The Usefulness Of Terrain Covers

A good set of terrain covers is an indispensable aid in getting the effect of the terrain displaying in one texture while the TNS pieces are displaying in another texture above that. For this purpose we recommend Weber Path Enhancement set which comes with terrain covers that take on terrain textures. The pieces in Weber’s Path Enhancement set place very close to the terrain, come in various shapes, and include terrain covers up to 16 meters by 16 meters.

The example shows results used with Weber’s Cover Full 8w piece. When temporarily placed, such terrain covers can also help you to better see your pool paths while constructing your pool path layout. A link to download Weber’s Path Enhancement can be found at the end of this article.

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The Demonstration Pool

If this were not a demonstration pool, pool paths in this configuration could be seen as just the far side of outlandish. However the purpose in creating this TNS demo pool complex was to see how much could be achieved with TNS paths and to determine how well the centred supports and the edge supports work together.

This demonstration pool is available for download, the link to which is at the end of this article.

As shown about the demo pool many pool path configurations are possible which will enable you to get your guests around your pools in a variety of interesting ways. In a complex arrangement of pool paths such as this TNS’ walls and supports serve as an excellent foil against which we can easily enhance those spaces around our completed pool and our pool paths with scenery, gardens, and/or trees & shrubs.

Not everyone will want this many paths or these types of path configuration servicing their pool complex so after downloading you’d likely want to slash & burn, reduce the number of paths, and make your own adjustments.

Spice’s Invisible Pool CS

TNS’ sets can be challenging to use on a pool complex in a park that’s on a system in which Spice’s Invisible Pool CS is installed. Because of this even the most expert gamer would not have attempted to build an invisible pool path configuration such as this with invisible pool paths without first marking out the invisible paths in some way. If you’ve already got Spice’s Invisible Pool CS installed you can make things easier for yourself when building pool paths by using TNS’ Pool Path set as pool path markers.

To do this simply rough out your pool paths by first placing TNS Pool Path covers in the places that you want your paths to be. After you’re sure your paths are where you want them to be, place the invisible paths and TNS’ pool path railings to suit. Whether you ultimately decide to use TNS Pool Paths or other pool path CSO’s you’ll find TNS Pool Paths set is indispensible for marking out and altering your invisible paths before actually placing the invisible pool paths.

You’ll find when building pool paths with this method that TNS Pool Path covers are far easier to delete and adjust than invisible pool paths.

How To Use TNS’ Sets

The pieces in this set are nicely organized in the menus so that each of the deck pieces is conveniently followed by the corresponding pool interior piece. It’s a matter of personal preference whether you place both the interior and the decking pieces at the same time, or if you place all the decking and then go around your pool again to place all the interiors. In the upcoming demonstration slideshow we’ll place all the decking, and then later place the pool interior pieces.

When using TNS Pool Terrain it is far easier to actually build the pool complex before placing TNS Pool Terrain pieces. Do make certain your pool is fully constructed and is all go before piece placement. While it is possible to do the other way around you’ll find it inconvenient to make changes later to the layout your pool if you’ve already placed pieces from either of TNS’ sets.

RCT3 depends on the cursor hovering over the pool decking as an indication that the gamer wishes to place an item there whenever we want to place pool add-ons such as loungers, ladders, and lifeguards. With TNS Pool Terrain in place the cursor can’t be detected by the game engine so it is recommended you place all your pool complex add-ons prior to placing TNS Pool Terrain pieces. You will experience this same sort of challenge when adding to or changing pool paths that already have TNS Pool Paths placed over them.

We’ve already seen how TNS Pool Paths can kick up the appearance of our pool paths so let’s select one level of this pool complex and see how TNS’ Pool Terrain pieces can alter the appearance of our pools.

A Woodland Clearing

It was while I was having fun configuring paths and placing TNS pieces for the demonstration pool in this article that I got a few ideas for how I might like to make pool path supports. As I had pretty much completed placing all the required TNS pieces about the pool demo park it turned out that a new park was needed. This new park, A Woodland Clearing, has been built to give me an opportunity to try out my new supports with TNS Pool Paths in addition to displaying TNS sets in a park setting rather than in a demonstration setting. Because I've been awhile wanting to make ornamental sails for placement about some of my pools in addition to tree lines for my park borders, the ultimate development of this park has far exceeded what I had in mind when I looked over the blank terrain and placed the first bit of pool decking.

The pool complex in this park is created on two levels. There’s a bottom level in addition to a top level that’s the same height as the Lazy River that’s been built there. The following two images show Bottom Pool Complex which has been entirely covered with TNS Pool Terrain.

Top Pool Complex with Lazy River is shown next.

All the paths in this Pool Complex are covered with TNS’s Pool Paths. While I’ve opted to use TNS’s Jacuzzi interiors for Bottom Pool Complex, except for the pool paths I’ve opted not to use any of TNS’s Pool Terrain on Top Pool Complex. I’ve done this so that the areas of the pool that are at the same level as Lazy River coordinate better with the river decking. With TexMod retextures I’ve chosen to co-ordinate rather than to match the appearance of Top Pool Complex & Lazy River with Bottom Pool complex. I believe this gives a more interesting overall effect.

This is what my custom pool path supports look like.

These supports do a great job of supporting any pool paths, in particular those that are located directly above the pool complex. I’m always wary of an excess of support columns placed about the park but these pool path support columns suit the pool decking better than I would have hoped.

These supports require a minimum of support columns and therefore no sea of supports for the guests to navigate as they walk about the pool decking.

One can add interest and drama to pool path configurations with the careful placement of helix path arrangements.

When used in a helix configuration the custom pool path supports I’ve created rely entirely on a central support column which eliminates the need for any outside edge support pieces. This pool stair set-up looks more realistic and infinitely better than the in-game spiral staircase.