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Hex - If and when will it return

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RoyJess said:
I doubt that it will open next week, as they will need to muster and train up extra staff last minute. I presume the staff training is to test any modification, (or system upgrade) in preparation for next season.

Rumour did go around last year with regard to the Smiler opening for the scarefest/fireworks, however it was I that first brought you the news that the prohibitive order was removed (that because I was there on the day it happened and was witness to the tail end of the staff riding it) and I also posted on here that the Smiler would be very unlikely to open last season as they needed to do x amount of hours testing it and would definitely be returning this season. However people built up their hopes last year, disregarded what I posted and rather believed the rumours floating around the internet.

I still trust where I get my info from, they've never let me down so far, but then again nothing is 100% as management can chop and change their minds.

I personally think we are still looking at Hex returning next year.
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Staff where trained for the Smiler to open last October. The ride didn't open as Merlin got cold feet, the rumours where more than just rumours, trust me that information didn't come out of thin air the sources where good.

As for Hex, there is no doubt the work that has been done could have been managed in the closed season or at worst a late season opening (some structural stuff was needed but still doable). But it has had bits done to it and hopefully some will be noticeable, but it won't be major.
 
Over the past few days, I manage to get some more info.

Hex will not be opening this half term and like I said in an above post, they don't have enough staff to open it.

I've heard that the ride will be slightly longer, this will be the pre-show in the octagon room, this is because the octagon pre-show would finish and then the vault room wasn't always ready to accommodate the next batch of guest.

I also heard that the VR was never considered for the vault, but for the octagon pre-show, probably partly explains why the floor was relaid (walk about VR? I'm only guessing). VR was only considered and is not going to happen now.

I also heard of an upgrade that they want to do, but if they can't get the appropriate material and the correct size required, then it won't be happening, if this is true, it also confirms that charlie won't be making a return, but we knew that it won't all along.

If they can find a screen large enough to cover the vault floor, it will hide the tree that has the red light up eyes. They are hoping to use this in conjunction with the charlie lift projectors to create the effect that the floor looks nothing more than the floor, and when hex reaches it's climax, the screen will become transparent by using a back light and the tree with the red light up eyes will appear in the floor :)

Like I said, this will only happen if they can find a screen large enough, so it's not 100%, so let's see what happens when Hex re-opens.



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I'd imagine that getting these projectors to work in the vault would be very complex and require precise timing:

russell_061_595_towerstreet_sign_clean.jpg


I don't see it happening, not least because Hex is widely regarded as one of the best Madhouse's around without any form of non-marketable gimmicky change. I have no idea where all these Hex VR rumours have come from, I think it's a case of putting 2 and 2 together and reaching 5. If they considered it for any part of the ride, even for the Octagon, it was probably a consideration that lasted 10 seconds before realising it didn't work. Hex seats 78 guests, so that would be 78 headsets that need to be handed out in the Octagon and then guests would need showing how to put them on, get them in focus etc. Then they'd be handed back and another 78 headsets would be needed for the next batch of guests whilst the others get cleaned. So that's 156 headsets, plus they'd need some for when some of them stop working so at least 170 VR headets that would add little to the ride experience. I know you've said it's not happening now but I don't think it ever was. Sorry to sound so blunt!

:)
 
VR would wreck Hex. Fed up of all this VR malarky, to me its just an excuse to not theme a ride properly and the reality is that the technology just isnt good enough. Hex was good enough by itself, the smells, atmosphere and mood inside (when everything was working). Just focus on these things and there is no need for any VR.

Projection on the floor is an interesting one though....
 
I never claim that any info that I post on here is 100%, the info is only as good as the people telling me. I can always keep all these information to myself and never post anything on here. Whether this info is accurate or not, it will be interesting to see what happens when Hex reopens, as well as it makes good discussion (and an indirect message to the Towers to leave VR alone ;)).

I was just reading through the Smiler thread, back in October last year, back then I had posted info that I had on the chances of the Smiler re-opening the end of last season and when exactly when the prohibit order came of it, no one took my posts seriously then either :p ;)

https://towersstreet.com/talk/threads/incident-on-the-smiler-02-06-2015.3597/page-223

Roy :)
 
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RoyJess said:
I never claim that any info that I post on here is 100%, the info is only as good as the people telling me. I can always keep all these information to myself and never post anything on here. Whether this info is accurate or not, it will be interesting to see what happens when Hex reopens, as well as it makes good discussion (and an indirect message to the Towers to leave VR alone ;)).
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No please do share, it does make for interesting discussion! I'm just under the impression that there won't be any changes to the ride experience of Hex but could well be totally wrong. I suppose I think that they would be silly to make any of the changes you've heard mentioned, hence my reaction to them!

:)
 
I heard hex got a new projector in the cinema room would that mean if the quality of the projector was improved wouldn't the video have to be updated to let's say 4K? Which would mean a new video is needed which again would be intresting.
I hope John Wardley remains an easter egg or he has a bigger role if there is a new video
 
Bert2theSpark said:
I heard hex got a new projector in the cinema room would that mean if the quality of the projector was improved wouldn't the video have to be updated to let's say 4K? Which would mean a new video is needed which again would be intresting.
I hope John Wardley remains an easter egg or he has a bigger role if there is a new video
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John Wardley is an easter egg in the Hex video? That's the first I've heard of that.
 
Burbs said:
John Wardley is an easter egg in the Hex video? That's the first I've heard of that.
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He's not in the cinema room but I'm sure he's in the queue line video and the octagon video too. I'll find a video.

EDIT: Can't find a video but I am sure he is in Hex.
 
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Never seen him before, but it wouldn't suprise me if he was in either the octagon pre show or the queue line video.

Incase anyone wants to check, here's the queue line and octagon video. I can't see anything though.

 
Going back to the suggestion of using Charlies projectors that would be a very complex (and expensive) way to pull off a simple theatre trick. Just cover the tree face with a Scrim. When lit from the back it becomes transparent. No projectors, just a few bulbs.
 
At the least I hope they've made some tweaks so idiots in the Octagon stop before the stairs (the amount of people I've seen walk up the stairs before the videos start!) and idiots in the Octagon walk up the stairs and through to the next area when the curtains roll up (again the amount of times people just stand there and staff have to intervene and tell everyone to move on!). Some gates would work well, that stay closed then open at the end of the sequence.

With the parking issue too, if it's not something that cannot be fixed, could they change the audio timings? So the audio ends up in sync with the slow parking? I'm no technical guru but I'm sure it can't be that difficult of a fix if parking cannot be 'perfect'.

Other than that I don't really care what happens, it's a pretty perfect ride as it is, doesn't need anything added or any gimmicks attached.
 
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There will be no VR on Hex. I have a reliable sauce, chip?

On a serious note I hope not much has changed to the ride in the sense of story, its fantastic as it is.
As I said before I hope lighting, sound has been seen to and theming has been restored in the main queue section. Its one of those rides I don't mind queuing for because how immersive it is.
 
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