Park / Apothicon Servant

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  posted 7 months ago

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  Lurker Offline

  I like the atmosphere, there's a lot of good grid-breaking and I really like how clean it all looks. And after looking it up this seems to capture the feel of the level pretty well.

  posted 6 months ago

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  OddmentsAlchemyLab Offline

  I love this build. The detailed architecture is fantastic and it carries all the way through the little apartments along the front. It's cohesive, but has a lot of individual details that break out each building.

   

  The is not a critique, but just a question: why the curved ducts? I've been seeing this on recent builds and I find it confusing and unrealistic. But there seems to be a trend. It's been a while since I bent duct, but long curved runs were not a thing. Possible? sure. Common. No way.

   

  That aside, this is a gorgeous build.

  posted 6 months ago

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  ottersalad Offline

  The cityscape is cool and pretty well detailed. I think the coaster itself though struggles for speed on the second half of it. Overall though, this is very well laid out, great composition.

   

  edit: maybe it was just my framerates dropped - I let the park run for a bit and the coaster pacing seemed much better. Not sure whats up there. 

  posted 6 months ago

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  Hex Offline

  I think this release has some of the coolest use of color I've seen in a hot minute. The use of the dark reds and cool shadowy colors literally paints a picture, and I can feel myself as one of the peeps wandering around.

   

  The deep violet wrapped around the structures feels like a set of calculated brushstrokes, perfectly paired with its polar opposite on the color wheel peeking through the majority of the windows (that's yellow - keep up, kids.)

   

  Interaction, interaction, interaction.
  
  Though I personally know what your next build looks like, I am very much anticipating the next project you whip up!

  posted 6 months ago

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  Jens J. Offline

  Cool park Bluetiful! I have to be honest that I'm normally not the biggest fan of the recolorable NCSO objects but the theming here was pretty neat. Some interesting and unique ideas with the crane supporting the goober loop (love the name lol) and the street lights made out of trackitecture (very clever!). I think the diagonal string lights are almost there, if only there was a track that would make the separate bulbs more clear. The ones using the top of the martian and castle walls though are absolutely flawless wow.

   

  The coaster has some pretty sick elements like the pretzel loop and the aforementioned goober loop. I do think it lacks a bit of pacing near the end, but I love all of the interaction with the city. Almost feels F.L.Y.-esque. Nice job!

  posted 6 months ago

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  Bluetiful_Monday Offline

  
  

  I like the atmosphere, there's a lot of good grid-breaking and I really like how clean it all looks. And after looking it up this seems to capture the feel of the level pretty well.

   

  Thanks Lurker for the review, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

   

  
  

   

  The is not a critique, but just a question: why the curved ducts?

   

  That aside, this is a gorgeous build.

   

   

  Thanks, I'm glad you like it! For the ducts, you're referring to the HVAC systems on top of the buildings, right? Yeah, I've noticed that trend myself, probably picked it up just after looking at so many builds recently. Your experience is certainly something I will factor into any future city entries.

   

  
  

  Overall though, this is very well laid out, great composition.

   

   

   

  Thanks Otter! I appreciate the review

   

  
  

  I think this release has some of the coolest use of color I've seen in a hot minute. The use of the dark reds and cool shadowy colors literally paints a picture, and I can feel myself as one of the peeps wandering around.

   

   

   

  Thank you so much Hex! Looking forward to our release here next, and your own design too!

   

  
  

   

  The coaster has some pretty sick elements like the pretzel loop and the aforementioned goober loop. I do think it lacks a bit of pacing near the end, but I love all of the interaction with the city. Almost feels F.L.Y.-esque. Nice job!

   

   

  Thanks Jens, and congrats on your release too! Yeah, someone mentioned the F.L.Y. resemblance after I released it on DK's server. I'm glad I did the goober loop some proper justice

  posted 6 months ago

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  Liampie Offline

  This is one of the best maps created in the genre. Great atmosphere, great coaster, and some nice object usage such as the tennis nets to create a letterboard look. Has that been done before? Not that it matters much. The naming applied to all the buildings helps the world building enormously, though the overall narrative isn't too clear to me. What is an Apothicon Servant? What is the Margwa and why do you need to escape from it? Aesthetically this park was good, but a few things I didn't like. Curved ducts are a curious choice like has been pointed out already, and sometimes I felt like techniques were applied for the sake of it, such as the single rail coaster diagonal trims that didn't contribute to either the theme or the setting, nor were they technically impressive. The expansion objects were hit or miss. I voted 70%.

  posted 6 months ago

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  Bluetiful_Monday Offline

  
  

  This is one of the best maps created in the genre.

   

   

  Thanks Liampie for the feedback! Definitely some tips and notes that I'll incorporate into future entries. I'll also update my design description so other people can read a backstory behind the map, that way the references aren't missed. In summary, the Apothicon Servant is a wonder weapon you can build in the game. It's pretty epic. Margwas are big tentacle monsters you battle. I'm super happy you enjoyed this map, a big thanks for giving everything a thorough look!

  posted 6 months ago

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  G Force Offline

  Was never really a fan of this map in game, but this was really nice.  Starting with the coaster, I enjoyed the length and the interaction of the elements with the surroundings, real nice park design there.  As far as the theming, once I sort of got my bearings there were a lot of landmarks I did recognize from the map, the gumball machines were a real nice touch.  Great work!

  posted 6 months ago

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  Six Frags Offline

  Great work, and what a way to get make a name for yourself! Especially love the way you made the crunch with those cola pieces and invisible color, so clever! Also the color scheme and palette give this such an unique atmosphere. Can't wait to see what you cook up next

  posted 6 months ago

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  Ge-Ride Offline

  Just downloaded this and checked it out. I wasn't a fan of Frightmare Hills but Beautitful, but I really enjoyed this. The coaster had an appealing layout with a good balance between the elements and the overall flow. I can't say much new about the architecture but I liked the lighting and how you managed to make the buildings look good even though they're a bit boxy. I will look at whatever else you've made that I've missed and look forward to your future projects.

  posted 5 months ago

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  Terry Inferno Offline

  I can see why this map fared so well in the contest for which it was made... yes, the surroundings are bluetiful, but Apothicon Servant itself is exactly the type of coaster that belongs at the center of such a map. I understand the comments regarding the pacing, but I don't feel that 17 mph through an inverted cobra roll is a cardinal sin. Couldn't a slightly slower inversion feel a bit more suspenseful on a flying coaster? 

   

  Those who are familiar with the source material would certainly enjoy all the references, but even for those of us who are not, the world you've built comes together nicely in a way that all of us can appreciate whether we know what an Apothicon Servant or a Black Op is.

   

  Excellent work here creating a lively nighttime cityscape! Usually I'm not a fan of too many static urban buildings, so I appreciate that you've actually put some of the tenements to use and gave them interactive purposes as well as those on the more commercial side. The Blue Jazz building and the Ruby Rabbit are two good-looking buildings that are enhanced by their interactivity - the monorail-and-glass combo already gives us a reason to look at the former, but it's an even better setpiece because we can see guests actually walking up and down the stairs, complete with a working "Oh hi Mark"-style rooftop door. Both of them culminate with fun small rides that give us something to focus on even on the higher elevations.

   

  If there is one thing on the map that I feel is more limited that it needs to be, it's the ground texturing. Almost the entirety of the ground here is the same smooth mixture of base blocks in either red or grey. It's a very nice texture, but it's the same throughout on both the paths and the grey space save for a small section that uses a footpath overlay, and it can feel very empty at times, particularly in the blank space behind the buildings. I am certainly in favor in low-grain negative space to contrast higher-detail architecture, but I wonder if there could have been a way to incorporate one or two more natural land textures as well (if only in small patches). I don't know how if that would have deviated too much from the map upon which this is based, however, as that environment may not call for dirt or sand.

   

  Perhaps what I love most about this map is how many innovative techniques you've pulled off in a way that enhances the aesthetic without feeling forced. Diagonal wooden coaster as skyscraper windows is a brilliant touch, and it blends in so well that you don't even notice the trick at first--it just looks like diagonal windows. So many little moments on this map like that where you notice the effect, as it blends right in as it should, and then only later you come back for a "Wait, what?"-style double take. I always loved this aspect of NCSO, and I love how often I'm seeing it in DKSO, but most importantly to this review, I love how often it has happened from looking at this map. Some of my favorite of these moments are the lighthouse, the pirate windows as lanterns, and just about everything about the skyscraper facade.

   

  It is lovely to see DKSO releases receive more positive attention, even if it has been a gradual process, and I think this has been a pivotal release in warming more people here up to the approach. I suppose colorable expansion objects are still not universally loved in this particular community, but the way you've used them here is cohesive and pleasant to take in. Art deco corners don't stick out like they often do, and the NY roof pieces actually fit in this setting without creating unnecessary textural contrast. In other words, all of my usual complaints about expansion objects do not apply here, so I believe this has also been a pivotal release to help me shed my biases against anything WW/TT.

   

  2023 was a phenomenal year for you, having released a number of both solos and collaborative projects, with this bluetiful work of art perhaps being your signature release for the year. Whatever you build in 2024, I am here for it.

  posted 3 months ago

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