you said that you weren't gonna be heavy on 3Ds anymore, what about recs?
I will not do the 3ds, but another person will.
Besides, themeing really does pull the look together as realisic. Yes, you can still focus on the track designing.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I will still focus on the track design and supports as much as ever. But I hate doing 3ds now, its a pain in the butt and utterly frustrating for a person like me. TTD 2003 was a major pain and I had the track done MONTHS before the 3ds ever got finished. NL to me isnt about 3ds which is what GETS rates SADLY. NL to me is about how realistic I can make a coaster. I dont care much about the rates or the score. I could throw together an "ok" ride and theme the living daylights out of it and probably get a great score. To me thats too easy.
Whats easier to get higher scores with, a heavily themed ride, or a lightly/not themed ride? Ill take the harder way thank you
Its more satisfying in the end.
But you forget that designing in NL is completely different than real life. And the way you describe it, it sounds like your gonna get a job off of designing with it.
No, I know its different. Duh, Im old enough to understand that. Im not going to get a job from NL in the amusement industry, but it will help. What will get me in is a combination of that plus a degree in structural or civil engineering and a creativity/desire to work in the field.
besides, people wanna see eye candy. And the whole point of roller coasters is to make people happy. And, since you can't feel the forces in NL like you can with real roller coasters, you have to make up for what thiers a lack of.
Thats why you watch the stats. I can easily feel the forces in my head if I watch the stats. I can get a great deal of information from the G's in all directions and the speed. Themeing only ever takes a mediocre ride and makes it great. IMO a great ride is one that doesnt need any themeing.
See-
Shivering Timbers
Cornball Express
Thunderhead
Raptor
etc.
If I could, I would theme all of my rides. Plus, its a way to be more creative. but don't design the ride around the scenery. Design the ride, then do w/e you want to it after that.
Again though, I dont like to theme anymore. I like to put my creativity into a ride that doesnt rely on eye candy to do great things. Is that truely a great ride? or was it superficially boosted? Im not saying that themed rides arent great, they are. But a TRUELY great ride one is in which the actual ride itself outshined all others. The most themeing Ill ever do is to make it feel like its in a park, but that wont even be much. I dont have the drive to do 3d objects any longer, hence why I have a friend now whos brilliant and loves to work with me.