So I've finally decided to finish what I started back in 2014!
Sorry to everyone over at SGW who was watching the old Project in hopes for an update :/

This is a personal project to me as I sank 5 years of my life into this, only to abandon it. But this time every detail I can possibly add (within reason) will be added to this! Even if you won't even be able to see it in the final build.

This thread will follow the entire build process from construction to end. so you're going to see sections that will be covered up, however you guys can see the level of detail hidden behind it all!

I hope you guys will enjoy this as much as I do making it :)

Beginning with the foundations and track supports

Station with struts added

Some details had to be modified to allow it to work in RCT3, But I will do my best to keep the scaling and as much as I can as close to the original as possible! (maybe 90% as some information I cannot get)

I have no idea how to make the images appear in the thread lol 😅

Edited April 26Apr 26 by Maxie

I'm excited to see how this comes!

Today I worked on the plugins I use for Sketchup (I really dislike blender!).

This post is placed here to show in advance how each track section will be made on the recreation. So if it looks like its posted in the wrong place, it's merely here as an example of the design process :)

The idea behind the "Tools" is to help speed up and automate a good 50% of the track building process by doing the following:
1. Create a Track guide (treat it like a central spine)

2. add ties to the guide (entry rotation, exit rotation, minimum space between ties, distance between rails)

3.add left and right rail splines (normal, join and alt if needed)

4.export the spline to a ModXML file

below is a few pics of this to help visualise whats going on :)

Draw start and end point

Here I use a spacing of 3 x 3 in game squares (12m x 12m lines)

Select Track Guide to create "spine"

Select start and end point of line then move handles to desired location (i used the golden ratio for a curve which is 55.228% the length of a line in bezier curves)

Select Track type (I only have intamin family currently which will be TH13TEEN track so 2 rails with only tie bars)

fill out information you require (entry angle, exit angle, minimum distance between ties which will round up to end of the line using as many ties as possible, distance between the rails)

add left and right track splines by clicking each tie along the "fishbone"

export the spline data to ModXML

These tools combined all allow for curving of track sections smoothly between each other (RCT3 is very happy when you give it smoothness!)

So that's todays update!

I'll work on the underground track section from drop track to switch back next :)

Edited April 21Apr 21 by Maxie

Small update on train
I've been working in the background on getting the correct scale and rail height. I'm happy with this and I believe it should be a good alignment with the station platform and enough spacing to prevent clipping of cars.

No textures yet so sorry its all jet black! (I was focusing on functionality first)

Detailing and restraints will be added soon (once I get the full train cart modelled, hopefully this weekend)

Link car is almost done (except for restraints and wheel animation)

I think it looks alright so far tbh 🙃

Sorry for the delay! I promise I'm working hard in the background!

I have made the front car but I'm not happy with how it looks (kinda squashed compared to the real thing) so i need to adjust the width by 25% but that means a redraw of all the wheels and bogeys etc. BUT I'll post the first attempt

As for the track, The plugin has been altered to just draw the entire thing for me to save time in the long run (as I plan after th13teen to create a fully modular downloadable set with multiple options that rct never had.

you kinda just input the entry and exit angle now and the rest stays as default and it just draws the whole thing ready to export

Example 1 entry is 45 degrees and exit is 60 degrees

Example 2 entry is 10 degrees exit is 70 degrees

I'll leave the train scaling for now and focus more on the track so peeps can get more of an update than just a car! :)

Loving it! Thanks for sharing your process! This is invaluable for future modders.

Looking forward to seeing more. :^)

A few track section updates (Sketchup side not imported just yet until I have the design put down)

Detailing will be added once ive tested the track in game :)

Droptrack entry and exit

Helix from station

Underground section to switchback

First drop into helix

Part of the woodland section

mock up of the full track is done 😃

I'll begin coding it into the game tomorrow to test a full circuit.

rest of the woodland section

lift into crypt

switchback

final curve into crypt

I've tried getting it as close as I possibly can to the real thing by watching this video a million times 😂

I'm so glad to Attraction Source for their 2 POV videos for this ride!

I've imported the first sections (sorry I work all week so most of my progress is done when I'm free at weekends)

Station to top of lift block brake is tested so far 😊

I should get most of it tested this weekend (hopefully)

That coaster car is the most realistic and detailed thing I've seen in RCT3.. how'd you do that!? This is looking great so far!

Hours of reference photos haha!

The entire ride will have every detail once finished. Even down to every track bolt and even wheel wear on the rails (i made sure my plugin always forced track rail to be facing up so i can add the rail wear)

I will also add every sensor and trim brakes etc etc. But first i need to make sure the train completes the entire circuit past the underground section and the droptrack reverse speed (currently too slow)

A little bit more track imported and tested.

A little more track piece testing.

I love it!

Sorry for the delay! I went back and altered a lot of the sections so it feels like the real POV in game and a few sections had to be done over and over again to get it a closer match.

We're almost at the crypt now! just the 2nd lift to import into game then I can use the drop track that I began this whole project with!

Here's a few update pics though.

All fine detailing will be added at the end still. Until the track flows perfectly, theres no point adding detailing as it just gives me more work to modify as I go along.

I love the update. It's looking really good!