-
ℹ️ Heads up...
This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.
[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation
- Thread starter Wilsy
- Start date
- Status
CupCakeMonster
TS Member
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
Yes, but with a roller coaster there can't be a Sub-Terra situation. Sub-Terra wasn't a themeing problem, it was whether it worked as it was meant to. They would NEVER open SW7 if it didn't work properly... that's a completely different thing to opening it with a bit of themeing missing.
Magrathea said:Ah, that might have been what Towers would've done in previous years, but I have a feeling that after Sub-Terra, they're not going to want to open things without a complete thematic package from Day 1
Yes, but with a roller coaster there can't be a Sub-Terra situation. Sub-Terra wasn't a themeing problem, it was whether it worked as it was meant to. They would NEVER open SW7 if it didn't work properly... that's a completely different thing to opening it with a bit of themeing missing.
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
But everything that was wrong with Sub-Terra was purely thematic, and thus if you want to look at the pure hardware (the drop towers themselves) everything was working perfectly from Day 1... Considering that a portion of SW7 is going to be enclosed, the same importance applies.
CupCakeMonster said:Magrathea said:Ah, that might have been what Towers would've done in previous years, but I have a feeling that after Sub-Terra, they're not going to want to open things without a complete thematic package from Day 1
Yes, but with a roller coaster there can't be a Sub-Terra situation. Sub-Terra wasn't a themeing problem, it was whether it worked as it was meant to. They would NEVER open SW7 if it didn't work properly... that's a completely different thing to opening it with a bit of themeing missing.
But everything that was wrong with Sub-Terra was purely thematic, and thus if you want to look at the pure hardware (the drop towers themselves) everything was working perfectly from Day 1... Considering that a portion of SW7 is going to be enclosed, the same importance applies.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
If Towers only want this to open fully completed to the original brief, and this can't happen before March 16th, then there is every chance they would delay opening. And rightfully so really. They open what was seen as an incomplete product in March 2012, it did not go down well with a lot of people and that doesn't just mean us lot. They will not want to make this mistake again. They will want to build what was planned which is spot on. I personally believe SW7 is a very key project for Towers, they need to get it exactly right after the last few years. I don't see them taking the risk of opening an incomplete product.
CupCakeMonster said:
If Towers only want this to open fully completed to the original brief, and this can't happen before March 16th, then there is every chance they would delay opening. And rightfully so really. They open what was seen as an incomplete product in March 2012, it did not go down well with a lot of people and that doesn't just mean us lot. They will not want to make this mistake again. They will want to build what was planned which is spot on. I personally believe SW7 is a very key project for Towers, they need to get it exactly right after the last few years. I don't see them taking the risk of opening an incomplete product.
TheMan
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- NemiLerVion
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
I trust you lot enough to know, if "rumours" say Towers want to open it complete, that's what they'll do, but they've gotten this totally back to front this time.
Now forgive me if I'm wrong here, as I've not ridden it, but isn't the whole point about N:ST being an almost theatrical attraction, where the arguably simple and small ride element is not even remotely the main focus of attention, but the experience is created by the surroundings, and thus it is very unlikely to hold attention without it?
Now I don't believe CupCakeMonster is suggesting there shouldn't be theming, indeed I am most certainly not - the crux of my point this time, is that the hardware should stand as a thrill machine without it, and if it does not, then it was not good enough to begin with.
I think the point we are both making here, is that this ride should stand alone and if all the theme is not completed in it's entirety then few people will notice! If it is bare, and nothing like it should be, it shouldn't open because to attach those large theming elements would be impossible when open, and they should be viewed as part of the structure of the ride itself, much like the big ditch they put nemesis in, which is the most important aspect of that rides intensity and intimidation, not a fibreglass alien, or old tour bus sticking out of the hill.
(Edit: Seems CCM has confirmed what I was saying there, and I agree totally with them)
I trust you lot enough to know, if "rumours" say Towers want to open it complete, that's what they'll do, but they've gotten this totally back to front this time.
Now forgive me if I'm wrong here, as I've not ridden it, but isn't the whole point about N:ST being an almost theatrical attraction, where the arguably simple and small ride element is not even remotely the main focus of attention, but the experience is created by the surroundings, and thus it is very unlikely to hold attention without it?
Now I don't believe CupCakeMonster is suggesting there shouldn't be theming, indeed I am most certainly not - the crux of my point this time, is that the hardware should stand as a thrill machine without it, and if it does not, then it was not good enough to begin with.
I think the point we are both making here, is that this ride should stand alone and if all the theme is not completed in it's entirety then few people will notice! If it is bare, and nothing like it should be, it shouldn't open because to attach those large theming elements would be impossible when open, and they should be viewed as part of the structure of the ride itself, much like the big ditch they put nemesis in, which is the most important aspect of that rides intensity and intimidation, not a fibreglass alien, or old tour bus sticking out of the hill.
(Edit: Seems CCM has confirmed what I was saying there, and I agree totally with them)
CupCakeMonster
TS Member
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
But SW7 doesn't show any moving themeing, and even if it did, it wouldn't matter. That is one of the main parts of Sub-Terra, it wouldn't be important at all on SW7, even if they had back pokers on the trains (They'd better not.. otherwise it'd be awful) it wouldn't matter, because the ride itself would still take place, whereas on Sub-Terra it is the ride really, along with the drop, that's the ride.
To be honest, I don't think you can really compare Sub-Terra with a roller coaster (unless it's Thi3teen or similar).
Magrathea said:
But SW7 doesn't show any moving themeing, and even if it did, it wouldn't matter. That is one of the main parts of Sub-Terra, it wouldn't be important at all on SW7, even if they had back pokers on the trains (They'd better not.. otherwise it'd be awful) it wouldn't matter, because the ride itself would still take place, whereas on Sub-Terra it is the ride really, along with the drop, that's the ride.
To be honest, I don't think you can really compare Sub-Terra with a roller coaster (unless it's Thi3teen or similar).
Dave
TS Founding Member
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
Even if you ignore theming they have the following still to do
- Finish station steel
- Add stairs, disabled lift
- internal walls and floors
- Add external walls to the building
- Cover the pit
- Electricity, lighting and fire alarms
- Build the remaining 70% of the ride
- wire the ride and add computer systems
- Pave the area
- build the queue
- test the ride
- train the staff
and they have 71 days until the 16th of March, i really don't think it's going to happen.
Even if you ignore theming they have the following still to do
- Finish station steel
- Add stairs, disabled lift
- internal walls and floors
- Add external walls to the building
- Cover the pit
- Electricity, lighting and fire alarms
- Build the remaining 70% of the ride
- wire the ride and add computer systems
- Pave the area
- build the queue
- test the ride
- train the staff
and they have 71 days until the 16th of March, i really don't think it's going to happen.
Josh
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
In an attempt to steer the current discussion onto something different:
The original image has been removed by request of the owner. As a result, the original image has been removed. An equivalent image has been inserted by a team member below
Anyone got any ideas what this could be for?
EDIT: Didn't realise TS had a pic of this, otherwise I would've used that in the first place. I forgot how whiny TT are about posting pictures with their watermark on, and sourcing them. :
In an attempt to steer the current discussion onto something different:
The original image has been removed by request of the owner. As a result, the original image has been removed. An equivalent image has been inserted by a team member below
Anyone got any ideas what this could be for?
EDIT: Didn't realise TS had a pic of this, otherwise I would've used that in the first place. I forgot how whiny TT are about posting pictures with their watermark on, and sourcing them. :
Dave
TS Founding Member
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
Swear they have been on site for a while (might be wrong), not sure what they are for though.
Josh said:In an attempt to steer the current discussion onto something different:
The original image has been removed by request of the owner. As a result, the original image has been removed. An equivalent image has been inserted by a team member below
Anyone got any ideas what this could be for?
Swear they have been on site for a while (might be wrong), not sure what they are for though.
CupCakeMonster
TS Member
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
I just saw this and wondered the same.. My guess was structure for inside the station/shop. It's weird that it's so light, I can't see it being used outside anywhere.
Josh said:In an attempt to steer the current discussion onto something different:
The original image has been removed by request of the owner. As a result, the original image has been removed. An equivalent image has been inserted by a team member below
Anyone got any ideas what this could be for?
I just saw this and wondered the same.. My guess was structure for inside the station/shop. It's weird that it's so light, I can't see it being used outside anywhere.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
The simple fact is this. SW7 will be able to stand along track and train as a good thrill coaster (probably). Towers want to theme their brand new expensive thrill coaster to create a more immersive ride experience (rightfully so). Therefore they may not want to open said attraction until it is deemed fully complete.
Also, there is a lot more work to go on than building the coaster, station and some key theming. There will be a hell of a lot of landscaping to do once everything is built to ensure the site doesn't look a construction site when it opens and to ensure that footpaths and queues are fully accessible. That's just one example of other things that need doing other than basic building work.
The simple fact is this. SW7 will be able to stand along track and train as a good thrill coaster (probably). Towers want to theme their brand new expensive thrill coaster to create a more immersive ride experience (rightfully so). Therefore they may not want to open said attraction until it is deemed fully complete.
Also, there is a lot more work to go on than building the coaster, station and some key theming. There will be a hell of a lot of landscaping to do once everything is built to ensure the site doesn't look a construction site when it opens and to ensure that footpaths and queues are fully accessible. That's just one example of other things that need doing other than basic building work.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
These have indeed been onsite for quite a while now. From what I have seen today I believe that these will be used as part of the station building. There is a lot of this steel in the car parks, but you have to remember that the building is quite large. Some of the steel could also be used in the cover part of the cut and cover pit also I'd imagine.
Josh said:In an attempt to steer the current discussion onto something different:
The original image has been removed by request of the owner. As a result, the original image has been removed. An equivalent image has been inserted by a team member below
Anyone got any ideas what this could be for?
These have indeed been onsite for quite a while now. From what I have seen today I believe that these will be used as part of the station building. There is a lot of this steel in the car parks, but you have to remember that the building is quite large. Some of the steel could also be used in the cover part of the cut and cover pit also I'd imagine.
Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued
I believe all the above could easily be done within two month's. If a hoarde of people on DIY SOS can completely refit a house from top to bottom in 3 days, then a hoarde of expert tradesmen in Alton Towers could easily finish things off!!
Going back to themeing, I see it as ESSENTIAL. As John Wardley said once while sat on the log flume in Chessington in an old video - "Themeing is the essential part of any ride - it allows the rider to experience escapism and transport them away to another place for a short period of time".
I believe all the above could easily be done within two month's. If a hoarde of people on DIY SOS can completely refit a house from top to bottom in 3 days, then a hoarde of expert tradesmen in Alton Towers could easily finish things off!!
Going back to themeing, I see it as ESSENTIAL. As John Wardley said once while sat on the log flume in Chessington in an old video - "Themeing is the essential part of any ride - it allows the rider to experience escapism and transport them away to another place for a short period of time".
- Status