Calculating negative gs

edit : i was wrong about SM's g force displays.


I've a question,

in SM, when a train is moving straight, such as on an advance piece, it says it will be having maximum positive = 0gs, but we are under normal gravitational force 1g under these circumstances.

So when and how do we factor in negative g readings,

Using example of a max - g readout of ( -0.9 )

Does this translate to literally -0.9 gs, or would it translate as being 1 G (minus) .9 , which would be 0.1Gs

My last inquiry is, how many negative Gs does a roller coaster such as El Toro "pull" ? and is there a known highest negative G record for an existing safe coaster?

With a max negative G readout of -0.0 does this mean it is at a zero gravity flotation range?

Last inquiry : you are cresting a hill, if the true g force was 0.9, you would have a sense of being lighter, and perhaps airtime? But what would this readout be in SM, would it say -0.1? (-0.1 = 0.9 Gs?)

You're thinking too much. .9G = .9G... you feel 90% of your weight. When you get around 0, you float between the harness and seat. Less than 0 and you're pushed out of your seat.

The limits differ drastically by ride type. The max (that isn't a spike) of any existing ride is probably between -1.5 and -2, with El Toro likely being in the lower end of that extreme airtime range (despite what the head engineer of Six Flags said).

So yeah the numbers are just like a regular number line... -1, -.5, 0, .5, 1... etc.

I am not familiar with Scream Machines, so I'm not exactly sure that I can answer your question correctly, but what you are seeing as a zero g reading may be the forward acceleration. On a flat straight piece of track without tires or lims there is no forward acceleration, however, you are correct in there being a vertical acceleration. Since I don't have SM I was interested in seeing how No Limits shows the acceleration on a flat piece of track and it shows 1g vert, 0g lat, and no forward or backward acceleration.

I am still confused because i do not see how you can find a readout of 0.9 positive G forces, it delegates "max positive Gs" to being anything more than 1.0 and max negative Gs, when it gets to being -0.9 is spiking red usually as saying its an extreme force,

Does the programs display only pick up negative G forces at -0.0 and beyond , with the range of 0.0 - 0.9 being invisible ? or maybe if i tinker around with layouts i can find a 0.9 positive g readout?

but I was mistaken that

the positive G readout does read 1.0 when moving forward, and so the negative G's are like they say.

Which roller coasters "pull" - 2 Gs?


*** i want to be able to see the range of negative g force from 0.9 to -0.0 to etc!

I'd say Dodonpa probably has some of the strongest, with initial spikes on the tophat likely over -1.5, with El Toro and T Express likely having a couple spots with around -1.5. There probably has been some woodie somewhere with a ridiculous spike, but nothing sustained like the 3 I just mentioned. The -2 I mentioned was not the most I've heard, but rather just giving a range where I think the max may lie.