Custom Scenery - Frameworks - Updated for Wild!

[Klinn]

Frameworks!





This is a set of custom girders, arches, and other odd bits, initially created thanks to the suggestions by Ytivarg and Pumper over in this thread. This revised version of the custom set now includes a variety of modular arch components to span pathways or add to other building sets. If you already have the first version, simply download the file and install it again. All the new items will be added to your game.

If you're new to this custom scenery pack, you'll be glad to hear that the installation is easier than before. There's a new Framework Setup program that should work on any system, not matter where RCT3 is located.


You can download the Framework set from my site.
(direct link - 343KB)
This set has been updated to work with the Wild! expansion.


One group of components is used to build girder frameworks, such as supports for laser screens. Yes, the screens are included too.




The girders can be arranged in many other ways. They are designed to fit in between existing RCT3 walls, or to wrap around other wall sections. You can even add floor slabs right on top of the horizontal girders.




These girders are about 1/2 the size of the ones in my ElectroShock set, so feel free to combine them to create even more exotic structures.

Another group of components is used to build arched framework. There's a variety of parts to create freestanding arches in many sizes and heights. The pillar base, three heights of pillars, and three sizes of arches are all separate objects so you can mix'n'match them to suit your needs.




Or build the arches right into existing RCT3 walls to give them a different style, or to frame a path or ride entrance into a building.




There are separate lintel pieces which can be used to extend an archway horizontally or even to make a rectangular opening.




But don't stop there! The arches can be used for other things too, like the bridge supports. Go ahead - be bold!





Installation & Uninstalling
To install, just save the Framework Setup program anywhere on your computer, then double-click on it.

To uninstall, open the Windows Control Panel and double-click on "Add Or Remove Programs". Select "Klinn's Framework Version 2" from the list and click the "Remove" button.

After deleting the custom scenery, if you load a park which included items from the set, it should load OK but of course the custom items will be gone.


Using the Custom Set
Start up a sandbox park or custom scenario and open the walls section of the scenery list. Make sure you don’t have the Generic theme filtered out, since that’s where my Framework items appears. Scroll down through the wall sets until you find ‘Klinn’s Framework’. Open it up and you’ll see the pieces included:

- Arch Large - freestanding, spans a three-wide path.
- Arch Large with Wall Filler - used with RCT3 walls.
- Arch Medium - freestanding, spans a two-wide path.
- Arch Medium with Wall Filler - used with RCT3 walls.
- Arch Small - spans a single path, freestanding or used with walls.
- Arch Column 1/3 Height - short column.
- Arch Column 2/3 Height - medium height column.
- Arch Column Full Height.
- Arch Column Base - optional foot for columns.
- Arch Lintel for Large & Small Arches - horizontal extension.
- Arch Lintel for Medium Arches - horizontal extension for arch.
- Arch Lintel Square Corner - use for non-arched frames.
- Girder Square Horizontal - framework square crossmember.
- Girder Square Vertical - framework square upright.
- Girder Triangular Horizontal - triangular cross-section.
- Girder Triangular Vertical - triangular cross-section.
- Screen White - project laser shows on these.
- Screen Recolourable - try a laser show on black screen.

As you select and place the custom objects, you’ll see a couple of differences compared to the normal RCT3 items.

First, while you’ll get a ghost image of the object itself, there’s no blue square on the ground to help you gauge its position. The vertical girders are designed to fit at the corner of regular walls. The laser screens are the same size as regular walls but like the girders, must be rotated with the 'Z' key.

Secondly, there is no collision detection - you can place the objects anywhere, even overlapping each other. While this opens up some interesting possibilities, it can make it harder to stack screen sections. They won’t jump up to the top of the previous one; you’ll have to raise them to the right height yourself.

Note that vertical triangular girders in the first screenshot up above have been rotated into different positions for the two blue frameworks. The one on the left has the ‘point’ sticking out away from the screen, the other one has the ‘point’ facing inwards.

The girders have been sized to fit in with RCT3's standard walls and platforms. While this means that the girders themselves can be overlapped in ways that can look a little odd, it was done to maximize the flexibility of the set while minimizing the number of pieces needed.

The regular arches work fine when creating freestanding arrangements. If you use them to frame an opening into a building, the curve of the two larger sizes leaves a gap between the upper corner of the arch and the regular squared-off RCT3 walls. There are two special arch pieces which have a filler section to close in that gap.




The small arch can be used either freestanding or built into walls, it's only the medium and large arches which require these special versions.

All items in this custom scenery pack can be recoloured using the standard RCT3 tools.

Note that with the addition of Soaked, the game displays thin objects differently. I suspect that in response to complaints about frame rates, small or thin objects disappear more quickly as you zoom out. So you may be surprised to see the girder pieces disappear from view before you might expect it. You can increase the 'Draw Distance' for 'Buildings' in your LOD Options to minimize the effect, but it only delays the inevitable.


Known Issues
1. When positioning an item, there is no blue ghost square on the ground. Makes it tougher to place them, but see the previous section for tips on getting around this.

2. The screens aren’t true ‘wall’ objects in the sense that they don’t automatically flip around as you move them close to the edges of the ground grid squares. Since you can’t see the blue ghost square on the ground, that behaviour became confusing. Just use the regular ‘Z’ key to rotate them to the correct orientation, then place in position.

3. You can’t delete multiple items at once by using RCT3’s delete tool and highlighting all the squares they’re sitting on. You can still use the other delete tool and click on each piece individually, so it’s not too time consuming to clean up an area.

4. All icons in the Framework group have white backgrounds, not alternating white and grey.


Making Your Own Custom Scenery
If you would like to try your hand at making custom scenery, be sure to visit the General Forum and look for JonWil’s threads. They contain all the information you need to get started.


Redistribution
Please feel free to pass along this zip file of the custom scenery, or to host it on your web site, so long as it is not done for profit. Please include the ReadMe text and PDF files so that other users will know how to use the set.

Acknowledgements
First and foremost, major props to JonWil, who somehow managed to decode much of RCT3’s file formats and create an incredibly useful Importer utility. If you want to learn how to build your own custom RCT3 objects, be sure to check out JonWil’s threads in the General Forum.

Thanks as well to many of the Atari forum regulars who have been experimenting with custom objects and sharing their experiences and information. In particular, Pumper, Marnetmar, Guybrush, and Miss O have helped clarify many things that puzzled me as I learned how to create custom objects.

In addition, thanks to all of you forum members here whose enthusiasm and interest in custom scenery inspires us to keep plugging away at it.

And finally, thanks to Frontier and Atari for creating such a fascinating game that just keeps getting better!

[WalkingSnake]

Originally posted by Klinn
[center]
Note that with the addition of Soaked, the game displays thin objects differently. I suspect that in response to complaints about frame rates, small or thin objects disappear more quickly as you zoom out. So you may be surprised to see these framework pieces disappear from view before you might expect it. You can increase the 'Draw Distance' for 'Buildings' in your LOD Options to minimize the effect, but it only delays the inevitable. I guess Frontier thought this would be a better tradeoff for faster frame rates, but it would have been nice if we had more control (choice) over it.

Actually, I don't think it has to do with them being programmed to disappear. If you notice, many items (trash bins are a good example) change to lower-poly models when you zoom out. I think custom scenery just disappears because it doesn't have a lower-poly model to switch to.

Just a theory, but very nice job, either way.

[JCat]

Fantastic Klinn - glad it worked out ! What a perfect marriage (screen/girders).

[Tidus243]

Excellent!!!

[Larnica]

Nice Work!

[Milkdud]

The pics aren't working for me!

Edit: NM! They're workin' now hehe. This is great! I'm sure I, and many others could find tons of things to use these for! The textures look very clean and polished. They don't even look like custom objects, but objects that came with the game.

[pucechan]

Very cool set Klinn, this is a definite download.

This has so many uses and I'm glad you are planning to expand on it by including arches and similar !!

Great work !

[Klinn]

Originally posted by WalkingSnake
Actually, I don't think it has to do with them being programmed to disappear. If you notice, many items (trash bins are a good example) change to lower-poly models when you zoom out. I think custom scenery just disappears because it doesn't have a lower-poly model to switch to.

Yup, that could have something to do with it too. Whatever it is, the effect is much more noticable post-Soaked than before, so I just wanted to give folks a heads up. Larger custom objects such as walls etc don't run into this problem, only the 'delicate' things like these girders.

Milkdud: Try again, my site seems to be a little erratic tonight.

Thanks for the thanks folks. Hope you find them useful, and there will be more variety to come...

[Your_Name_Here]

Oooo! I'm downloading right now! Awesome!

[marnetmar]

Excellent work on these Klinn I know they;ll get a lot of different uses in the game.

[Phantom523]

WooHoo!!!!! Awesome! <high five>


Thanks Klinn!

[CoasterExpert]

awesome.....awesome....awesome...Did I mention....awesome!

[ytivarg]

Excellent stuff, guys! This is exactly what I had thought when I mentioned it!

And those new girders, well.. the possibilities are endless...

I love em!

[FreeBoarder]

absolutely love them
great work

[TheSkipper]

Kol stuff Klinn! gettin' it added in to the desk tool. Instructions in the file, too?

[Klinn]

Originally posted by TheSkipper
Instructions in the file, too?

Yes, there are instructions in text and PDF formats contained within the zip file. Basically the same as the ones in the first post, with a little bit of editing.

[Klinn]

(I never know whether to put revisions in the first post of a thread or at the end like this...)

Anyway, here's a preview of the next additions to my Framework pack, some modular arches. You can build free-standing arches or integrate them with RCT3's existing wall types, e.g. the Atlantis and Slate walls I've shown below.



The small arch, the pillars, and the pillar base are all separate custom objects so you can mix'n'match. The pillars are 1/3, 2/3, and full height. In the area with the orange slate walls, you can see how I used a 2/3 pillar plus 1/3 pillar to get a different look. Next, I plan on making some larger arches, enough to span two-wide pathes and three-wide paths. Heh, I'm showing them with pathes, but of course you can run a coaster through there too...

[RCT4me]

Why not add a texture to those arches?

[wickedfan07]

Nice job. I already know of a place I'd be able to use those.

[Klinn]

Originally posted by RCT4me
Why not add a texture to those arches?

Because as soon as I do, somebody will ask for another version with a different texture... I want blocks... I want stucco... I want cut stone... and so on

[marnetmar]

Those look Great Klinn , I'm guessing that they'll be recolorable too

[JCat]

Originally posted by Klinn
Because as soon as I do, somebody will ask for another version with a different texture... I want blocks... I want stucco... I want cut stone... and so on

ain't that the truth.


The arches are absolutely lovely, Klinn - excellent detail in the mesh.

[Jamie P]

Hmm, no one ever makes single tile hight arches, just one's that can join up with a wall with a gap where a path is, and smothley arch it off, so it doesn't just look wierd and unrealistic, and big wall there with a hole

[Milkdud]

Those arcs look awsome Klinn! I can't wait!

[Klinn]

Originally posted by Pumper
The arches are absolutely lovely, Klinn - excellent detail in the mesh.

But not too much detail - they're quite low-poly.

Marnetmar - you bet, they're recolourable. The shade is slightly lighter than the usual RCT3 colours, which I think helps to make it a 'framing' architectural element. Well, something like that...

[Milkdud]

The shade is slightly lighter than the usual RCT3 colours, which I think helps to make it a 'framing' architectural element. Well, something like that...

That's perfect. Awesome, awesome.

[marnetmar]

Originally posted by Klinn
But not too much detail - they're quite low-poly.

Marnetmar - you bet, they're recolourable. The shade is slightly lighter than the usual RCT3 colours, which I think helps to make it a 'framing' architectural element. Well, something like that...

I think the light color is perfect for these, any darker wouldn't look right.

[pucechan]

Very nice Klinn, they look REALLY nice. A big from here

[Coaster_Phantom]

I can definatinely use these arches for the entrance of my main park railway station. Great Klinn!

[RCTMaNiAc255]

Those arches are fantastic!!WOW,I'm sure we are going to use them alot. Amazing job Klinn!