Slightly wary about posting this, as literally a matter of hours after I last posted it a certain other forum came crashing down
...
Anyway, as one of the original Sub-Terra Apologists, having never expressed my views on here is almost a crime! So, I feel now is a better time than any to do it!
So here is my basic run down of opinions of the attraction, broken into sections;
Queue-line+Batching Area -
The queue line is satisfactory, the most that can be made of it, already has been really, and it builds up to the attraction rather nicely. My only complaint is the TV's... An attraction of only 3 months in age, with broken queue TV's is a joke really! They need to make sure all screens and speakers work correctly otherwise this really lets the attraction down in this area!
Now, as for the batching, this needs a complete re think! Obviously this area wasn't previously used to hold people before they added the video as you just walked straight into the pre lift room. However, now that you are being gathered there prior to the video, there needs to be much more space, it is far too crowded and people can't freely get to the Baggage Drop Point. All it would take would be to move the gates at the end of the queues back a few meters and as stated above by AstroDan add a cover to the area, some scaffolding and canvas would be completely fine for this! The other point I have to make is, while waiting here, you hear every word of the pre-show video, which I have heard some people complain about, what with having to hear it twice. This could be solved by adding some sort of repeated announcement to the batching area and some proper sliding doors to the building, also by adding audio to this area, it could also help to give the impression of a longer attraction duration.
Pre-Show
* Video Room
The video is a great addition as it acts as a proper introduction to the attraction and sets the scene perfectly. The problem with this area, is the staff and their current attitude problem! The video and all videos previous to it in the queue line are welcoming and state that civilians are welcomed into the facility... So this begs the question, why are the staff so far off the mark with this, telling guests they are ugly and need to get a hair cut! This still needs rethinking. They merely need to be strict but calm, explaining the entry procedure to the public in a firm voice, then stand at the back of the room with their hands tucked behind their back and stare at the front!
* Entry Lift
This in my opinion is now perfect and very little needs to be done, perhaps the addition of a little more vibration in the floor.
* Cave Tunnel
The added dripping water audio here works well, I particularly like how you are sometimes held here for a moment before the Observation Chamber doors open. I feel they should make this a permanent feature and maybe add another announcement to the area using the female voice. Something like "Observation Chamber preparation in progress, the doors will open shortly. When the doors open, proceed to your seats in a calm and orderly fashion. Thank you."
Central Core/Main Show
Well, what can I say, this is such an improvement on before, the first announcement/video section is much better and gives a far more solid introduction to the egg and nicely continues the stories narrative! It builds up the tension perfectly amongst the group who sit rather apprehensively around the room, and then, everything gets going! The change in the lighting colour from blue to red, the loud bang, heavy base and the power failure never fails to get a few people screaming, then with the return of the water and added flashing lights and noise coupled with the newer sequence of the broken egg the scene is fantastically set for disaster to strike!
And then… You drop. Now, here is my only problem with the new main show, the bottom chamber is still lacking in a proper scream out loud scare! However the new lighting as you drop is much better and enhances the sense of falling, it also allows for a much better view of the bottom scene. The water, back pokers, neck breath, seat speakers/surround sound and leg ticklers all work fantastically together to create a real sense of the unknown with the creature. However I really do think that on the way back up some sort of Eye animatronic should flash up in your face to provide a real jump moment and get people really screaming.
Now, the escape is possibly the biggest improvement in this area, there is a real impression of impending doom and danger and people really do now rush for the exit with the countdown gradually getting lower and lower. The strobe, smoke, wind, siren and air blasts just finish it off nicely, giving a really disorientating and rather stressful dramatic rush to safety in the lifts!
Post Show/Escape Lift
Again, an massive step up from the original! People truly think they are safe the moment the doors close and they hear that explosion and the immense roar of the creature and the lift begins to ascend rapidly to the surface! Then once again, disaster strikes, a loud bang and a jolt in the lift complete with collapsing panels followed by complete darkness! By now people are really screaming as they take yet more air blasts to the face and are shaken rather violently as the lift is ‘attacked’. Then as the lights come back up and Nemesis gives up it’s rather relentless onslaught against the guests the lift is filled with smoke and people are cowering in corners truly frozen on the spot. A fantastic end to the attraction… Or so most think!
Quarantine Finale
So as people start to come round from their panic following the attack on the lift, the doors open and yet more screams commence as a Phalanx Operative complete with gasmask storms into the lift shining a torch through the smoke. As you are ushered out of the lift you enter a darkened corridor and make your way into the Quarantine Zone ready for decontamination. Now, at the moment as much as it’s a great improvement, it still needs some further improvement. It’s a little confusing as there is virtually zero narrative to explain the situation. A louder announcement explaining the decontamination is needed accompanied by a better sign above the entrance.
Now the ‘maze’ itself is great, yet more strobes, loud bangs and air cannons fill the corridor as you make your way past the metal cages lining the side of the room. The fact that there are now sections of this fence cut out to allow the actors to lean in is a great addition, though it would be even better if they were able to suddenly get through completely into the passageway. However I will settle for what we have
. Thus far the maze is very good, but once you pass the actors and strobes it’s a bit of a none event, just a dark zig-zag through flaps and low hanging fabric that can easily be lifted up! Granted there is audio, but there’s zero atmospheric lighting or real substance to this section. I feel an air filled wall similar to that seen in the Carnival last year would work better than the fabric, accompanied by strobes or some flashing red lights and maybe and other actor to really make people run out of the exit. Though I guess we shall see what further improvements are made here, if any at all!
So, to conclude… Sub Terra 2.0… FANTASTIC IMO. It’s no longer an embarrassment to the park and it gets a much more positive review on the whole from the public! So hats off to Towers for going back and changing it!
Nemesis Sub-Terra will certainly be a must do attraction for me on any visit, and I look forward to seeing if any further changes/improvements are made!
YAY TERRY <3