I'm a lifelong fan of the original RollerCoaster Tycoon games. I also hate public speaking. But since self-improvement is a lifelong endeavor, I often try to step outside my comfort zone and get up in front of people even when it's the last thing I want to do. I'd always been interested in running a panel at a nerd convention solo, so why not combine my love for this theme park management simulator with my attempts to desensitize myself to presenting?
Thus, "The Ride Never Ends: A RollerCoaster Tycoon Retrospective" panel was born.
Launching My Passion Project
Going into this, I didn't want it to be just any ordinary presentation—I wanted it to be a concentrated shot of nostalgia. I spent hours researching articles, watching video essays, and lurking on community forums to gather all my knowledge and materials before distilling it into an hour-long script. Then I spent even more hours crafting the most intense PowerPoint of my life. I recreated a menu window with pixel-perfect precision in Figma to frame all my important visuals. I designed opening slides to animate in and mimic the original intro. I even added sound effects from the game to signal transitions and provide ambiance. I wanted people to feel like they were in their family computer room in the early 2000s, managing their parks and watching guests ride their insane creations.
The Final Break Run
Many test runs, edits, and breathing exercises later, I hosted my panel at MAGFest 2024 without a hitch. Over 100 people came to watch me fawn over RollerCoaster Tycoon and show off a deck that took far more hours than I'd like to admit. Some folks even told me it was one of the best panels they had ever attended at a convention. The entire experience was extremely rewarding—I definitely see another solo panel in my future!