RCT Discussion / Mala For Dummies

Mala for Dummies- Installment One: Landscaping

Anyone who tells you it is impossible to duplicate the work of Mala is telling the truth, however I have started tinkering with the “Mala-style” and to my surprise it can be imitated. No I can’t build as great as Mala can, I however can build like Mala. Its imitation, not really anything creative but it will help us learn how to build that way. Once the basics are understood it is possible to let our imagination run wild.

Now what is contained in all Mala parks that somehow places even old parks like Mountain Beach on the memorable list? Landscaping; and coasters but lets start with the land first then we’ll build on it (no pun intended).

There are two major elements in Mala’s landscaping:
1) Land-height variation
2) Smooth, natural, flowing landscaping

Everyone recently seems to be into the first thing and a certain few, like Natelox, vTd (thanks turtle) and Schussler have the 2nd skill. Land-height variation is simply a choice, you make your hills 90 feet (or higher) or you don’t. Making smooth landscaping is a skill so how about we look deeper into that before trying to stretch it over hills and valleys.



I’ve highlighted the lines that your eye would generally follow in this screen shot of a small corner of IOA Hollywood to better illustrate the fact that flowing landscaping means that attention is primarily directed in two directions; forming a grid. You may not realize it but your subconscious brain is mathematical and it will finish connecting those lines for you, allowing you to “see the grid”. It’s the moment where you go “whoa”, but you’ll only see it when your mind is open and clear enough to think without effort. You can add some rocks that contradict this pattern since nature is rarely organized; just remember to create that grid in a way that is easy for the mind to dissect. Once you understand this you can begin to open up to larger height changes.



Here we see some classic Mala landscaping from the Hi Rollers winning Escalante River Falls.

But wait Mala throws in more complexity to the formula, adding a third angle in there along with the 2nd land type or texture. Mala continues with the flowing form system though. The angles all point up towards the peak of the hill and do so repetitively; that is the key to good landscaping. However here we have a lower texture (grass/mud mix) and a raised texture (red sand) and while this appears to add huge amounts of complexity it’s really just and expansion one common sense and what’s been said. The lower texture (20 to 30 ‘feet’ below the upper) has vegetation and still flows with the general form for the most part, occasionally breaking the pattern and the upper layer does the same only above the lowers layers trees and shrubs and it is left blank. The lower "level is generally a darker color as well with the higher level standing out due to the contrast. This is a common component of Mala landscapes.

If you have any relevant questions feel free to post them. Thank you for your time.

ride6

Where the hell is vTd's name in that flowing landscaping list? Looked at Mysterious Island recently?

Anyways, very nice first installment, i look forward to how you tackle the coasters.

^agreed

I like the first screen as far as shape goes, but the second one (the one that's actually mala's) is really cool because of the ideas behind it.

Good article, I'll pick up on some of these ideas.

Mala's isn't as good as Schuessler's.

Mala's isn't as good as Schuessler's.

Yes he is. They are both gods.

I've never noticed it but Mala's landscaping there is incredibly ugly.

again, it's all just a question of taste...

and ride6, don't do what i did with schuessler. trust me, you will only regret it.

Funny.

I really just try to build what I see in my mind. My advice to anyone would be to get out there and see the world. Especially the National Parks in the U.S. It was parks such as Bryce Canyon that were extremely influential in what you saw in Escalante River Falls and even parts of Mountain Beach. I was never a big fan of the jagged rock landscapes. I have yet to see anything in real life that hasn't experienced centuries of erosion. It is all about what you like though and what appeals to you personally. It is funny how everyone keeps trying to define things. I guess it is our nature. I think definition is the death of creativity and imagination. Be yourselves peeps. Everything I do has been influenced by something I have experienced. Draw on your own experiences and if you have none, get out there. You can see some place in a movie, but it is a hell of a lot different to visit that place. Even the dark brick buildings everpresent in Rift Valley were influenced by a complex of mental institution buildings that were near where I grew up. As a child I remember being frightened by just passing by these buildings. When I began construction on Rift Valley, these building emerged from my subconscious.

I'm not too keen on that part of mala's landscape you chose to illustrate the point. I like his landscaping best when it's just big fuck-off hills with chasms in between. It's brash, risk-taking landscaping that I find mala the best for. For some reason he gets away with it.
edit - ok fine it's nothing to do with that lol

Mysterious Island in FDS is probably the single best piece of landscaping, along with some of SWA.

But yes, that was interesting. The coasters one will be more so, I think.

Am I the only one here (besides perhaps Mala himself) who thinks that it's ridiculous to try to copy the park-building style of someone else?

Mala didn't make Cydonia City a great park by carefully studying the archetecture and rides of Orange Valley and them emulating them as ridgidly as possible.

It was parks such as Bryce Canyon that were extremely influential in what you saw in Escalante River Falls and even parts of Mountain Beach.

Ah, see, I've been there. Didn't like it much thouh. :\

Am I the only one here (besides perhaps Mala himself) who thinks that it's ridiculous to try to copy the park-building style of someone else?

Amen to that Kraken...

Mala, you make some very valid points, especially the one about using your own personal experiences to create parks. I feel that is the best approach to making excellent parks and is exactly how I have been attempting to make my parks recently. The difficult part is translating your experiences to the RCT canvas, which is the Mala quality we wish we all had.

Funny topic, because the only thing and I mean only thing about Mala's work that I think could be improved is the flow of his landscaping. The height variations and risks he takes with landscape are however brilliant.

edit: Kraken, I hope you are here to stay. I sense you will add much value to our community.

But if it wasn't for the flow it would appear sloppy. The reason I'm reducing myself to another Blitz-Sama for a while is to better understand fantasy parkmaking (where I'm starting to really go). Once I understand the basics it will be far easier to build original stuff.

Mala makes a valid point in the build from your expearence argument. But really I don't have all that many expearences that I think I can use in rct unless I'm going to build dozens of realistic amusement parks. There is a few cool things I've seen I guess. Mackinac Island, castle rock, that sort of thing.

I apologize if I have offended you, and Posix, thanks for the warning.
(ps- vTd was added to the "smooth landscaping" bit)

ride6

I didn't say it was bad, just that if there was one thing I think Mala could do better...

I didn't say it was bad, just that if there was one thing I think Mala could do better...

Maybe but personally i don't care wether he does it or not. There isn't alot of flow but there is enough to creat the 'grid' effect. Without that effect you just get a mess of jagged rocks climbing up hills. Like Nemisis Chris's PT entry (no offence).

ride6

I personally find a "Mala for Dummies" guide sort of stupid, no offense, because his work transcends typical explanation. It's something you have to get a feel of, and frankly, it's also something unique. The most you can do is take influence in his work, but there's no way you're going to be able to actually "build his style."

I would echo Mala's sentiments, only for those who aren't as well travelled, imagination goes a long way. Magazines or books also help in giving inspiration. Just go with instincts. They might not always be right, but in the long run, they'll help you grow.

I agree.

The output of the community as a whole would be better if instead of copying each other because it's the "right" way to do it, we did what we ourselves thought looked good. Try naming one good RCT park in which the builder was intentionally copying the style of another. In fact, name ANY type of good art in which the creator was trying to emulate rather than create from his own imagination.



Toon-Sure am. Thank you!

Now look at my park!

[/shameless plug]

Here's how I explain it.

Mala is hit or miss (miss for me, no offense). But the important thing is to respect what he tries to do. Some people will like it and some wont. You don't have to like it, yet you can still appreciate it. To try to dig in and figure out the exact workings of his mind and "how he does it" defeats the purpose, and, for those who do enjoy the parks, may make them slightly less exciting.