful of Fun and Prehysteria is the hyper-advanced World of Tomorrow. This sci-fi themed area has the highest concentration of coasters and thrill rides of any section of the park.
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The Mutari Nebula is the longest coaster in the park at 2908.25 feet.
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While Blast Off may be a brief ride, it manages to take three different park records. Its powered start rapidly accelerates the riders to a face-peeling 70 miles per hour and averages almost 44 mph for the entire trip. It also has the greatest drop height of any coaster: that gravity-defying vertical climb at the end results in a drop of 142 feet.
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[color=red][size=18]Paradise Island[/size][/color]
This sub-park, paricularly the island itself, was greatly inspired by my June trip to Hawaii. It's really two distinct areas itself: the area around the beach with the rides/pool and then the center island.
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The pools are anyone who'd rather lounge in the sun than deal with rides. There'd be more water slides if I liked how they turned out. As it is, riders are practically hurled into the concrete walls of the pool.
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Neptune's Temple is another of the park's few mostly-enclosed coasters. The temple ended up looking a bit boring monolithic.
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I really like their aquarium. It's a series of large tanks connected by glass tunnels. Rough on the feet though.
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The island is a pleasant little polynesian village. There are a few eating places, but no rides except for the monorail and island steamer. The idea is just a nice place to wander around and explore.
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Flipper!
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[color=red][size=18]Sands of Osiris[/size][/color]
Initially I was excited to start work on this park because the buildings were cool, but I was disappointed by the limited selection of other decorations. Most of the plants (cactuses) come from the Western tree set.
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And, sadly, I misjudged part of the track for Pharaoh's Curse so that cool big pyramid has a whole in the side. Ah well. Ra's Chariot is the second classic wooden coaster in the park.
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[color=red][size=18]Pirates Cove[/size][/color]
Arrr! How could you resist making a pirate area? I submit you cannot, especially with the various pirate items available in the Adventure theme. I wish there were a few more items, like additional pirate-themed rides and some more decorations (like a shipwreck, rowboat, stuff like that).
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Pirate rapids is the park's longest
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Adventure Splash is not recommended for people afraid of sharks.
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[color=red][size=18]Nightmare Realm[/size][/color]
Like the sci-fi and western themes, the "scary" theme is nicely fleshed-out. A whole lot of rides, shops, and decorations are available. I even threw in some appropriate animal houses (insect, nocturnal) which seemed to fit the theme. The Reaper ended up being the second longest coaster in the park.
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Lots of graveyards in this area.
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Yeah this is a reach, I know. Still... it's got to be a bit unsettling to slide down towards that giant skull.
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This park is a bit more empty than the others since it and Pirates Cove were the last ones built.
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Unlike previous RCT incarnations, there's no hedge maze "ride". I sort of faked one with paths and walls. The dead-end paths all have something waiting for the lost traveler...
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Zombie hands greet guests in this dead-end path of the Maze of Terror.
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That's all folks, I hope you enjoyed the recap and screenshots.

Those are pretty impressive. I didn't even know Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 existed yet, though

DrJonez wrote:

Those are pretty impressive. I didn't even know Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 existed yet, though :P

It came out in 2004. This park actually began in November of 2005.

RCT3 is an absolutely amazing game. It is so easy to piddle around with a coaster idea for a few minutes and in reality lose a half day with minimal effort.

I never got much into the park design but I loved making coasters and log rides. Here are 3 of my favorites:

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Oh I always thought that the coaster editor would make a great rapid level design tool. All you would need is some item and monster placement tools and the ability to make branching paths and dead ends.

Quintin, I'm in awe. I spent days fiddling around RCT3 (I love all RCT iterations, in fact I have them all complete, with all expansions) but I never came even close to the amount of dedication that your park shows.

Now I feel an urge to reinstall RCT3 complete and start working on my park again. You probably caused me to lose a whole night's sleep, sir!

Yeah, Quintin, I'm totally impressed by your dedication. I've built parks but never fleshed them out like that. That's quite a hobby.

Those parks are outstanding. I love RC3, and I never even knew you could do half as much as you've shown. Making me want to pick it back up

Quentin, those are freaking amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing. I need to pick up RC3 at some point.

I wish I had that amount of time on my hands. Last time I loaded up RCT3, I did nearly nothing and still managed to waste a few hours with it.

Good show though. Truly amazing parks.

Wow - stunning Q

Damn Quintin, you need a hobby.

Thanks, guys! I forgot to mention that this park was made with RCT3 and its two expansions: Soaked and Wild.

I wish I'd done more with terrain. The terrain stuff in RCT3 is one of its weaknesses: you can do a lot with it, it's just very finicky and you can easily end up in situations where changes are impossible. You can't deform terrain that's under water. You can remove a body of water, unless there are water rides placed on it already. Also, removing the water will destroy any waterfalls going from it or into it and you may not be able to place them back (for no good reason). Getting tile edges to line up with neighboring tile heights should be simple but it's not. Placing building pieces and decorations on areas of varying heights requires you to visibly see the tile it goes over, which is impossible in situations where you've got severe height change.

If you feel the urge to build a park, visit a real world park to be inspired. And I don't recommend building a park this big. 13 minute load times are ridiculous!

I enjoyed Soaked... What does Wild bring to the party?

So is Chris Sawyer retired from gaming or what?

Robear wrote:

I enjoyed Soaked... What does Wild bring to the party?

I imagine this quote as being about Spring Break DVDs.

Oh no, NOOOOO!! Damn this thread and my itchy mouse finger. I've seen the pictures - now I have to reinstall Roller Coaster Tycoon 3. You all have started my addiction again. I hope you're happy!

Robear wrote:

I enjoyed Soaked... What does Wild bring to the party?

Wild! is primarily about animals. It gives you the Jungle and Prehistoric themes (various animal and dinosaur animatronics, primitive-style buildings), there are a handful of new rides (like the jeep safari, elephant transport, and the steamboat, plus a couple unusual coasters), and most of all it gives the ability to set up live animal enclosures. I think almost everything you see in my Prehysteria! park above came from Wild!.

d4m0 wrote:

Oh no, NOOOOO!! Damn this thread and my itchy mouse finger. I've seen the pictures - now I have to reinstall Roller Coaster Tycoon 3. You all have started my addiction again. I hope you're happy!

I am.

Best Dwarf Fortress ever!

That park is awesome. How did you create the rides inside the landscape such as Neptunes temple and Pharoh's curse? I've always wanted to create a park with a group of shops underwater, but have never been able to figure out how to get the landscape overtop of the group of shops to create a "watertight seal". The water refuses to fill in because it would drown the shopkeepers.

Mousetrap wrote:

That park is awesome. How did you create the rides inside the landscape such as Neptunes temple and Pharoh's curse?

First you build the ride, then you go into the decorations selection and choose building construction. You then place the wall pieces around and above the ride. Hold shift while moving the mouse up and down to control elevation of the various pieces.

Mousetrap wrote:

I've always wanted to create a park with a group of shops underwater, but have never been able to figure out how to get the landscape overtop of the group of shops to create a "watertight seal". The water refuses to fill in because it would drown the shopkeepers.

Doing construction underwater and underground is a bit tricky. I've only done pathing underground, but I was able to do this under an existing body of water without trouble. I haven't tried constructing shops along those paths.

Wow Quintin. Those are rather impressive.
I'd spend my money in places like those.
I admire your dedication. I know mine would never get close to how awesome yours have become.

Wow those are very impressive! I've been playing quite a bit of RCT3 with my daughter lately, but our park looks rather bland in comparison.

I'll have show her some of these pictures to give her ideas - she likes to think up different ways to do things and sketch them out on paper and then have me help her create them in the game. If I was to complain about the game it would be that is that there aren't enough hotkeys and the controls (esp for terrain and building) are just complex enough that they can be frustrating for a kid.

Great work and thanks for posting the pictures.

I used to love Sim Theme Park. I spent hours building the park, constructing the rides, getting the pathing just right. So addicting! I didn't care for the Sim Coaster sequel, and never really got into the Roller Coaster Tycoon series, though. Now that I've seen this, I'm itching for another go. Maybe I should hunt this down and play for a while.