[NL2] Maul, B&M Floorless (WIP)

This isn't my first NL2 coaster, but it is the first I've really dug into. Here is Maul, a new B&M launched floorless coaster under construction.

I set out to make a ride that isn't the tallest, isn't the fastest, but is hopefully a whole bunch of fun. The launch is 40mph (39.5, actually) and a top speed of 58MPH. The trackwork is basically done other than some minor tweaks (depending on if any comments I receive prompt a change, anyway) but as you can see the supports are in progress. What are your thoughts on the NL2 prefabs? I'm doing a combination of prefab and hand-built and I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the best with supports but I feel as though the prefabs look about a hundred times better than the NL1 prefabs....

Comments and criticism are welcome and appreciated. I'm not really married to any one detail about this ride, so fire away.


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Update... liked the colors, but not with the name so it got a total repaint. Started terraforming and tree placement (sort of, just testing at the moment). Trackwork and supports are mostly done, really small tweaking now. Still a couple of little jerks but not sure I can fix them; I've tried. Pretty happy with it overall.

Would still love some input on how the supports are, being that I used so many prefabs. I did do some custom work with the inversions (only a little, honestly) and a few prefabs I had to fix, but I'd say maybe 60% of the supports are unedited prefabs. Truthfully I think they look pretty good, especially compared to NL1... I guess if I'm happy that's all that matters but I'm curious as to your thoughts.







(That support in the foreground is looking pretty thick; I can't tell if it's the angle or if it needs to be made more narrow. I'll check.)

[Coasterkidmwm]

Look at some pictures of B&M supports. Yours are a bit overly complex, and you'd be surprised how much better something can look if it's supported right.

Also in the future be careful not to stretch out your corkscrews too much.

The first corkscrew had to be stretched and just generally messed with a tiny bit-- didn't fit otherwise and even now the clearance envelope passes by a hair. It doesn't bother me that much, and if you're referring to the last image(s) from each post, that's not a corkscrew anyway, it's much more a zero-g.

Duly noted on the supports though; I have been looking at pictures but evidently I need some more work. I also did try looking at some of the demo tracks provided but I think they were in a rush to finish and mostly their [B&M] supports aren't so great either... just passable, and not a big help in this case. One thing I have NOT been able to do no matter what I try is get the B&M loop connector down, that big track-colored connector that's visible in this picture:



Can this be done easily, or does it take a lot of creative finagling?

At this point, if I'm being honest, I just generally accept my limitations with the supporting. I need to get better at it, there's no question, and right now my support work is literally about 8 years behind my track work because I finished so few NL1 rides. I'm a Mac user (working on Bootcamp) so never really had access to any tools until very recently, and by a certain point the handbuilt tracks really didn't compare to those made with tools. I found it hard to be satisfied with what I was building when the tracks made with tools were so much better and I never uploaded anything, and rarely totally finished. It's one of my top priorities in NL2, learning to support properly without having to spend hours with pictures... I'm hoping the better prefabs and the option to atomize will help along the way.

[SauronHimself]

As a suggestion, you may wish to choose another color scheme. When I see the combination of green track, uphill launch, and zero-G roll out of the gate, I think Incredible Hulk Copy.

[Coasterkidmwm]

As a general rule with B&M horizontal beams are few and far between. There are definitely exceptions, but usualy they don't have any horizontal beams.

Also if you prefer to not follow what they do at all, don't and just make a note of it. The point of a game is to make yourself happy, not others.

Originally posted by SauronHimself

As a suggestion, you may wish to choose another color scheme. When I see the combination of green track, uphill launch, and zero-G roll out of the gate, I think Incredible Hulk Copy.

I'm not trying to be snippy, this is a serious question: don't you think that's kind of a you issue, if you can't separate the two? I mean clearly the opening was Hulk inspired and it's not as if I'm trying to hide that(although it's not a rolling launch, anyway) but the rest doesn't really have a touch of Hulk in it, nor is it the same color whatsoever. That's like saying every green standup that has an oblique loop is too much like Green Lantern or Riddler's Revenge, IMO, or maybe every blue Intamin hyper with an overbank is too much like Millennium Force or Bizarro. Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm happy with this scheme.

Besides, Hulk is the only real-world example we have of this. B&M has made a habit of using and reusing elements from other rides; just look how similar something like Mantis and Chang/Green Lantern are, or how a bunch of their sitdown and floorless use the exact same vertical loop-dive-zero-G-cobra-(two)corkscrew pattern. Definitely not the same, but lots of them have elements pulled from other installments. I believe it's not so far-fetched to think that another B&M launcher could borrow some things from their one extant example, and it's barely the first 200 feet of track.

Coasterkid, of course you're right that it's just what makes me happy but I also am a big coaster fan (obviously, who here isn't) and AM interested in getting the supports at least close to what they should be. I am guessing you're referring to that horizontal beam in in the loop support; I felt that the angle was too wide for there not to be a beam because there's a piece of track in the way of where the footer should ideally be. Do you think I can just remove that horizontal beam, knowing that the angle of the support basically has to stay as is?

There's only one or two other horizontal beams around that I've now removed, and it definitely looks better. It's just the one on the loop bracing I'm wondering about because of the footer placement, and one other that is a specific circumstance and I'll probably keep.

Did you see my question about recreating the B&M-specific loop connector?

[Oscar]

I think the track work looks good but that green color scheme is not very appealing to me.

Is it THIS green, or the green period?

If you're okay with the green but not this green, what would you do to it?

I felt the first was much too bright... It started off with a different name.

What would you suggest?

One comment on the color, meh, but two... I'm not that stubborn. Sauron? Any input?

[Oscar]

It just felt like it was a faded out like an old coaster. I'm confident the color wont factor into ratings you get.

[Coasterkidmwm]

Originally posted by zacattack1104
Did you see my question about recreating the B&M-specific loop connector?

I don't own NL2 so I can't help you with that loop connector. As far as the beam you're mentioning, look at how Apocalypse at SFA is supported and you could probably get away with that.

Ah no problem. I'll check that out, thanks for the suggestion.

edit: new color scheme?

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[Oscar]

looks good

This is kind of a silly question that I SHOULD know, but this track really can only run two trains at a time. There's a storage shed... should I include a third train, in case one is "out for maintenance," or do some rides that only run two trains only HAVE two trains? Probably most real world examples have a spare, but that's why I'm asking.

Oscar- thanks! Done with the repainting. Hoping to upload in the next day or two.

Just another tip; your rail connectors are too big for the supports you are using. Double click on them to make them fit with the beams.

Looking good so far!

[TTD03]

Talon at DP only has 2 trains as far as I know, unless there is a magical one somewhere, and 2 train operation is the norm, unless its a Friday night Haunt and the park is dead.
Banshee at KI is supposed to have 3 trains running at the same time and it doesn't even have a MCBR.
So I would put your third train on the storage shed at start up, to simulate that the train is ready for use, but not needed at the moment.

[Coasterkidmwm]

Some rides are purchased with an extra train. Shockwave at SFGAm had 4 trains. They never ran the ride with all 4 simultaneously and the 4th was more of a parts train. Stupid ride cracked its first loop repeatedly and apparently was good at destroying the trains.

Honestly it's a detail I wouldn't worry about too much.

Originally posted by Rickyboy2

Just another tip; your rail connectors are too big for the supports you are using. Double click on them to make them fit with the beams.

Looking good so far!

Thanks!

Most of the connectors don't have an option to change the size, or at least not the ones I've used... when I double click it just has an option for the type, and under size it says "one size fits all." Is it just not coming up, is it the wrong sort, or....?

What might be causing a problem is the fact that there's a lot of prefabs in there and I didn't like the default 30" size so I changed it to 24", but I atomized all the prefabs so I should have the option to change the connector size if it's possible, period.

Any ideas?

As for the trains, I'm not going to worry too much about it. Maybe I'll make the track in the shed invisible so it's clear it's just an extra train just sitting there, not even really ready to be put on the track. Idk, I'll think about it. I may just leave it with two.