ROUND 2 RESULTS:
GROUP 1: Jimmy Yoshi
You ended up as the luckiest person in this round. Your competitor, Myriad, the top seed from the initial round, did not submit a track. You have pulled the upset by default, and you go on to round 3. Congratulations!
?????????Wyvern????????? ????????? (Jimmy Yoshi)
This one won automatically, so I'm going to be brief. It was a good track overall. It was generally well shaped, had good adrenaline for the most part, and only lacked slightly in the originality department. Your original element barely sufficed.
Technical:
Smooth turns, no pumping, the only problems were that there were 5.3 vertical g?????????s coming into the cobra roll which lost you .25 points, and there were a few banking transitions near the end that felt just a touch too sudden. Also, there was one very minor problem with the e-stop. If the e-stop is activated at exactly 52 mph, the train valleys in the middle of the cobra roll. The range of speeds was only 1 mph though. At 53 or higher, it always either returns to the launch or makes the end, and at 51 it doesn't make it over the top of the first inversion. Since your range of failure was only 1 mph, you lose only .25 points. Overall, a 9.5/10 in shaping, minus .25 for the g, minus .25 for the e-stop.
Adrenaline:
Nice. The speed lagged just a touch in the turn and hill after the double heartline roll, but it really wasn't a big deal. The lag was very temporary, and it kicked right back in. The issue that I had with this coaster was that there was just not quite enough of the ?????????insanity????????? factor. It was fast, but it just wasn't crazy. I would recommend using more track closer to the ground, with a few fast transitions and bursts of ejector air. There?????????s not too much I can really say about this????????? it's just a feel thing.
Originality:
The inversions were fairly standard????????? cobra roll, corkscrew, heartline roll. The sequencing was just a touch lacking, with too many turns and not enough hills and intense inversions for my tastes. Generally, rocket coasters get their kicks by giving you an insane rush for the entire course of the track. This coaster didn't have the insane feeling. It wasn't bad, as the sensation of speed was generally good, but it just didn't quite have the wow factor needed to get you the highest scores. Very few coasters in this round did.
New Element:
This is the weakest part of your ride. Your original element is just a cobra roll with the exit higher than the entrance. In the ride itself, I couldn't even tell that there was an original element at all because it felt so much like a normal cobra roll. It is technically original, but you got a very low score here.
Technical: 9.0 Adrenaline: 8.5 Originality: 7.5 Element: 1.0 Overall: 7.88
GROUP 2: Mikado vs. Iron Man
As the seeding suggest, this was a VERY close match. Both coasters had similar problems, and there is no clear winner after riding both tracks. I will have to look into the details and let the ratings play out to see which one of you won this group.
EDIT: Wow. Even after running through the ratings and moving from a half point to a quarter point scale, the scores are still exactly the same. Well, I guess that can only mean one thing????????? Mikado wins because he had a higher adrenaline and originality scores. This is as close as it gets, though. This was definitely a squeeze. Congrats, Mikado.
?????????Hillside Rumbler????????? ????????? (Mikado)
This coaster had a slight problem with the original element and also a bit with the adrenaline. The ride was a bit too long????????? by the end I was getting bored. I think that the main problem was that you tried to go a little bit too big. You had such big elements that you restricted yourself due to the small space.
Technical:
Looking at this coaster, I was almost sure that it was going to valley in the first element. I must comment that your solution to this potential problem was very good. I did get it to valley eventually, but it took over 10 tries to do it. If the e-stop is activated such that the exit speed from the launch and the ensuing brake run is exactly 70 mph, it valleys. But it takes such a precise time to make this happen, it is hardly an issue. No points off, since the window of failure is only 0.02 seconds. The shaping was generally good, but there were a few tiny bumps/pumps through the ride. The pumping in the last heartline roll was awful. That needs serious re-shaping. Also, the g forces got pretty high a couple of times. It just seemed to need a touch more ironing out.
Adrenaline:
It wasn't bad, but it seemed just a touch too long for a rocket coaster. Rockets throw you for an insane rush very quickly, and then leave you pumped full of adrenaline. This one gave a longer ride that had slightly less adrenaline that was spread out more. This isn't bad, it just doesn't leave you with the feeling of ?????????I've just been on a rocket, and it was the most insane 40 seconds of my life?????????. It was technically going fast, and it gave a good looping variety, but it just wasn't insane enough. Next time, don't try to go so big on a small template. Because you were trying to go 80 mph on a small area, you were very limited to what you could do. I would launch a bit slower, and deliver the thrills with terrain interactions and smaller, faster inversions. Basically, sacrifice a bigger and faster ride for a smaller and punchier ride that kicks the crap out of you and does it fast. Also, I had a slight problem with the sequence of this coaster????????? there was a gigantic portion in the middle that had nothing but elevated turns, and there was absolutely no airtime aside from the very first hill. You need more air through the ride, and some variety in the middle would be really helpful. Turns, especially elevated ones, really get repetitive quickly.
Originality:
I already mentioned the problem you had with sequencing????????? there was a giant dead spot in the middle of the ride with no airtime or inverting. As far as I'm concerned, the coaster would have been better if you had completely skipped the whole figure 8 turn sequence and gone straight into the ending inversions. The inversion selection reminded me a lot of Schwarzkopf?????????s ?????????Thriller?????????????????? the almost circular double loop and the loopscrew were very reminiscent. Unfortunately, there wasn't a very intense ride to back them up. You basically had 3 loop-like elements, and 2 heartline roll elements. I would have liked to see a corkscrew or two, and some more original elements than what you had. Still, most of the deductions here are from the big break in the middle of the ride. That just killed it. Bonus for the VERY nice 3ds additions such as the custom footers and the brake fins lining the launch track.
New Element:
Meh, this wasn't very impressive IMO. It wasn't quite a double loop, but it felt just like one. It reminded me of the element that was on Goudrix, only it was much more like a loop. When I watched the video of this element on Goudrix, I had watch it three times before I knew what the heck the element was. If you had done something like that, this element would have been great. However, you negated that feeling. I knew instantly that it was just a double loop with some banking added to it, and it didn't feel very original, even though it looked very good from the ground. The second to last inversion had the same problem????????? it was supposed to be a loopscrew, but the shaping was too close to that of a normal loop to feel original. A simple fix would be to try and alter the shape so that these elements aren?????????t so straight.
Technical: 8.75 Adrenaline: 7.5 Originality: 7.5 Element: 1.25 Overall: 7.58
?????????Esperanza????????? ????????? (Iron Man)
I'll start out by saying that your coaster had arguably the best beginning of any coaster in the contest. The originality, speed, and intensity through those first two elements were just incredible. Unfortunately, everything after that was horrible (not an understatement.) If you had maintained that kind of speed through the whole track, you would have won for sure.
Technical:
Very good. There was just some very minor tugging in the beginning, between the outside banked hill and the double roll. Also, there was a slight stalling problem because you had the station timing set too high and only one blocksegment at the end of the ride. Aside from that, just fine.
Adrenaline:
The beginning was great! That outside banked hill and the double roll were absolutely wonderful! But what happened after that? Turn, turn, turn, turn. No inversions, no airtime, just a bunch of useless turns. That?????????s one of the things that really bothered me about this coaster????????? there was only one moment of airtime and both inversions were knocked off within 10 seconds of the launch. To sum it up, the first 10 seconds was absolutely incredible but the last 30-40 seconds was just a complete letdown. Please save some of the airtime and inversions for the end next time. Nothing bothers me more than a coaster with a great beginning that just completely falls flat near the end.
Originality:
Outside banked turn was awesome????????? I've seen it before, but it's still one of my favorite elements. The double heartline roll was really cool also????????? it had a very unique feel to it. However, what happened after that? There was a 90 degree banked turn, and then just a bunch of really repetitive normal turns. Same issues as above. Started great, ended completely dead. Also, I must say that I didn't like the support work very much. Every single support seemed the same????????? the same structure, and the same tube size through the entire track. It just didn't look that good to me.
New Element:
Loved the outside banked turn / turning double heartline roll combo. Big points here. Those elements were really awesome! Next to Thorazine, these were the best original elements in the contest.
Technical: 9.5 Adrenaline: 6.5 Originality: 6.5 Element: 2.5 Overall: 7.58
GROUP 3: Wing-Over vs. screamomatic
This group was closer than I thought. I expected Wing-Over to completely blow you away, screamomatic, but it was somewhat close. screamomatic, your coaster had the adrenaline, but Wing-Over had you slaughtered in the technical department. This was a classic battle of intensity versus finesse. However, I think Wing-Over is going to take it. The sequencing killed your coaster, screamomatic.
?????????Thermite????????? ????????? (Wing-Over)
This track was quick and to the point. I loved the pretzel roll????????? there's definitely a reason why they used it on SpeedMonster????????? it's a really awesome element. I wish the coaster was longer, because even for a rocket the ending seemed very abrupt after just 2 elements, but what was there was very good. Technical was superior, and the extra touches helped to push you over the top.
Technical:
Shaping was almost perfect. There was one tiny, tiny, tiny tug in the beginning, but it was basically invisible. Also, it would technically be possible for the train to valley IRL if the e-stop kicked in while the train was going exactly 41.5 mph, but it is impossible to dublicate in No Limits so there is no real e-stop problem. The precision required would make the possibility completely negligible. One question????????? why was the first ending brake run lower than the other one after it? It seemed weird to have the brakes pushing the car uphill to the station. Well, none of these are really legitimate problems. They all add up to a quarter of a point.
Adrenaline:
Somewhat lackluster here. The launch was kind of a let-down, only launching to 50 mph, despite the fact that most of the elements afterward were taken at good speed. My gripe was that it was too short. It wasn't quite fast enough to be so short. You can only get away with having a really short ride if the coaster truly makes you feel like you have been through 25 seconds of hell. The launch was a let-down for me, and so was the abrupt ending. I?????????d recommend using a launch to about 60 mph, and then throwing an extra corkscrew and an air hill at the end. So, to sum it up, it was decently intense, but it needed more speed and more length.
Originality:
Sequencing was very good. There was a great variety of inversions, airtime, and intense turns. However, being short affected this score as well. It just wasn't quite spectacular enough. My reaction was ?????????that's it?????????? (not a good thing). What was there was good????????? you just needed to keep it going for another 10 seconds or so. What was incredible about this ride was the detail????????? custom footers, custom connectors, and brilliant coloring. A nice bonus for that.
New Element:
Gotta love the pretzel loop????????? a good score here, because I never get tired of that element. If this contest was last year, you would have gotten full points. But since SpeedMonster, the coaster that this template is based off of, has the exact same element, it's not technically new anymore. Still, I love it.
Technical: 9.75 Adrenaline: 6.75 Originality: 7.75 Element: 2.0 Overall: 7.95
?????????Digitalus????????? ????????? (screamomatic)
Your coaster had great speed????????? it was very enjoyable there. However, that's where the fun stops. There was a lot of pretty bad pumping through the course of the ride, and the sequencing was pretty bad. If you had a better technical score, you would have won this group????????? you beat Wing-Over in adrenaline by almost 2 points.
Technical:
The shaping needed some work. The pumping was really bad. Luckily for you, though, that was the only problem. I found no e-stop issues, collisions, or contest violations. Just make sure that you iron out your track more before you run it through the AHG next time.
Adrenaline:
The speed was great! The coaster had very good intensity throughout the track, and the sensation of speed was always there. The let-down here was the sequence????????? the entire ride was no more than 2 stengel-type elements and 3 corkscrews with a little pop of air mixed in. All of your points here are because of the amazing sensation of danger and speed. The length was just a little short, but the ride was so intense that it really didn't need to be longer.
Originality:
This coaster had just about the worst sequencing in the whole contest. The Stengel dive was somewhat interesting, but aside from that you really needed some variety. Your ride consisted basically of 3 corkscrews. By the third one, I really wished that you had used some other inversion. The corkscrew is a good inversion, I'll admit it, but using three of them in a row without any other inversions to back them up really killed the sequencing. Your points were mostly based off of the insane pacing on this coaster, as most of the scores from sequencing are from the 2 pops of air and the initial stengel dive. You also got some bonus points for the supports. They were a bit excessive, but they looked very nice. I don't quite understand what the terrain spikes were for????????? it doesn't seem to fit the name ?????????digitalus?????????. That?????????s just a curiosity, though. Never mind.
New Element:
I liked the stengel dive, but it's definitely been done before. This was a shining copy of the one on Goliath. It's still a cool and original element, so you still get about half of the points. You?????????re lucky that this element hasn?????????t been used on a rocket coaster yet, because you were close to getting DQ?????????ed for it.
Technical: 7.5 Adrenaline: 8.25 Originality: 6.5 Element: 1.5 Overall: 7.20
GROUP 4: coasterteddy vs. unfortunate_smiley
This was another classic battle of wildness versus finesse. Coasterteddy had the technical department won, but unfortunate_smiley?????????s track had nearly as good adrenaline, and was much better in originality. Again, I'm not ready to issue a verdict until I crunch the numbers.
EDIT: After doing e-stop tests, and truly looking at all the wonderful original elements on unfortunate_smiley?????????s track, he has taken this group. Coasterteddy, you ended up getting ousted because of the contest rules. In a traditional BT/Ad/Or system, you would have won. But because unfortunate_smiley had much better original elements, he ended up winning. Smiley, you successfully pulled the upset despite your lousy technical score, and have made it to round three.
?????????Eclipse????????? ????????? (coasterteddy)
Shaping was good, but this coaster had lots of e-stop problems and a big problem with inversion selection. The adrenaline was really good, though. A good coaster overall.
Technical:
The biggest problem here was e-stop. This was a full-blown failure. The brakes in the dip after the launch were set as blocks, but did not have any means of transport. This means that when e-stop is activated anywhere along the entire 87 ft length of the launch track, the train will be stopped by the brakes, and then be stuck in the dip. Also, your first element was the same height as another later in the ride, which meant if the exit speed from the brakes at the end of the launch was anywhere between 40 and 44 mph, the train valleys between the first inversions and the big turn about 300 feet of track later. The second one is less of an issue, but they cost you some big points here. Also, it seemed very strange to me that you had the first ending brake run lower than the second one, relying on transport segments to bring it back to the station. Well, aside from that, there were few problems. Shaping was wonderful, with just a couple of pumps. 9.5/10 in shaping, minus a full point and a half for the horrible e-stop problems.
Adrenaline:
The speed was very nice. There were some good g forces through the ride, and I really loved the double-tunnel airtime hill. I would have liked to see a couple more inversions, though. Luckily, there was enough airtime to make up for it. The speed slowed down just a tiny touch in the middle of the ride, but this coaster did have quite a bit of the rocket out of control feeling. Plus, there was lateral air! I love it! You get a great score here????????? this track was great fun. The points off were mostly because of the sequencing, which had no inversions other than the heartline rolls.
Originality:
Here is where the problem is. The inversion selection was basically 3 heartline rolls. I would have liked to see a corkscrew or other larger inversions. Without them, the ride felt just a little bit flat. That said, the non-inverted parts were very good. You had some good high speed turns, the famous elevated heartline transition, and I absolutely loved the tunnel-hill-tunnel combo. (It reminded me of the ones on ?????????Tremors?????????, which are some of my favorite moments on any coaster.) Still, those parts didn't quite cover up the gaps. The ride was too flat, and you really needed an inversion besides the 0-gravity roll.
New Element:
Basic idea, good execution, but not too interesting. It was too flat, and felt more like a double in-line twist rather than a 2-inversion 0-gravity roll. This was interesting, but not really the kind of thing that screams originality like Thorazine?????????s element. A generally low score here.
Technical: 8.0 Adrenaline: 8.75 Originality: 7.5 Element: 1.25 Overall: 7.72
?????????Bluebird????????? ????????? (unfortunate_smiley)
I really liked this coaster. The only problem with it was the technical????????? the shaping was really bad. But there was a good mix of elements, nice speed throughout, and tons of originality.
Technical:
The shaping was absolutely horrible. There was nasty pumping throughout the entire track, lots of elements were shaped wrong, generating high lateral g?????????s at the entrances and exits, and overall it was just a very poor job compared to the other tracks. The banking coming into several of the turns was too much, hanging guests out of the side of the train, and I noticed that the turns and transitions weren't heartlined, which is a necessity for most steel coasters. All of the points that you lost were from shaping problems????????? there were no other issues.
Adrenaline:
It was just a touch long for a rocket coaster, and could have used just a touch more out-of-controlled-ness, but it was still very good. The sensation of speed was maintained throughout the entire ride, and you never knew what the heck was coming next. Everything was random, and there was a great combination of inversions, overbanks, ground turns, airtime, and lateral airtime. Not too much to gripe about here????????? just maybe use some smaller inversions to make the sensation of speed even better, and trim about 5-10 seconds off.
Originality:
The sequencing was superb! All that was missing was maybe one or two smaller inversions like a corkscrew or a heartline roll. I loved how everything felt so random????????? you had lots of intense transitions, 3 or 4 moments of intense lateral airtime, 2 outside banked turns, and I didn't even know what the heck each inversion was. This coaster was completely disorienting. I never had any idea where I was on the grid, or what was coming next. I applaud you. This was the best sequenced ride in the entire contest.
New Element:
Wow. So many good elements were on this ride. The first one was interesting, kind of like a Stengel dive but with more whip to it. Then, there were 2 outside banked hills, with wonderful lateral air through them. Plus, they were kind of a combo of an elevated heartline transition and the outside banked hill. Great stuff there. And to cap it off? The real original element, the modified pretzel loop. That was completely disorienting, I had no idea what was happening. Great job on your original elements... you get big points here. This coaster?????????s elements scream originality and intensity. Simply wonderful! This is like the steel version of The Voyage in terms of adding tons of unexpected elements together for a truly original package.
Technical: 6.0 Adrenaline: 8.5 Originality: 9.5 Element: 2.5 Overall: 8.03
GROUP 5: Real vs. tracksix
Tracksix, I must admit that you surprised me. Your coaster was very good, and had a nice idea behind it. However, Real?????????s coaster was just that much better. Both of you made great tracks, but I'm about 90% sure that Real is the winner after looking at both tracks. Great job, both of you.
?????????Wooly Bear????????? ????????? (Real)
Good track. It was really good technically, had good adrenaline, and some nice original elements. Solid overall, even though the name didn't exactly incite terror and anticipation in me [;)]
Technical:
Very good. There was some very minor pumping, and a couple of tugs, but it was smooth and well shaped overall. 9.25/10 in shaping. There was a slight problem with e-stop, however. If the exit speed of the launch is either 53 mph or low enough so that the car just makes it over the first bump, it valleys. Since both of these ranges of failure were only 1 mph, you lost only a quarter of a point for each.
Adrenaline:
Again, very good. The speed was maintained very well, with the only slight lag at the entrance to the double helix. Everything else was paced wonderfully, giving a great combination of airtime, inversions, and intense positive g?????????s turns. This was the highlight of the ride for sure. I loved the triple-down into the tunnel (even though I couldn't actually see it because it was so dark). The coaster lacked just a touch of the ?????????wow????????? factor required for a 9+, (only dcs221?????????s track had it?????????), but the sensation of speed and intensity was definitely always there. Wonderful stuff you've got here.
Originality:
Bravo! The originality was absolutely wonderful. The inversions were almost all modified in shape, leaving me with no idea where I was going. The combination of airtime and inversions was wonderful????????? it couldn't have been much better sequenced. A worth 9 here, only held back because none of the elements really made you go ?????????wow, that was wicked!?????????, and because it didn't have quite as much variety as unfortunate_smiley?????????s track, which got a 9.5 here. Not much to gripe about, though. I loved the triple-down into the tunnel????????? that was the most original part IMO. Everything was very well done, and I don't have much to complain about overall. Also, even though it was slightly rushed, the ride setup was wonderful with the custom footers, the tunnel, and the trench work.
New Element:
Good. The first two inversions were kind of halfway between immelmans and corkscrews, which really confused me for a second trying to figure out where I was. Also, as I've mentioned before, I loved the triple-down into the tunnel. It was very Voyage-esque. The inversions were good, and somewhat unpredicted, but they just weren't the kind of inversions that really inspire wonder and make you feel like you've done something crazy. Still, a good score here.
Technical: 8.75 Adrenaline: 8.75 Originality: 9.25 Element: 2.0 Overall: 8.71
?????????Madison Goldrusher????????? ????????? (tracksix)
I was surprised by this track. It was a very original idea to do an Intamin looping mine train, and you had one of the most practical original elements. My biggest gripe was that there weren't enough inversions. Otherwise, this was a very good coaster. The speed was wonderful, and the idea was nice and original.
Technical:
The shaping was a bit strange????????? it seemed that there were flat spots in the middle of all of the banking transitions. This was most definitely due to poor planning before running through the AHG. I would recommend going straight from turn to turn rather than going turn, flat section, turn. The way you had it, it created a weird feeling and negated some of the adrenaline. There was quite a bit of pumping, and some rough transitions to add to that, so your overall score here was anything but premium. Luckily, there were no major issues such as e-stop or collisions.
Adrenaline:
Good speed, good pacing, pretty bad sequencing. The huge amount of airtime and intense turns was a plus. I really wished you had another inversions or two, as this was supposed to be a multi-loop rocket coaster, but it was surprisingly good for a coaster that stayed so close to the ground through the course. The only lag in pace was in the wide turn just before the last hill. The sensation of speed was wonderful, enhanced by the numerous scene objects and latticed steel supports. But the sequencing was kind of bad because both inversions were right at the beginning and then there was nothing but hills and turns until the end.
Originality:
Same issue as I mentioned above????????? both inversions happened immediately after the launch, and then the entire rest of the coaster was hills and turns. I liked the mix of airtime and positive g?????????s, but it only partially covered up the lack of inversions. The real thing that got you points here was the theme. Doing a mine train type of thing with the Intamin rocket was very original, and it really came through with the scene objects you added. Nice work with theming, and good inspiration, but you just needed to work on the track sequencing a bit.
New Element:
This was the high point. Your new element was kind of like a cobra roll, but with a nice spiral to it also. A nice element, earning you some nice points.
Technical: 7.5 Adrenaline: 7.75 Originality: 7.75 Element: 2.25 Overall: 7.65
GROUP 6: MF2001 vs. Jakizle
There is a clear winner here. MF2001, congratulations. Jakizle, your track was really repetitive and not adrenalistic enough. MF2001, your track lagged in a couple of places and was a touch too long, but even though it is definitely not one of your better contest tracks it was enough for a win.
?????????Azzurro????????? ????????? (MF2001)
This is definitely not one of your better contest tracks, MF. The shaping was subpar for you, the coaster lacked the insane out-of-control feeling, and the originality was the only real high point. I know you can do better. You were lucky to win this group.
Technical:
There was quite a bit of pumping on this track. The g forces were expertly controlled, though, and the pumping was much more minor than on some of the other tracks. 8/10 in shaping. There were no other technical problems, so that's your score.
Adrenaline:
This coaster really lacked the sensation of being reckless and out-of-control, like a rocket coaster needs. Heck, it even felt slow in a couple of places. I believe that the main problem were that there were too many elevated turns and not enough ground turns and inversions/airtime. This is easily illustrated by looking at the exit to the first double helix and the entrance to the second one. Both had the train hanging around 30 mph for several seconds, which took a lot away from the sensation of speed. The inversion spacing was all right, but it still felt like it was turning too much and not doing enough hill cresting and inverting. The best advice that I can give is to use more ground turns, airtime, and fast inversions rather than the drawn-out elevated turns. This coaster was nowhere near out-of-control enough for a rocket coaster.
Originality:
The elements themselves weren't too bad, with a couple of nice modified inversions and the signature elevated heartline transitions, but it was just how it all fit together that made it seem a touch on the bleah side. I said already that there were too many elevated turns. This was definitely a problem, completely robbing the coaster of its ?????????wow????????? factor. The sequencing as whole was kind of a problem also. There was basically no airtime all the way until the end of the ride, which also took away a bit of the element of surprise. Really, most of these things are just details, but they definitely could have helped the coaster feel faster and more crazy.
New Element:
The first element was interesting, being an immelman with a bit of a turning bump on the way down, but I'm guessing that your second inversion was intended to be the original element. Well, it definitely was interesting. It was kind of like a heartline roll, but also kind of like an immelman, so I really don't know how to classify it. This is a good thing. If it takes a while to figure something out, that definitely means that it's original. You get a good score here. This was a nice element. Also, the heartlined elevated transitions added to this????????? that is just about my favorite element in Intamin?????????s repertoire.
Technical: 8.0 Adrenaline: 7.5 Originality: 7.75 Element: 2.0 Overall: 7.65
?????????The Last Straw????????? ????????? (Jakizle)
This track was way too predictable. It was very linear in design, and I felt a general sense of incompletion by the end. The shaping really wasn't that bad, and the adrenaline was not too bad either, but it was the originality and the new element that you were absolutely crushed. Those aspects were nothing short of a disaster compared to the other tracks.
Technical:
Your biggest problem was e-stop????????? if the e-stop was activated anywhere between 30 and 45 mph during the launch, the train valleyed. This is enough of a range to count for a full-blown e-stop failure. Minus one point. The shaping itself was actually very good. Just a couple of minor pumps kept it from being perfect. 9.5/10 there, minus the points for the e-stop.
Adrenaline:
Speed wise, this wasn't bad. Because it stayed so low to the ground, the sensation of speed was naturally good. The sequencing was just horrible, though. More on that later in originality????????? Anyway, it really wasn't that bad here. The speed that was there was sustained well. If this coaster wasn't so predictable, and with such bad element variety, it would actually have been a great ride. But because of those things, it ended up as one of the lower tracks instead of one of the higher ones. So, this score was mostly based on pacing. That was the only part of this category that was admirable.
Originality:
Let the massacre begin????????? lol. Anyway, I'll just list the problems one at a time. 1. ????????? The track was too linear. It went out, it came back, went out, came back. I always knew where I was on the grid. This is a very bad thing, especially on an Intamin rocket. The feeling you should be going for is that of complete disorientation and randomness. Everything here was just too predictable and linear. 2. ????????? Your only two inversions were both zero gravity rolls. 3. ????????? The whole ride had only one moment of real airtime. 4. ????????? Right off the bat, you used 3 turn combinations that felt exactly the same. 5. ????????? There was only one original element, which was really pathetic IMO. The whole point of this round was to build a truly original rocket coaster. This one was just completely flat in originality.
New Element:
A banked hill????????? how many times have we seen that before? If anything, I would rather have had it stay a normal hill because of how little airtime was on this coaster. And when your only original element actually takes away from the ride rather than adding to it, you know that something is really wrong. Very low score here. I'm disappointed, I know you can be more creative then this.
Technical: 8.5 Adrenaline: 8.0 Originality: 5.25 Element: 0.75 Overall: 6.82
GROUP 7: Thorazine vs. delousedcoma
In a normal rating system, this group would have been very, very close. Both tracks had great adrenaline, a few technical problems, and good originality in different ways. The big separating factor in this one was the original element. Thorazine had my favorite original element in the whole round, and that pushed his track just over the top. Both tracks were great, though. Good job to both of you, and congrats to Thorazine for making it to the ?????????elite eight?????????.
?????????Vertigo????????? ????????? (Thorazine)
This was a great track! It was a little short, and lagged a touch in the big loop, but the rest was just incredible. Your original element was my favorite in the whole contest round, and everything else was wonderful as well.
Technical:
Not many issues here. My only gripe was that a couple of the transitions seemed a touch too abrupt. There was one very minor e-stop issue????????? if the train is launched at either 65 or 66 mph, it valleys upside down in the first element. This is a very small range of failure, and is only worth a quarter of a point off. So, a 9.5/10 in shaping minus the e-stop points. Also, a gripe of mine, even though you lost no points for it, was that the sections of spineless track seemed kind of strange. Also, the support structure on the first element was WAY over-done. You could have easily supported that inverted track with less than 1/3 of the steel.
Adrenaline:
There were only tiny lags in the pacing????????? in the flat track before the loop, through the loop, and the crest of the double-down into the brakes. Everything else was superior. The section of hills and turns just a few feet off the ground going through all the trees was absolutely wonderful, and that first inversion was completely INSANE! That?????????s the kind of element that the entire coaster community raves about for months on end because it is so unique and intense. Not much to really complain about here. Aside from the lags in the loop and the last few seconds, it was perfect.
Originality:
Actually a low point. The only really original thing here was the first inversion. That makes up a lot, though. The sequencing was nice, though. The combination of hills and turns made up somewhat for the lack of inversions. Still, this was your lowest score by far. The fact remains that even though the sequencing of hills and turns was good there was still a large lack of inversions, especially the smaller and faster ones like corkscrews and in-line twists. I would have liked to see one of those mixed in with the intense hills and ground turns near the end. The supports were nice, but way overdone, so no bonus for them this time.
New Element:
WOW! Unbelievable. This is one of the most intense elements I have ever seen, and it is the kind that would have coaster fans the world over drooling at their computer screens. Amazing. The best element in the contest.
Technical: 9.25 Adrenaline: 9.0 Originality: 8.0 Element: 3.0 Overall: 8.86
?????????Banzai????????? ????????? (delousedcoma)
Not a bad coaster. It lacked some of the ?????????wow????????? factor, though. The ending was a bit abrupt, and nothing really seemed to stand out IMO. It was just good.
Technical:
There was quite a bit of bumping and pumping, but it was not severe. The shaping was actually very good in general. 8.25/10 there. There was, however, a problem with the e-stop. When launched at 57 or 58 mph, the train valleyed between the first two inversions. The range is very small, so only .25 off. Also, even though there was technically no deduction because they were just in range, the g forces got kind of high a few couple times.
Adrenaline:
It was good, but not quite in the truly insane range like it needed to be. Rockets are all about giving you 40 seconds of insanity. Your coaster had good speed and some nice elements, but lacked the big punch. I've said it a thousand times already, but to do this you need to use less spiraling, more fast inversions, and turns and hills that are closer to the ground. I don't think I need to regurgitate this stuff again????????? I've said it on almost all of the other coasters. More insanity.
Originality:
Nice. Very nice. The sequencing was great in the beginning, with 2 great original inversions, my absolute favorite ride sensation in lateral air, and another intense inversion after that. Then, it died off just a bit with the spirals, but it was good that you kicked in some airtime between them. A really high score here. The inversion selection was just incredible, and with the awesome sequencing you can imagine that you are getting a very high score here.
New Element:
The inclined loop was a nice addition to a rocket, and the second inversion was definitely good because I had no idea what was happening. It took a while for me to figure out that it was like a cobra roll, only it didn't completely flip back over and wrapped around the back. It was definitely interesting. Then, there was the lateral air hill. I really wish that Intamin would do something like this. That was really good lateral air????????? an amazing lift and toss feel to it. Good job here. Nice high points.
Technical: 8.0 Adrenaline: 8.0 Originality: 9.0 Element: 2.25 Overall: 8.26
GROUP 8: Matt vs. dcs221
Matt, your coaster was very good. But you just can't go up against near-perfection. Dcs221 had the track with the best adrenaline, technical near the top, and awesome sequencing to boot. Dcs221, your coaster was simply brilliant. Welcome to round 3! Matt, you made a great track too????????? you were just unfortunate to end up against the highest rated track in the round.
?????????Mage????????? ????????? (Matt)
Good track. It was a bit flat in a couple of spots, and the shaping was a bit off, but it was nice work overall.
Technical:
The shaping was lacking a lot. There was pumping, tugging, and bumping everywhere. You really need to work out more of the kinks. 7.5/10 in shaping. Also, I saw one vertical g spike over 5.3 and a lateral g of 1.6. Minus a quarter point for that.
Adrenaline:
Dcs had a problem with transitions that were too fast, while you had a problem with transitions that weren't fast enough. With such wide banking transitions, the sensation of speed was negated to a very large degree. The elements were wonderful, and I liked the overall layout of the coaster a lot, but it was the transitions that let you down. Fix this issue, and tighten some of the turns near the end, and you would have a real winner here. There were very few lags in the overall pacing????????? unfortunately, the biggest ones were near the end of the ride. The two banking transitions leading into the trench were taken way too slow. The g?????????s were too low, and there was almost no sensation of speed there. It just left me with a slight feeling of mediocrity at the end of the ride. The beginning was very good, though. There was some great airtime, very cool inversions, and was great overall. But then, as soon as you shifted from inversion mode to turn mode, the ride just died. The last few turns were generally uninteresting, and I really wished you had a corkscrew or fast burst of airtime in there. It was just too much of a wash, and needed more signature elements in the end, not just in the beginning.
Originality:
I mentioned the sequencing problem already????????? all the good stuff was packed into the beginning of the ride. The first hill, and the ensuing hill and 2 inversions, were absolutely wonderful. But then the sequencing broke from a great combination of hills, inversions, and turns into turn-only flat mode. To sum it up, you really needed a bigger ending. Doing a bunch of turns and then hitting the brakes was a really poorly planned out ending. Pass the thrills around next time! I absolutely love seeing huge endings on coasters????????? especially on rockets, it leaves the riders pumped full of adrenaline and ready to ride again.
New Element:
Very nice. The 2-inversion spin was a nice effect. I was expecting it to just roll out and dive down, but then it spun around again and really left me feeling like it was original. Then, the next inversion was really icing on the cake. There was so much diving, looping, and turning, I didn't know what the heck was going on. Very good job! I loved both of your new elements.
Technical: 7.25 Adrenaline: 8.0 Originality: 8.25 Element: 2.5 Overall: 7.95
?????????Diavolezza????????? ????????? (dcs221)
Wow. I'm in shock. This is the best track in the whole contest by far. You really captured the feeling of complete chaos, and there were no dull moments on the entire coaster. I'm impressed. This was just so good????????? I don't have words for it.
Technical:
Some small bumps and pumps, and one transition that I thought was a touch too fast. 9.25/10 in shaping. There was a minor e-stop problem????????? from 43 mph to 40 mph there was valleying after the first hill. This was an overall minor issue, so .25 off for a final score of 9.
Adrenaline:
WOW! Everything was there????????? the speed, the out-of-controlled-ness, the insanity, the variety, it was all here. I really nothing to gripe about except that it was just a touch too short. Amazing. The highest score in the contest by far. You had the only track that truly captured the craziness and randomness of a great rocket coaster.
Originality:
Again, wow. The sequencing was absolutely superb, with original elements such as the first one, the classic elevated heartline transition, the little flare of an outerbanked hill, an inverted camelback, and little pops of air hidden all over the place. Simply wonderful sequencing and element selection. Another huge score here. Just wonderful stuff.
New Element:
What the heck was that? It started an immelman, finished as an in-line-twist, and then had an outerbanked hill as an exit? Wow. I'm impressed. Big points for that one... that was absolutely wicked.
Technical: 9.0 Adrenaline: 9.5 Originality: 9.5 Element: 2.5 Overall: 9.24
BREAKDOWN:
1. dcs221 (9.24) - advances
2. Thorazine (8.86) - advances
3. Real (8.71) - advances
4. delousedcoma (8.26) - eliminated (9th place)
5. unfortunate_smiley (8.03) - advances
6. Matt (7.95) - eliminated (10th place)
7. Wing-Over (7.95) - advances
8. Jimmy Yoshi (7.88) - advances
9. coasterteddy (7.72) - eliminated (11th place)
10. tracksix (7.65) - eliminated (12th place)
11. MF2001 (7.65) - advances
12. Mikado (7.58) - advances
13. Iron Man (7.58) - eliminated (13th place)
14. screamomatic (7.20) - eliminated (14th place)
15. Jakizle (6.82) - eliminated (15th place)
16. myriad (DNS) - eliminated (16th place)
PAIRINGS FOR ROUND 3:
Group 1:
8. Mikado
16. Jimmy Yoshi
Group 2:
4. Wing-Over
12. unfortunate_smiley
Group 3:
2. Real
7. MF2001
Group 4:
3. Thorazine
11. dcs221
Round 3 will begin as soon as the template is finished and posted. Stay tuned!