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Oblivion: General Discussion

IMO, Oblivion: The Black Hole and Oblivion both have completely different themes. Oblivion is the whole mysterious experiment vibe, whilst Oblivion: The Black Hole is more space-themed. Totally different experiences, from the second you enter the queueline.

I don’t think Alton Towers will do anything at all to bring Oblivion more in like with O:TBH, as it will completely clash with The Smiler; this would then create exactly the same problem we currently have with Nemesis and Galactica making 0 sense next to each other.

For the record, Oblivion is my favourite version of the two, but I do absolutely think Oblivion: The Black Hole is great in its own right!
 
GJMarshy said:
We've got the Dark Forest and Adventure Land bott sitting waiting desperate for a new theme and rides, those are the places for more light-hearted themes.
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In all honesty, I'm not even sure Adventure Land is even a land that even most enthusiasts are aware is still a thing, never mind the GP. Better to put it out of its misery and annex it into Cbeebies land when Spinball finally gets the chop.

But regarding a modern looking Oblivion and X-Sector, I think were it not for new look Forbidden Valley, we'd all be asking for just the current look with new flats but now there is an obvious divide with fans over how it should go. Either way, X-Sector is quite clearly next for major work.
 
GJMarshy said:
Sure if it Smiler was the only coaster in the area. Oblivion has a fantastic theme. It's a one trick pony, and it's the theme of forebodingness and anticipation of the unknown that makes it successful. Strip it of that and start adding humorous elects in and it'd kill it stone dead.

I love a bit of light-hearted/ironic self-aware humour as much as the next man, but applying a theme like the Smiler's to Oblivion will turn it *literally* into a laughing stock. Even "Oblivion: The Black Hole" which is a sort of hybrid between the two, creates nowhere near the same levels of anxiety, anticipation and adrenaline as the original, it's too clean, too polished and too funky.

We've got the Dark Forest and Adventure Land bott sitting waiting desperate for a new theme and rides, those are the places for more light-hearted themes. Not X-Sector. Even before the smiler it was arguably the best themed area in the park. Given Oblivion is so embedded into it (into the ground) any changes to the area's theme mean a change to Oblivions theme, which as originally envisaged, is without a shadow of a doubt the best way to theme such a one-tick-pony of a ride. Seriousness, anticipation, anxiety-inducing ride with a foreboding appearance and feel. For the love of god don't mess with Oblivion's theme!

I mean, Oblivion: The Black Hole is like what Aldi's "Wheat Biscs" are to Weetabix. It's a massive nope from me!

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Eurgh.
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I wasn't saying that Oblivion itself should have 'humour' within its theme, I was more highlighting that Oblivion should elaborate as a theme of existentialism and the rest of the area should take the concept of existentialism within different directions, including incorporating humour to really make Oblivion stand out from the X-Sector pack whilst avoiding another disaster/apocalypse theme within the park...
 
Bert2theSpark said:
I wasn't saying that Oblivion itself should have 'humour' within its theme, I was more highlighting that Oblivion should elaborate as a theme of existentialism and the rest of the area should take the concept of existentialism within different directions, including incorporating humour to really make Oblivion stand out from the X-Sector pack whilst avoiding another disaster/apocalypse theme within the park...
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I definitely see were you coming from, but I suppose my point is that rather than making Oblivion "less apocalyptic" to differentiate itself from much of the rest of the park, it is the rest of the park that should be changing. Dark Forest is in desperate need of a re-theme, and really should be more family-oriented and friendly in environment. It'd be quite easy to re-theme Th13teen into a Mayan temple type theme with more of a "exploring a lost tomb in the jungle" aesthetic. Rita will probably go anyway due to maintenance issues on the launch.

The only other "apocalyptic" themed area then is Forbidden Valley, which to be fair is about right for a theme park. Apocalyptic/seruous themes are great for your biggest thrill rides to get the anxiety/adrenaline pumping. Also I don't see any reason why Galactica need go the way of Nemesis in apocalyptic theme, it was always meant to be the "Hero" where nemesis was the "Villain". You could easily invest in the missing rock work, waterfalls and oasis scenery to complete the original "Flying through an oasis" theme, and have it as a "Forbidden Oasis" within Forbidden Valley. Perhaps the Phalanx are testing out a way to green a desert on another planet? All sorts you could do with it without dragging it down the apocalyptic route.

I just think at the end of the day Oblivion is here to stay, mainly because it'd be pretty costly to remove (and it's iconic), so we need to play to it's strengths, which are all the aforementioned serious, foreboding, anxiety-inducing themes/abilities the existing theme has. It just needs a refresh similar to Nemesis, perhaps with new floorless trains, which would make a great deal of sense since the station needs gutting anyway, meaning it should be possible to retro-fit a raising floor.

Maybe a more "enclosed" pre-show could be added within an updated queue line? Maybe a large square room covered in black panels, ceiling, walls & floor, all playing a new take on the "Lord of Darkness" videos, or using graphics etc to overwhelm the senses (Imagine an updated IMAscore soundtrack with that deep bass thumping through an enclosed space) you get the idea!

With new trains, you might even be able to add bass bin speakers to the headrests to play the "fear frequency" ramping up as you ascent the lift hill and approach the drop. We've got a whole new generation to frighten the living daylights out of, and who'll willingly pay for it! Give them Oblivion, but extra!

Marshy.
 
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