Galactica: General Discussion

[Steve74]

I think this calls for air to return now...

What's that going to achieve? Like changing the soundtrack and removing all Galactica branding is going to make the ride better. The ride is exactly the same whatever it is called!

I don't understand what everyone's obsession is with turning it back to Air. Reading the replies to that tweet and other people's comments on here and Facebook recently people are obsessed with putting it back!

The only potential benefit of returning it to Air is that things would get fixed or replaced and more theming could be added - but all that can easily be done by keeping it as Galactica when Towers have the will and budgets to do so.

I can't believe air lasted for 13 years without getting this bad, yet Galactica is only 6 years old...

Well for one thing, Air didn't have stickers on the side of the building like that. And I bet panels, signs, TVs, speakers did fail and were fixed but seeing as for most of Air's life "near-real time" social media didn't exist (and when it did it wasn't as mainstream as it is now), these problems never got highlighted as much - if at all - before they were fixed by the park.

We can only hope that the reason Galactica is in such a sorry state is that it's due some big TLC work to coincide with Nemesis 2024. Perhaps there are bigger plans in the pipeline that we don't know about to improve Forbidden Valley as a whole. Only time will tell.

 

[pluk]

I don't understand what everyone's obsession is with turning it back to Air.

Its just nice if attractions make a vague bit of sense, isn't it? At the moment we have a space themed attraction the glides you over green grass and has nothing at all to do with space since the space goggles departed.

 

[Matt N]

Its just nice if attractions make a vague bit of sense, isn't it? At the moment we have a space themed attraction the glides you over green grass and has nothing at all to do with space since the space goggles departed.

In fairness, I’d argue that Air in its executed form didn’t make a huge amount of sense within FV either (in concept, I’ll admit it did make a bit more sense), so Galactica maintained the equilibrium of the area rather than made it suddenly make sense or suddenly not make sense, in my view.

 

[Danscott22]

Yes, Air at least made some sense as the calming theme to contrast Nemesis. Monster and space are so mismatched, and I think that what everyone’s getting at.

 

[Steve74]

Its just nice if attractions make a vague bit of sense, isn't it? At the moment we have a space themed attraction the glides you over green grass and has nothing at all to do with space since the space goggles departed.

Yeah putting it like that I get it and see your point, but rather than constantly being nostalgic and wanting to go back to what it was - and you could include Duel too with the many comments about returning that to the original Haunted House - let's get behind the park for moving things forward and improving things rather than trying to return attractions back to what many people think was the better version of them. Rose tinted glasses and all that.

I remember people whinging about Air's theme not in-keeping with Nemesis and FV - granted space is probably even less in-keeping - so why not want to retheme Galactica to something closer to the FV theme rather than constantly wanting it back to Air?

(None of this was aimed at you @pluk by the way! I was speaking about everyone as a whole)

 

[pluk]

I’d argue that Air in its executed form didn’t make a huge amount of sense within FV either

I wasn't referring to its position in FV, although I'd say air was far less jarring against Nemesis than random space port with nothing to do with space following.

 

[Max]

Just having it be called Air again is reason enough to switch it back, Galactica is a dreadful name

 

[James]

I always viewed Air as the ‘oasis at the end of Forbidden Valley’, and kind of like that as the idea of a light theme at the end of the area.

Galactica isn’t that offensive as it’s still a theme clash like Air was to an extent.

The theme appears more jarring now with the removal of the VR headsets. A space theme over green grass and rocks? No.

I would welcome a return to Air. As a bare minimum they can at least fix the signs, screens and theming. No excuse to have it in the state it’s in.

 

[Poisson]

I think a good compromise would be a light retheme to something more FV fitting. You can keep the IMAscore soundtrack, actually properly theme the station building and tidy it up, an object on the walk down to the ride entrance would go well and change the portal into something more fitting. Cheap enough, tidies an area up ready for 2024

 

[Matt.GC]

constantly being nostalgic and wanting to go back to what it was - and you could include Duel too with the many comments about returning that to the original Haunted House - let's get behind the park for moving things forward and improving things rather than trying to return attractions back to what many people think was the better version of them. Rose tinted glasses and all that.

For as long as I've been annoying people around these parts, there's been nostalgic calls for old themes and old attractions to make a return. Even when you point out that it makes little business sense, it appears those rose tints are firmly controlling the thought process. Sometimes from people who never even experienced the originals in the first place!

Nothing wrong will selling Corkscrew T shirts, celebrating lost coasters in RCR, playing old music here and there and having little Easter eggs around the park. Neither is maintaing or even like for like replacing the assets the park already has.

But calls to spend millions replicating a Haunted House built 30 year ago? Splashing the cash restoring Galactica to Air because a sticker is peeling off a wall? Hmmm, not sure either of those would make business sense.

 

[Rick]

Galacticair, mash up the themes. They're half way there.

 

[Alsty]

I used to like the semi-open stations. There was a lighter atmosphere to the place. Now it's just dark and depressing inside and it doesn't even attempt to link up with the space theme.

I can't imagine they'll ever open them up again though which is a shame.

 

[Steve74]

Galacticair, mash up the themes. They're half way there.

There is an argument that they already are!

 

[Rob F]

Anyone remember when everyone wanted the Flying fish back at Thorpe, be careful what you wish for…. Fish V1 5/5 starts for experience.

Fish V2 1/5 stars

 

[Steve74]

For as long as I've been annoying people around these parts, there's been nostalgic calls for old themes and old attractions to make a return. Even when you point out that it makes little business sense, it appears those rose tints are firmly controlling the thought process. Sometimes from people who never even experienced the originals in the first place!

Nothing wrong will selling Corkscrew T shirts, celebrating lost coasters in RCR, playing old music here and there and having little Easter eggs around the park. Neither is maintaing or even like for like replacing the assets the park already has.

But calls to spend millions replicating a Haunted House built 30 year ago? Splashing the cash restoring Galactica to Air because a sticker is peeling off a wall? Hmmm, not sure either of those would make business sense.

Totally agree with you! Wish I'd written that!

 

[MaxPower]

They need to do something with it as the Galactica / space theme makes no sense now they've done away with the VR.

Air just felt like a brand rather than a theme anyway as there was little to no theming on the ride itself apart from the station building, so I'm not fussed on seeing it return in that ilk.

I'd rather they use the re-opening of Nemesis to come up with something that would be more in keeping with the area itself.

 

[Matt N]

I’m another one who isn’t on the nostalgia train when it comes to Galactica (or in general, for that matter).

I don’t think reverting it back to Air would be the silver bullet that solves all of the ride’s problems by any means. I simply don’t think it would make a whole lot of difference; I might be looking at it too simplistically, but once you take the now extinct VR out of the equation, the differences between Air and Galactica are mostly academic rather than complete game changers, in my opinion.

Ultimately, whatever the ride is called, it’s still a cyan flying coaster that flies around some trees and grass verges and goes through the odd tunnel or two, and Galactica didn’t really change that. The ride experience that Air/Galactica is has ultimately never relied very heavily (if at all) on theme, so I’m not sure what tangible effect reverting it back to Air would have. I actually thought that the thematic changes brought about by Galactica were a positive change myself, and that going back to 2002-2015 Air would be a slight downgrade theming-wise, but I know I’m in a minority there, so I’ll say no more on that one…

Even if Air was “brought back”, I would say one thing. And that is that you cannot rewrite history no matter how good the intentions of your creative team are. I said it about the clamouring for the HH to be “revived” and I’ll say it here. What I mean is; even if Air was “revived” with the most dedicated creative team imaginable, it would not be the exact same Air that existed between 2002 and 2015. Admittedly, the change would likely be less difficult than a change back to HH, but Galactica’s shadow would still loom over it, and there would ultimately always be traces of the ride’s previous theme and differences compared to the original Air.

 

[Steve74]

I’m another one who isn’t on the nostalgia train when it comes to Galactica (or in general, for that matter).

I don’t think reverting it back to Air would be the silver bullet that solves all of the ride’s problems by any means. I simply don’t think it would make a whole lot of difference; I might be looking at it too simplistically, but once you take the now extinct VR out of the equation, the differences between Air and Galactica are mostly academic rather than complete game changers, in my opinion.

Ultimately, whatever the ride is called, it’s still a cyan flying coaster that flies around some trees and grass verges and goes through the odd tunnel or two, and Galactica didn’t really change that. The ride experience that Air/Galactica is has ultimately never relied very heavily (if at all) on theme, so I’m not sure what tangible effect reverting it back to Air would have. I actually thought that the thematic changes brought about by Galactica were a positive change myself, and that going back to 2002-2015 Air would be a slight downgrade theming-wise, but I know I’m in a minority there, so I’ll say no more on that one…

Even if Air was “brought back”, I would say one thing. And that is that you cannot rewrite history no matter how good the intentions of your creative team are. I said it about the clamouring for the HH to be “revived” and I’ll say it here. What I mean is; even if Air was “revived” with the most dedicated creative team imaginable, it would not be the exact same Air that existed between 2002 and 2015. Admittedly, the change would likely be less difficult than a change back to HH, but Galactica’s shadow would still loom over it, and there would ultimately always be traces of the ride’s previous theme and differences compared to the original Air.

It's a little bit like when you're my age and you think back fondly to TV programmes from your childhood (in my case The A Team, Knight Rider, Airwolf are 3) and you long to see them again. Then when do see a full episode you realise how rubbish, cheesy and badly acted they often are!

In this case, put it back to Air and people would realise "actually, its not as good as I remember it and its no better than Galactica" because you'll still have slow loading, waiting on the brake run, [probable] unthemed tunnel, operating on 1 station when 2 would be better, the list goes on. None of that will magically disappear if Air v2 was created. All Air v2 would have is potentially more theming.

The only way Galactica can have more space theming and make it feel more space-like is to stick it in a completely dark building. Project Horizon?

 

[Rick]

'Bring back Air' feels like such an odd concept in that most of it is still there, they've just supplemented it with additional bits.

 

[rob666]

For as long as I've been annoying people around these parts, there's been nostalgic calls for old themes and old attractions to make a return. Even when you point out that it makes little business sense, it appears those rose tints are firmly controlling the thought process. Sometimes from people who never even experienced the originals in the first place!

Nothing wrong will selling Corkscrew T shirts, celebrating lost coasters in RCR, playing old music here and there and having little Easter eggs around the park. Neither is maintaing or even like for like replacing the assets the park already has.

But calls to spend millions replicating a Haunted House built 30 year ago? Splashing the cash restoring Galactica to Air because a sticker is peeling off a wall? Hmmm, not sure either of those would make business sense.

I still weep for the Reel.