Secret Weapon 7 Discussion

After talking with MattH about this, he brought up a key note about the theme of SW7 and X-Sector in general. If you think about it, SW7 is based around a demented mental institute/hospital type scenario, yet X-Sector/Oblivion is based around a Twisted Government, which we all saw in 1997/98 during the construction. At this current time, the themes do not fit one bit, you could say that they link somehow, but in my eyes, they don't. Alton really need to re-theme Oblivion/X-Sector for it to fit in with SW7.

...Or we may end up with another Ug Land & RITA situation.

I have added all the photos I took yesterday to the TowersStreet Facebook page. Including some of the construction site and loads of the track, which is really starting to fill the car park up now!

AdamJ said:

After talking with MattH about this, he brought up a key note about the theme of SW7 and X-Sector in general. If you think about it, SW7 is based around a demented mental institute/hospital type scenario, yet X-Sector/Oblivion is based around a Twisted Government, which we all saw in 1997/98 during the construction. At this current time, the themes do not fit one bit, you could say that they link somehow, but in my eyes, they don't. Alton really need to re-theme Oblivion/X-Sector for it to fit in with SW7.

...Or we may end up with another Ug Land & RITA situation.

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I think your taking Sanctuary too literally, Oblivion/ X-Sector was simply a government testing facility. There is no reason that facility cannot be under the control of the Ministry of Joy and SW7 will just be another experiment.

My guess is the Sanctuary was how they tried to Marmalise 50 years ago but it failed and SW7 will be testing a new social compliance technique.

Actually Dave, that puts things more into perspective, as in hindsight, they could mention that The Minstry have worked with the government for the 2013 project to be placed into the X-Sector as a new testing process, this is really exciting now, getting the theming will be absolutely paramount to the ride though, as without great theming, people will look and say "this is terrible, it has no theme, it does not fit" etc.

I think the main reason this won't be another UG Land/Rita or even Dark Forest/Rita situation is because SW7s theme will at the very least compliment X-Sectors theme. Even if the storeys don't quite match they'll both be about an experiment being performed on the rider. From the point of view from most guests this is enough of a connection between the two.

AdamJ said:

Alton really need to re-theme Oblivion/X-Sector for it to fit in with SW7.

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Or they could alter SW7 to make it fit.

Oblivion's theme is one of the most interesting of any rides. The whole psychological “Don't Look Down” style is very clever by Theme Park standards. It’s not like Rita which is barely themed at all. Change Oblivion and you endanger spoiling the riding experience. That’s why I’d much rather SW7 be altered to bring its theme in-line, not the other way around.

It's not that the ministry of joy works with the "government", the Ministry of Joy would be a secret part of a Government (much like the ministry of health).

To get an idea of where they may be coming from read the book "1984"

Dave's theory is more or less exactly what I'm expecting to happen if I'm honest. Especially as The Sanctuary is being described in some releases as a "prequel" to SW7. I think this one word gives us a strong indication that we're meant to be looking at something from the past, and SW7 is the new technology that's emerging.

X-Sector does not need drastically changing. It could very easily be made to tie in with SW7 without disturbing the storyline of the area. For example, X-Sector always has been controlled by what was believed to be a secret government body. However, since SW7 it has emerged that this body was in fact the Ministry of Joy. Even the name Ministry to me hints at government organistation (The Ministry of Magic for example ) It'd be the perfect way to marry the area up without upsetting either side of it.

Why do the supports have those Grey ends? I think the supports will actually be slotted inside the footers, just like Maurer do.

Probably, but there are some odd shaped supports which don't seem to make much sense if that is true.

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Some of those curves and twists look insanely tight. Gerstlauer, gotta hand it to you you've made some fine looking track for this by the looks of things. Fingers crossed it rides as smooth and intense as it looks.

This ride could easy fit in with a few short sentences of backstory like "The ministry of joy has always been part of the govermental group X-Sector , we were just a hidden division and now we have decide to perform a new test on advocates."

Just to head away from track for a moment, I've been wondering what sort of restraints people think we'll see on the cars? Lately it seems Gerstlauer have been using differing types of restraints - 'classic' style OTSRs, overhead type lapbars such as on 'Dare Devil Dive' (although I know we'll be seeing a different/new type of car), and most recently, lapbars that pull towards the rider such as on 'Iron Shark'.

I really do hope we get to see lapbars on SW7. It'll add a sense of vulnerability to an already intimidating ride!

I'm hoping that we'll see some form of lap bar restraint, but the general public don't seem to like not having OSTRs when a ride goes through inversions, so a suitable compromise would be something similar to Dare Devil Dive or Blue Fire. That way, people will feel more secure than with a typical lap bar, but still pretty comfortable.

Remember were getting a compleatly new train here so we could be seeing somthing along the lines of 4 seats on each side dare devil dive style trains with 2 cars or classic eurofighter 2 rows of 4. two cars per train or an 8 by 8 dare devil type train. (8 seats by 8 = 16 )
Or somthing like this but with 3 cars instead of two

We are getting 4 rows of 4 as mentioned by the park and Gerstlauer

I've been checking Gerstlauer' website pretty much every day since SW7 was announced hoping that they would eventually update there eurofighter catalogue and give away some clues as to the future of the eurofighter...

THAT DAY HAS FINALLY COME!!!!

Bad news though, apart from the catalogue being newly designed and the information changed "slightly" nothing of importance has been added. Firstly they now mention that the Eurofighter is available with lap bars along with a picture of iron shark. They've also updated the launched Eurofighter coaster catalogue but there is no mention of the newly designed 8 eight seater cars from the recent press release. This is pretty strange as they mention there old "newly" design 6 seater stadium cars but didn't update that info.

So disapointing that they didn't add anything of value for us

http://www.gerstlauer-rides.de/assets/d ... ighter.pdf

http://www.gerstlauer-rides.de/assets/d ... oaster.pdf

I think I'm the only on here wanting OTSRs.. They are much more comfortable, and going upside down with nothing to hold the top half of myself in is really frightening, in my opinion

Im not too fussed TBH, the only thing is that (with saw at least) With the OTSR's I couldnt move my arms xD

Maya honestly Gerst's OTSR are very painfull there not like the B&M ones, Have you ever been on G-force at Drayton Manor even though sometimes the coaster itself is rough the lap bar system does'nt exactly fit tightly against you gives you a remarkable more amount of air time on the inversions and its also incedibly more comfortable especialy if there like Blue Fires where you have to pull them over your body and not towards you. Lap Bars are so comfortable! honest ! The UK needs more inverting rides with Lap Bars!

The reason I am hoping for lap bars is that it allows the ride to be far more dynamic than when it relies on OTSR. Some of the manoeuvres Blue Fire gets away with (especially that final roll) would be downright painful with conventional restraints.

Plus we already can't build Wooden coasters because people believe them to be unsafe and I don't want Lap Bars added to that list. Just like modern wooden coasters modern lap bars are nothing like their former counter parts. In fact lap bar is a fairly bad name for them, they're not bars they are pads which clamp you securely in place.

morgano said:

I've been checking Gerstlauer' website pretty much every day since SW7 was announced hoping that they would eventually update there eurofighter catalogue and give away some clues as to the future of the eurofighter...

THAT DAY HAS FINALLY COME!!!!

Bad news though, apart from the catalogue being newly designed and the information changed "slightly" nothing of importance has been added. Firstly they now mention that the Eurofighter is available with lap bars along with a picture of iron shark. They've also updated the launched Eurofighter coaster catalogue but there is no mention of the newly designed 8 eight seater cars from the recent press release. This is pretty strange as they mention there old "newly" design 6 seater stadium cars but didn't update that info.

So disapointing that they didn't add anything of value for us

http://www.gerstlauer-rides.de/assets/d ... ighter.pdf

http://www.gerstlauer-rides.de/assets/d ... oaster.pdf

Click to expand...

They're still keeping SW7 under strict NDA (non-disclosure agreement). Gerstlauer's site is fairly good among manufacturers as they actually have their own RCDB style catalogue of every ride they have worked on and parks they've worked for. Alton Towers is still not on that list.

If it weren’t for a spokes person mentioning Alton Towers during the recent IAAPA European show then even now we'd still be debating if the track was theirs Intamin’s or Mack’s. I’m willing to bet all the latest info is read to be released on the site but they are waiting for Towers to make the official announcement before they do.