RCT Discussion / Mala For Dummies

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]

Try Raindrop Riviara, it looks like SACF built most of it and it was accully Posix.

And thanks for turning this thread into a fucking advertisment.

Now all is explained in part two (I admit this is just a filler post to push it on to the next page).

ride6

Mala for Dummies- Part Two: Treeing

[Rambling] Now I feel obligated to explain why I’m talking about someone else’s style and teaching it is so that perhaps you can incorporate some of the elements of Mala’s parkmaking to your own. I’m not saying you have to imitate him or if you do imitate him that you shouldn’t layer on creative ideas of your own, and nobody else’s. In fact if you’re going to build like Mala you must at least try to be creative like him. I’m just learning (and teaching) the “Mala style” because I’m hoping that it will help me to change to a better parkmaker in the long run by following an example of someone far superior to myself in the game. And by these writings I would like you to learn the tricks and improve your parkmaking too; after all NE wouldn’t be much fun without some many skilled individuals all trying to win the same prizes? [/Rambling]

Now that that is out of the way on to another element of Mala parks, the treeing. Treeing is probably the single most overlooked thing in a Mala park because it doesn’t dominate at all, it blends into the landscaping and enhances it. As with landscaping there are only two things that really make the treeing different for anyone else’s:
1) The use of open space
2) The clumps of the same bush type

Those things my throw you but examine this screen:



In this screen from Rift Valley I circled the tree clumps were trees of a similar or same type are all together in yellow and the open spaces in orange. Along with the landscaping this creates a backdrop for the coasters, theming and architecture that Mala will layer on to create to final product.

I am again sorry if I offended anyone. Thank you for your time.

Next Installment: Coasters followed by a few theming tips (Because his architecture and theming are truly unexplainable).

ride6

ps- sorry about the double post but I wanted to make sure this would be on the new page.

And thanks for turning this thread into a fucking advertisment.

If this were TN I'd respond with a "Thanks for double posting"...but I'll be good.

And thanks for turning this thread into a fucking advertisment.

If this were TN I'd respond with a "Thanks for double posting"...but I'll be good.

On TN I would've deleted the first post. I looked to that here but it's aparently impossable for me to do. And I can forgive you for advertising here because people aren't giving your park the look it desirves.

LL Lives!

ride6

Thanks for your expert analysis, ride6.
If I ever feel like trying and failing to copy Mala's every detail in a future RCT project in a desperate attempt to be well-liked and have a legendary park, I'll put your tips into use.

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.

you should post more frequently.

And thanks for turning this thread into a fucking advertisment.  

If this were TN I'd respond with a "Thanks for double posting"...but I'll be good.

On TN I would've deleted the first post. I looked to that here but it's aparently impossable for me to do. And I can forgive you for advertising here because people aren't giving your park the look it desirves.

LL Lives!

ride6

Of course, there IS an EDIT button.

Of course, there IS an EDIT button. 

But within that there is no way for me to delete the post completly, only the words in it. So I'll just leave it.

Moonspoon- I'm only pointing out the obvious for the most part. Trying to explain how to theme or build archetecture like Mala is impossable, however some of these basics (like smoothed lanscaping) even if not used in the Mala like way could be useful to some people who are missing the boat on it.

ride6

This topic makes me cringe. Il get flamed for this, but oh well: No disrespect to mala but I dont feel his work like others do, but still I wouldnt go round licking his ass if I did. Dont get me wrong I know hes much more talented than me and pretty much most people at the site, but topics like this...?

EG: SACF is my fav parkmaker by FAR but I dont go attempting to rip his work, nor do I post how amazing he is all the time, matter of fact I never do, about anybody. It just creates un-needed heirachy. If I wanted inspiration on architecture/landscaping/treeing etc I'd look at photo's of places I've been and translate them to RCT, but of course twist it to make it more interesting (pretty much what mala said himself). I wouldnt go looking at other peoples RCT work, no way man.

However, even if I was going to look at peoples work for inspiration, I wouldnt look at mala's, because I would never get away with the things he does, I prolly wouldnt be able to create half the stuff he does actually, It just breaks so many of my RCT rules. I guess I respect him for that. If I wanted inspiration on landscaping I'd prolly go download a Fatha or vTd park. If I wanted help with archy I'd download a park by some1 like Pyro or Toon. If I wanted help with coasters it would be SACF or Fatha'.

Anyways enuff hatin. Great topic bud.

The thing that I pick up on most with Mala parks, especially the later, RCT2 ones, is the fact that it looks like real life. The landscaping and the treeing I mean. Even if that goes against the "rct rules" that a lot of people have set themselves (for example, never put the same tree on ajoining squares). Most of us start out by placing the same tree over and over again to create a forest effect in our fist parks. Then, we "learn" by looking at spotlights and the like that to do that is a no-no. So we stop. I think most of us would agree that to do that looks "nooblike"/whatever. Not aesthetically pleasing.

It seems to me that Mala has transcended this, and he somehow comes out with a good; no, great looking outcome. How he does this is a mystery to me, I'm not looking to find out, so I guess i'll just sit back and enjoy!

To be honest, I didn't see this topic as 'licking ass' really, more like one person's take on his work. This is the sort of thing I would write for my articles part on my site if I got of my arse and did something about it. It's interesting.

I don't get it. Ride6 is enthusiastic about a particular style so he goes and writes up a little guide complete with custom screens and all he gets in return is negativity. Why so negative? Corkscrewed does the same thing (only without the screens) and everyone loves it. I understand the point people are making. Originality is something that comes from you. You put what you love into your parks and that makes them yours. And it's good to recognize that. Good point. But we can still appreciate other people's parks. I think about these types of things when I look at anyone's park, ride6 is just writing them down and sharing them with people. What's so wrong with that? I'm not accussing anybody, it just seems like people's first response to anything is negativity. Maybe we could look for the silver lining first eh?

As for the Mala appeal, it's difficult to define. There was a time when I hated all of his parks and loved realistic parks. Joe Holland and Greg Reese and SACF were my favorites. It really is a preference thing. Some people find beauty through simplicity while others find it through complexity. Both styles are equally impressive. I guess what I ultimately realized is that parks don't need to look neat and orderly or realistic. I wouldn't even say I prefer one look over the other anymore. What gets me all excited is parks that have a sense of fun about them. A sense of daring. A sense of enthusiasm. It's not really something I can define, it's just a feeling I get sometimes. And I get that feeling from Mala's parks. And then on top of that, I just can't believe the stuff he does with 1/4 tile architecture and coasters. There's a skill to simplicity. Posix and Schuessler have got it. It's impressive how much they can create with so little. And there's a whole different type of skill to what Mala does and that's a skill that is a little more foreign to me and that makes it personally more impressive. It's not better on any objective scale (cause there is no such scale) but it gives me a sense of awe. I get that with cBass and Phatage too. Posix likes to use the word atmosphere (I hope I'm not stepping on your toes here, though it certainly wouldn't be the first time ) and I get a great sense of atmosphere from his parks and from Mala's. It isn't so much about the style of building, it's about putting in the extra effort. Placing the last bush just so. It's a kind of attention to detail which makes everything fit together. That's the magic. It isn't how you build it's how much you care. And nobody can fake that by copying someone else.

I really enjoy looking at Malas parks. They are so unique and different from all the other parks out there.

But, taking apart his work and telling everyone how he does it kind of ruins the feeling to his parks. Whenever I look at a park from Mala, I like to think, "How the fuck did he he do that". But with this, it just turns it in to a, "Oh he just layers his landscaping and clumps all of his trees together, nothing special"

I like to think of his work as a mystery, and I think its annoying having someone "imitate" his style. Im pretty sure someone will see these tips and become an try to be an exact Mala clone, or everyone will try to perfect this style. Then his work wont be so unique anymore.

In fact if you’re going to build like Mala you must at least try to be creative like him.

Most oxymoronic statement of the month.

To learn more about Mala, click here. You can also learn a lot more about him (as a RCT Player) if you know where to look. I won't give anything away though.

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.

There are no 'basics' to fantasy parkmaking though, the way I see it. I think true fantasy parkmaking requires you to invent your own game. This is apparent in any successful fantasy parkmaker's work. You will never see then emulating anyone elses stuff. What nate pointed out previously, more or less.


Don't get me wrong though, I do find this quite interesting. I just don't think picking apart Mala's work will help you be more origonal yourself.

[font="tahoma"]you should post more frequently.[/font]

Much love, Much love.

If I wanted inspiration on landscaping I'd prolly go download a Fatha or vTd park. If I wanted help with archy I'd download a park by some1 like Pyro or Toon. If I wanted help with coasters it would be SACF or Fatha'.

I was thinking about adding more information and making this into a sort of "parkmaking for dummies" series, however since the response to everything here has been controversial and mainly negitive I don't think I should waste my time. In fact I may not even finish this group since it obviously ruins the wonder of Mala crazy idea's and 1/4 tile use to understand the basic mechanics of the landscaping.

ride6

I was thinking about adding more information and making this into a sort of "parkmaking for dummies" series, however since the response to everything here has been controversial and mainly negitive I don't think I should waste my time.

Did you waste your time? If Mala's work inspires you, studying and writing about it will enhance your design/process so it doesn't matter if the hard-of-thinking members approve or not, they all fade over time.

On negative, it seems you have provoked both brief and lengthy (thoughtful?) response by more credible members. Good work.

No no no...the whole idea of a guide to making a park like Mala is nothing like a guide to making a Disney park. Because Mala has his own style, and if you try to directly rip his style, it won't work out, regardless of tutorial. There's no doubt you can learn from Mala and improve your own work from his, but that's only through observing his parks first hand and taking what you will from them. Obviously you apply these to your own style...ripping Mala's style is a terrible thing to do, you'll only screw up and make yourself look bad. I admire your vision here, but tutorials and pointing out what YOU see in Mala's work really doesn't help someone who would see something completely different. And that's why this is a bad idea.

Firstly...

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2 Members: >Corkscrewed, >Fatha', 

Secondly, it's actually kinda simple to "be like Mala." Using your imagination and experiences, come up with a veritable world with its own extensive and profound backstory and history and culture. Then recreate it as accurately as you can in RCT.

He does it everytime.