**Rating a coaster**

[EDIT] Point 12 added.

Due to my recent rating of coasters, I've gotten asked multiple times "How do you do it??" Here is, my at least, full guide to rating successfully.

--Point 1: Well, the biggest thing is this, and I know a lot of people don't do this: Get a piece of paper and TAKE NOTES. Write EVERYTHING you see, good or bad. If you look at my rates they are mostly chronological, because I rate as I ride, then pause the ride to write.
--Point 2: Re-ride it a few times to get EVERYTHING written down. The first time around with all the pausing and writing, you may not notice something. I usually go 2, maybe 3.
--Point 3: PRESS F6 TO TURN SHOCKS OFF! If your shocks are on, your coaster may seem great. Turn shocks OFF and look at your old coasters, they may have bumps between segments that were un-noticible.
--Point 4: Make sure you cover everything like: Smoothness, Pumps and Bumps, Pacing, Interaction (with ride, and scenery if possible), Layout design, Supportage, Fluidity (How well does the coaster flow throughout?) and most of all, Transitions.
--Point 5: Don't hold back. I can't express this enough: say EVERYTHING! Tell them everything you saw, and how maybe they could improve to their next ride. They need to know everything (<< there it is again) about it, it really does help them improve.
--Point 6: Do you basic checks: -E-Stop test, -Tunnel Test (Only needed when you suspect something after you ride it), and -Block Check (Does the train stop at the top of the lift? at the Mid-course breaks?).
--Point 7: Be sure your facts and statements support your thesis, the accuall rating grade number. DON'T: say, "I think that drop is similar to one in real life." and give the Originality a lower grade. DON'T: say, "Smooth and good supports", and give the Tech rating a low grade for no reason.
--Point 8: Look at the designers history of coasters, to see if he is new or not and/or how he has improved. I usually go a bit easier on the newer designers, and rate a tad higher if I look in the history and the skills are vastly improving fast.
--Point 9: Look at the type of coaster it is. Note what real types have, and what the rated coaster has. For example: woodies don't generally have wheels on in the station or on the breaks, so if their woodie does, mention it.
--Point 10: Be sure to mention if the ride kept you intrested, like if it was going too slow and you had to fast foreward. Or if there is a boring element, like a pre-fab helix thats just flat and dull.
--Point 11: Mention the G's, if they were realistic or wouldn't be fun. That's not too hard. Also, thats why I go through it usually 3 times, 1st time around I note everything I can, 2nd time around I note what I missed, and 3rd time around I watch the G-Force meter.
--Point 12: Go to OTHER seats and ride, preferrably the BACK. Ride it, note more, and watch the back seat G forces. Sorry I forgot this

That is my guide on Rating a coaster successfully. Remember: Rating isn't an easy thing. Make it worth while, or forget it. Should this go in the articles? Or not?[:p][:p]

With all these helpful suggestions I am badly missing the hint to:

go ride last car as well as other seats too!

This will most probably affect your views on smoothness, pumping, fluidity and g-forces. Numerous peeps obviously still only ride the default front right seat, therefor missing a whole lot of the story. G-forces should be in check for every seat of the train!

Also there actually are many designers who "forget" to check their own rides from different seats. Now guess how you only will be able to detect flaws resulting from that narrow-sighted method. Sure, by changing seats yourself!

Typical rating lines found all over the place:
"I could not detect any [-insert crap here-].
Great track, smooth and whatnot."

My thoughts on any such bummer line:
"You could not detect anything, cause you did not care!
Ignorant rating, lazy and whatnot."

My thoughts on any such bummer line:
"You could not detect anything, cause you did not care!
Ignorant rating, lazy and whatnot."

!!!

Good points Tie ... here are my thoughts on rating: http://www.freewebs.com/tconwell/rating.htm