As I looked over the various types of custom scenery and custom rides (like the Nightflight Wingrider or the the Flying Jumbos) I was hit with an inspiration. I have an idea for a Pure Sandbox type of theme park simulation game (by Pure Sandbox I mean no scenarios to beat, pure, unlimited sandbox fun. Make whatever you want, whenever you want with no limits on cash or locked features that need unlocking).

However, my biggest fear is this: Will I be able to design an idea that DOESN'T infringe upon the RCT franchise itself. As I stated, I have an idea for a game, but what can I legitimately do and what can I NOT do, because Atari and/or Chris Sawyer has exclusive rights to certain elements.

I will say this. Right now, I don't have the time or resources to study game programming, so if I did make a game, I would handle the design and leave the programming to a programming team (I know of some Indie Game sites where you can find programmers to design your ideas and bring them to life).

But still, I need advice. I know Atari won't neccessarily target me for infringement if I make my own theme park building game. I mean we ARE getting Theme Park Studios from Frontier and last I checked, Atari hasn't come after them. But still I don't have years of experience under my belt like Frontier does.

So please, if anyone can give me advice on do-s and don't-s in designing a theme park simulation game, I'd really appreciate it. And yes, I know asking this question is stupid, but like I said, I want to make sure I don't accidentally do something wrong in the process of designing my own game.

And I'm not saying I will or won't make it, but it helps to have this advice since you never know what'll happen in the future. And to the forum staff, I apologize if this thread is too long, I just wanted to explain myself thoroughly is all.

As far as product delivery what I would like is a park a minimum of 1,000x1,000 tiles and a game engine that can handle all the CS I can put in the park. I would also like to have (all at the same time) hundreds of stalls, coasters and flat rides in the park, gigantic pools, dozens of enclosures containing hundreds of animals, the ability to have 50,000 guests & 10,000 staff in the park, with reflective water, with day and night cycle, with shadows in the day cycle, with the highest LOD/geometry imposter settings set permanently that way and all with my existing system and without the game crashing once for any reason – or if the game absolutely must encounter a problem then we’d need a message indicating there was a problem after which we’d be allowed to continue playing the game without it shutting down.

I know you’re not creating another version of RollerCoaster Tycoon but these are the standards by which I currently play and I mention them so you’d have some indication of what I’d like. Please note I did not once use the word “infinity.”

I will admit though that for the next ten years this might be a bit much to expect from a PC game. I can’t do the above now with RCT3 but in order for me to switch to any new roller coaster simulation game it will need to take me closer to that than RCT3 currently does, in addition to which I would much rather play an RCT4 wannabe if it's simply a retread of RCT3 and I can use all my existing RCT stuff (or conveniently convert it) into this new arrival, and that means all rides and coasters, all scenery and structures. There is just no way I’m going to leave tons of painstakingly collected and lovingly created old familiar stuff behind in order to get a new game simply because the new game is new. Your new game must be out there, up there and over there in order to attract my interest – just like RCT3 was to RCT2.

I already know your company will be a different company from Atari.

Also I’d recommend you not do what Theme Park Studio has done. Don’t promise one release date after another under the pretext that this is so we’d eventually have a superior product.

Don’t ask customers to pay for your game before it’s completely developed.

Don’t tell customers that your game can’t do something because ABC Theft Raiders can’t do it either so you shouldn’t have to.

And don’t tell customers before you’ve released your game that it will only succeed if the customers give the game a fighting chance. Your game needs to be released with all the fighting chance it’s ever going to need.

I’m O.K. with expansions. I’m O.K. with patches. I’m O.K. with updates. I’m O.K. with mediocre support. I’m O.K. with graphics that are not photo-realistic. I’m O.K. with coasters that do not look like they are being rendered in CADD – we have those already in NoLimits.

I’m O.K. with activation codes as long as I get the code when I pay for the game and can use the code every time I reinstall it and do not have to telephone in to your support department for a new number every time I install something new, an existing program on my system sneezes or my system configuration changes.

After you’ve done all the above and your game has been released, is in a package and can be picked up by customers off store shelves we’ll pay good money for your game.

But as far as rides and coasters anything goes right? I'm able to design my own concept and/or game and actually use like Vertical Drop (aka Diving Machine Coasters) or Virginia Reels (which I don't think I've ever seen being built this day in age in real life, but I could get wrong) or even Drop Towers and swimming/pool water slides right?

That's my biggest concern: Are there rides I can't put into the game under any circumstances? If the answer is yes then I'd need a list and if the answer is no, then I just need to look over my notes and see if I need anymore questions asked.

To the best of my knowledge anything goes unless you want to name a ride after an existing ride in an existing park.

I don’t see it being a problem your including track types that already exist in RCT2, RCT3, NoLimits or any other coaster sim game. I don’t believe anyone holds all the rights for any particular track type.

I don’t see a problem making a track type that’s the same as a Texas Giant kind of track or a Colossus track type. I imagine there would be a problem if you make a track and give it these names specifically without getting permission to use these names.

I believe RCT2 had those tracks in them and in order to do so I’m sure they got permission. RCT3 has an affiliation with Hershey and again I’m sure they got this cleared first.

It would go without saying that you could invent your own track types or ride types if you were of a mind to do so.

To make absolutely sure, after the development of your game is a little further along I suggest you check with a mate who works for a legal firm. He would probably be able to give you better advice if you approached him with a bit more than an idea.

If you need to know sooner than this what rides or tracks, if any, you can't use your mate could probably show you what types of research you need to do.