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Quick Start Tutorial
This is a step-by-step tutorial
for pure beginners. It shows the first steps how to create a roller
coaster
track from scratch. The information are very basic, so there is no need
to read for experienced users. If you are a pure beginner try to make
the
track similar to our example.
Please note that by
default textures are enabled which will enhance the look of ground and
scenery. The pictures in this guide do not show textures for
simplification issues. You can always disable textures by deselecting
"Show Textures" in the Display menu.
Step 1
Start the Editor. You see the
green background, the first Vertex and the Origin. Do not be afraid
about
the terms. They sound technical, but the "Vertex" could also be called
"Blue Ball" (but "Vertex" is the correct term and so we stay with it).
Step 2
Press "v" on your keyboard (this
is the hotkey for Edit/Add vertex) and click somewhere on the green
field.
You should see something like this:
Click again somewhere and you will see something like this:
Explaination: A track consists of a series of Segments. Two adjacent
Segments share a common point called
a Vertex.
Step 3
Click two more times on the green background and you have 4 segments
and 5 vertex.
Step 4
To ride a track it must be a complete circuit. Press "c" on your
keyboard (hotkey for Edit/Connect)
and Vertex 5 will be connected to Vertex 1.
Step 5
There are 5 different types of segments: Normal, Station, Lift,
Transport, Brake. By default, each
segment is a Normal segment and is in blue color. However, each roller
coaster track needs all 5 types. Let´s start with the station.
That´s
the place where the trains stop and people get on/off. Click on Segment
1. It´s highlighted in white. Choose "Segment" from the main
menu,
choose "Station" and then press "x" on your keyboard (this is the
hotkey
for Segment/Segment Transform). The segment will appear in brown
therafter
and has been transformed in a Station segment.
Step 6
Next segment to transform is Segment 2. This should become the Lift.
The Lift will lift the trains up
a hill to a certain height. Click on Segment 2. It´s highlighted
in white and choose "Lift" from the Segment menu. Press "x" and the
Segment
has been transformed into a "Lift" segment and appears in green.
Step 7
Next segment to transform is Segment 3. This should become a Transport
Segment. Click on Segment 3.
It´s highlighted in white and choose "Transport" from the Segment
menu. Press "x" and the Segment has been transformed into a "Transport"
segment and appears in yellow. The Transport segments will control the
trains speed. If the train is going faster than the set speed it will
be
decelerated to that speed, and if it is going slower than the set speed
the train will be accelerated. Click on Segment 3 (now "Transport")
again
so it is highlighted in white. Press "g" (this is the hotkey for
Segment/Segment
Settings). The "Transport Settings" menu will allow you to adjust the
behavior
of the devices controlling the train. Set the speed to 60 km/h and
press OK.
Step 8
Segment 4 should stay a "Normal" segment. Segment 5 shall become a
"Brake" segment. Click on Segment 5 and
choose "Brake" from the Segment menu. Press "x" and the segment has
been
transformed into a "Brake" segment. The "Brake" segment will decelerate
the train to a certain speed.
Step 9
Now you already have a complete track. The only thing that is missing
is height. It´s not much fun
to ride a rollercoaster on the ground and so we need to raise it. To
raise
a part of the track you have to pick a vertex. Click on the vertex
between
Lift and Transport and then switch to another view that shows the track
from the side.
Step 10
Switch to Front View and raise this vertex.
Step 11
Now you have a very basic, but complete track. You can already ride
this track. Save it as "newtrack.nltrack"
in your NoLimits track directory (the default directory)
Start the simulator. Choose "track" from the main menu and select your
just saved "newtrack". Then
ride "newtrack".
The track is far from being complete (e.g. no supports), realistic (not
smooth at all) or fun (nothing
but a simple circuit), but at least it is a basis for going on creating
your own roller coaster. To get more information, read the complete
manual
and also have a look at the pre-built coasters that come with the game.
You can learn a lot from these. |