FVD'S

So im new to elemantary and i was wondering what fvd is, please respond and thank you.

FVD = Force Vector Design. Basically, you tell the program what forces you want at what point in the track and for how long, then tell it how to bank the track, and BOOM you've got yourself a roller coaster that's mathematically perfect. It takes a hell of a long time to get the hang of, though, so if you're brand new to Elementary, I recommend starting off with something reasonably simple like H:SAK or even the included wizards. FVD is a formula-only thing; there's no wizard to make it easy, so just looking at the file will probably confuse the poop out of you. The other option, which is probably a better one, is just to use Newton2. It's FVD, but put into visual form, with real-time feedback on the shape of the track. It's also much, much easier to understand. Becoming good at it, however, is a whole different matter. That takes time, dedication, and a very deep understanding of what different forces look like compared to what you want it to look like.

Though I haven't worked with Newton 2 very much, it's far easier than learning to handbuilt top quality tracks. Unfortunately, Newton's only best for smooth tracks such as B&M and Intamin's design styles. It's more difficult to get realistic results with, say, wooden coasters which are not supposed to be "perfect" so handbuilding + Elementary + Purg + AHG are the most popular tools for them. However, any combination of those tools (particularly handbuilding, AHG, and Purg) are pretty damned difficult to use and Newton is much easier to work with.

Elementary, fundamentally, is pretty easy if you don't go into custom wizards. You don't even need any math at all since the wizards usually ask for the parameters directly, but even if you have to go and change something afterwards, the wizards written usually provide comments on where to change variables. As for building your own wizards, I never figured out much of anything from there.

While Newton 2 requires good understanding of forces and how to manipulate them with its tools (not to mention, building helices is particularly a pain in the ass and you may need the HSAK for them especially for perfect-circle helices), even a basic understanding of it can produce much smoother tracks much more quickly than with hand building.

The FVD tool (specifically called FVD) is completely obselete as Newton 2 can do everything it can do and more. Since I was pretty much taking a huge break from NL right before Newton 2 came around, I never DL'd FVD nor bothered to look at it since by that time, Newton 2 was available. Hopefully, NL2's trackbuilding tools will be at least as good as everything we have now, rolled up into one package. NL2's confirmed to have an FVD system though it can also import NL1 files if the new system ends up being less than favorable to use. (It has happened in the past; the NL1.x editor was pretty bad in many respects and I'm hoping NL2's editor won't have any of the issues that plagued NL1.x's, though it probably won't.)

hmm, i have looked at some of the FVD's and they do confuse the hell out of me, although with N2 i dont fell like i have much control as to hand-building...boneplaya, would u know where to find a tutorial for fvd's[?]
...Thank You.

Newton 2 is far better than FVDs. In Newton, you can do lateral forces, and timewarping transitions. You can also do straight and curved sections.

Originally posted by RideWarriorNation

although with N2 i dont fell like i have much control as to hand-building...boneplaya, would u know where to find a tutorial for fvd's[?]
...Thank You.

Alright, you are kind of confusing me here. Newton 2 features everything FVD does, so how in hell do you think that you are going to get more control by using it? Also, since you are looking for a tool to use, I would think you are slightly considering realism in using it. You can make every imaginable element in Newton 2, since every element has forces. So, why would you need more control if your rides are going to be ideally realistic.

^^... I meant I could make an element more easy (Hand_Building), as to where in N2 I don't fill i have much control in the size of an element. Although I know i do, I just don't like that filling.

so like a said does anybody have a good tutorial for FVD's or place acan find a detailed tutorial

there is a tutorial that comes with it.

^^^ yes, but it doesn't show me what i should do with the forces to make the track...