RCT Discussion / Criticizing: Kumba

Criticizing: Kumba

After a rather long time without my column mainly because I was running out of applicable volunteers, I now present to you the return of Criticizing. The volunteers I had simply wouldn’t do however, Meritrix and Scareface both retired and Fatha’s work is too flawless with the exception of personal hang-ups to pick at. With that nasty situation to sort out, increasing homework loads, family demands and now RctX club projects I was forced to drop this write up. Now, inspired by Iris’s reference to the Column in his walk through of WOMB I feel the need to make it a more permanent feature of the New Element Forums; and so I return to you with Kumba.
Kumba is easily one of the most popular non-NE parkmakers around at the moment and many people’s favorite for a parkmaker spot. Personally I being a critic believe that there are other, more worthy parkmakers that deserve the spot first. Allow me to explain:

Kumba’s Strengths:
*Hacking- Kumba is probably the #1 or #2 RCT2 hacker, period. Phatage is his only real competition in this segment, that’s just how far ol’ African scream (Kumba means “scream” in an African language, I kid you not!) is beyond the norm here. His contributions to the community include the coaster, Evolved in week 3 of the Pro Tour qualifiers, the Anaconda and Tarantulas in “Madakaumbu Rapids” in week two and the stall outs of the Quest of the Lost Legend in week 4. Although none of these rides won their respective rounds they all showed us the way RCT2 would soon become a hacking tool on the scale that LL already was.

*Creativity- Many people could argue against me here but it is very, very true. Kumba has taken the time to think out and execute hacks and make those hacks fit into theming; something that is not easily done. Kumba has also invented many awesome concept parks and rides, like Dimensions, a park which was themed to elements or Ski and Destroy an amazing ride marrying laser tag with a Jet Ski obstacle course.

Kumba’s “Middle Qualities”:
*Coasters- While some may argue that this should be strength, I don’t quite think he deserves that kind of credit. Kumba is a master of wooden twister coasters, no doubt there; with rides like The Zodiac and Lost Ruins to his credit the wood is strong. However Kumba’s steel is very hit or miss. Rides like Twisted Valley display this to a huge extent, with its excellent layout. However instead of the use of an 8th inversion (which I would’ve preferred) Kumba put in a trick-track hill, unrealistic and ugly to the extent that it throws off the entire ride for me. Shame too since the layout alone would’ve put it among my top 20 steel coasters.

*Theming- From what I can tell every theme Kumba has tried he has succeeded to build and make a decent appearance of it. Unfortunately nearly all of these themes fit under the category of “tropical ruins”. It’s not that Kumba can’t build other themes (as shown in Iron Wood Valley) it’s that he chooses not to. I fail to understand this since the “main street” in IWV is a beautiful display of non-tropical skill and it seemed to force Kumba a new direction in theming. Maybe this is why I love IWV so much, since Penguin Bob forced something new on Kumba he (Kumba) grew and a parkmaker. Most sad of all though, it appears that Kumba has again reverted to his been-there done-that tropical theme for his recent solo. Shame.

*Architecture- Kumba is improving in this category but he hasn’t really hit on a style that he hasn’t repeated too much or is just too strange. The previously mentioned architecture of main street at IWV is his best work to date in this category, because it flows beautifully, has varied/ overlapping forms and great colors and details. Most of Kumba’s tropical buildings have remained the same old wooden or brick huts, only 1-2 “stories” high and even if they are detailed there is something so boring about them. Kumba’s only other departure from the norm. in this category is found in The Zodiac. This architecture has varied levels of details, and form plus it breaks away from the standard Kumba colors, sadly though the boxes that the builds are structured of are simply boxes set side-by side, rather than overlapping. His newest architecture, shown in the screens of his new solo seems improved. Using ¼ tiles and other great details. If he can continue to use this level of detail in all of his themes and buildings than perhaps this category could later become strength.

Kumba’s Weakness(es):
*Repetitive everything- Kumba’s reoccurring tropical theme seems to never go away in his work and his architecture has only twice managed real separation from his normal brick or wood boxes. Even his coasters seem to blend together in the mind, with rides such as Ghosts of Tiumba (Tiumba- The Lost Islands) and Ridge Raider (IWV) blending together with their similar theming and ride systems. If Kumba could make everything he builds unique from everything else, if only slightly (no more tropical theming would be a start) then I think he could rise to parkmaker, but as is he just keeps showing us what we’ve already seen.

ride6

He is also illiterate, remember.

^ Lol. That's right I amost forgot... Kumba- LEARN TO SPELL.

I have a spelling disability as well but I do my best to aviod it by using something called "vocabulary". Learn it, use it, love it.

ride6

I actually pretty much agree with everything you have said there. A very good read ride6. Thank you

Metro

cool im glad you did one of these for me, i think you got most of it right, but i think i am strong at coasters and themeing, middle at archy and repeteing stuff.

with my coaster in IWV i just used that thing to get the thing to make its rateing, the in-line twist would have been better, my best released coasters are probly The Curse of Anubis, XGGitY, The lost ruins, and the Zodiac. The ones in my PT & BP will be as good or better.

my hacking is mostly stuff i did in RCT1, just with some new stuff added thx to 8Cars and the SoB. 95% of it is just stuff from the past, however i think the Alien hack from BP is new coz i asked MA about it and he thought i found a new glitch in the game. I got 1 or 2 ideas im kicking around, and recenty found a way to crash things without a car blowing up.

im glad you think i am strong at being creative, its a shame how little i tryed to do creative things in past parks, i think Madakumbu is the only good example of me doing that well. I focus on creative ride, archy, and themeing idea, in my PT and BP, i think you will see a huge jump in those parks when released.

as far as themeing goes i think im good at it, my best stuff was probly in 3 of my PTs (Madakumbu, XGGitY, and The Zodiac) my PT adventure ride was probly the worst, i guess thats what i get for trying to do a ride in 3 days.....

last thing, i have never seen how im so repetitive, maybe a bit with tropical, but when i hear people like iris say my stuff looks identaical i get pissed off. The brown was a problem i will admit to that, but now im trying new things to keep people away from thinking im repetitive. sometimes i think i see that sterotype coz of all the parks i have released. if their is a drawback to releasing a lot of stuff it mite be getting labled repetitive, if so thats a shame.

thx for putting all the time into doing this on me, i think it was a good outlook on my parks, rides, ect... and sorry but my spelling will never get any better, fact is i just dont care

recenty found a way to crash things without a car blowing up.

Oh? Please tell.

You forgot about Nirvana when you were writing this, ride6...

Also yeah, I really did force him to do new stuff in IWV(though not really enforced) and I can see a huge improvement between that and demensions or nirvana...

Kumba, bow down to me for where you are now!!

last thing, i have never seen how im so repetitive, maybe a bit with tropical, but when i hear people like iris say my stuff looks identaical i get pissed off. The brown was a problem i will admit to that, but now im trying new things to keep people away from thinking im repetitive. sometimes i think i see that sterotype coz of all the parks i have released. if their is a drawback to releasing a lot of stuff it mite be getting labled repetitive, if so thats a shame.

No, releasing stuff isn't the problem.
I don't see how you could not think your work is all similiar.
Don't you see yourself falling into patterns after awhile?

its not, but then im the one makeing it so i dubt i see things the same way. tell you what, to help me out point out things i have done that are similiar? id like to see more stuff spoted then mine trains, brown and tropical stuff. im awere of all that stuff.

After my PT and BP i hope this will be a thing of the past.....

Edit: wait with mine trains, brown and tropical stuff i forgot 1/4 trees and bush' yeah that is gon' change too, i spoted it not long ago and adressed it with my PT, ok now thats 4, i guess you guys got a point

So do we, Kumba, so do we.



ride6

^ Lol.  That's right I amost forgot...  Kumba- LEARN TO SPELL.

I have a spelling disability as well but I do my best to aviod it by using something called "vocabulary".  Learn it, use it, love it.

ride6

i avoid it too.

and @ Kumba.. saying you should be 'strong' at coasters and theming too, shame on you. and he didn't get most of it right, he got everything right. it was his opinion. I won't even go towards my opinion, as it might leave you shattered in the end. I don't even care enough to know what parks you made, etc. so i doubt i'd have any 'strength's. I might also add that the only strong coasters in RCT2 have been in RoB, and nowhere else, however unfortunate that may be. Good fluent coasters in RCT2 are incredibly easier as well, so it's really a shame noone seems to have that part down yet. And i certainly would have noticed if anyone made anything like a good coaster as it's the first thing i look for when looking at these parks that all these RCT2 non-parkmakers make. They are all decent, at best. You certainly don't spring out, so just chill.

^ Lol.  That's right I amost forgot...  Kumba- LEARN TO SPELL.

I have a spelling disability as well but I do my best to aviod it by using something called "vocabulary".  Learn it, use it, love it.

ride6

i avoid it too.

and @ Kumba.. saying you should be 'strong' at coasters and theming too, shame on you. and he didn't get most of it right, he got everything right. it was his opinion. I won't even go towards my opinion, as it might leave you shattered in the end. I don't even care enough to know what parks you made, etc. so i doubt i'd have any 'strength's. I might also add that the only strong coasters in RCT2 have been in RoB, and nowhere else, however unfortunate that may be. Good fluent coasters in RCT2 are incredibly easier as well, so it's really a shame noone seems to have that part down yet. And i certainly would have noticed if anyone made anything like a good coaster as it's the first thing i look for when looking at these parks that all these RCT2 non-parkmakers make. They are all decent, at best. You certainly don't spring out, so just chill.

Amen.
Kumba, you have been thinking too highly of yourself from the beginning and it pisses a lot of people off. Let me tell you this; whether you existed at this site or not wouldn't make a shit difference because you're just one of the numerous average players.

[font="tahoma"]Amen.
Kumba, you have been thinking too highly of yourself from the beginning and it pisses a lot of people off. Let me tell you this; whether you existed at this site or not wouldn't make a shit difference because you're just one of the numerous average players.[/font]

I totally dissagree. I can see what people mean by repetitivness, the tropical is in all his parks. But i do love his coasters and hacked adventure rides.

He's just a creative hacker with everything else is slowly coming along. That's my "safe for public viewing opinion. I could get far more picky over specifics, like detail, depth, and some personal dislikes with his work and be far more negitive about somethings and positive about a couple others. I just prefer to be relitively general as to make many of the things I'm saying hard to object to. Personally if I wanted to be more realistic I would place the archetecture down to a weakness. Really, other than the Penguin Bob-inspired Main Street I haven't found any of Kumba's archetecture particularly pleasing.

And you (Kumba), like myself must learn to slowly back away from your cocky, almost ignorent attitude that apparently keeps you blissful.

I know I'm not anything better than a average parkmaker, and you must learn to do the same.

ride6

And you (Kumba), like myself must learn to slowly back away from your cocky, almost ignorent attitude that apparently keeps you blissful.

you got most of it right: all except the "slowly".

so im cocky for saying what i think after ride6 does in a topic about myself? i dont even care what you all think and say, it does not bug me one bit. I think im strong when it comes makeing to coasters whats the big deal with that. themeing im re-thinking tho...

One question.. Why did you first take only NE Parkmakers and now suddenly Kumba?
It almost seems like you hate Kumba or something
I thought you only did NE Parkmakers...

SF

so im cocky for saying what i think after ride6 does in a topic about myself? i dont even care what you all think and say, it does not bug me one bit. I think im strong when it comes makeing to coasters whats the big deal with that. themeing im re-thinking tho...

3 entries found for cocky.
cock-a-doodle-doo-a-doodle-doo-a-doodle-doo·y ( P ) Pronunciation Key (kk)
adj. cock-a-doodle-doo-a-doodle-doo-a-doodle-doo·i·er, cock-a-doodle-doo-a-doodle-doo-a-doodle-doo·i·est
Overly self-assertive or self-confident.



...looking back, what you did wasnt THAT bad, it IS a topic about you, so putting your 2 cents in about yourself isnt terrible. but, in general, saying how good you are at something is usually a no-no.

I don't think Kumba's arrogance is intentional. He's just very confused and probably doesn't even realize he's doing it.

I think its fine for someone to say they think their own coaster skills are great. If he likes what he builds, why should it matter to him you dont like it. I personally like Kumba's coasters, especially the woodie in Tiumba. That was awsome, and so were many others, like twisted valley in IWV. Excluding the part that was banked left/right. A barrol roll would have fit better(as ride6 mentioned). I think people need to leave him alone, i dont see what other peoples problem is, i cant see what hes doing to annoy you all anyway.