Been playing RCT since 1999. Excited to have a proper theme park sim again!
Here's a list of things which have been on my mind and I believe would make creation easier and more enjoyable:
1. Auto-Distribute Triggers.
A optional box that distributes an appropriate number of evenly distributed triggers based on track length. You can always add more and, of course, click and drag to edit location. This will prevent me from having to manually add triggers along a long track, and I can always add in a trigger to an earlier part of the ride with minimal difficulty if I feel the desire to add a show element.
2. Show Building Auto-Create
Select a grid of a custom size and the game will auto-construct a show building with a black floor, black interior walls, and a roof height of your choosing with some HVAC / roof props on top to flush out the look. Any space below the roof / above the floor will always respond to "nighttime" type lighting regardless of time of day. Walls can be manually removed to add paths or create custom spaces, though those additions wouldn't react to the lighting adjustment.
3. Restaurants / Shops
The ability to select a grid of space and designate it as a restaurant or larger shop. For restaurants, the game would auto distribute tables/chairs throughout the space where peeps could sit and require you to place a kitchen before the restaurant could become operaitonal. Then you'd be free to build around it. Likewise, for shops- same idea, except you must place a cash room.
4. Auto-Management
For those interested in just creation, I'd love to see an "auto-manage" toggle. A sliding scale selector from "Poor-Fine-Good-Excellent" or something, which will automatically set prices, pay salaries, train staff, hire required janitors and maintenance folk, all automatically. Of course, you can toggle this off at any moment to interfere with the game's choices.
5. Improved Finances
Many theme parks rely on a single price of admission and do not charge individually for rides. I'd love to see a toggle to build a park in sandbox mode with the "Single Admission Price" model. I've had to "hack" this by manually increasing the overall gate price when I add new attractions / areas.
6. Improved Master Planning
In the same line of thinking with item #5, I'd love to see more features to help designers have a master plan for their park. Perhaps a toggled overlay where you can hastily draw out ideas or shade areas to help define space in advance. Similarly, it'd be nice to have "test peeps" which act like translucent version of normal peeps. They would do translucent versions of all the current things regular peeps do, but you can toggle them on/off at will. This will allow you to spot trouble areas (i.e. litter, congestion) that don't actually affect your park, before you officially "open"
7. Map Export
Basically an improved top-down, overhead screenshot of your park. Brightens / highlights paths, dims scenery and numbers/titles your Attractions and Stalls. Kind of like an instant park map for uploading.
8. Improved Building Editor
I struggle with items around my building when attempting to create new structures or alter existing ones. When working with a building, I'd love to see the ability to toggle off all or some things around it, allowing me to work in an emptier, less-cluttered space.
9. Toggle Visibility
Along with item #8, I'd love to be able to toggle the visibility of many things, but primarily horizontally laid flat 4m grid pieces. This would allow me to easily see through the tops of structures I've created for dark rides or enclosed coasters.
10. Standalone App for Park Viewing
I realize this one is a pipe dream, but I'd love to see a mobile app for higher-powered iOS/Android devices that is free, but allows other people to explore a 3D version of my park without owning Planet Coaster. This would promote sharing and entice others to try/buy the game. Of course, no editing would be allowed.
11. Standalone App for Building Creation
Like item #10, a paid app for creating buildings on a tablet or large smartphone would be handy. It would be a limited space for creation to save on rendering, but would include all the currently available building and scenery elements. Buildings could then be saved to Steam as blueprints, to be added into your park. I'd pay upwards of $20 for this.
Here's a list of things which have been on my mind and I believe would make creation easier and more enjoyable:
1. Auto-Distribute Triggers.
A optional box that distributes an appropriate number of evenly distributed triggers based on track length. You can always add more and, of course, click and drag to edit location. This will prevent me from having to manually add triggers along a long track, and I can always add in a trigger to an earlier part of the ride with minimal difficulty if I feel the desire to add a show element.
2. Show Building Auto-Create
Select a grid of a custom size and the game will auto-construct a show building with a black floor, black interior walls, and a roof height of your choosing with some HVAC / roof props on top to flush out the look. Any space below the roof / above the floor will always respond to "nighttime" type lighting regardless of time of day. Walls can be manually removed to add paths or create custom spaces, though those additions wouldn't react to the lighting adjustment.
3. Restaurants / Shops
The ability to select a grid of space and designate it as a restaurant or larger shop. For restaurants, the game would auto distribute tables/chairs throughout the space where peeps could sit and require you to place a kitchen before the restaurant could become operaitonal. Then you'd be free to build around it. Likewise, for shops- same idea, except you must place a cash room.
4. Auto-Management
For those interested in just creation, I'd love to see an "auto-manage" toggle. A sliding scale selector from "Poor-Fine-Good-Excellent" or something, which will automatically set prices, pay salaries, train staff, hire required janitors and maintenance folk, all automatically. Of course, you can toggle this off at any moment to interfere with the game's choices.
5. Improved Finances
Many theme parks rely on a single price of admission and do not charge individually for rides. I'd love to see a toggle to build a park in sandbox mode with the "Single Admission Price" model. I've had to "hack" this by manually increasing the overall gate price when I add new attractions / areas.
6. Improved Master Planning
In the same line of thinking with item #5, I'd love to see more features to help designers have a master plan for their park. Perhaps a toggled overlay where you can hastily draw out ideas or shade areas to help define space in advance. Similarly, it'd be nice to have "test peeps" which act like translucent version of normal peeps. They would do translucent versions of all the current things regular peeps do, but you can toggle them on/off at will. This will allow you to spot trouble areas (i.e. litter, congestion) that don't actually affect your park, before you officially "open"
7. Map Export
Basically an improved top-down, overhead screenshot of your park. Brightens / highlights paths, dims scenery and numbers/titles your Attractions and Stalls. Kind of like an instant park map for uploading.
8. Improved Building Editor
I struggle with items around my building when attempting to create new structures or alter existing ones. When working with a building, I'd love to see the ability to toggle off all or some things around it, allowing me to work in an emptier, less-cluttered space.
9. Toggle Visibility
Along with item #8, I'd love to be able to toggle the visibility of many things, but primarily horizontally laid flat 4m grid pieces. This would allow me to easily see through the tops of structures I've created for dark rides or enclosed coasters.
10. Standalone App for Park Viewing
I realize this one is a pipe dream, but I'd love to see a mobile app for higher-powered iOS/Android devices that is free, but allows other people to explore a 3D version of my park without owning Planet Coaster. This would promote sharing and entice others to try/buy the game. Of course, no editing would be allowed.
11. Standalone App for Building Creation
Like item #10, a paid app for creating buildings on a tablet or large smartphone would be handy. It would be a limited space for creation to save on rendering, but would include all the currently available building and scenery elements. Buildings could then be saved to Steam as blueprints, to be added into your park. I'd pay upwards of $20 for this.