Arrow/Vekoma inspired

Download my ShockWave rec...Its a good example of Arrow supporting. DO NOT USE PRE-Fabs

Does anyone have the track-to-support connector 3D object I can borrow for this? I can do custom supports all around, I just don't have that piece.

Another good way of doing it is just making one out of a wooden track color support. Or if it's on an inversion then you can put a little support track color of course and then make your supports. That is what I do good luck and thanks for adhearing to my suggestion last thing ya want are prefabs

you only use the prefab simple supports for arrow trackwork below 80 feet and banked between 10-75 degrees (which is evident on Megaloopian corkscrews). any simple-support work above that point needs an XXL tube followed by a thin connector.

as for the 3ds connection just create a pyramid frustrum, add a plate beneath it and add bolts if necessary. Looks like an enlargened prefab support connection if done right. rotate to your specifications. needs only two brushes, an can be done with any modeling program in less than 5 minutes. not too difficult to make either(unlike the reverse bear trap I'm making for my eurofighter which contains about 45 different brushes) so i would consider you lazy (no offense) to not have time to build basically a half pyramid on a plate. if you dont have a modeling program then you should get one since creating connectors for every connection is just wayyy too cumbersome.

The only modeling program I've ever used is Google Sketchup. Which I don't have anymore. Are there any other programs that are similar with the interface?

You could just re-download sketchup...it's free you know.

Yeah, but then you get those black faces. And then when you try to fix it in Anim8or, the faces disappear!

So make sure you have two faces wherever you want a single, 2-sided pane. It's a lot easier to do that than it is to buy and learn 3dsmax.

just get OC, versatile enough for 3d modeling, free and none of this face stuff. And it can still make some great stuff!

OC? Do you have a link?

http://coasterchamber.com/tools/object-creator-pack.zip

you cant register so you only get 10 brushes but you can copy-paste brushes and exceed that number. for a connector though ten brushes are more than enough. happy modeling![:D]

Still a lot more to do, but it's a start.

I seriously hope that you aren't done supporting the drop and the butterfly, good luck looks good so far and I hope you can do the Object Creator route!

Just some advice: use the prefab complex supports for the lift and box-connect them in pairs as shown. use thin tubes for the upper half. a full connection results in supports that look too autosupport based or boxy so limit it to pairs for a more arrowy look. as for the butterfly your supports are too far in, lengthen them and make them a little wider.
------ /i
------/-ii
-----/--ii
----/-i-ii
---/-ii-ii
--/--ii-ii
-/i--ii-ii
/ii--ii-ii

Why not make them from scratch? Pre-fabs are lazy and will get you downrated.

you never use any prefabs except for the simple and the complex support structures since those are well suited for building upon. Somewhat like an amazing support connector.

I am making them from scratch. I won't worry about the lift supports until I get some pathways laid down.

also your butterfly supports dont reach out enough, the track exerts too much force on the upper portion of the supportage for it to handle. pull it out a little. also make sure one of the V-legs stand straight behind the track itself, you will need to attach a ladder there.

Or you could just place a single prefab on a single straight stretch of track in a separate track file and use the Construction Kit to export the support only and then open it up in whatever 3d program you like and delete the support part leaving only the connector which can then be exported and used in NL, for this I would recommend using Blender despite its difficult interface because of the simplicity of what you are trying to do and that it doesn't have any strange exporting anomalies like Sketchup.

With arrows they seem to like the single pole support alot which is the pre fab in the game. Then when they have big tall structures like the lift hill they use a scafolding like structure which is a prefab in the game as well. but you need to use the i beams or angle iron to complete the structure. check out my bat wing coaster for examples.

Jeez some of us havent been using enough references.

http://www.rcdb.com/25.htm?p=5492

prefabs in action.

http://www.rcdb.com/25.htm?p=10697

basic simple supports (not prefab though) for higher regions.

http://cache.rcdb.com/kcrd5uc8uv801j001dosms.jpg

And complex supported in pairs, not totally box supported

all of this from one Arrow, Viper. As for the butterfly take a look at how Viper's loop is supported:

http://www.rcdb.com/25.htm?p=73

one beam is right behind it, the other beam slants to a different end. This is for greater support. Don't make a direct V on your loop; more like a half-N.

Updated supports and some fencing started




Edit:

So, I went a little crazy with the CoasterSims object pack.

Thats awesome! Keep the scenery I love the park pack!

The butterfly supports look...wrong. Everyone kept saying that you should have an 'N' shape rather than a 'V' shape, but i fell like your butterfly 'N' is rotated wrong - it seems to me that one of the beams of the 'N' should be going straight out from the back of the loop, and the other at an angle in the direction of the lateral force. Just something to think about.

Yeah upon closer look I agree!