Hey, we've covered how you call things bad because you don't understand them. They just need to simplify it for you.
And yes, the entire post was about how it was a subtle system that too many players don't understand because it's subtle.
The game is too easy if rides are directly profitable. What else in your park is going to act as a money drain?
Let me show you what I mean. I thought you'd get it from the link I posted but oh well...
"As to peep behavior in general, the next most important thing to remember is that peeps are space aliens native to the planet of Coaster, not humans. So don't build your park to suit humans." - Of course, after all this
is a theme park simulation.
"Some peeps have such low tolerances that they'll never ride ANYTHING, so just be happy charging them park admission and maybe selling them a drink or hat." O-kay...
"Peeps love soda and water about equally and don't much like any other types of drinks" - Just like in real life. Wait, why are those extra shops in the game again?
"If you have a lot of benches, you'll never sell any coffee" - Makes total sense.
People don't go explore the park but always take the shortest route from A to B. Try and build an area like a nature park and see the peeps "react to everything you build". Spoiler alert, they couldn't care less.
I think that should suffice, I won't get into the queue issues. If you call unblanced and illogical "subtle" - yes, that's a very subtle system.
The question is, how to make the game more challenging. What you need is balancing, not simply a "money drain". For one thing buying rides and coasters should cost more money. It should feel like you're making an investment. Maybe you need to finance the big coasters and attractions. And I would try how the game plays if you can't have them instant-built. Add construction time and also a mechanism for the player to boost consctruction (for example by asigning your mechanics to the construction site).
Also People shouldn't accept to pay insane prices (not for rides and not for balloons). The whole game should become more complex. Also a balanced game would have a mechanism to force you to expand your park (which you'd need to buy land for) if you want to keep the number of guests high.
There's a ton one could think of that wouldn't only balance things out, give the player more interesting choices to make but also make the game more realistic.
How was this on topic (I know this is very important to you [rolleyes])? It shows how you don't have to make aging of rides a boring "money drain" mechanism if you make PC a real game on the management side.