Installing Custom Scenery & Rides

A little tutorial made to guide people with installing custom rides and scenery (and paths).

Finding Custom Scenery/Rides

Before you start doing anything, you're gonna have to download custom rides/scenery. Sadly, quite a few of the modding sites for RCT shut down; but some are still up and running. Here are a few good links to places where you can download custom mods:

The "Amazing Earl's" site[ae.rctspace.com]
Buggy's RCT site[www.interactivitiesink.com]
RCT Mart[www.rctmart.com] Went offline a while ago, rip.
NEDesigns[www.nedesigns.com]

Custom rides and scenery should be in a '.dat' file (if they're in a .zip or .rar, just extract them). Once you have these files, you're ready to continue.

Installation

Installing mods is very easy; all you need to do is drag files into a folder.

First, navigate to your Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 folder:
- If you're using the Steam version, it should be located in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Rollercoaster Tycoon 2"
- If you're using the CD version, it should be located in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Infogrames\RollerCoaster Tycoon 2"

(If you're using a 32-bit computer, then the folder will be in "Program Files", not "Program Files (x86)")

Once you're there, you should see an ObjData folder. Open it and you'll be greeted to this:


Just drag any custom scenery/rides you downloaded into this folder. Make sure everything's a .dat file. Zip archives won't work. That's it!

Using the Mods

To actually use your shiny new rides, you'll have to create a new scenario in the scenario editor and select the custom rides/scenery in the object selection. Only then will your rides show up in the rides menu (same for scenery).

If you're using OpenRCT2

Objects can now be placed in your OpenRCT2 installation directory. Mine is as follows:

C:\Users\<user>\Documents\OpenRCT2\bin\data\object

You can organize them into folders and everything. OpenRCT2 also supports a new .json format for custom files, but none of the mods I come accross ever use this.

Notes

- There is a hard-coded limit of 4000 files that can bein the 'ObjData' folder. Since there are already 2122 files in the folder, the maximum amount of custom objects you can add is 1878. This can NOT be worked around, and you'll have to deal with it.

- Make a backup of your RCT2 folder. This isn't required, but you should have one in case you make a mistake somewhere. You could always reinstall the game, but I prefer having a backup.

- If you want to intall custom scenarios that include custom scenery, it's very simple. Download the scenario file (.SC6), and simply double click the file. It'll open RCT, and install everything for you.


Feel free to ask questions; I'll try to answer them as soon as possible. If you get any errors, try running the game as administrator (in the RCT 2 folder, right click 'RCT2.exe', and select 'Run as administrator). This worked for me when it gave me an 'access violation' error.

[patrick.bullard99]

I can’t find the folder

[Jhlando]

My openrct2 doesn't have a bin folder...

[Arcanua]

You can have more custom stuff in your game then you mention, all you have to do is remove stuff already in there just need to know which dat is which and you can overwrite something with something else. Just be careful when doing that and if you do in fact do that you're more likely to want to backup the folder.

[Sirens]

Thank you very much.

[Mass]

I don't know how to make scenery for RCT3, but I do know that it's way more difficult then it is for RCT2. You'll need to be experienced with a 3D modelling program (like Blender or Google Sketchup). I found a guide for making custom scenery, but be warned, it will get really complicated.
You might want to search up tutorials for the 3D modelling program you want to use. I suggest Blender, though it is a little hard to learn. Once you get used to it, though, it's a really good modeller, and it'll allow you to make scenery for RCT3.

I have a link to a program called RCT 3 Importer; with this, you can import scenery into the game with models made in Blender (and some other 3D modellers). RCT3 Importer [rct3.sourceforge.net]
Here's the tutorial on how to import models using the program here: Beginner's Tutorial [rct3.sourceforge.net]

Good luck.

[Sirens]

ok thank you very much. besides - do you know how to create cs for RCT3? Yeah, I know it's a bit off-topic....

[Mass]

I haven't really gone into making scenery myself, but this guide from RCT Station seems to explain how to do it and the programs you need. RCT Station Guide [www.rctstationarchive.com]
You'll need Dr. J's Object Editor, which can be found in the guide (a quick Google will also give you a download link, in case you need an alternative download).

[Sirens]

how do I create my own custom scenery?

[womanhusband]

the workbenches from Louis! and Xtreme97 on nedesigns.com are a great place to get custom scenery