New NoLimits 2 Preview Video
While fans of RollerCoaster Tycoon anxiously await news about their beloved franchise and long to know if they’ll ever see a RCT4 game, another popular coaster simulator’s fans are also waiting for the next version of their game. The good news for them is at least they KNOW they are getting a new experience, they just don’t know when. What other software am I talking about? NoLimits is a very popular roller coaster creator and simulator package due to it’s realism and the ability to create 100% unique coasters. NoLimits 2 has been underdevelopment for a few years with small bits of news drip fed to us. Today, we get our best look yet at the new features of NoLimits 2 in this preview video:
NoLimits 2 Features
As you can see, the full power of NoLimits 2 powerful scripting engine is on display with the complex light patterns and movements of the fair ride (yes, you will be able to have an entire theme park, not just coasters!). The new features of NoLimits 2 include:
- Scripted movement of scenery objects
- Animated and sequenced light panels
- Scripted and sequenced lighting effects
- Camera movement scripts
- Rider view camera
- Day/night time transition
- Dynamic light effects
- Motion blur
Even without an RCT4, the future of theme park software is looking pretty bright with Theme Park Studio and NoLimits 2 on the horizon. Join our email list and we’ll also keep you up to date on the NoLimits 2 release date.
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Atari Auctioning Off RollerCoaster Tycoon Series
There currently is no RCT4 game in development that we know of but the future of the series just got intensely more interesting as Atari has announced they are selling the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise. Atari Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection in January and now plans to sell its brands on a franchise-by-franchise basis during auctions beginning next month. The minimum bid for the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise is set at $3.5 million.
Questions remain to be answered. Will a new company revive RollerCoaster Tycoon and return the game to its former glory by finally giving us the long awaited RCT4? Or will a new company turn the series into the next Farmville by making it available on every mobile device? Or is the series simply dead and we’ll never get another RCT game?
This news makes me cautiously optimistic for RCT4. Still, even if the brand is purchased in July and the buyer begins developing a new game, we’re still probably a year or two away from RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 being released. At least we still have Theme Park Studio to look forward to (which did receive full funding on Kickstarter).
Who do you think the most likely RollerCoaster Tycoon buyer is? Who would be the most capable? Share your thoughts below!
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New Roller Coaster Photography Book
American Coasters: A Thrilling Photographic Ride is a brand new book for roller coaster enthusiasts by Thomas Crymes. “Amazing” is the ideal word I can use to describe Crymes’ photography. The book consists of shots of more than a hundred various roller coasters from 21 parks. Also included in the guide are 40 coaster profiles full of need-to-know stats. A number of of the parks presented consist of Cedar Point, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Kings Dominion and Six Flags Magic Mountain. Here are a few of my personal preferred pictures coming from the publication.
The pictures tend to be not really the work of an newbie. They are professional photos that will impress even the most seasoned photographer (coaster enthusiast or not). The pictures are huge and crisp. The colors are vivid. The book’s basic design places more emphasis upon the photographs. Nothing beats seeing pictures of roller coasters published on an actual physical page (sorry, internet).
Crymes took many of the photos from unfamiliar angles. Never having been to some of the parks featured, I found the actual new angles refreshing. I also appreciated Crymes’ inclusion of a few roller coasters that are no longer operating. They were a nice surprise to see as I was reading the book. I won’t spoil which ones those are.
The publication additionally contains gorgeous panoramic shots, some of which cover a full page (or more). The clarity of the photos allows for detailed analysis.
American Coasters: A Thrilling Photographic Ride is perfect for anyone who enjoys roller coasters. A first-time roller coaster rider will love this book. A 50-year-old roller coaster enthusiast who knows everything about every roller coaster that ever existed will love this book as well. The hardcover book spans 176 pages. This is the perfect book to add to your theme park collection.
Otherwise, order American Coasters: A Thrilling Photographic Ride from Amazon.
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Real Roller Coaster Design Software
Roller Coaster design software is a huge question for aspiring roller coaster engineers. Recently, there was an open Q/A session on Reddit with a roller coaster designer and the most often asked questions were: What roller coaster designing software do you use? Is it in-house or commercial? What program do you use to design roller coasters? What program do you use to make drawings?
The first part of the answer is roller coaster engineers use the same computer software as other types of engineers. Modern roller coasters are designed using the latest in computer technology. What used to be done with paper, pencil, and drawing boards is nowadays done on a computer. The universal tool for the engineer is Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. Changes and iterations are made on a computer in seconds. Programs such as AutoCAD are used to draft, adjust, and detail designs in accordance with ride standards. Standard parts like bolts, springs, nuts, screws, and washers can be taken from standard part libraries or catalogs and bills of material can be derived directly from the model and inserted into a drawing. 3D CAD software, such as CATIA, SolidWorks, or AutoDesk Inventor, allows designers to have every step in the roller coaster design process contained within one computer program, including:
- 3D modeling
- 2D manufacturing drawings
- Kinematic simulations (which give an idea of the motion path of the ride)
- Finite element stress analysis (FEA)
- High-resolution image renderings for marketing and sales purposes
The second part of the answer is it’s a combination of in-house and commercial software. Please keep in mind that most of these companies have written their own programs to auto-draw many of the components they need (bents, bolts, etc, etc). Some of these programs may be separate pieces of software or code written as macros in existing software packages. My other advice if you want to become a roller coaster designer is to learn how to use VBA within whatever modelling software you use as it’s becoming an extremely important aspect of design in general. Using VBA allows you to write macros to automate repetitive process and increase your design efficiency. Read an article about design a roller coaster in CATIA here.
Finally, here’s my list of recommended software to learn (at least one from each category):
- 2D CAD software: AutoCAD, Draftsight (free)
- 3D CAD software: Solidworks, CATIA, Inventor, ProEngineer, SolideEdge, etc.
- Math computations: Maple, MathCAD
- Renderings: AutoDesk 3DS Max, Rhino 3D
- Microsoft Excel (and how to write VBA macros)
- NoLimits (useful when trying to sell or marketing a new ride)
Almost every company has or has used AutoCAD at some point in time. From articles I’ve read and people I’ve talked to I’ve been able to piece together a short list of what roller coaster manufacturers use what design software (please feel free to enlighten me if any are wrong or you know more):
Solidworks:
- Disney
- S&S
- Premier
Inventor:
- Dynamic Structures
- Gravity Group
ProEngineer:
- Chance Morgan
Thanks for reading about roller coaster design software. Find out more about real roller coaster design in Coasters101: An Engineer’s Guide to Roller Coaster Design.
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Holiday Gift Ideas for RollerCoaster Tycoon Fans
Well, if you didn’t know it by now the holiday season has officially descended upon us which means it’s time to buy holiday gifts for your fellow RollerCoaster Tycoon fan. If you’re a fan of playing RollerCoaster Tycoon I think you should seriously check out my list of potential gifts below. Some of these I own and others are on my personal wish list as well.
Roller Coaster Books
Coasters 101: An Engineer’s Guide to Roller Coaster Design: Shameless self plug here. The most in-depth look at how modern roller coasters are designed from concept to creation, including some of the physics and engineering equations used.
Theme Park Design: Behind the Scene with An Engineer- Steve Alcorn’s book is a must read for anyone considering a career in the theme park industry.
What Would Walt Do? – The story of a construction worker during the creation of the Walt Disney World resort after the death of Walt Disney.
Disney World Saving Guide – An ex-Disney employee reveals tips on how to save money on your next vacation to Disney World.
Things To Do in Theme Park Queues – This entertaining book will make your visit to a busy theme park even more enjoyable.
Roller Coaster Games
Theme Park (Nintendo DS): Control everything, from the speed of your rides to the amount of ice in your drinks.
Rollercoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum: Let’s face it, it’s going to be awhile before RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 comes out (if ever) so this is the next best thing, especially with RCT3D being so disappointing. RCT3 Platinum combines the excitement and roller coaster, theme park fun of the Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 with included expansion packs Soaked! and Wild! Now enjoy more options than ever. Build your own water slide or create your own safari with real animals. Watch guest reactions to your ultimate theme park!
Other Suggestions
Give a season pass to your local amusement park, zoo, or aquarium.
Give Yourself a Raise: My free report on how to make a residual income from the internet in your spare time (second edition).
What gifts are you getting your fellow RollerCoaster Tycoon fan for the holidays? Please let me know by commenting below!
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Roller Coaster Tycoon Review
Roller Coaster Tycoon 3D was officially released today and the RCT3D reviews are coming in. After months of delays, the popular roller coaster simulation game is now playable on the Nintendo 3DS portable system. So how is it? Is it as good as its PC brethren? I personally haven’t had the opportunity to check this game out yet, but here’s our Roller Coaster Tycoon review based upon what other gamers are saying about Roller Coaster Tycoon 3Ds:
Pros
- You can ride your roller coaster creations from a first- person perspective.
- You can use the 3DS’s gyroscope controls to look around your park while riding your coasters.
- New story mode.
Cons
- You can’t name your rides or adjust their color schemes.
- Height markers on ride tracks are missing.
- Terrain can’t be modified (which means no tunnels!)
- Missing ride types (from the PC versions)
- General lack of features (no weather, no fireworks, no signs)
These RCT3D reviews are very disappointing to read. It seems like no new features were really added, and in fact, the game is missing a lot of important features from the originals (which came out in 1999). Why would they leave out so many features of a highly successful game?I guess they never heard the phrase “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”Again, I haven’t seen the game in-person myself but it sounds like you may be better off pulling out your original copy (or buying the latest Platinum edition). Have you played Roller Coaster Tycoon for 3Ds? What do you think? Share your Roller Coaster Tycoon review below!
Join our newsletter for the latest Roller Coaster Tycoon updates. Now, maybe we’ll finally here some news about the RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 release date…
P.S. I love the color on these Aqua Blue Nintendo 3Ds.
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The latest RCT3D News and Updates
After months of delays and no word coming out of the developers, Rollercoaster Tycoon 3DS has finally gotten its OFFICIAL release date. Starting October 16, Atari will admit guests and allow you to build and trade parks via StreetPass. Europe and Australasia will get their turn on October 26, 2012. From the RollerCoaster Tycoon press release:
Since its inception in 1999, Chris Sawyer’s original RollerCoaster Tycoon and its sequels have captivated audiences with a gaming experience that put a whole new spin on the world of theme parks. Now, 12 years later and with over 11 million units sold, the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise makes its debut on a portable handheld for the first time ever.
New features exclusive to Nintendo 3DS include:
- An entirely new gameplay mode called “Coaster Story,” which blends tutorials and park challenges into a cohesive and entertaining narrative and offers players tons of special unlockable content
- A first-person view for coaster rides that fully immerses players with the innovative 3D display exclusive to Nintendo 3DS
- The ability to freely customize the design of roller coasters and theme parks with the use of a stylus and the touch-screen interface
- Just like at a real theme park, take a snapshot of yourself on a ride and share it with your friends
- Gyro sensor allows players to look around their theme park by simply tilting their Nintendo 3DS
- Create the ultimate coaster and easily share it with friends through StreetPass™
- Invite your Mii Plaza™ friends to your theme park
So now that we know when the official RCT3D release date is hopefully this means we’ll be hearing something about RCT4 soon! Join our Facebook page to stay up-to-date on the latest RCT news.
Also, check out this really cool video called “RollerCoaster Tycoon in Real Life.” It starts innocently enough but when one of the little guests complain then things go downhill quickly. The feel and frustation of playing a Roller Coaster Tycoon game have been perfectly captured.
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RCT3D Release Date Delayed to October 2012
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D will miss yet another release date. For at least the fourth time, the Roller Coaster Tycoon 3Ds release date has been delayed, this time from August 18 to October 16th, 2012. The new roller coaster simulation game was due to come out in March, then was pushed back to May, then August, and is now scheduled for October. The funny thing is no official announcement has been made by Atari or the developer, n-Space, about the reason for the delay. RCT3DS received lukewarm preview reviews back in April but they have had plenty of time since then to make tweaks and fix any potential issues.
If this latest RollerCoaster Tycoon ever comes out it will be the first portable edition of the popular RollerCoaster Tycoon series and will only be available on the Nintendo 3DS. It’s disappointing the game will have such a limited audience but on the other hand it could look really cool if you do own a 3DS and stylus controls could work really well for the game. At least when you finally get to build your own theme park in Sandbox mode you won’t have to constantly be asking yourself “What would Walt do?” like the builders of the Walt Disney World resort. Embedded below is the teaser trailer for the game, which says “Coming in 2012.”
In the meantime, us die hard fans are still waiting the PC release of RollerCoaster Tycoon 4. The longer we have to wait for RCT3D the longer we will have to wait for any news on RCT4. Join our newsletter for instant updates on anything RCT related. I’ve also updated my RCT timeline to go along with this unfortunate news.
-Nick
Can’t Wait for RCT4
Tags: rollercoaster tycoon rollercoaster tycoon, rollercoaster tycoon 3 rollercoaster tycoon 3
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RCT4 Wishlist and Suggestions
Is the RCT 4 Release Date soon? So all of you eagerly awaiting RCT 4 are going to have to hold on for a little while longer because the RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 release date is going to be put on the shelf for a while until RollerCoaster Tyccon 3DS hits the market this August (check our the Roller Coaster Tycoon timeline for list of major news items). And like I already mentioned, it’s only a few weeks more until RCT3DS comes out (unless they delay it again). It’s an awesome game that you’re going to want to play anyway so you won’t even miss RCT 4 once that hits the store shelves. The one thing I would like to remind you is that you can keep coming back to this website to the check out the RCT 4 release date. We’re going to announce it on this website literally as soon as it is officially announced by Atari, so join our newsletter and we will fill you in as soon as it’s available.
In the meantime, what would you like to see in RCT 4 that wasn’t in the PC version of RCT 3? I know many fans, including myself, would love to see the game to be based on RCT2, the best in the series in my opinion. I liked the 2D over the 3D. Heck, they could make the exact same game and this had more rides, props, scenery, etc. and fans would be happy.
I’d really like to see something like the cantilevered coaster. I have no idea how it would work with having to construct two separate rails at the same time but it would be really cool!
Please comment below and leave your suggestions for what you would like to see in the next installment of the Roller Coaster Tycoon series. What’s on your RCT wishlist?
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RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Release Date Timeline
I know you are dying to find out exactly when RCT 4 is going to be released, but it’s just not possible for me to let you know the RCT 4 release date just yet. Atari has refused to give an official release date at this point even though they have told us in August of 2010 that the game is officially being fully developed.
Details on RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 are still sketchy. Supposedly Atari is working on it and they are trying to work with Chris Sawyer, the original creator of the game, again. In the meantime, fans of the series still have RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D to look forward
While we wait for the RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 (for PC) and RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D (for Nintendo 3DS) release dates to be announced, I thought I would put together a little timeline of all the major news and events leading up to these most anticipated games.
- On August 14, 2010, Atari created a new board on their forums asking for input from users as to what should be in RCT4. This leads many to believe that there is almost definitely a new version in the works.
- November 9, 2011: Atari announces RCT3D, the first portable RCT game, available only on Nintendo 3DS.
- March 2012: Original RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D release date. Game was not released on this date.
- March 19, 2012: Atari announces RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D release date to be in Q2/Q3 of 2012.
- May 22, 2012: Second release date set for RCT3D. Also missed.
- June, 2012: Atari announces RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D release date to be August 28, 2012. Available to pre-order on Amazon.com.
- August 2012: RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D release date delayed from August 28 to October 16, 2012. No announcement from n-Space or Atari.
Another thing that Atari mentioned in regards to the RCT 4 release date is that they will not be giving any kind of information about this game at all until RCT 3DS is released.
I just checked and it says that RCT 3DS isn’t going to be released until August of 2012 so it will be at least a few more months before we hear any more information about the upcoming release of Roller Coaster Tycoon 4. But at the end of the day two new RC games will be coming out & I look forward to playing both. Join our free RCT email newsletter to stay in the loop, and receive automatic emails about updates to the RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 release date timeline.