Rockwork: Explained
Many rides around the globe feature impressive theming elements, in the form of large buildings or a variety of props.
No element is more impressive, nor immersive, than the focus of this video.
Rockwork can be found on a multitude of attractions, at a large range of theme parks.
It often serves along with a mixture of other elements, to create an atmospheric theme for a specific attraction.
A perfect example of this is Taron, a roller coaster at Phantasialand, where rockwork, as well as a variety of buildings and other theming elements,
help to create the picturesque village of Klugheim.
For many enthusiasts, theming plays a crucial role in the entire theme park experience, and rockwork is an essential part of that.
The interesting fact is that rockwork can be found in everyday life, not just around the world's various theme parks.
I've travelled all the way to Exeter, to take a look at some stunning examples of rockwork,
outside of the theme park industry.
First off, we have fantastic use of large boulders to really jazz up the look of the local neighbourhood.
These rocks definitely keep you immersed in the dramatic storyline that is everyday life.
This high-quality rockwork action is something that I know, even Shawn Sanbrooke would be proud of.
Recently, rockwork has become quite the internet phenomenon.
Besides being the focus of various internet memes, the theming element has made its way into virtual games,
allowing players to create their own immersive rockwork experiences.
Fortunately for those new to the gaming scene, a mixture of tutorials can be found online,
allowing you to get the most out of your rockwork creations.
Hey everybody! Welcome to Planet Coaster College! Today's episode,
we'll look into rockwork.
And this is a special video, to explain you guys how to translate the art of rockwork in real life theme parks
to Planet Coaster. So I want to start off with some larger rocks.
It is really important when you're building a cluster of rocks in your theme park, that you really begin with the basic composition,
and I feel like these large rocks are really the best for it.
And really pay attention to the shaping here. It's quite important to follow a sort of natural flow, and then eventually when you're done with that,
you'll probably have something with this, and you can move on to another,
more advanced technique using the
3D gear, to actually move these rocks in a 3D space. Now to be fair, you need a very high IQ,
to get to use this thing, so I really recommend a lot of practice, until you work with this 3D gizmo,
and finally I think it is important to get into some of these smaller rocks,
and just kind of put them into the nooks and crannies of the structure that you're creating.
After all, it is quite important that we create a rock structure,
which is very versatile, and flexible in a theme park environment, and one of the last things that I want to do to achieve this,
is finally add some foliage into this whole build,
and just kind of put that along the size of the rocks.
Maybe on top of the rocks here and there. And you can see, I'm using a blend of various
bushes here. In this case and even though, this is obviously not a 'Bush Planet Coaster College',
I think this is an important step in making your
rockwork blend more into the environment of your theme park. Now finally as that extra step,
and this is really only for the advanced players: Use some of the terraforming in the game,
to kind of change the texture of the ground a little bit.
I know that sounds really weird,
but you have to believe me on this. If you practice with this long enough,
you can get the right blend of textures in, to make those rocks feel right at home.
So just go ahead and pop that in and then we're done!
And, that is basically our rockwork structure now.
You've got something on your hands, which can make any theme park instantly much more beautiful, so good luck and remember:
That with great power, comes great responsibility.
And so with the great rockwork, comes a great responsibility for your theme park as well.
Unfortunately, some attractions around the globe, I get to take on the great responsibility, that is quality rockwork.
Many amusement parks are too afraid to incorporate rockwork into the design of their rides,
heavily reducing the immersive factor.
What is, even more depressing is that most of these amusement parks are located within the United States of America.
Yeah, so...
Rockwork.
Uhh,
I don't exactly know what that is. Have I seen it before? It's this stuff here.
Oh yeah, that stuff. Um, I've never seen it in person. I don't think it exists here in the US I mean,
Fury 325 doesn't have it, so can't be that necessary for coasters can it? You know...
Something extra, I guess.
Some enthusiasts haven't been enlightened by quality rockwork, and don't see it as a requirement for theme park attractions.
However theming, and rockwork in particular,
can really boost the overall atmosphere of roller coasters, as well as cities outside of theme parks.
For the final part of my journey outside of theme parks, I've come to Exeter once again,
but this time, just down the road. If you look behind me, this wall has amazingly been made out of
individual rocks. If you look closely, no two rocks are the same, leading to a globally unique design.
This is truly, a fantastic example of rockwork. In reality, rockwork,
and theming as a whole, can drastically affect the quality,
and aesthetics of an attraction.
Quite often, the importance of theming can be under-played by many roller coaster enthusiasts.
A theme park attraction often has the potential to be a well-rounded experience;
not just a carnival ride. Next time you visit an amusement or theme park, take notice of the rockwork,
its placement, and how it's used to create an immersive, and developed experience.
Thank you for watching, and I'll see you all next time!
A big thanks goes to Silvarret, as well as Taylor from Coaster Studios, for featuring in this video. Check out their channels on-screen,
and in the description below. As you may have already guessed, this entire thing was for April Fools: The single time of year,
I am allowed to make completely random and off-topic videos. Let me hear your ideas for future April Fool's videos in the comments down below.