Park / Darkwood Amusements

Park_274 Darkwood Amusements

46 Comments

  • iris%s's Photo
    Posted ImagePosted Image

    Darkwood Amusements by Posix

    Posix is without a doubt one of the best and most talented parkmakers in this entire site. He has two spotlights behind him, in the solo effort "Raindrop Riviera", a tasteful, beautiful theme park, and "Audrix Towers", a much more adventerous and fantasy duo park built with X-Sector. Lately though, I feel that Posix is drifting more and more towards this minimalistic parkmaking style that he has adapted to, and that comes with both lots of pros and cons. For example, I think it worked brilliantly in Raindrop Riviera, as it showed the subtle beauty and quaintness of the theming, architecture, and landscape, giving everything a natural, realistic, flowing look to it. But then with Kronecraft's Allure Lake, Posix seemed to take the next step towards bare lands and classic parkmaking, and while still quality, it raised eyebrows here as I hoped he wouldn't take it any further. Well folks, looks like he's going all the way with this, as he builds one of the most bare parks I've ever seen. What he has built is brilliant, as the influence from Schuessler's "Chateau Lake" area is obvious. But really, there just isn't enough to judge. Minimalistic parkmaking is best used sparingly in my opinion, and this is going to the extreme. Too much of even a good thing becomes old and boring, and that's what I think is happening now with Posix' new approach to parkmaking. It's a shame too, because he really has as much talent as anybody at the site....he just loves to hide it.
  • Metropole%s's Photo
    Very disapointing from posix there. The woodie layout was very well done, but that was about all the park had going for it. I get the minimalistic idea, but it's just overdone making the park look almost amateur. It didn't really show any parkmaking quality and nothing appealed to me. I'm sorry, but this was a real let down to me.

    Metro B)
  • Toon%s's Photo
    I find it somewhat amusing that the park finished lower than its lowest ranking. The coaster was beautiful. Not much else to say. I'm guessing Posix expected a low finish and was not too worried about it tho.
  • Phatage%s's Photo
    I think that this is placed much too low, even if I haven't seen the other entries. The reason is because this is meant to be a classic style park, something built early in the 1900's or around there with classic rides. As far as accuracy goes, I give him a lot of credit especially since he hasn't really been to one of these parks. The woodie as I've told you is incredible, both in accuracy and in quality itself. I liked the ghost train idea, although I wish you could have put some spooky theming in there, not too much though to keep it a looking a little cheap as the real ones are. The water ride was well executed as well as the flats. Maybe a different choice of music like the ragtime style would have been more appropriate, but the ice style was still very relaxing and made a good atmosphere. I like the layout of the park and the eating area in the back, but I think that the one thing that would have sold this park is if it were to look more like it was built over a long period of time; even if it meant sacrificing how well the park tied together. I'm not sure if the stone is meant to be pavement/parking lot, but I think that the park could have used less of that and a lot more trees. All in all, it was a good park, but even better if the viewers know what to look for. Again I commend you for attempting to build something that you knew wouldn't appeal to everybody but didn't care about them. Excellent job, and you still have past my expectations. It does remind me of Kennywood and Knoebels here and there, and its great to see how far you've come in building this park.
  • Toon%s's Photo
    Here's my dilemna with this park. If it would have been someone without Posix's reputation who built it, they would have got slammed for it. We now Posix's talent and know this is how he wanted it to look, so it jumps in our estimation of how good it is. I think this park turned out exactly as Posix wanted it to and I do like it a lot. Fair or not, I just couldn't help think how I would've reacted to it had it not been Posix who built it and just felt that within the realm of this contest it really didn't deserve to finish any higher than I placed it. I did try to judge the parks based on what they were supposed to be and not just by my likes and dislikes, but this just fell short for me in a lot of ways. It was very realistic, but I don't think this is the best venue to be putting out this kind of park. If not for the fantastic coaster, this could've been last for me. To me the coaster was the only thing in the park that really showed off how talented this guy is.
  • gymkid dude%s's Photo
    this park has goods and bads. Some of it is skillful, I am in love with that woodie, those layered turnarounds are beautiful. However, much, not all, of the park gives me a feeling "anyone could have done that." Like the picnic tables. It was a 2x2 block of wood raised 1 land level, with a path and a 2x2 path roof.

    I'm sure someone will jump down my throat...but the park was a good classic amusement park. so posix, you did a good job. The problem is, apparently 19 people made something more interesting and more demonstrating of skill than you.
  • Jacko Shanty%s's Photo

    If it would have been someone without Posix's reputation who built it, they would have got slammed for it.

    I think it would have made more sense if the entries were anonymous.. then the reputation thing wouldn't be a problem.

    I took a look at this and I thought that coaster was fantastic. The realism was definately there.. I thought the rock and the different tarmac under the supports really set the atmosphere. That was the best part in the park.. but I thought your buildings were small and quaint, and the path was a little too thick in some areas. This could lead back to that tired argument of realism vs. good parkmaking.. which comes up practically every time SF:WoE is mentioned. I thought you nailed the theme you were going for on the head.. a realistic old park. The problem is, that theme is a bit boring and not elaborate enough. It is a tough debate.. but you made a solid package with this park and you were consistent, and that is one of the major things which makes a good park. B)
  • posix%s's Photo
    I think that even if it was anonymous people could still easily say that this park was done by Posix.

    Anyway,
    what you people have to understand is that I'm not trying to impress you, I'm not trying to be "different", I'm neither trying to do things "not everyone can do" nor did I want to win this contest. And please, stop "expecting" things from me. I mean what do you want? Put pressure on me?
    All I want is to have fun making my parks, and this is possibly the first park of which I can truly say that I "enjoyed" making it. I've actually broken almost all of my "RCT principles" with this park and it felt really really good so I'm going to continue doing it.
    Telling me that it was empty or what you would have wanted to see doesn't make much sense because there's only one person who has to like this park and that's me.
  • Janus%s's Photo
    "Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative." - Oscar Wilde

    And that is actually why I can't decide if I like this park or not. Posix is certainly not unimaginative, being able to build succesfully in so many styles, though he seems to be really into this simplicity thing now...
    So, the park. I liked parts of it, the wooden coaster was really nice, and the simplicity was pretty effective in some areas, but in other parts it just felt boring and underthemed, like the ghost train. Removing that roof and finding nothing but a little ghost train track was a bit dissapointing. On the other side, stuff like the woodie, the railroad transport and the two statues showed some neat attention to detail...
    I didn't quite think all the flat grey rock landscaping worked as well as it wanted to, because I can't really tell what it is supposed to be. The layout was fairly nice, maybe a bit flat which made it less interesting but functional and effective anyway. Maybe this park will grow on to me, like Schuessler's area in Chateau Lake has done, maybe not.
    Well done on trying something different, and I guess you mostly achieved what you were aiming for...
  • gymkid dude%s's Photo

    [font="tahoma"]I think that even if it was anonymous people could still easily say that this park was done by Posix.

    Anyway,
    what you people have to understand is that I'm not trying to impress you, I'm not trying to be "different", I'm neither trying to do things "not everyone can do" nor did I want to win this contest. And please, stop "expecting" things from me. I mean what do you want? Put pressure on me?
    All I want is to have fun making my parks, and this is possibly the first park of which I can truly say that I "enjoyed" making it. I've actually broken almost all of my "RCT principles" with this park and it felt really really good so I'm going to continue doing it.
    Telling me that it was empty or what you would have wanted to see doesn't make much sense because there's only one person who has to like this park and that's me.[/font]

    fair enough.
  • Jacko Shanty%s's Photo

    [font="tahoma"]there's only one person who has to like this park and that's me.[/font]

    Then why even bother entering?

    "Without consistency, a park is unfocused and random" -Jacko Shanty

    ;)
  • posix%s's Photo
    "disappointing".
    As I said, I'm not trying to make the park fun for you but fun for me. It was the other way round over a year ago when I was making NSpheres but what was fun about RCT was the fact that I knew I'd get a lot of "ooohs" and "aaaahs" to hear from the community and not the actual process of building. I believe that this is the fact with 90% of all people on this site and it's also why there are hardly any personal and therefore interesting styles. My style is a schuessler-rip off, I admit that, but at the same time, I'm trying to change it back to a more posix-ish style. My taste has always been one that loves the extremes and I guess that's where my "extreme" RCT style comes from. Extreme is not meant to be good or bad in this context though, mind you.
    Anyhow, I forgot to thank Phatage in my first post, which is kind of embarassing. Without him I could never have done that coaster. I am so proud of it. I love you ;P

    And Toon, when you force yourself to be objective, then you're automatically not objective.

    EDIT:

    Then why even bother entering?

    That is actually a very good point. I have yet managed to answer me that question. I guess it's just because I like playing RCT and you participate in what's hot on the site. It also brings some variety. Making solos only could become a little tiresome.
  • Ride6%s's Photo
    With the exception of the woodie I think I could've built that in one day. I mean look at it. 8 hours, easy. The wooden coaster was awasome but everything else was a drag. I can stand Konecraft, I like your work in Audrix Towers and I love RR. Your hi rollers entry was TONS better. I'm disapointed. Elements (gir's park) was much better than this. It's invert was at least as good as your woodie and the rest of the park was more interesting. Very disapointing Posix... Very, very disapointing.

    I won't compair to my park, but Elements should be above this. 8@

    You built what's right by you, and I respect that, but I don't like it. Just like I respect President Bush, but I don't like him.

    ride6
  • gymkid dude%s's Photo
    well ride6 that post was mostly idiotic, but I agree with your conclusion. Being that even posix admits that he wasnt trying to place high, it really didnt deserve to place as high as it did. I woulda put element's still behind it, but I woulda put ride6's ahead of it.

    Proudly presenting:
    If gymkid ripped off WME and was a judge!111

    23. Country Squire
    22. Elements
    21. Darkwood
    20. Poplar Grove.
  • PymGuy%s's Photo
    I can honestly say that this was a beautiful park.
    No, it wasn't flashy. No, it wasn't groundbreaking. Yes, it captured the feel and atmosphere of a traditional park perfectly.
    I felt like I was there, the park gave off a wonderful feeling of warmth and friendliness.
    There weren't that many rides, but that just helped the atmosphere that much more.
    This takes you back to the golden days but doesn't bore you to death, it shows that traditional can still be pulled off, even if RCT is 5 years old.
    Great work, Posix. Keep on building for you, and hopefully you'll more make parks just as great as this.
  • deanosrs%s's Photo
    Well, as he pointed out, posix will be posix, but for what it's worth, I didn't like it at all, apart from the woodie it was un-atmospheric and featureless.
  • Six Frags%s's Photo
    I love it. It's just a matter of taste, defenitely, but these kind of realistic parks I prefer to see, and it's absolutely nothing everybody can do within a few hours..
    The planning and placing takes skill, and a vision I think... maybe it's because I also like to build these kind of parks... I can imagine though, that some people don't like it... and it's also very daring for a contest like this, so props for that posix!
    I personally hope to see more of such parks from you, and although barren at places, it fits such kind of parks, and add to the atmosphere imo...

    SF
  • Toon%s's Photo
    Posix, I'm not sure I get your objectivity comment, but I'll roll with it. I know I called you park disappointing, but I did point out that if you're happy with it that's what matters. I'm allowed to be disappointed if something does not live up to my expectations and as a judge your ranking was a result of this feeling. Objectively, I wanted to rank you higher, but I could not get past my overall feeling that there wasn't enough here for me to love the work. So as a result my bias towards not liking this style swayed my placement. In the end objectivity was not entirely possible and I recognize that. I would never suggest you try to build for me, but if you are just building for yourself you really can't take offense when people don't like your work for whatever reason they don't. We should talk sometime...I miss you.
  • Phatage%s's Photo

    With the exception of the woodie I think I could've built that in one day.  I mean look at it.  8 hours, easy.  The wooden coaster was awasome but everything else was a drag ...  Elements (gir's park) was much better than this.  It's invert was at least as good as your woodie and the rest of the park was more interesting.  Very disapointing Posix...  Very, very disapointing.

    I won't compair to my park, but Elements should be above this.  8@

    You built what's right by you, and I respect that, but I don't like it.  Just like I respect President Bush, but I don't like him.

    ride6

    Shut up, everybody knows that the only point of that post was to make other people say how your's was better, which imo it wasn't. I if anybody have held any anger towards you when you make these stupid posts, but this time is different. Seriously, if you tried to do something like this, it would probably be like half this and half army themed or something stupid like that...
  • BchillerR%s's Photo
    I liked the park. Even though I didn't download it, one thing I love is that it looks really nice zoomed out. The layout of the park, along with the layout of the coaster and planting selections goes together very well. Everything sort of seems to blend together looking almost naturual, and that's why I think if you were to add anything else to the park (like more architecture) than it wouldn't have the same feeling. I could actually picture going to a park like this in real life, it's so realistic.


    BchillerR