Cape Typhoon (or is it?) Screenshots/Info

Ah... I see it. Geeze, you really need to squint to see it!

Sorry if I don't get excited by all the new goodies...

When the game runs decently on my fairly new, high end gaming machine, then I will ooh and ahh over all the goodies.

Not too bitter, huh, KTS? :)

I tend to agree a bit.

I see more flats - visually interesting, but no more entertaining than any other 'drop and forget' flats - and even a reskinned Revolution.

One thing really stands out in my mind. We all talk about the lack of performance and the willy nilly catering to wishlists that do nothing for the game and all that crap. This is from the interview:

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IGNPC: Can little peeps pee in the water?

Ken Allen: I guess it wouldn't be a real water park without that, would it? They will and we're also adding a fun element there so you'll know what they've done.

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WTF!? The game doesn't run well, and they're wasting effort in making peeps pee in the pools!? They're wasting processing power, AI and programming within the game making peeps decide whether or not to pee in the pools.

Let me repeat that:

They're wasting processing power, AI and programming within the game making peeps decide whether or not to pee in the pools.

This to me sums up exactly where they're going wrong with RCT3. Group behavior is still a bug issue, but they're spending they're time making peeps pee in the pools. (It still sounds as ridiculous the third time)

Is this a park sim where the peeps are a secondary representation (like the first games) or is this a sims game where the park becomes the background setting?

I think most of the people around here enjoyed playing an amusement park sim-style game. What RCT3 is turning into is 'The Sims: Theme Park' - I'm not interested in the little peeps nearly as much as the Atari folks seem to think I am. I don't care how they look, I don't care to impress them with mad fireworks skills, I don't care where they pee and I don't care if they explore the park in little 'family groups' - I just was general graphical representation of a crowd in my park.

They're taking something general (a general interest theme park sim with an emphasis on coasters) and breaking it down to micro levels that suck the fun right out of it all while at the same time changing the focus of the game.

It's taken me a few months, but I think that's what the lack of "fun" in RCT3 boils down to...it's not the same game.

I refuse to believe that they have squeezed every bit of efficiency out of the graphics engine and AI. When I look massive carnage on Steph's City of Heroes (with half the machine I have) or at one of the hell levels on Doom 3 on my machine, I just won't accept that RCT3 is a well-tweaked piece of software.

LOL..Lord Gonchar

Don't forget about the processing power to determine if they like the deep end or shallow end more and just how sunburned they might be.

It really *IS* becoming The Sims:Themepark isn't it? And while interesting from a detail perspective it's probably not a good thing from an operational standpoint on today's hardware. While code can always be improved a bit, I am sure there are limits and a point of diminishing returns.

Still, I can't help but chuckle at the pee in the pool idea. And I just can't bring myself to take issue with that. Even if it does use up CPU cycles. It's just too damn funny.

And I am REAL happy to see the apperance of parachutes, wipeouts and waterfalls. The waterfalls look really nice.

(Oh and Dwagbyte, the rapids ride is a newer 12 person version. RCT just did it backwards from the real world introduction of big one first, THEN later a small one!) :)

Well, here's 2 questions that are on everyone's mind who' pissed about the performance of the game altogether from the interview:

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IGNPC: From a technical standpoint, the engine was already good, though it did bog systems down after enough peeps showed up and rides were built. Are you working on tightening up the code?

Ken Allen: One of the constants in this universe is that programming code is constantly evolving. Since the release of RCT3, we've offered two updates that also included optimizations to the game engine code - so, if they haven't done so already, RCT3 players should definitely click on the 'Update' icon on the opening screen to get these. But, yes, we continue to optimize the game code in even more ways which will allow RCT3: Soaked! to be played optimally on a wider variety of PCs than ever. We're also working on a couple ideas now to make sure the game runs smoothly on your system.

IGNPC: I know there were a lot of fans unhappy with the number of bugs when RCT3 was originally released. Are you taking steps to make sure that this won't be a problem with Soaked?

Ken Allen: Yes, with the updates that I mentioned above, we fixed problems that players were having with compatibility and peep behavior. We are definitely taking all of this into consideration as well as the feedback from the fans on the forums. We will also be conducting a beta test for Soaked! which we will announce when the time is right.

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Now I've done the updates, and there's been zilch in a performance boost... so that line is a crock.
They better do a lot of tightening of the code to really get this game to run the way it's intended.

I will admit peep behavior has increased dramatically, and they don't stop riding the coasters & rides like they did before any patches... but there's still a lot of bugs & glitches that they need to work out. The last questions lead me to believe that there will indeed be NO more patches until the release of the expansion pack...
...what is nice is that they haven't officially announced a beta run, so at least us normies can get a chance to sign up for it & see what's right/wrong before they roll it out.

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Jeff said:
I just won't accept that RCT3 is a well-tweaked piece of software.

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I think one of the major problems with RCT3's graphical engine is I think it's calculating every single object that is in that game seperately and not combining things, like when you have a building made out of scenery objects. If you look at one of the Gonchar specials, it has a TON of objects in it, even though alot of those objects combine to make one object that would be rendered as one object in a game like Doom3.

Hmmm. I was just checking out the screens again and actually saw something I like (I think) :)

Is this an example of what the waterfall designer can do? In the background, the waterfall.

I was seeing the rides and stuff the first time looking at that. The waterfall looks nice.

Still more style over substance, but...

Meh, still seems like a waste, as of yet they havn't mentioned fixes with the expansion, only after, and beta testing, bah!

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Lord Gonchar said:

Is this an example of what the waterfall designer can do? In the background, the waterfall.

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If you like that Gonch, check out these pics and look at the first one up.

~josh

What kinda coaster is that in the background here:
http://www.worthplaying.com/press/167/8181Shot0084.jpg

And here... is it just me, or is that track just a little wide for the river raft ride?
http://www.worthplaying.com/press/167/8187Shot0439.jpg

*** Edited 2/9/2005 2:27:49 AM UTC by DawgByte II***

1. Yeah, I'm digging the waterfalls. As much as I rant about practicality, those are purty.

2. The coaster in the BG of that first pic is like the Scooby coaster at PKI.

3. I think the wider track feels a lot more 'real' - there's always room to bounce on the raft rides.

The water raft rides seem right, they were never big enough i think in rct, and rct2, although I'm sitting here wondering if the game is actually worth the trouble, because if I get sucked into it, it can be fun as hell, other times its just a pain.

Wow.. I missed a bunch today when I went to visit my gf..

Gonch, I have to say, your rant on the peeing in the pools is funny. I remember hearing about a chemical that is clear, but turns pink in the presence of urine. Supposedly, Dorney was supposed to get it for the wavepool, but I doubt it since I have yet to see/hear of any "pink spots", and you *know* they happen.

Also, I think the little "do I pee now or not?" question running for EACH peep in the already-taxed code will do nothing other than slow it down more. I mean, if you're riding a coaster on one side of the park, who cares if a kid pees in the pool on the other side of the park? Things like that can be abstracted quite a bit without sacrificing anything. I'm reminded of badnitrus's mantra: It doesn't matter what's there - all that matters is what the users see.

With all the shots released already...

...there's still one ride missing that isn't really CRITICAL... but definately leaves a lot to be desired, since it's a staple at a LOT of amusement parks:

The Giant Wheel. New England has one, Darien Lake, Cedar Point, among many many others. It'd be nice to have a 200' wheel with the 40+ gondolas to kind of create a staple at a re-created park...

...alas, that's one thing that truly keeps one from creating their home park (aside from curved paths) as accurate as possible.

...maybe a 2nd expansion pack, perhaps?

LOL, yea i agree, a very needy staple for recreations (if you can ever get the game to handle better). I agree about the kids peeing in the water, I'd have to agree with Gonch on it, what a waste of CPU capabilities!

Here's 2 more screens:

Squid

Booster Bike & Stuff

Was just nosing around the official forums for the first time in a long while. Also appears that a "speaker system" has a good chance of being implimented. (place speakers to control music throughout the park)

No talk about needing more improvements on what exists. All the kiddies seem happy with pretty nonfunctional pictures.

Doesn't look like this bodes too well for those of us who know better. :(

As the voice of reason around here, I'm willing to at least wait and see what they come up with before I throw in the towel. I don't think it's unreasonable to take a wait and see approach rather then just condeming something (or praising it just based on pics either!) before it is released.

I do think that Frontier is listening pretty good. They are even fixing the building save with scenery issue. True, that should have been right the first time, but at least they are addressing issues rather then just leaving them broken. And adding rides, coasters and other things people want. Also I think having a beta test this time around certainly will help.

Will the game be perfect? No. No game is. But it might turn out a whole lot better then the naysayers think. I'm willing to wait and see first.

Yeah, that's cute and all, but until it runs at decent rates, not too many people around here are going to jump on board.

I play it as much as I can tolerate. I want to like the game. I want it to be just as fun and enjoyable and as playable as the first two. I want everyone to be able to turn it on and enjoy and share the stuff we make.

Soaked isn't going to make that happen.

I must agree with Gonch! Nobody puts it better than he does! How do you do it? ;)