[The Smiler] Marketing discussion

[LiamC]

This may take over my Temple Run addiction ;D

Awesome video, I love the music! I also noticed on one of the screen grabs from the TS news article that at the top the menus go:

LOOPS | MARMALISER | TOP SECRET

Interesting that there's a top secret menu there. Could it mean something to be unlocked in the game or an actual secret element within the ride?

 

[Bear]

I don't think there will be matching inversions on each section of the track. For example, where the inverted drop is, I think the corresponding drop after the second lift will not invert. It'd be cool to have a bit of asymmetry like that!

 

[James]

The Smiler Game - Video Analysis

Here is a short and simple analysis of The Smiler game advert, release today by Alton Towers.

Station Area

Clearly the black and yellow scheme will be used heavily within the station, looking at this first image you can see stairs that look like they will lead you into the station, it looks like there is a glass divider in the middle, separating two different queue-lines (Fastrack and normal queue?).

Looking up at the top of the stairs is presumably the main station. Looking at the room it is very bright and very white. Could we be seeing a completely white station?

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Yesterday in an interview with Bolton FM, John Wardley confirmed that The Smiler will have "5 mind manipulating elements" - could these 'stages' be a part of these elements? A favourite word known by many that attended Alton Towers' Halloween Scarefest event also appears as one stage, 'marmalisation', a process which I'm sure many will be happy to see appear once again.

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These images confirm that The Smiler will indeed have an all white station with yellow colours used throughout too. There seems to be a lift in the station too which will clearly be used for disabled guests. Another important thing to note in these images is the exposed metal ceiling. If the real station turns out the same it looks like the ceiling will be left exposed and not covered up (a-la Th13teen).

Looking at the station too there seems to be yellow tinted panels on the walls, could these be frosted windows to let light in?

Not such a large station interior is shown on the actual plans so this suggests that we may be seeing a few changes to the station and there may be more room than we initially thought...

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Alton Towers have cleverly hidden another shot of the station in the video. Unfortunately you can't make much out as it has been layed underneath the next shot (looked at below) of the video. Looking at this frame if you look at the back you can see two sets of stairs leading down.

Where do the stairs lead down to? Your guess can be as good as mine. Either way it looks to me as if the station has had some interior changes in design.

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Quite an easy image to know what's going on. This is just as you leave the station. While there is smoke (could this hint as smoke or mist being on the actual ride?) covering up what's ahead you can just make out an interior track turn, so a bit of a ride inside/in the dark. Pretty much a standard on any Gerstlauer ride.

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As we get closer to exiting the station more of the indoor section becomes clear. It looks as if there are distorted 'smiler faces' in this section of the ride, could they be simple paintings on a wall, or something a bit more complex like projections? At this frame it looks like there is a tilted structure in this section too, however this could be one of many things such as track support, station supports and so on - so it might not be something worth noting down.

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Once we're right inside this section it the faces become more clearer on the walls and the structre I spoke of above looks very weird. This could be a part of one of the five stages. To me it looks like there are glass panes on either side of the track, with projections and lights to disorientate you as you ride through this area. However it may not be as complex as I'm assuming it is.

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This image confirms that the first lift hill will be a conventional one and not a launch.

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Here we get confirmation of the vertical lift hill and also a inverting drop, which links up with the recent supports that have appeared on the construction site the past week.

It's hard to make anything else out clearly in this photograph however in the background you can see the 'spider' piece of theming sat proudly in the middle of this beauty.

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Here we can see that it looks like the concrete flooring on site will stay as that and not be covered, but will however have yellow symbols and lines painted over it. You can also a see a part of the exterior of the station here. Although the station looks far more different than it does on the original plans, again giving us hints that the station will be changing more than we thought. The spider structure too looks different than the plans originally show.

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A familiar face appears here, it looks like Doctor Kelman could be playing quite an important role in The Smiler storyline. Could he be a key figure on the queue-line videos and some promotional materials? This too confirms that The Smiler could have a key link in with the Ministry of Joy, which may have been clear for a while, but is still nice to have more hints towards it.

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Remember kids!

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In this frame we get a few roller coaster elements confirmed:
- Indoor heartline
- Inverted drop
- Batwing x 2
- Camelback to inline

Also as pointed by many, there are two additional inversions shown in this video that are not shown on the original plans. Conclusive proof from Alton Towers themselves that the plans submitted are not accurate.

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Here you can see a part of the exterior of the station again, showing quite a big change to the look of it compared to the original plans. We can see what looks to be like yellow piping on the station...

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As we return to the station more of the cosmetic changes to the station can be seen.

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Miscellaneous

This aren't pictures that have much to talk about, but still might be of interest.

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Just to end it off, here's the lovely Alton Towers logo with a Smiler twist.

Certainly this ride has got a lot of changes compared to the plans, so it makes you wonder what else Alton Towers have in store for us come May!

 

[James]

There we go! *wipes brows*

I kindly ask if anyone shares the above post on other sites to link back to this page (or the TowersStreet forums).

 

[Jonny]

Very nicely done there James, thanks for that!

This video is bringing up quite a lot more excitement now, and the prospect of how much seems to have changed brings a lot more mystery into the project than previously. Also, not sure if anyone else noticed this, but at 0.37 of the video there is a clear shot of both drops, and shows that they both invert:

 

[Daniel_F]

Great analysis James! Thanks for taking the time to do that

The yellow and black logo is great, does anyone think they would consider making a physical version of it for the main entrance? Just a thought :twirly:

 

[Nick]

When you said, "camelback to incline" I believe it is actually camelback to inline- as in inline twist. This will be the corkscrew that you can see here:

Which looks like it's got an inline twist before it, that I hadn't seen before, so I've got no idea what it actually means... Also, before that long straight to the right of the car (the breaks before the vertical lift), has another roll before it. Giving a total of possibly fourteen inversions. And only two moments of air-time...

Screw you Merlin.

And this picture:

It looks like those stairs may lead to the control-room- which is the balcony above and right of the track.

 

[electricBlll]

Well, my expectations for The Smiler are now completely blown. And you know why this ride is going to be great? It has humour.

After recent years of depressing, destructive themes (Saw, The Swarm, etc) Merlin Studios have found out a way to actually make a new ride fun. I was really worried that they were going to ruin this brilliant piece of engineering with that ugly, grotty station building, but if the game is to believed all that has been rectified. Yes, it is still sinister, imposing, even frightening, but now it is done with an underlying humour that could transform the ride into something actually enjoyable.

Now the only way they can ruin it is to go too cliché with the hypnosis idea. Or they could repeat Thirteen's mistakes and miss out on a brilliant theme by not building it in the first place. But it all looks brilliant so far, and the rollercoaster itself could be one of the best the UK has ever seen. Wow!

 

[James]

When you said, "camelback to incline" I believe it is actually camelback to inline- as in inline twist.

It is indeed, small typo on my part.

 

[JayTricky]

Ok, what I think could be the order of things.

RECRUITMENT- first queue line experience. Possible tv screens in the queue talking about how you're being recruited for MARMALISATION and to get corrected.

DATA CAPTURE- second part of the queue line with CCTV style cameras. Filming you're every move.

INITIATION- getting into your seat and setting off into the mist (you could see mist or smoke at the beginning of the ride). Into the first indoor drop into the first inversion, with smiler effects surrounding you. Heading into the straight indoor section.

BRAIN WIPE- possible secret element. Straight Indoor section full of effects giving the impression of wiping your brain.

PROCESSING- section just before the lift hill, or lift hill itself.

MARMALISATION- outdoor track, and interacting with the Marmaliser (spider).

SMILING ADVOCATES- end of the ride, possible queue line pictures.

PROCESS COMPLETE- exiting the queue smiling!

 

[rightbackgranty]

Im fascinated by the design of the station interior. It looks very clinical and clean but with a hint of old psychiatric wards in there. If they manage to pull this off with bright lights, no areas of shadow etc the station building looks like it will be an experience in itself.

Adding to the list of processes speculation, particularly data collection. CCTV of the queue ride anyone? Different areas of the queue line having different video feeds to ramp up the suspense in particular would e.g. being at the start of the queue and seeing people load into the ride, those about to ride would see the "post ride reaction". Could work!

I must admit I was firmly in the "the track will be as shown on the plans" camp but I am more than happy to concede I am wrong. I will say im surprised that they are so evidently going for the inversion record, and have some reservations about them trying to fit too much into the ride, but really cannot wait to get on this thing. It looks intense, and is exactly what the Towers community has been calling out for the last decade.

 

[Noonie99]

Anyone think the 5 elements may be sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste??..
Could be interesting..? playing with our minds totally..?

Taste?!
Anyone seen that specsavers advert filmed on infusion?

I know taste is weird but not impossible! May have to suck a sweet all the way round, and those who dont choke survive? lol

 

[Adam]

So does this mean the bloody awful looking station building from the plans has been changed?

I hope it does!

 

[Tim]

Here we can see that it looks like the concrete flooring on site will stay as that and not be covered, but will however have yellow symbols and lines painted over it.

Those yellow symbols and lines are the queue line

just remember:

This is a game, not the actual ride.

By all means look into it but be aware that several details have probably been added for the purpose of the game. the above is a perfect example of this as it is only an app and therefore they are limited to what they can process so finer details almost all non-essential details have been left out.

Likewise I don't expect anything to turn out looking like it does in the game, the same style maybe but a lot of the elements seem to have been designed to be low texture friendly rather than accurate.

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On a positive note it looks like the trains are meant to duel and any change to the station is better than what it was.

 

[GAGrathea]

This ride is going to be bloody fantastic. Cannot be more excited right now.

Doubting Dr Kelman's going to feature that highly, expect he was just thrown into the video as a nod to the Sanctuary...can't see Mona Lisa being a big character in it either.

Still...May please.

 

[Dave]

I have always been in the plans are NOT accurate camp but I am very glad the two camel backs are staying to give some air-time and pacing to the ride, I'm not bothered about losing the drops to inversions as based on the elevations they wouldn't have produced any airtime.

This is going to really put Towers back on the thrill map.

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

So does this mean the bloody awful looking station building from the plans has been changed?

I hope it does!

It definetely has to a certain degree - it is a different size and shape to the plans.

 

[TheMan]

Without wanting to be a pedant, there is a lot of this topic that I feel belongs in construction and is being missed out on a proper discussion.

I know that's a bit rich coming from Mr Off Topic himself, but there is so much to discuss I think it could benefit from being switched.

A lot of detail is coming out, and it seems to all be landing in the wrong thread lol! ;D

Cannot believe I actually posted that, but there you go, purely thinking for the benefit of the threads as whole with such brilliant speculation taking place right now.

 

[Noonie99]

I think at this stage of the game, marketing and construction are going hand in hand a bit though..

 

[Sammy]

Okay... Ummm, where to start?! Well, firstly, having watched that video, I am absolutely terrified! It is one of the creepiest things I have ever seen, don't even get me started on the HaHaHa version of ITHOTMK! Just WOW! I am literally soo soooo excited for this ride, even more so now than before!

I love the attention to detail and story that has gone into this attraction, all the different stages etc! Sure looks set to be great!

On a slightly off topic note, the stages of the process, the 2nd to last one "Smiling Advocates". Am I the only one who thinks it would be amazing if they got some face recognition technology, and superimposed a massive smile onto your face on your On-Ride Photo? Similar to the ones on the concept arts!

Can't wait to see yet more progress on this!