69 replies to this topic

[rcthelp]

I've learned never to skin anything in beta software until it's at least reached a release candidate level.

Yes I am more concerned with getting the content right [so I can test code that handles the 'submit' buttons] before I worry about a layout.

There is another field to fit on there, which is the 'Ride name is Like' text box.

Although it now fits on one page I have lost some functionality compared with the existing Exchange.

• There are only 3 sort criteria [just above submit buttons]
• It's not possible to filter on 'ranges' of values [For example you can currently filter on excitement being 'less than', 'greater than' and 'between'. This will no longer be possible.
• There are all sorts of possibilities for producing combinations of 'wrong' filters. [The existing exchange prevents this from happening, as you navigate between screens]. For example, I could say that I didn't want to have any RCT1 rides in my searches, but leave all the rides types [including RCT1 rides] selected. I will probably handle this in code by warning users about 'weird' combinatons that they choose, what I have done to get rid of the 'weirdness', but still try to find some results. Essentially, this will mean 'ranking' the filters to decide which take precedence, and I may need to take that into consideration when deciding the final layout of the screen.

[rcthelp]

The screenshot above was taken on a widescreen laptop at 1440*900.

I've done a couple more shots on a conventional 4*3 monitor at 1280*1024 and 1024*768 resolution. I would like a 'form' that displays on 1024*768 without needing to scroll. It looks as though it will be a challenge I can fit everything in the width of a 1024*768, but some scrolling up and down is required.

1280 all is visible [with a couple more teasers of the new interface]

 1280.png   94.54KB   32 downloads

1024 scrolling required

 1024.png   70.51KB   27 downloads

[Luketh]

hmm... smaller font?

Looks GREAT!

[mushroomer]

The new ride exchange looks good...
The old one looks pretty clunky now...



I have a suggestion...

I've noticed that not THAT many people use the ride exchange, So maybe if you promote it more people would use it?

And also, I know for a fact A LOT of other sites allow you to download items WITHOUT having to sign up, maybe you could make it so you don't need to register? This might cut down on all the un-used accounts with 0 posts that people just make for the sake of downloading (often a 1 time thing)

These are just my opinions, I don't run the site so it's 100% your desiscions...

[Woodpecker]

Supposing you wanted to search all the car rides with Asian theming, but nothing else, how would you go about it? The menus are nice but it doesn't look like it's possible to be specific; only general in your choice of rides and themes: a sort of 'all or nothing', if that makes sense.

Edited by Woodpecker, 22 February 2009 - 09:32 PM.

[rcthelp]

Thanks for the feedback.

The lists of rides are multi-select boxes. So you can [by holding down the <CTRL> key] click on all the different types of Car Rides, then on just Asian theming.

You can do that on the existing Ridex too. But you won't get any results because there are NO Car Rides that use Asian theming.

[rcthelp]

I've now completed testing with the screenshots that the game makes, and proved that it's possible to upload the RCT1 .PCX files, and RCT2 .BMP files and convert them, resize them, thumbnail them etc.

This removes the requirement to force ride designers to have to learn a graphics program just so they can send us a screenshot. All they'll need to do is use the in-game screenshot feature and send us that.

Hopefully this will mean that more people will upload screenshots to the new Exchange when it's ready.

[Woodpecker]

That's very nice. The only thing is that the game saves all screenshots as bitmaps, which takes up loads of space instead of the more humble jpeg. It's a definite advantage for the exchange, but I'm concerned about the space on your server. While I'm on the topic, how does Steve Franks make his rct1 ride photos? For each of his recreations, the rct1 track comes with a ride screenshot, yet this is impossible for the average user to make. Is there some special programme or something?

[Sambo]

While I'm on the topic, how does Steve Franks make his rct1 ride photos? For each of his recreations, the rct1 track comes with a ride screenshot, yet this is impossible for the average user to make. Is there some special programme or something?

His screenshots look like in-game screenshots to me. Can you give an example of what you are talking about?

[rcthelp]

While I'm on the topic, how does Steve Franks make his rct1 ride photos? For each of his recreations, the rct1 track comes with a ride screenshot, yet this is impossible for the average user to make. Is there some special programme or something?

Are you talking about the TP4 file that the game uses?

There are 2 programs I know that let you make these TP4 files. One is RCT PiNGer at http://forums.rctspa...p;showfile=222#. The other is MakeTP4 at http://files.filefro...;/fileinfo.html There is a README for MakeTP4 at http://www.strategyp...etp4/readme.txt

That's very nice. The only thing is that the game saves all screenshots as bitmaps, which takes up loads of space instead of the more humble jpeg. It's a definite advantage for the exchange, but I'm concerned about the space on your server.

Well RCT1 creates .PCX files and RCT2 creates .BMP files. And you're right, they are big. But they also won't render [display in your browser] if we try to add them into a web page. So once you upload them, we will need to convert them. It's a one time hit for us to accept a reasonably largish upload, but the converted version will be much smaller. Then we'll throw the uploaded version away.