2016: Air - Re-theme to VR Coaster - Galactica

[stretchy]

So, does this confirm the rumors of VR then?

None of my posts sound like a confirmation. It could have been anything in the front row from telemetry reader to one of the badgers that inhabit the region.
alton towers is minging!!!! lets go to badgerland. There's hundreds of badgers all under one roof, its called Badgerland badgerland badgerland.

 

[Leah]

How can it have been done off site?

It has to use the ride?!

I doubt that much was done on site. The actual film would be made elsewhere. All they will do at towers is callibrate it (and install obviously)

 

[UserDeleted]

The film will have to correspond with the ride. Hence measuring and taking readings before hand

 

[Rick]

So, does this confirm the rumors of VR then?

Not categorically, no.

How can it have been done off site?

It has to use the ride?!

^ What he said.

 

[Leah]

Not categorically, no.


^ What he said.

I mean the graphics and images themselves. It would be done off site (with all measurements taken previously though of course)

 

[Skyscraper]

^yes, they would be made in a studio somewhere in the UK, then given/sent to the park..

 

[Rick]

I mean the graphics and images themselves. It would be done off site (with all measurements taken previously though of course)

I'm not sure how it's done. I am not sure if a VR world exists and a video is produced with the telemetry data to mimic the movements. Surely the don't build something from scratch each time.

^yes, they would be made in a studio somewhere on the UK, then given/sent to the park..

I think it's going to be done in Germany. If it's happening... obviously.

 

[stretchy]

Assuming that this is a VR overhall:

In vidleogames such as Fallout, Do they need the path that the person is going to take before the game is released?

No. They create the world and then the 'player' navigates through that world by his own accord. So theoretically they could have created the rides world before hand and this could be working out timings etc for events to trigger at certain key ride points. We know that Air does things like stop on the lift hill, so whatever system would need to cope with that and the differrence between running on a hot evening and a cold morning so wouldnt be able to be a simple movie, but a 3d generated multi person system.

 

[UserDeleted]

Also needs to account for riders at the back experiencing things at different times to the front etc

 

[Rob]

VR needs to work flawlessly to ensure that it is an enjoyable experience. If the timing are out even by the smallest of amounts it is likely to really mess with your mind and potentially make you feel ill. Air has been bad enough in this regard, its quite often you see vomit on the paths below the brakes.

I'd imagine we will get an annoucement regarding Air sometime in January. VR is certainly seen as an exciting new concept but the industry - although that is in no way my opinion, I think it has little place on coasters. However VR Coaster & Mack Rides have recently annouced that they are working on fitting VR technology to nine coasters in 2016 including one major UK coaster (Air maybe?), and they have two new coasters in development for 2017/18 that will be built to utilise VR. Cedar Fair have a contract in place with VR Coaster to adapt several of their coasters.

 

[manual_operator]

I imagine that should VR be used, it will be like additional graphics to add fly-by's etc rather than a totally immersive environment/HUD - something similar to wearing see though wrap around shades/ (like a beefed up Google Glass). This would cut down on the amount of work required and would be less likely to induce motion sickness.

 

[Blizzard]

Am I the only one who really hates the idea of VR? People are already exposed to technology almost all day every day these days. Can't we just keep theme parks as a place of "escapism" from all that?

A good coaster shouldn't need it anyway, just look at what Phantasialand are doing with Taron an what Towers has already done with Nemesis!

I for one will not be riding Air with VR. Ever.

 

[Ben]

It doesn't interest me in the slightest, it just gives parks a reason to not make any effort with a rides theming or upkeep if that isn't the focus.

I mean look at Nemesis a ride which uses its scenery to enhance the ride and adds to the ride immensely. I can't imagine any simulated visual on a coaster will ever get close to something like that. Similarly rides with huge drops, the feeling of being exposed and being able to see miles is part of the thrill, knowing its not real and simulated would be rubbish.

I do hope its an option for Air, as while the theming was never finished, its still good, and I'll always chose that....

well unless I can use VR for the tunnel then take it off.

 

[Leah]

If they are adding themed features, then I'm guessing it will be optional. I'm actually looking forward to trying it, I won't judge it until I've tried it.

 

[jonny9403]

It doesn't interest me in the slightest, it just gives parks a reason to not make any effort with a rides theming or upkeep if that isn't the focus.

I mean look at Nemesis a ride which uses its scenery to enhance the ride and adds to the ride immensely. I can't imagine any simulated visual on a coaster will ever get close to something like that. Similarly rides with huge drops, the feeling of being exposed and being able to see miles is part of the thrill, knowing its not real and simulated would be rubbish.

I do hope its an option for Air, as while the theming was never finished, its still good, and I'll always chose that....

well unless I can use VR for the tunnel then take it off.

Its green ... Fair play

 

[UserDeleted]

Am I the only one who really hates the idea of VR? People are already exposed to technology almost all day every day these days. Can't we just keep theme parks as a place of "escapism" from all that?

A good coaster shouldn't need it anyway, just look at what phantasialpnd are doing with Taron an what Towers has already done with nemesis!

I for one will not be riding Air with VR. Ever.

That's the point.... It's not a good coaster!

And by NOT riding it with VR is daft... Why close yourself off from something that might be amazing?!

 

[Ben]

but it is landscaped you have near misses with the floor and walls and the station fly by.
Id had sooner the built the originally planned rocks, waterfalls and lakes which would have made much more sense to the ride.

But whatever. Gimmicks all the way.

 

[Rob]

I imagine that should VR be used, it will be like additional graphics to add fly-by's etc rather than a totally immersive environment/HUD - something similar to wearing see though wrap around shades/ (like a beefed up Google Glass). This would cut down on the amount of work required and would be less likely to induce motion sickness.

That would be AR (augmented reality) rather than virtual reality and AR has not seemingly been developed for use on theme park rides yet (although there are rumours of Universal developing something for their Mario Kart ride).

Am I the only one who really hates the idea of VR? People are already exposed to technology almost all day every day these days. Can't we just keep theme parks as a place of "escapism" from all that?

A good coaster shouldn't need it anyway, just look at what phantasialpnd are doing with Taron an what Towers has already done with nemesis!

I for one will not be riding Air with VR. Ever.

I agree totally, I think the idea of VR on coasters goes against everything that a theme park stands for. Having said that I am looking forward to hopefully trying it at EP in a couple of weeks so I can gain a better informed opinion of it.

As I said previously though, it appears that the industry in parks believes that VR is partly the future of coasters. It saddens me that Mack are part of this bandwagon! Time will tell as to whether it is successful and popular or a temporary fad that soon passes over.

 

[QTXAdsy]

If it is VR and knowing how poor the theming job for Air, I would laugh that the 'theming' in the VR world be utter bland and just copies the real surroundings knowing how lazy Merlin can be!

 

[ClaraCat]

I'm not sure i like the idea of the use of VR on a coaster. I've got the impression in my head it will feel like a giant motion simulator.

Ultimately if they've gone down this route the success or not is likely to come down to how well world/video works with the ride I mean you can't be flying through clear skies when its raining in reality or vice versa and how well the technology works/ interfaces with the ride and is maintained. We can only wait and see on both these points and I'm trying not to judge without seeing what they have done and how well it works (if nothing else it could save me a few euro when i head to Europa Park)

Either way if this is the route they've chosen it's likely to make air even more of a "marmite" ride than it currently is and if it turns out to be a massive flop should be easy enough to remove.