Too much customisation?

[stuk71]

I read through all these posts and I think there's reason for concern, though I don't think the concern is with customization. A simple way of putting it is that things feel harder than they need to be. When compared to RCT3 it feels more time consuming to work with, which is the opposite of what I was hoping for.

I keep reading about "blueprints" as a way to make the game simpler, but if you're not interested in using other people's buildings it doesn't really help you much at all. I also read "its only alpha" a lot which is fine, but that's exactly why people should give critical feedback instead of discouraging it. What does that achieve?

I have no interest in using other peoples work either... But, I cant wait till blueprints are implemented so that I can build up my own library of buildings and structures, and then use them in my parks

I don't see how people are discouraging feedback, we just don't agree that there's too much customization or the tools are too hard. I feel like building stuff and landscaping is much easier than the previous games by miles. I don't have to worry anymore about landscaping throwing my walls and scenery all out of wack. I can have the pieces snap into place, duplicate them, I can pick up an entire building and duplicate it or move it somewhere else, I can tunnel, carve out caves and cover a ride underground which is something we've never been able to do before and it can be done pretty fast.

What is harder than it needs to be and what can they do to improve it?

Very well said [up]

I am very surprised that this thread still exists, did it start off as a joke?. It's all becoming a bit 'whiney'

 

[cerealfruitcakes]

I have no interest in using other peoples work either... But, I cant wait till blueprints are implemented so that I can build up my own library of buildings and structures, and then use them in my parks

That's what I'll be doing too. As I go through the scenario's, I'll build stuff and save them to build up a library so I can use them later on for and my own parks. REALLY looking forward to being able to save my creations.

 

[Periocus]

I keep reading about "blueprints" as a way to make the game simpler, but if you're not interested in using other people's buildings it doesn't really help you much at all. I also read "its only alpha" a lot which is fine, but that's exactly why people should give critical feedback instead of discouraging it. What does that achieve?

One of the most ingnored group at the moment here in this forum seems the casual non-buidler, which is the majority in future. Those who would like to use Planet Coaster but stick with RCTW (have been) or waiting now how PC will develop.
You can read this at Facebook again, again and again, next to when is the Early Bird getting cheaper.

Blueprints are a fantastic way to share things they cannot (yet) or don't want to do. Buildings, Coasters and whatever else we are getting there.
Parkitect currently has over 450 coasters and about 230 scenery (bridges, buildings, parks etc.) items for download.
And of course not to redo the things yourself over and over and over again.

 

[Nolfy]

Aah, this thread is staying alive for much longer than i thought. I am all for customization.

I watched Youtubers and press playing this game and didn't see that they had any big problems to build a park. I saw only a few minor things like connecting paths issues and confusion with the ticket booth entrances. Often the casual players don't read anything, because to me it was obvious from the start that i had to build an exit, entrance, queue and so on by following the instructions shown when you build a ride.
I think the UI and tutorials will guide the casual players through this game. Especially the UI is one of the difficult things for a game and keeps evolving. We shouldn't mix up the casual players with the players who want to play with the simulation side of the game.
This game for me should fall into the same category as Cities Skylines, Prison Architect, Stardew Valley, Youtubers Life, Theme Hospital, etc. Those are definitely not easier than Planet Coaster and even in this alpha stage i think Planet Coaster is very accessible. Even with tutorials i had to google a lot while playing some of those games before i could move on in the game.
I also saw Theme Park Studio mentioned, but that game lacks a good UI and the UI itself is already confusing. I wouldn't even consider Theme Park Studio a game in it's current form.
If people want to have things simpler i suggest to name those things and also write that in the feedback forum. For example if you don't know how to build a coaster station so it can be improved. I don't see a lot of things that really make this game difficult.

 

[Abletudu]

I also saw Theme Park Studio mentioned, but that game lacks a good UI and the UI itself is already confusing. I wouldn't even consider Theme Park Studio a game in it's current form.

It all depends on what your definition of a game is. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a game is an activity engaged in for diversion or amusement which TPS certainly fits, so TPS is a game just like the sandbox mode in RCT3 which some people found more satisfying than the scenerios. Plus PC and TPS are two different slants on the same thing Theme Park Simulation. I own both and I find them both enjoyable.

 

[Angelis1]

I don't see how people are discouraging feedback, we just don't agree that there's too much customization or the tools are too hard. I feel like building stuff and landscaping is much easier than the previous games by miles. I don't have to worry anymore about landscaping throwing my walls and scenery all out of wack. I can have the pieces snap into place, duplicate them, I can pick up an entire building and duplicate it or move it somewhere else, I can tunnel, carve out caves and cover a ride underground which is something we've never been able to do before and it can be done pretty fast.

What is harder than it needs to be and what can they do to improve it?

Huh ... 50% agree then. [big grin]

Personally I don't agree that there's too much customization (because it's absolutly impossible, it's just like being "too good", it's not even possible). But ... I also think that few tools are too "time consuming" (and sometimes "hard to use") but it's just because it's not finish yet.

We reported a large number of design problems (in the "Alpha Feedback Forum"), which are not not necessarily bugs (that go in "Alpha Bug Reporting" forum), on the different tools (particularly the "modular building tool" and the "path tool" they have not 100% finished, and now the "coaster tool", because I think that only the "terrain tool" is just great for now).

Exemple 1 : On the "modular building tool", when using the 3D gizmo, we can not hold the tab key to copy a piece on an axis. It's not a bug, but a design issue. It's something simple, that can save at least 50% of the time of a big building project containing the same piece multiple times. I guess they must have forgotten this essential feature when they coded the 3D Gizmo.

Exemple 2 : We can not select multiple buildings (contained in several grids) into a single building, and so, making the "copy and paste" impossible with all the buildings using more than 2 grids, which represents 90-95% of my buildings, and which makes me ragequit, or just don't use the game because it's so time consuming (and so boring when you can not copy-paste the turrets of a very simple medieval castle)

It's just two exemples among hundreds of other. They just need time to correct all their bugs, and also all their design mistakes, that's all.
It is a simple matter of time. This is not because the game is already a very good start, that means it is finished. It remains MANY THINGS to improve.

But, anyway, still not related with this strange "too much customization" idea.

 

[FuddyWoodie]

Huh ... 50% agree then. [big grin]

Personally I don't agree that there's too much customization (because it's absolutly impossible, it's just like being "too good", it's not even possible). But ... I also think that few tools are too "time consuming" (and sometimes "hard to use") but it's just because it's not finish yet.

We reported a large number of design problems (in the "Alpha Feedback Forum"), which are not not necessarily bugs (that go in "Alpha Bug Reporting" forum), on the different tools (particularly the "modular building tool" and the "path tool" they have not 100% finished, and now the "coaster tool", because I think that only the "terrain tool" is just great for now).

Exemple 1 : On the "modular building tool", when using the 3D gizmo, we can not hold the tab key to copy a piece on an axis. It's not a bug, but a design issue. It's something simple, that can save at least 50% of the time of a big building project containing the same piece multiple times. I guess they must have forgotten this essential feature when they coded the 3D Gizmo.

Exemple 2 : We can not select multiple buildings (contained in several grids) into a single building, and so, making the "copy and paste" impossible with all the buildings using more than 2 grids, which represents 90-95% of my buildings, and which makes me ragequit, or just don't use the game because it's so time consuming (and so boring when you can not copy-paste the turrets of a very simple medieval castle)

It's just two exemples among hundreds of other. They just need time to correct all their bugs, and also all their design mistakes, that's all.
It is a simple matter of time. This is not because the game is already a very good start, that means it is finished. It remains MANY THINGS to improve.

But, anyway, still not related with this strange "too much customization" idea.

I think your post reflects what the OP was trying to convey, I just think the question should have been "Is Planet Coaster too daunting" and the discussion could have been very different.

Unfortunately too many people have been caught up on the idea that the OP is advocating a less customisable experience when, if you read the thread, he clearly isn't.

I do wish people would be a little bit more objective when addressing other posts. Its starting to become apparent that a LOT of posters cannot respond to the thoughts of others without resorting to passive aggressive disdain.

 

[Immelman]

Yes, people are getting fixated on the word "customization" which isn't really the best word for what has been discussed. If any thing I don't feel like there is enough customization.[tongue] I don't think everyone discourages negative feedback, but at times you see dismissive replies to critical posts.

 

[Minnion]

I don't see how people are discouraging feedback, we just don't agree that there's too much customization or the tools are too hard. I feel like building stuff and landscaping is much easier than the previous games by miles. I don't have to worry anymore about landscaping throwing my walls and scenery all out of wack. I can have the pieces snap into place, duplicate them, I can pick up an entire building and duplicate it or move it somewhere else, I can tunnel, carve out caves and cover a ride underground which is something we've never been able to do before and it can be done pretty fast.

What is harder than it needs to be and what can they do to improve it?

Selecting objects that are hidden under or behind other objects... Too often I find myself selecting something other than what I'm actually trying to click on because there is something else in the way, like the air around a flatride, or other nearby object that is touching or in between the object I'm trying to select and the camera... And sometimes with our ability to hide objects inside other objects it's simply not possible to click directly on the object we want to edit/move/delete and the object that is in the way happens to be one that we do not want to edit/move/delete because it's exactly where we want it how we want it.

That said no I wouldn't say that this is something that can be solved by "Less" customization, nor do I consider it a result of having too much... I just figure we need a slightly better selection tool added to our toolbox to help us select objects that we can't click on directly... Like being able to open a list of everything being rendered within a certain radius of our viewing camera...

 

[dalemac89]

There can never be too much customisation.

Apparently there can. Otherwise, you wouldn't have 'fixed' the advance rotation 'bug' for building pieces.

Seriously Brett, why hasn't this been unfixed? Just disable advanced rotation on the *actual* shop elements and give it to us for everything else.

 

[OriginalBadBoy]

I think your post reflects what the OP was trying to convey, I just think the question should have been "Is Planet Coaster too daunting" and the discussion could have been very different.

Unfortunately too many people have been caught up on the idea that the OP is advocating a less customisable experience when, if you read the thread, he clearly isn't.

I do wish people would be a little bit more objective when addressing other posts. Its starting to become apparent that a LOT of posters cannot respond to the thoughts of others without resorting to passive aggressive disdain.

Yes in hindsight the word 'customisation' probably wasn't the best one to use in the end. I am pretty happy with how the discussion has gone though, and Frontier's answer is a reasonable one as well. In the end people will read a comment on a forum and come to their own conclusions as what is meant by it. Thats forums in the end, vague at best.