How it feels waiting for this thing to finally come back.
Delete the 4 and it’s factually accurate.
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ℹ️ Heads up...
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Nemesis: Sub-Terra
- Thread starter Jb85
- Start date
Delete the 4 and it’s factually accurate.
Squiggs
TS Team
Later in 2023:Merlin Magic Making in 2011:
2012:
Sub-Terra in 2022:
A random day in 2023:
(This is a joke, I believe that it will do amazingly)
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
The staff have been practising their shouting at guests role today. You could hear them shouting the "you're group 1, you're group 2"' etc and telling you to turn round and face the screen,
AT86
TS Member
That’s just how Merlin engage with their staff generally, nothing to do with the ride.
Morgan Price
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Hyperia
Brings back memories of the Wicker Man pre-show
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
URGH! I hope the staff have a better attitude than those who decided it would be fun to try and abuse the role of being allowed to shout at guests when Sub-Terra was open last time. I've never understood the shouting, the army/RAF etc. wouldn't be shouting at you had you been invited to visit one of their bases.
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
I just don't think guests should be shouted at by staff at any theme park as part of day to day operations; it goes against everything a theme park should be. It's just a lazy and very uncreative way to try and claim that the staff are all part of the experience.
A good example to follow might be the Rise of the Resistance staff. They’re following a similar kind of feel, obviously you’ve been kidnapped in that scenario rather than invited, but the feel is the same.
I think I’d describe it as hostile and direct without the stereotypical sergeant major style shouting.
I think I’d describe it as hostile and direct without the stereotypical sergeant major style shouting.
Rick
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Crux
I mean, they were actors playing a role. It's far less demeaning than what might might be levelled at you in The Dungeons. For me, there is a big difference between that and a member of staff yelling at you 'in real life'.
All of that hullabaloo felt like an admission that the ride experience itself didn't have a lot of substance.
One of the other headaches that ride suffers from is in part the same as The Disappointment Express at Thorpe whereby if you suspend belief (as do the people around you) and play along with the scenario - it's much more fun. Trudging back to the second lift at a slow walking pace, with a bunch of people who have been on the ride so many times before only for one of them to say "the lifts don't really move" or "the wall will break in a minute" doesn't really add to the immersion
We are very bad at that as Brits ... even at Halloween in scare attractions the cynicism creeps in.
All of that hullabaloo felt like an admission that the ride experience itself didn't have a lot of substance.
One of the other headaches that ride suffers from is in part the same as The Disappointment Express at Thorpe whereby if you suspend belief (as do the people around you) and play along with the scenario - it's much more fun. Trudging back to the second lift at a slow walking pace, with a bunch of people who have been on the ride so many times before only for one of them to say "the lifts don't really move" or "the wall will break in a minute" doesn't really add to the immersion
We are very bad at that as Brits ... even at Halloween in scare attractions the cynicism creeps in.
Part of the ride’s problem is that people view it as a drop tower, it’s not a drop tower, Detonator at Thorpe Park is a drop tower, Sub Terra is a dark ride with a drop tower in it as part of the experience. The difference between those two things is that for one of the entire experience is being lifted up and drop down, whereas the latter utilises a small, unexpected drop as part of the ride experience. Arguably the scariest part of Sub Terra isn’t the drop, it’s when the lights are off and the creature is supposed to be in the room with you, which is why I’ve always said that they would benefit from working on this aspect of the transaction more and making the drop the finale of the ride element.
I’m not really sure what Alton Towers do about that though as if you read comments online about it 90% say it’s a drop tower, it isn’t much more of a drop tower than Rise of the Resistance is (which also has a drop element for anyone that hasn’t done it). Obviously that’s where the similarities end for those two rides as one has been done with a seemingly limitless budget and the other has not but the point stands that a holistic experience is the goal for both rather than focussing on one element.
I’m not really sure what Alton Towers do about that though as if you read comments online about it 90% say it’s a drop tower, it isn’t much more of a drop tower than Rise of the Resistance is (which also has a drop element for anyone that hasn’t done it). Obviously that’s where the similarities end for those two rides as one has been done with a seemingly limitless budget and the other has not but the point stands that a holistic experience is the goal for both rather than focussing on one element.
James
TS Founding Member
The shouting in Sub-Terra just seems odd and doesn't feel natural to the ride. Gets invited to a facility for a tour, and gets shouted at and verbally abused... magical.
With The Dungeons and Rise of the Resistance, I think you can immerse yourself more and the characterisation feels more natural/in line with the theme. I loved every aspect of Sub-Terra aside from the pre-show staff. In most of my experiences, I felt staff went too far with insults and I'm surprised none of them got punched in the face. Quite frankly, the pre-show staff ruined the experience.
Maybe staff will have more of a script/better direction this time so it's not worth judging this iteration until it's reopened.
With The Dungeons and Rise of the Resistance, I think you can immerse yourself more and the characterisation feels more natural/in line with the theme. I loved every aspect of Sub-Terra aside from the pre-show staff. In most of my experiences, I felt staff went too far with insults and I'm surprised none of them got punched in the face. Quite frankly, the pre-show staff ruined the experience.
Maybe staff will have more of a script/better direction this time so it's not worth judging this iteration until it's reopened.
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
I always liked it so much because of each individual element. It was really broken down into (and guess it still will be) the pre-show, entrance lifts, ride chamber, exit lifts and finale corridor. I also agree that if you're just calling it a drop tower then possibly setting people up for disappointment. The actual drop part despite not being much at all is (or was) quite forceful. The shouting was my least favourite part of it, but I know they acting and it's supposed to be part of the experience. I don't actually think I'm being screamed at purposefully, I think it would be strange for anyone to think that.
Steve74
TS Member
The difference between the dungeons and Sub Terra is that the Dungeons has trained actors being "ride hosts" whereas Sub Terra had ride hosts trying to act.
I'm hoping that they've taken what they've learned from the Dungeons and applied it to ST, so we'll end up with ride hosts who can act or even better, actors being ride hosts.
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