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[2024] Thorpe Park: Hyperia - Mack Hypercoaster

Tim said:
If however you are referring to all these recent clickbait videos with title like 'how Hyperia will mean the end of Thorpe Park', then that's just people shamelessly shilling for cash...
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The majority of enthusiast vlogger / fan videos are terrible. The ethics of several are questionable and one in particular has a relationship with thorpe that I think is legally iffy. So I have stopped watching them.

The best news has always been on towers street forums as people offer different opinions and with less hype and equal balance. (Often counteractive). The more you fuel these click bait videos (looking at one in particular that blurs out content to keep you watching) the more of the rubbish you will get.

Hyperia will be click bait heaven for alot. Once the fans have milked it I expect the mail to run stories of people stuck on ride at summit etc. The more we avoid the bad press/enthusiast content the less likely they will produce it.
 
I’ve heard quite a few comments about how Thorpe have gone for “inversions over airtime” with Hyperia, or about how it “won’t have much airtime”. I once agreed with this, but the more I see of Hyperia, the more I’m honestly convinced that Hyperia could have more airtime than people expect.

Yes, it does lack straight airtime hills, with only the element into the brake run offering this, but I believe that many (possibly even all) of the elements are profiled in a way that could allow them to offer considerable negative g-forces. As far as I can see:
  • The first drop looks like it could offer tons of airtime, particularly on the back.
  • The Immelmann looks like it could offer a really good moment of sustained ejector airtime on the exit. It looks to be profiled to have more of a “straight airtime hill” type exit than the one on Icon, which I think bodes well for its airtime potential.
  • The outerbank into an inversion could be a very interesting element indeed. I reckon that it could offer very sustained negative g-forces. It’s hard to predict exactly how it will ride, but based on other rides I’ve ridden, I’d guess that you might get some nice sideways airtime during the outerbanked portion followed by some very rapid negatives during the downward inversion!
  • The dive loop looks almost “zero-g stall” style in initial profiling, so I reckon it could offer some very nice negative g-forces if the similar element on VelociCoaster is anything to go by.
  • The outerbanked turn after the splashdown is certainly profiled in a way that might allow it to offer some airtime.
  • The final airtime hill into the brake run could offer some very nice airtime if the speed is fast enough.
I was sceptical at first, but I have grown increasingly convinced of Hyperia’s airtime potential, and increasingly excited for the ride in general!

As for the people talking about Hyperia being “the end of Thorpe Park”, with a comment on the same video saying about how “Thorpe Park will close in 2025 due to lack of money”; I have one key thought. My thought is; if Thorpe Park were to be closing imminently, would they really be building a massive new coaster in the first place?
 
Matt N said:
I’ve heard quite a few comments about how Thorpe have gone for “inversions over airtime” with Hyperia, or about how it “won’t have much airtime”. I once agreed with this, but the more I see of Hyperia, the more I’m honestly convinced that Hyperia could have more airtime than people expect.

Yes, it does lack straight airtime hills, with only the element into the brake run offering this, but I believe that many (possibly even all) of the elements are profiled in a way that could allow them to offer considerable negative g-forces. As far as I can see:
  • The first drop looks like it could offer tons of airtime, particularly on the back.
  • The Immelmann looks like it could offer a really good moment of sustained ejector airtime on the exit. It looks to be profiled to have more of a “straight airtime hill” type exit than the one on Icon, which I think bodes well for its airtime potential.
  • The outerbank into an inversion could be a very interesting element indeed. I reckon that it could offer very sustained negative g-forces. It’s hard to predict exactly how it will ride, but based on other rides I’ve ridden, I’d guess that you might get some nice sideways airtime during the outerbanked portion followed by some very rapid negatives during the downward inversion!
  • The dive loop looks almost “zero-g stall” style in initial profiling, so I reckon it could offer some very nice negative g-forces if the similar element on VelociCoaster is anything to go by.
  • The outerbanked turn after the splashdown is certainly profiled in a way that might allow it to offer some airtime.
  • The final airtime hill into the brake run could offer some very nice airtime if the speed is fast enough.
I was sceptical at first, but I have grown increasingly convinced of Hyperia’s airtime potential, and increasingly excited for the ride in general!

As for the people talking about Hyperia being “the end of Thorpe Park”, with a comment on the same video saying about how “Thorpe Park will close in 2025 due to lack of money”; I have one key thought. My thought is; if Thorpe Park were to be closing imminently, would they really be building a massive new coaster in the first place?
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I think its going to just be really different to what we have in Europe and that will be its selling point. I do also feel that it is a great choice for places like Pleasure Beach too - PMBO will be way less intimidating and therefore will still have it's place.

In terms of the ride - I honesty believe nobody will be able to guess what it will be like. It will be something you really need to experience.

My only concern with the ride is it's longevity. Thorpe really will need to keep on top of it to make sure the Mack Rattle is suppressed. I can imagine it becoming quite unbearable due to the speeds and transitions if they let that creep in. I'm sure they will though.
 
It’s perfectly reasonable to have concerns about Hyperia, it’s mostly unthemed, it’s very short, it heavily trims two thirds of the way through, it’s gone for inversions over airtime.

That doesn’t mean it will be a bad ride, it could be amazing, Oblivion is a one trick pony but is still very popular. But I think people can justifiably voice concern about Hyperia so long as they acknowledge that we won’t truly know until it opens.
 
Matt N said:
As for the people talking about Hyperia being “the end of Thorpe Park”, with a comment on the same video saying about how “Thorpe Park will close in 2025 due to lack of money”; I have one key thought. My thought is; if Thorpe Park were to be closing imminently, would they really be building a massive new coaster in the first place?
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Matt, why are you even entertaining people saying this? It's clearly a load of tosh, there is no risk of Thorpe Park closing!
 
I was recently reacquainted with Skyrush - a ride of similar length, height and footprint of Hyperia. Skyrush is a whisker away from being my number one coaster in the world; and 99% or that is down to the first drop trying to launch you out of your seat.

That's where Hyperia could be really special. Obviously we can't say for certain until we've ridden it but the profiling of the drop looks like it will give a decent dose of ejector airtime, and then twisting around whilst potentially still out of your seat.

I'm slightly concerned about the rest of the ride as I'm not that arsed about inversions, and the trims could ruin any other potential airtime moments. But we will see.
 
I haven't seen much negativity. If anyone is passing ultimate final judgement, and making rediclous statements for clicks, on something that hasn't even started testing, let alone ever been ridden, then they're better off being ignored. Not worthy of being discussed to give them credence.

What we can comment on is what we do know. It's colour scheme makes the support columns look like cigarettes, the layout is very original and interesting, it's covered in brakes, and it is extremely short for it's height.

Only the digital POV to go by, so a lot of how it rides will depend on the speed in which it takes it's elements. I don't think it's Inversion focused as all bar the dive loop seems designed with airtime in mind. That's five airtime moments, and they do look great. I've never had a problem with the way the layout looks, just the fact that there isn't enough of it. With that height, I can't see how it couldn't have easily traversed out and back to the brake run again a final time to add another 2 or 3 elements and extra third to it's layout without any fizzling out.

I'm hoping it rides as good as it looks. But judgement on that can only be passed once back in the station after physically riding it. But it's way too short.
 
ScottishChris said:
Has anyone else noticed that Hyperia seems to be getting quite a bit of panning online by 'enthusiasts'? I'm guessing it is simply the case that they have ran out of drivel to spout about the ride and resorted to negativity to garner reactions. Madness!

The ride looks amazing (bar the paint job!). I have seen the POV's and had a good look at the layout and still can't work out what the ride experience will be like. I have no doubt it will be pretty intense in parts, fast in others but apart from that... I can't work it out. I'm really looking forward to getting on it.
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People see knee jerk reactions as negativity on Twitter and Social Media, when in reality due to the short text format, people can’t post a debate article unlike on forums.

It’s undoubtedly a great ride for the UK but I think the overwhelming positivity is actually unfair, the ride had multiple planned layouts and this is the shortest one they chose, the layout although packed tightly with some great elements, won’t have chance to shine once you’re off in 30 seconds. It’s another stealth, good at what it does, but could be better.
 
havaska said:
I’m going to wait until I’ve ridden it before I decide if it’s good or not.

No one knows how it’ll feel yet. Anyone slating it already is just being silly.
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Completely agree but on the flip side you also already have people declaring it’ll be their new number one coaster and such like.

Not sure why people can’t just say excited/not excited.
 
SuperMuscleMan said:
The majority of enthusiast vlogger / fan videos are terrible. The ethics of several are questionable and one in particular has a relationship with thorpe that I think is legally iffy. So I have stopped watching them.

The best news has always been on towers street forums as people offer different opinions and with less hype and equal balance. (Often counteractive). The more you fuel these click bait videos (looking at one in particular that blurs out content to keep you watching) the more of the rubbish you will get.

Hyperia will be click bait heaven for alot. Once the fans have milked it I expect the mail to run stories of people stuck on ride at summit etc. The more we avoid the bad press/enthusiast content the less likely they will produce it.
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100%! I only watch TPWW and a few walking-about-parks-without-narration sort of channels. As much as I appreciate that they're playing the YouTube monetisation game, the copycat thumbnails and omg shocked faces over mostly nothingburger nothingness is so, so off putting. Maybe they're aimed at the younger generation and I'm just ancient and over it haha.
 
As John Burton himself confirmed, the ride is designed to generate airtime as well as hangtime. The most weightlessness filled ride in the UK. A ride does not need simply straight airtime moments to deliver airtime, perhaps the best moment of air I've ever experienced was on a banked airtime hill, greatly enhanced by being banked 90 degrees.
 
Hyperia Super Stan said:
As John Burton himself confirmed, the ride is designed to generate airtime as well as hangtime. The most weightlessness filled ride in the UK. A ride does not need simply straight airtime moments to deliver airtime, perhaps the best moment of air I ever experienced was on a banked airtime hill.
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John Burtons job is to sell the ride as well as art design it, I suspect it will have all those things but just as you shouldn’t condemn a ride based on pictures before it’s opened you can’t be sure a ride is going to be amazing because the art director for studios says it is before riding.

Plus he won’t have designed the layout so although he might have prepared the brief for Mack who knows what will happen.

As I say my gut feeling is this is going to be fun just because the 1st drop looks crazy, but I can see why some people are not going crazy based on the layout.
 
Dave said:
John Burtons job is to sell the ride as well as art design it, I suspect it will have all those things but just as you shouldn’t condemn a ride based on pictures before it’s opened you can’t be sure a ride is going to be amazing because the art director for studios says it is before riding.

Plus he won’t have designed the layout so although he might have prepared the brief for Mack who knows what will happen.

As I say my gut feeling is this is going to be fun just because the 1st drop looks crazy, but I can see why some people are not going crazy based on the layout.
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Be that as it may, banked airtime can deliver as good an airtime moment as a run of the mill straight airtime hill can. The animated POV certainly does give a good indication of how the airtime and other moments of weightlessness could pan out.
 
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For me, it’s a balance of positives and negative G forces. the new generation Mack and intamins, like velocicoaster, fling you out of your seat and push you back in. Controversial, but to me your out and back B&M can be quite boring. Just airtime, and no other elements other than up down, and an occasional turnaround.
It’s a balance, and hyperia looks to deliver. I haven’t been on it though.
 
Dave said:
John Burtons job is to sell the ride as well as art design it, I suspect it will have all those things but just as you shouldn’t condemn a ride based on pictures before it’s opened you can’t be sure a ride is going to be amazing because the art director for studios says it is before riding.

Plus he won’t have designed the layout so although he might have prepared the brief for Mack who knows what will happen.

As I say my gut feeling is this is going to be fun just because the 1st drop looks crazy, but I can see why some people are not going crazy based on the layout.
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I don't know, he may have had strong influence via No Limits mock ups?
 
Tom said:
I don't know, he may have had strong influence via No Limits mock ups?
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Seeing as John Wardley designed the final iteration of Wicker Man's first drop in NoLimits after deeming the original version proposed by GCI and Merlin to be "absolutely atrocious", I don't think that's at all inconceivable. Burton himself may well have contributed to Hyperia's layout design.
 
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