Demo version 1.1 is out

You can get the new demo at the official rollercoaster tycoon site http://www.atari.com/rollercoastertycoon/. It's under the latest news. This build of the demo appears to be from the final build of the game. It appears that many bugs have been fixed (graphical glitches, old Athlon processor problem, etc).

A few things I have noticed.

1. Block brakes STILL force the coaster to make a complete stop even when the block ahead is clear.
2. Peeps do not hold their hands up when the coaster is stopped.
3. Peeps to not chatter on thrill rides. They sometimes scream, cheer, or put their hands up.
4. Maybe it's just me, but the game is running worse! It seems to stop completely and then start again when I open certain menus... Wasn't like that in the first demo. Will have to check to make sure all settings are optimal (though I have a pretty high-end system).
5. There's weather in this demo. When it rains when a fireworks show is supposed to occur, the show will be cancelled.
6. Various aspects of the GUI have been changed
7. When testing a coaster under construction a "ghost" trains that is transparent is used for testing. I don't think it crashes when it meets the end of the track but I'm not exactly sure.
8. Trees sway side to side somewhat to simulate wind.

There's many other changes I'm sure.

In case you're wondering where they stuck the options.txt file (so you can put SkipBannerSequence 1 in there), in Windows XP it's in something like C:\Documents and Settings\Jeff\Application Data\Atari\RCT3Demo 1.1 (replace Jeff with your own user name).

The thing I don't get about this 3D engine is that none of the settings have any significant effect on performance for my hardware other than the water reflection. Even cranking up the anti-aliasing has no effect. I'm a little ticked that it doesn't perform well at 1280x1024. Come on... I can play Doom 3 at that resolution with everything on at 45 fps.

So it appears that the block brake speed is to set the boost off the brake after it's stopped. Stupid. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's a show-stopper, but on a ride like the spinning mouse I built for that video, that makes the ride pretty stupid.

It's hard to say if this demo is based on the final build, because it's very possible that the two code bases were split off from each other at some point.

I noticed the elements when you create a new coaster have a totally different layout. Which I like alot better. It's now a scrolling list instead of pictures of the element.

For me this Demo seems to be running alot better then the other one did.

You could make weather happen in the first demo. It would only rain and when the rain started, just the sky got darker and you HEARD the rain. You could never see it. As for the trees, is that something new or is it like in the first demo when you disable 3-d trees they swayed back and forth? Glad to see that some of the things are changing a bit. By the time the full release comes out to sell, we're likely to see an very different game ya know it?

It's all looking good.... just showed Jeff's spinning mouse vid to my partner and she felt a bit sick.... and she always maintains that a computerised coaster never does anything for her as it's not the real thing. Until now. Atari, you have received the ultimate compliment from Mrs. HardToPleaseWithComputerisedCoasters.

Oh yeah.... forgot to mention - i really don't like the demo time limit!!! I'm trying to find a patch to override it so i can get my teeth really stuck into it and enjoy it slowly! unfortunately, http://www.psd-fx.com seems to be down at the moment - anyone know where else their patch is?

This time round it set my settings to medium as opossed to very high and the game looked crap. I changed them to extreme and although the FPS is poor it runs just as good as it did with the medium setting, but looks 100x better. Still LOTS of bugs though - e.g., I increased the number of circuits on the Afterburner, and when in full swing it jumped from one side to the other, and the peeps bodies still disappear in the coaster cam!

Also they've removed lots of settings from the options.txt file so we now have to endure a lengthy startup. Looks like Frontier are as obsessed about controlling us as Chris Sawyer was.

Also you can no longer import tracks from RCT2 - it is only available in the full game, and I've heard the time hack doesn't work anymore - haven't tried it myself because I'm a good boy and don't do naughty things. *** Edited 10/21/2004 8:56:01 AM UTC by Grant***

Well, so as long as the Sandbox mode works, by swapping the demo file w/ the tutorial file, I'm perfectly happy with that...

As for some of the changes... I did notice just a few things. The construction interface w/ the coaster is a little more logical by actually accompaning a description with the element right there instead of a picture (and waiting for the pop up description). The sounds of the hard "thunk" are also in place from the gameplay videos from Gamespot, IGN, & other places. I still wish that pavement would have a sound so you know you spent 10 bucks on a piece there. I haven't tried to manipulate the height of the pavement, so I can't comment if it's any easier.

...all I know is that I still got the game to crash. I was riding that Afterburner, and it was time for the fireworks show... game just completely froze up, and when checking the main Windows screen, says something to the effect of unable to load particle effects. Who knows. It was running fine at the highest resolution until that came up.
...I think when the final game is released, I'm going to be turning weather off if it's an option, as well as day/night cycles because it's hard to work in a night-cycle & the cycles go too fast!

Mine seemed to run a little better than the last one, I think there was fix for lower end processors. Anyways the day/night cycle only goes fast because its the demo we don't know what the full version is like yet. I did notice the trees swaying, the mechanics give thoughts like (wtf?, I like my job, I am happy!) I'm still yet to check out the whole thing later for more changes.

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Grant said:
Also they've removed lots of settings from the options.txt file so we now have to endure a lengthy startup.

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As I said above, you can add "SkipBannerSequence 1" to the file. Just because it isn't there doesn't mean it's not recogznied.

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DawgByte II said:
I haven't tried to manipulate the height of the pavement, so I can't comment if it's any easier.

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That seems to have been fixed. I had some problems with it in the first release, but now the path won't try to go one direction. It behaves nicely.

They also toned down the lift speed and took away the "themed" inverter trains.

Well the first one worked for me, but I'm glad that other people who had problems can play now. Its only fair I mean...heheh. There must be some happy folks out there!

Still don't have no damn water reflecttions...and right now I am just not going to spend 200.00 for a ATI Video Card...i will just have to do without reflections...!!!

People will still have interest in RCT 2. This isn't like when RCT 2 came out. There are many people, myself included, that have doubts whether RCT 3 will fit their style of park building.

Hold on kids. Im short of hard drive space so can I delete the first demo...or is that needed to run this demo?

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Jeff said:

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Grant said:
Also they've removed lots of settings from the options.txt file so we now have to endure a lengthy startup.

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As I said above, you can add "SkipBannerSequence 1" to the file. Just because it isn't there doesn't mean it's not recogznied.

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OR, if you don't want to edit anything you can just hit the space bar to skip each segment quicker.

Also...this new demo had some bugs so in a day or two yet ANOTHER demo will be posted fixing a couple of things having to do with coaster crash assets missing (though there is a way to fix it yourself now on the Atari site). Ah...the never ending cycle of software development. LOL

Is it just me or does 1.1 figure the stats a bit more realistically (as far as E-I-N)?

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rentzy17 said:

Now that RCT 3 is coming out, I don't think anyone will have any interest in the old game. I am sad.

Now I will go play the RCT 3 demo and become addicted to that as well.

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you're hilarious!! i feel the same way too...its only a matter of time...and once the game does come out...forget it.

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Lord Gonchar said:
Is it just me or does 1.1 figure the stats a bit more realistically (as far as E-I-N)?

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Don't know as I haven't bothered building any new coasters, and you can't import anymore.

I did notice though the the airtime rating has started working, but the number of inversions is still incorrect.

I wonder why they changed the Looping Wasp design!

Looks like they brought back the ability to charge at the gate and per ride in 1.1 too!

Something that was really missing in RCT2 for us greedy scenario types. :)

EDIT - it doesn't do both in the demo map, but if you rename the tutorial maps, it does. So maybe it isn't back after all.

*** Edited 10/22/2004 10:53:53 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***