How to Solve Overcrowding in RollerCoaster Tycoon 2

Overcrowding is very annoying and can screw you over big time. In this video we learn how overcrowding works and how to prevent and solve it.

Background music: RCT2 Gentle style
Outro music by Panorrrama:

[MarcelVos]

There are a few questions about the start, where the voiceover disagrees with the graphic about the number of guests necessary for overcrowding. The graphic is correct: There need to be 10 or more guests on a tile (which excludes the guest that evaluates the tile that it is going to walk onto) for it to count as being overcrowded.

[SemiHypercube]

Considering Marcel I thought he was gonna propose drowning guests as a possible "solution" lol

[stellacollector]

I thought Marcel would say something like "build a 1-tile maze with its exit leading to pathless underground so you can remove the guests by making them fall into the void, thus solving the overcrowding issue." Perhaps I watched too many Marcel Vos's videos, which I think is a good thing.

[aleximraypapineau]

I had no idea you could use a heatmap to find the location of the issues of your guests. Years later and RCT still blows my mind in its thoroughness.

[BusterBeachside]

I'm so glad I was at the stream yesterday where Marcel taught us all how to mod the game to say "Hire new Furry" instead of "Entertainer".
By the way, Splash Boats are godlike for keeping guests off of the paths. Very high capacity boats, tons of boats in general, and usually longer ride times than things like coasters since they move slowly most of the time. Just don't make them *too* long, or guests will start to complain that they want to get off the ride, and no amount of Furries will fix that!

[TylerBlack]

When he put the path underground I was waiting for him to say, "and then you remove the path and let all your guests fall into the void, which doesn't impact your park rating."

[KoploperMau]

Had to laugh about 5:44 - 'Hire new Furry'. Nice small detail. 😂

[TheSnub]

Personally I tend to place the exits on very popular rides in a way that forces the guests into a less crowded area of the park. Generally, just don't place the exit on very popular rides next to the entrance.

[clam]

Guest: "It's too crowded here"
Marcel: *smothers them with dancing furries*
Guest: "Much better"

[davidromeroblaya]

Guests in RCT2: "It's too crowded here!"
Also guests in RCT2: "Walking at the other side of a wide path to prevent overcrowding? Are you insane?"

[Psychonautical]

Biggest thing I see people not doing is smart placement of the entrance queue.

Some rides have low throughput and aren't usually sought out, like gentle flat rides.

Some have a high throughput but aren't sought out, like the double-deck observation tower and splash boats.

And some of course have either high or low but are still sought out, like most roller coasters and the thrill rides.

If it's a high-throughput and high-capacity ride, like coasters and splash boats, put them on a corner tile. Then pair it up with a high-capacity ride that doesn't usually get sought-out, like the double observation or double carousel, and put it on the adjacent corner.

Then it you really want to crank it up, flank either of those entrance queues with two decent flat rides that are mid-high draw, like some twist clones and enterprises.

Next, tuck an info kiosk in the corner with the storefront facing both the first two lines on the corner, and on either side of it, place a food and beverage stall.

I've noticed that only sometimes will peeps enter a line if it's on a straight path they can walk by, but if it's a corner they have to turn, they will often times proceed straight into a queue line or turn into the other one rather than breeze past both, as long as one of the rides meets their preferences.

So with the above method, you'll have a stall on one side and a queue line on the other or two queue lines, with a total of four shop fronts and four queue lines on five path tiles. It's a very small chance any peep will proceed through this gauntlet without not only getting in a line, but often times buy a park map or consumable on the way.

The food/drink stall also serve as magnets for traffic, as hungry/thirsty peeps will head towards them, encountering at least one queue line, and then three more if they don't turn back and go the other way. The info kiosk of course works best when it is contacting as many tiles as it can, so always putting it in the corner here I've found is the best configuration.

This also applies to souvenir shops in general minus the umbrella; if you have a corner and can't fit rides but can fit a shop, never put a food/drink stall on the corner turn tile. They will seek those out anyway. Instead, reserve those spaces for balloon, hat, sunglasses stalls and the like so guests will bump into the impulse buy. This is especially useful if you cluster the three clothing stalls a bit near the entrance, then put less deeper into your park but increasing the balloon stalls as you go into your park, since they'll have already picked up the single souvis but will lose balloons from time-to-time.

Bit long-winded but hope this helps!

[wypmangames]

i personally like to use one-way paths a lot, paired with 2-wide paths with fences between and a handful of connections so the guests all flow in the same direction rather then going all over the place

bonus point: looks satisfying as well

[Jimmy-Mc]

Park design can generally prevent overcrowding. Using the hub and spoke model, with flat rides in the middle and coasters around the outside, gives guests multiple ways to get in and out of the park and to each major attraction. I also keep amenities like food and drinks evenly spread around the park and not all in one area.

[thundereagle]

2:17 This issue can be fixed by using no-entry sign on the left side and the other on the right side of a path, and guests will use the first path to go from left to right, and the second path from right to left. Basically creating a '''guest highway''. Generally guests only ''switch lanes'' if they want to go into a attraction or go to a stall.

Works decently as long you know where to find the peak.

[thekilla]

5:00 I love how Marcel has called entertainers "furries" so much at this point the game has become self aware.

[SendyTheEndless]

I like to build a couple of high-capacity and long ride-time rides underground with a queue line as long as I can get away with. Splash boats work great for this - it doesn't need great stats, it's just a peep sink and a way to attract more guests and store them underground. I've also noticed the overcrowding when you open a new coaster. I tend to like that, it's a bit of an ego boost, and it tends to level out once the novelty wears off. Another suggestion if you're not going full capitalist mode is to just have some "nature walk" paths off to the side of the park, put some nice trees and scenery, toilets and maybe a stall or two, and it just gives more roaming space.

[ricardgascons]

Thanks! I'm following you from the USA, although I'm originally from Spain. Your vids are the best, and you have sent me down the memory lane on a wonderful game I thought I'd never get to play again.

[K-o-R]

I feel like this is not going to end well for the guests.





I'm impressed! No-one died.

[SendyTheEndless]

Oh, another trick I like to use is to solve the problem of exit paths being too crowded when a large capacity coaster discharges its riders from the exit. Make a T-junction outside the exit with two paths leading down to the main drag. That cuts the hoard in half right at the get-go. I also like to put a first-aid stall right outside adjacent to the exit, as many sick guests will walk right in, displacing them from the stampede. Benches help here, too. On one ride I made an entire nested branching exit path that split into two, went downhill a bit, then each path splits again. It's funny to see the big mass of guests filter down through the different paths, like a Galton board! Use one way signs to prevent backflow.

[jojo]

Glad to see they finally renamed the Entertainers back to their true name in the new openRCT build.