Are Inversions That Good

I was looking at the Golden Ticket awards and I noticed that most of the top coasters in the steel list are inversion free. Does this finally prove that airtime is prefered over inversions.

Yes. I too noticed only one inverting coaster in the top ten.

Lists like those prove nothing. But, from experience, it would seem that many coaster fans prefer speed and airtime over loops. Doesn't mean a whole lot, though....

I think the list to a point does prove something, becuase it shows you by a long shot that the majority of great coasters are indeed inversionless. Its not like it was simply a poll that said do you like coasters with or without inversions. This is actual fact showing the majority of the top coasters are free of inversions.

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MAGXL200 said:
Does this finally prove that airtime is prefered over inversions.

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It proves that some coasters are more popular than others.

If you check out Mitch's poll here, you can see some results concerning what coasters people really and truly *prefer* over others.

http://www.ushsho.com/detailedsteelrollercoasterpollresults2005.htm

It appears as though about half of the top steel coasters have inversions. That may be a bit misleading, however, because I would imagine that in the past 15 years or so new, major, non-looping coasters are quite out-numbered by new, major, looping coasters. In other words coasters with inversions should have something of an advantage simply because there's more of them.

I'd say the bottom line is that if you asked your average coaster enthusiast what his or her favorite steel coaster is, 9 out of 10 would name a non-looping coaster. This isn't exactly a new development, though, it's been like this for a quite a while. Yet another Amusement Today poll really isn't very illustrative. *** Edited 8/28/2006 3:18:36 AM UTC by matt.***

I was actually going to post a topic about the same thing just yesterday, MAGXL200, except I was thinking about all the gushing over the inversions on CP's new ride. Seriously, are we still that fascinated with inversions?

I don't begrudge anyone for liking inversions, but other than zero-G rolls and the occasional double corkscrew taken at slow speed (PKI's Vortex and PKD's Anaconda), I don't see the point. A well-designed loop will keep you in your seat feeling around 1 G. Which is exactly what I'm feeling right now sitting in my chair.

Now if you actually experienced serious hangtime during inversions, kind of like the hangtime you'd get on an old Intamin Looping Starship, I'd understand the appeal more. But, really, the novelty of being upside down should've worn off a long time ago. Like, say, 1980.

I'm not for doing away with inversions, but I'd like to see better use of them. As much as I love the Arrows of the '70s and '80s, their designs seemed limited to the strategy of "big drop followed by as many loops as physically possible." How... creative.

I just expect different things from steel coasters with inversions and those without, if it doesnt have any it better have airtime if it wants a good rank. If it has inversions I want to be spun, disorientated, have a lot of positive gs and not have my ears boxed. I dont prefer one to the other, I just think its harder to make a good "inversion filled" coaster as compared to an non inverted (hills, not too complicated.) My top steel is an invert, but my next five are all hypers.

I love inverions on coasters and that is what makes me like them so much.

But I acasionally like a coaster that has a lost of speed and air time. (ex:Xcelirator and Goliath SFMM) *** Edited 8/28/2006 4:48:13 AM UTC by Hamster Boy***

Inversions are pretty to look at & photograph.

Inversions do nothing for me. And to me, they seem like a waste because most people don't prefer them to airtime hills, and even people who are new to coasters will invariably have their first question be: "Does this one go upside down?" And likely not ride if it does.

I LOVE going upside-down but I always have, so I am one who would preferr Loopes over air-time USUALLY. Maybe this has something to do with my first roller coaster gong upsidedown...hmm from the age of 5 addicted to loops.

I find it a joke that Top Thrill Dragster made the Top 10 cut. I'm sure all of you each can name on a five-finger count coasters that deserve that spot it took.

The upsidedown feeling when going thru a loop is more of a disorientation feeling, which is different than an overbanked turn or a bunny-hop filled with "ejector air"... and coaster manufactures have been finding more & more ways to turn you upsidedown in various ways.

The "boomerang" effect gives you two inversions in a short distance which can be disorienting and it's usually a good thing. It's not dizzying, it's not bumpy, it's just the transitions from one direction to the other in a multitude of directions... more-so than a non-inverting coaster can offer, which is why it appeals to me.

My #1 coaster isn't a looper... but that's because there really haven't been any outstanding original looping coasters for ages. You've been on one B&M inverter, you've been on 'em all... same with Arrow loopers.

However, I hope Intamin will break the trend and comparisons will end from Stormrunner @ Hersheypark to Cedar Point's inverter.

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kRaXLeRidAh said:
I find it a joke that Top Thrill Dragster made the Top 10 cut. I'm sure all of you each can name on a five-finger count coasters that deserve that spot it took.

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Wrong. I can think of 9 coasters that placed ahead of it that shouldn't have.

I rode CP's Corkscrew the first year it came out and fell in love with inversions. I always thought there was something cool about looking sideways and watching the world flip without the use of alcohol.

Later came the SLC's, (serial thriller) and the first few years it was like paradise. Now they just hurt, but I still like inversions.

I prefer inversions, mostly because there is more variety. With a hill, it's an up and down, or an up down down, or an up up down...and so on. Its always up and down, and yes airtime is alot of fun, but hills just offer positive/negative, maybe airtime and an up-down. Inversions offer positives, negatives, and laterals and have many ways of flipping you around and disorientating you. Theres simple things like traditional loops and corkscrews, but they can always come up with something new like the snake-dive or whatever on Stormrunner (Linear Induction Motors) *** Edited 8/28/2006 3:39:16 PM UTC by P18***

Any time I've ever ridden a coaster with inversions, I don't get off thinking, "wow, that corkscrew was the best part of the ride" or anything like that - I've always liked the speed and weightlessness the best (one exception: I thought all of Montu's excavation ditches toward the end of the ride were a great way to add very cool inversions).

I think a noninversion coaster appeals to a broader audience, as well. I took my friend from Cali (NOT a hardcore coaster fan) on Mantis and he was green for an hour and a half afterwards. On the other hand, he thought Millennium Force was the cat's a** and didn't stop talking about it for months afterwards.

I'm not a huge fan of loops, but think they are great as an element or two mixed into a great layout. Coasters like SFOG's Mind Bender and SFMM's Revolution (originally) should be the benchmark for inverting coasters. Lots of hills, airtime, changes in direction, no OTSR's, and a couple of loops make for a nice variety.

I'm definitely an airtime whore.

That being said, my favorite loop was backwards on the Tidal Wave. That loops was pure airtime bliss and upside down to boot. It was a great feeling that always had my knees bracing the lapbar to keep from falling out.

I sure do miss that ride. Montazooma's revenge has a faster launch with the flywheel and all which is nice, but it goes through the loop faster which cuts down on that upside down airtime.

It proves to me that parks can and should THRILL PEOPLE FAR CHEAPER THAN THEY ARE DISHING OUT for some of the steel crap going up.

A wood coaster doing the same thing magnum does cost 1/3 the initial investment and would take 60 years of maintenence just to equal a 20million dollar S:ROS.

Sorry but Voyage proves my point.
Case closed.