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Thorpe Park: General Discussion

Might be a while until I can get back again to do Stealth.

Also, I forgot one.

Flying FIsh: Very punchy for an entry-level coaster, although I preferred the Beastie because that was a genuine roller-coaster rather than a powered coaster.
 
I prefer The Swarm to air, but air is really a stand out ride because of what it was, and what it also could have been.

My preference of Swarm is basically only based on not enjoying air to ride, rather than the two coasters.

air was another potential masterpiece never finished off.
 
Ash123uk said:
It's impossible to please everybody.

Take swarm for instance, I think the ride is ace, it's big, it's long, it's fun. The theming is great. But even that seamed to go down like a sack of **** with most people on here.

I really don't get it, it's such a good ride. I so wish we had that instead of air at AT.
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The Swarm is short, boring and charmless.

Basically.
 
Ash123uk said:
Charmless... That's a new one. I've never been on a charming roller coaster.
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In the sense it offers no real creativity, escapism or fantasy in the same way say Nemesis and Oblivion do.

The theming elements are impressive but the whole death and destruction thing is a bit tiresome and frankly lazy. Hence charmless. Look up the definition.

They skimped when it came to finish Air but the ground breaking technology and minimalist aesthetic is practically a triumph of design compared to The Swarm's "is the end of the world innit" destruction vibe which gives me a headache standing on that island.

Air is a pretty dull coaster but The Swarm takes the biscuit. A total 'blink and you'll miss it' snoozefest. And the public know it evidenced by plummeting gate figures at Thorpe Park, a gimmicky modification and a reposition towards the family market in subsequent seasons.
 
As much as I love swarm, it is quite short, and thorpe have really overdone the destruction theme.

That said though, it's easily my favourite ride at thorpe, and (in my opinion at least) far from boring. I find it hard to compare to air being a different experience, but I find swarm better in terms of ride and theming, but air a better theme, better music and more impressive loading. The first inversion and near misses alone make it better than air IMO.
 
Hitch said:
I can see what he's getting at to be fair , it's very easy to make a theme around destruction.
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Entitled to his opinion. It was the look up the definition comment. Which actually means "unattractive or unpleasant."
 
Swarm is fantastically themed.
That whole area makes me think jeez what am I apart of here (escapism.)

A lot of you guys waffle on about escapism and the swarm (for me) does a very good job as the theming, sounds and screams feel real with the destruction, apocalyptic mess that is visually around you.

Merlin need to copy this on future roller coasters, I mean nemesis, 1994, coming up to 22 years and IMO their only best themed coaster.
I admit they done well with 13 and Saw, but the swarm and nemesis are in another tier.
 
danni87 said:
Really?! Not themed enough, people complain. Put actual effort into theming and people still complain.

The swarm's theming isn't too much, it's immersive. Like any theming should be!
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No, it's themed perfectly. The theming for the ride is amazing. What I said is that lots of merlins rides/areas have a destruction or apocalypse theme and there are far more creative ideas out there. Though lots of these rides do work with the "death" theme, they could work just as well with a different idea (like air for example)
 
Leah said:
No, it's themed perfectly. The theming for the ride is amazing. What I said is that lots of merlins rides/areas have a destruction or apocalypse theme and there are far more creative ideas out there. Though lots of these rides do work with the "death" theme, they could work just as well with a different idea (like air for example)
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Which is pretty much the point I was getting at.

Only I also think that the actual coaster itself doesn't live up to is theme in terms of intensity and general thrills.
 
danni87 said:
If it's done well, what does it matter if if the theme has been done before?
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After all people complain when a ride isn't themed appropriate for the area! So having a few similar themed rides... Does it really matter. I get what some people say with the whole decaying look being a bit tired... And in some ways easy to maintain. But supply and demand.

The people who go to theme parks primarily are teens. And teens love scary movies... etc.
 
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I'm officially the biggest complainer on this forum (see my sig below), and I think Swarm is by far the best themed coaster in the country. (Note that theming and landscaping are two different things).

Next conversation please.
 
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DiogoJ42 said:
I'm officially the biggest complainer on this forum (see my sig below), and I think Swarm is bar far the best themed coaster in the country. (Note that theming and landscaping are two different things).

Next conversation please.
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That is a good point. Whether you like the theme or not, is a totally different discussion.

Colossus though, in it's prime, was good.

I think if they'd given air everything it should have had, that probably would have been... but they didn't... and now they're shoving your face in a sweaty mask I can't imagine it's going to suddenly morph into some incredible masterpiece.

Bang on though dude about Theme Vs Landscaping. I wouldn't have considered Swarm top, but based on your points there, I can't argue with that.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
I'm officially the biggest complainer on this forum (see my sig below), and I think Swarm is bar far the best themed coaster in the country. (Note that theming and landscaping are two different things).

Next conversation please.
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Agreed, theming is good landscaping is poor
 
Swarm is a great coaster. I don't find it that thrilling, but its first drop is ace and the theming is bloody fantastic. To call it a poor coaster is simply ludicrous and to call it poorly themed is ridiculous. In my opinion, the only coasters that match it for theming in this country are Nemesis and Vampire during their heydays (and maybe Oblivion and Colossus as well)
 
Colossus is still very well landscaped. It was just a lot cleaner (and smoother) when it was new. I can't think of any obvious theming that isn't there any more.

Vampire's station used to be a masterpiece of atmostpheric lighting. Pretty much all the theming is still there, it's just flooded by daylight now and isn't as spooky as it used to be.
 
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