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[2023] The Curse at Alton Manor
- Thread starter Craig
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QTXAdsy
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
As much as I do love the original HH score, it does sound a little dated with its sound being like it was done on keyboards so having it done with a full orchestra to give out a more organic sound would be welcomed. Come to think of it, some of the soundtracks for the other rides such as Nemesis and Oblivion are sounding very much stuck in the 1990's with that sound, Oblivion's rave sound in particular screams of it. Hex actually is the only soundtrack that sounds timeless incidentally. Yes, much like with the original HH sound, don't change the score just update it and honestly, I'd love to hear what a full live orchestra sound of the HH soundtrack would be like.
That's the best bit about them. They shouldn't be changed. Not all music needs to be perfectly polished to sound great, especially not for the themes of the two rides in question.
ChristmasPud
TS Member
Oblivion's music is a stock track. Nemesis and Haunted House are really imaginative unique scores, some tracks you can tell the 90s production (eg the trommel and giant tracks), but great considering the time they were made, especially Nemesis. An orchestral update could be great as long as it didn't sanitise it with a generic movie trailer sound.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
If they’re keeping some scenes and gutting others, I’d personally keep the more detailed HH scenes, such as the Grand Hall, the Sinister Garden, the Skeleton Corridor and the scene that was the Giant (not really sure what it is now…).
I would remove the 2003 zombie lab finale (as much as I actually thought it was quite well done within the sphere of what Duel was trying to be, I don’t think it would fit the HH-type vibe as well as a new scene would), and I would also remove the HH scenes that are more obviously just props on sticks stuck to plain black walls (I’m mainly thinking the bat scene and the Screaming Heads here).
I do hope that most of the animations/props change, though. The props currently in the ride are arguably showing their age a tad now.
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Trooper Looper
TS Member
That's it, take him to the dungeons again! No one defies the Screaming Heads supremecy!
On a serious note though, i definitely agree with the bats. They're choppy and tacky, and they don't look that believable. I'd argue that the removal of the Screaming Heads would be a terrible decision as it's probably the most memorable scene of the Haunted House, even as Duel. I think it just needs rehashing, make the Heads look scary with a paint job, especially on the blue demon, better lighting. They always could use musou black paint to hide arms and mechanisms as it absorbs about 99.6% of light I think, so there's no reflection. Actually, they could paun the walls in there to a more blacker paint like Black 3.0 to hid it from the new lighting.
I think the reason the props look a tad outdated now is because how botched they were over the years, especiallyin their current goofy forms in Duel. If they're trying to bring Back the Haunted House, removing the very elements of what made people love it makes little sense, well to me anyway. The props definitely could be done up loads, such as new details, new paint coats, and more sinister look. It would be nice for them to fix the drapes on the Grand Hall Demon as they're just hanging on now, when they Originally looked like the trail of a ghost. Same for the lunatic In the cave, he used to wear poor victorian clothing I think and had brown hair, rather than being mostly bald and wearing a rag...
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Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
I apologise if if I’ve touched a nerve with a few of my comments @Trooper Looper… some of my thoughts on the HH/Duel may be partially caused by the fact I have somewhat less nostalgia for the ride than others on here; I’ve only done it 4 times in total, and I only ever did it once prior to 2020!
Also, I never even did the HH, and only ever had one ride on the pre-2018 Duel…
I should probably butt out of the HH debates, as I appreciate that those who have done the HH and the earlier iterations of Duel likely have a far better idea of what should be done to it than I have… the fact that I don’t have as much nostalgia from the ride’s prime as most likely makes my opinion a tad worthless. Sorry to waste all of your time…
Trooper Looper
TS Member
Mate, don't batter yourself like that. I was being sarcastic, you're all good.
Apologies if this has already been answered, but has there been any actual confirmation that the blasters will be removed? Personally I can't see Merlin/Towers willingly remove the blasters as they appeal to the general public. Of course, enthusiasts would much prefer the ride without blasters, but what about the average guest? I think the interactive element is important for guest satisfaction as well as guest retention. The blasters give guests a reason to keep riding, to beat their high score etc.
RicketyCricket
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Taron
Something that has always bugged me is when people say the ride building is the same size as a football pitch. Always thought it was rubbish, there couldn't possibly be space.
So I've just had a look on Google Maps and the building measures in at roughly 50m, whereas a football pitch is 90-120m.
Still, that's a pretty big area considering the limited space at Towers.
What a way to spend a Wednesday evening.
So I've just had a look on Google Maps and the building measures in at roughly 50m, whereas a football pitch is 90-120m.
Still, that's a pretty big area considering the limited space at Towers.
What a way to spend a Wednesday evening.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Not officially, no. However, the use of “the Duel is over” on the teaser sign on the exit path strongly hints towards no more blasters, and just about all of the accounts from people “in the know” agree on the fact that the blasters are going.
I did wonder the same thing myself, but it does seem as though the blasters are likely to be on their way out.
Maybe they mean in terms of area in square metres? Duel’s area is around 3,000 square metres, and I’d wager that the shortest sides of Duel’s building are longer than the shortest sides of a football pitch.
Squiggs
TS Team
Whilst the original soundtrack is very good, the main issue is surely that it belongs to a ride that no longer exists and won't be coming back next year.
It is an incredibly specific soundtrack for the ride as it was, so I doubt it would hold together on a re-imagined ride; it wouldn't have worked at all on Duel, for example.
Maybe the new soundtrack will have some nods to the previous versions, but the ride will no doubt have a soundtrack designed to compliment the new storyline.
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
The guns are 100% being removed. I think we all know this even without any confirmation.
QTXAdsy
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
I suspect that if the blasters are gone yet the guests like them then I have no doubt the next dark ride on the park will be a shooter ride to make up for the loss.
What kind of shooter system they'd go for is another story but I'm going off topic here.
Log Flume's Dennis
TS Member
We've all got different reference points on these things and we should embrace it. Some of you are younger, and yes, you perhaps don't remember the earlier bits of the HH, but in 50 years' time you'll be alive and some of us (me included) will be dead, so you'll definitely get the last laugh (unless I return as a prop in the new HH, in which case I'll get the last laugh. I sort of look like one of the screaming heads)
But my salient point is - we've all got different references and experiences with these things - you do you amigo. We're all just nerds at the end of the day
Tim
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Air / Blue Fire
Would anyone else like to see the ride have a more interesting name?
When you think about it neither of the rides past names have been great. Duel could have been used for any shooter ride and the Haunted House is as generic as you can get. I appreciate that was the point. The ride was designed as a supervised and modern Haunted House attraction. So the name worked. But now it is an old ride returning it to the old name would just make it feel old.
Assuming the theme stays consistent I'd love a more emotive name like Phantom Manor or Mystic Manor or the Shrieking Shack. Something that sounds intriguing when discovering it for the first time. Gloomy Wood and the Haunted Hollow already fit that style of naming.
When you think about it neither of the rides past names have been great. Duel could have been used for any shooter ride and the Haunted House is as generic as you can get. I appreciate that was the point. The ride was designed as a supervised and modern Haunted House attraction. So the name worked. But now it is an old ride returning it to the old name would just make it feel old.
Assuming the theme stays consistent I'd love a more emotive name like Phantom Manor or Mystic Manor or the Shrieking Shack. Something that sounds intriguing when discovering it for the first time. Gloomy Wood and the Haunted Hollow already fit that style of naming.
dazza4783
TS Member
Oblivion's music is "Dominic Glynn - Stressed Out"
Trooper Looper
TS Member
I do quite like how it's "The Haunted House" instead of something even more generic like "Haunted House" or "Alton Towers Haunted House". The 'The' makes it sound a lot more intimidating. Like how the latest Batman Film "The Batman" sounds a lot better than Tim Burtons 1989 "Batman". The 'The' makes it sound very striking and important. That's how I see it anyway.
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