Unofficial Multi-Launch Contest?

So, I am getting bored with NoLimits, and contests usually help me to make rides and be motivated. Since there are no active contests at the moment, I decided to make my own. The contest will be based around having to make an extremely compact multi-launch coaster in a crazy template.

The story goes like this:

You have been hired by your local park to design a thrilling coaster, but it has to fit right in a corner. There are also some paths in the way where the park doesn't want any supports to go and shrink path area. The park turns to you for help.

The judging will work on an honor system. Each ride will be uploaded to the exchange, and all members of the contest must rate each ride, or they will be disqualified. The ride with the highest average score from competitors by the end of the week wins.


The building period will be 1 month after the template is released, and the judging week will be the week after all submissions are in.

Any contestant who fails to submit a track, and or rate all tracks is disqualified.

I will release the template once 5 competitors (including myself) have signed up, and sign up will be open until the start of the judging week.

The building period ends on September 25th at 12:00pm EST (GMT-5)

Template Download: http://www.mediafire.com/download/rqizq ... te.nltrack
Rules:

1.) The ride must have at least two launches.
2.) The ride must not exceed 150ft
3.) The ride must have at least 4 inversions.
4.) The ride must invert in the zones marked with a pink X.
5.) The ride may not exceed 10m in the zones marked with a red X.
6.) All support footers must be inside the zones bounded by blue lines.
7.) The launches may not be curved.
8.) The maximum/minimum acceleration g-force is +1.5/-1.3
9.) The ride must be able to run 3 trains.
10.) Each train must be at least 4 cars long.
11.) The use of 3ds objects is prohibited.
12.) Any manufacturer (including one of your own design) is allowed.
13.) The track may not go below 3.5 m above the "paths".
_____________________________________________________________________
Participants:

1.)gigacoasterfan
2.)Bottom_Feeder_13 (maybe)
3.)NightwindElf
4.)jdmi012
5.)mkingy
6.)Ckidd (maybe)
7.)SkyArrow
8.)bigbadwolffan
9.)Ajax Coasters
10.) CleptoChoc


Voting Only:

1.)boesball

Template image here: http://i.imgur.com/J42ylOx.jpg

More slots will be added as more people sign up.

So if you made it through this massive wall of text and would like to sign up, please post.

FAQ:

Q: Is there a spot where the station must start?
A: No, but it must be inside the template. The node must be inside the template, not the actual structure.

Q:
Does the ride have to enter the pink areas?
Does any portion of track that enters the pink areas invert in them (before it exits)?
Can the ride invert outside the pink areas?
Can we use prefab supports?
Can we use newton?
A: All yes.

Q: Can the first vertex be moved?
A: Yes

Q: Can we invert in the normal areas?
A: Yes

Q: Can we terraform?
A: Any and all terraforming is allowed.

Q: Not sure if I'll want to do this, but are we allowed to make scenery out of supports/wooden coaster catwalks?
A: Yes, .3ds only refers to external filetypes.

Q: What is the inversion threshold? (what is an inversion banking wise?)
A: http://cache.rcdb.com/akmaamg00i5j0u5phu5g50.jpg

I want to enter but you probably shouldn't count me towards the 5 to start as I have no idea how much time I'll have after school starts (Monday).

I'll just add you as a maybe, and then if you have to drop out, no big deal.

I'd like to see the template before I jump in. But I probably will. Count me as a probable/maybe.

Added NightwindElf and a link to an image of the template.

Yeah, that looks like it could be a fun challenge. Is there a spot where the station must start?

Add me in. I've gotten good enough to be competitive.

[mkingy]

Add me in!

Question: is there going to be a minimum height over areas where we're not allowed footers?

Added mkingy and jdmi012.

Should I upload the template now, or wait until I have two more definitive yes answers?

mkingy, there are no areas where you are restricted to 10m and cannot place supports.

Edit: I've decided to wait until 12pm EST today to upload the template.

Excuse the double post, but the template is up!

Competitors have until 12:00pm EST (GMT-5) on the 25th of September to create their track! Entry is still open.

[mkingy]

Originally posted by gigacoasterfan
mkingy, there are no areas where you are restricted to 10m and cannot place supports.

Okay, I'll rephrase.

Where these "paths" are at the top of the template, is there a minimum height of track, because I could build some track across that and block the path just as long as there's no supports there?

Here is my progress at a compact layout in the template.

Image Insert:

174.24 KB

I might try to make something, but I dont want to be counted as a participant because my time has become really limited

Nice cool5. However, your ride doesn't seem to meet any of the rules.

Added CKidd.

Does the ride have to enter the pink areas?
Does any portion of track that enters the pink areas invert in them (before it exits)?
Can the ride invert outside the pink areas?

Originally posted by mkingy

Originally posted by gigacoasterfan
mkingy, there are no areas where you are restricted to 10m and cannot place supports.

Okay, I'll rephrase.

Where these "paths" are at the top of the template, is there a minimum height of track, because I could build some track across that and block the path just as long as there's no supports there?

So far no answer on this. Does that mean I can block off the pathways with the track? Also, can the track and/or station exceed the blue lines wherever I want?


Edit: What about custom environments and car textures?

Why don't you count me in the challenge! I just need to figure out how to submit it.

Originally posted by Bottom_Feeder_13

Does the ride have to enter the pink areas?
Does any portion of track that enters the pink areas invert in them (before it exits)?
Can the ride invert outside the pink areas?

1.) Yes
2.) Yes
3.) Yes

Originally posted by NightwindElf

Originally posted by mkingy

Originally posted by gigacoasterfan
mkingy, there are no areas where you are restricted to 10m and cannot place supports.

Okay, I'll rephrase.

Where these "paths" are at the top of the template, is there a minimum height of track, because I could build some track across that and block the path just as long as there's no supports there?

So far no answer on this. Does that mean I can block off the pathways with the track? Also, can the track and/or station exceed the blue lines wherever I want?


Edit: What about custom environments and car textures?

You cannot block off pathways with the track. Sorry about not clarifying this. The minimum height for this is 3.5m.

Custom environments and cartextures are allowed.

Added boesball

How long do we get to make it?
Can we use prefab supports?
Can we use newton?

Read my first post.

Yes. But it will drop your score considerably.

Yes, but it may be difficult to match the ride with the template.

What is the minimum for inversions?

I guess you can count me in too. I had at least one idea for a Premier launch.
If anyone uses FVD++, they can better easily match it up with the template than in Newton.
Should points be taken off for failing e-stop on launches? I don't totally get that whole bit.
Can the first vertex be moved any?

^ I personally try not to deduct for when it launches, rolls back and collides with a train in the station but if it stalls at any point in the layout and does not get back to the launch it would be a fail because that's a serious issue in real life because a coaster can lose power during a launch or simply under speed and if the train doesn't return to the launch it is a big problem. That said all you need to do is make sure that the first element is the tallest and the train has significantly more speed over each subsequent element than the first.

The first vertex can be moved.

Edit: Added SkyArrow

[mkingy]

Originally posted by Bottom_Feeder_13

^ I personally try not to deduct for when it launches, rolls back and collides with a train in the station but if it stalls at any point in the layout and does not get back to the launch it would be a fail because that's a serious issue in real life because a coaster can lose power during a launch or simply under speed and if the train doesn't return to the launch it is a big problem. That said all you need to do is make sure that the first element is the tallest and the train has significantly more speed over each subsequent element than the first.

This guy speaks sense