When building coasters...

[ladbroke]

When you are building coasters, how do you start?
I have generally done the coaster and then built around it.
I don't normally think ahead and think "what will the queue look like, where will it go, the length" etc. Or the final design, to a point I just chuck rocks and trees about and add some water.
Mine always look very bland in the end.
I have, also, in the past used the "terrain texture" to try and build within the space, make it more compact if I have to. But I never like the finished article after that.

So, what is the best practice?
What do you do?

 

[Valdo82]

I am not the 'coaster god', but just the few tips:

Planning!!!

this may sound stupid, but everyone started there as they were at the point to 'drop' another awful coaster, by now i probably spend more time planing and procastrinating then actual building any coaster.

So the first step, the game actually forces you to do: What type of coaster: a kids coaster? a 100m giga? 20 inversions? Launch/lifthill etc. When i know the coaster type (or at least trimmed it down somewhat, i mostly got an idea what i generally want to build.

The next step and this can be interchangeable with the first point: What's the coaster USP? What are the stand out elements, what do i want to achieve?
For example, i had just some water in my park and some land, my only Ideas were: I want an (zero-G)-Stall over the water body. and the rest came just with it.
Is the coaster just on Flat land, do you want it to interact with existing scenery etc. After that you don't have a 100% layout but you have at least some 'dots' to connect.

After that i assign roughly the land: just roughly i either use terrain spray or other markers to get me some ideas: Do i have plaza already or do i need to design it? How long will the queue be? do i have an idea for a queue building etc?
All this helps to give you some sense of distance. Like if it looks/feels wrong you need to fix it before you do the first ground.

After i got a rough idea of everything i actually start building it and it is quite easy for me, since i actually know what i want now and 'not just roll with it'

The second tip is: Learning, Theory and experience:

Watch youtube videos of coster builder, there are a lot. Try to grasp some general Layouts: Cyclone, Out and Back, Spagetthi Bowl, etc.
And then try it on your own, mix in own creations with re-builds/recreations to get your creative skills up as your technical skills.