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Thorpe Park: General Discussion

To be fair the 4D cinema is perfectly fine. It was all redone when Angry Birds came in, certainly much better than Ice age 4D, even if the general theming is better now.

Wouldn’t surprise me if they just chuck in some random 4D film and class that as their new ride.


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It was clear when I worked in the resort that even management didn't have a clue what to do about the DBGT Situation and it only escalated from there, many long term staff leaving and many upper management abandoning ship. DBGT ruined the already failing resort and they're still trying to recover now, but every investment since has been cheap and tacky IMO, even Fright Nights this year albeit fun was clearly patched together and an unmatched theme even the enjoyable walking dead attractions have lost their appeal with the GP as so many were talking about how disappointing it was.

It's strange to say that I don't dislike the resort and I enjoy a day out there so long as it's not a peak day. On a peak day it's absolute hell.

I agree with what @AstroDan said previously about how building a new coaster would not be a good idea, they need to spend more time reinventing the park and giving it a clear identity. It clearly suffers from an identity crisis right now.
 
Its not a cheap solution, but give it another two years, then gut the building for DBGT and built a proper dark ride? I think someone at Merlin must have just loved the idea of using VR and the mess snowballed from there.

A coaster could help the park, as long as it isn't a scary theme and the coaster has the right height limit. Something like Wickerman taking up the old railway and loggers leap area, no inversions but a decent family rollercoaster is something they don't have.

But what is needed at Alton Towers and Thorpe are indoor dark rides, that don't require gimmicks or short-term focus things that won't work forever.
 
jon81uk said:
Its not a cheap solution, but give it another two years, then gut the building for DBGT and built a proper dark ride? I think someone at Merlin must have just loved the idea of using VR and the mess snowballed from there.
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Can you imagine proposing that to the bosses? "Hey guys, I know we spent literally millions of pounds on DBGT and it hasn't really worked, but let's just demolish all the track and themeing just rebuild something in there after 5 years?"

Not gonna happen, this is M£rlin.
 
Tuggerz said:
Can you imagine proposing that to the bosses? "Hey guys, I know we spent literally millions of pounds on DBGT and it hasn't really worked, but let's just demolish all the track and themeing just rebuild something in there after 5 years?"

Not gonna happen, this is M£rlin.
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But if you take out the VR headsets there isn't really any theming that significantly tells a story and there is barely any track too.
At least removing the VR from Galactica leaves behind a coaster.
Or even removing all the animatronics from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and you have a boat ride that can be repurposed.

Without the headsets, there is nothing left on DBGT.
 
jon81uk said:
Without the headsets, there is nothing left on DBGT.
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Entirely incorrect, the second set of VR is the only bit of VR that makes a difference to the ride, the first VR Section is actually shown on the screens above the seats. It doesn't feel the same, but the train carriage is a direct replica in the VR. The VR simply enhances an already existing experience.

The main issues with DBGT are the unreliable computers they use and refuse to replace as well as staff walking in front of the sensors for the headsets, the VR headsets are not the problem.

Also before the removal of the actor in the middle, the attraction did have a substantial story line, it was just difficult to hear as they always had the ambient audio too loud.
 
I've been wondering something. How many people in the UK actually watch walking dead? I only know about it due to Halloween horror nights and I've never heard anyone talk about it. If so, was walking dead another poor choice IP?
 
I haven't personally watched it but I've overheard many a conversations about it. It's certainly more relevant than Angry Birds.
 
Tuggerz said:
The main issues with DBGT are the unreliable computers they use and refuse to replace as well as staff walking in front of the sensors for the headsets, the VR headsets are not the problem.
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It was the extremely unreliable design and installation of the on-board tech and the way it all works together, than the computers or individual components themselves. Put them in a properly ventilated environment with the right specs and the parts probably work very well.

The whole thing was very prototypey, so rightly needed time to develop that Merlin never provide in their project methods. They also went for a completely inexperienced company to produce that side of it (to save cost, cutting value), not necessarily their fault other than having the naivety to sign a Merlin contract.


Tuggerz said:
Also before the removal of the actor in the middle, the attraction did have a substantial story line, it was just difficult to hear as they always had the ambient audio too loud.
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I heard it fine when I went on, the story was awful! The same bland 'serious' tryhard story that Merlin always do.

Would have been infinitely better if it actually maintained the Victorian surrealist thang that it was promoted with.
 
TPC said:
I've been wondering something. How many people in the UK actually watch walking dead? I only know about it due to Halloween horror nights and I've never heard anyone talk about it. If so, was walking dead another poor choice IP?
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It was hugely popular in fairness, but they're about 6 years too late.
 
TPC said:
I've been wondering something. How many people in the UK actually watch walking dead? I only know about it due to Halloween horror nights and I've never heard anyone talk about it. If so, was walking dead another poor choice IP?
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Pretty much everyone I know used to watch it, and I did too. It was a hugely relevant franchise for the park's target audience... unfortunately, as others have alluded to, they were far too late to the party and by the time the ride opened the show was in a real slump. I don't know anybody that still watches it now.

Whether it was because of this decline in quality or for some other reason, the franchise is already now less culturally relevant than Saw I'd argue, despite there only being one new Saw movie in the past decade. For all its flaws, Saw: The Ride was genius from a PR perspective, a feat they've been attempting (and failing) to replicate ever since, it seems.
 
TakeYourMedicine said:
It was the extremely unreliable design and installation of the on-board tech and the way it all works together, than the computers or individual components themselves. Put them in a properly ventilated environment with the right specs and the parts probably work very well.
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Trust me, the computers were underpowered for VR.

TakeYourMedicine said:
I heard it fine when I went on, the story was awful! The same bland 'serious' tryhard story that Merlin always do.
Would have been infinitely better if it actually maintained the Victorian surrealist thang that it was promoted with.
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Take that up with Derren then as that was the story/politics that he wanted to tackle at the time, Thorpe were more interested in the Victorian story with a horror element.
 
Tuggerz said:
Entirely incorrect, the second set of VR is the only bit of VR that makes a difference to the ride, the first VR Section is actually shown on the screens above the seats. It doesn't feel the same, but the train carriage is a direct replica in the VR. The VR simply enhances an already existing experience.

The main issues with DBGT are the unreliable computers they use and refuse to replace as well as staff walking in front of the sensors for the headsets, the VR headsets are not the problem.

Also before the removal of the actor in the middle, the attraction did have a substantial story line, it was just difficult to hear as they always had the ambient audio too loud.
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I’ve only been on the attraction once (Sept 2018), but of course first impressions are the ones that count, many people if they have a bad experience won’t go back.

But after fiddling to try and get a decent picture on the headset and then attempting to work out what was going on and what was being said, I completely missed the plot elements. Without a headset it wasn’t obvious anything was happening and I didn’t see any screens above the seats. Therefore my impression was that without the visuals on the headset, not a lot was happening.
 
jon81uk said:
I’ve only been on the attraction once (Sept 2018), but of course first impressions are the ones that count, many people if they have a bad experience won’t go back.

But after fiddling to try and get a decent picture on the headset and then attempting to work out what was going on and what was being said, I completely missed the plot elements. Without a headset it wasn’t obvious anything was happening and I didn’t see any screens above the seats. Therefore my impression was that without the visuals on the headset, not a lot was happening.
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The screens were there from the beginning, unless they’ve turned them off? I’m lucky that I know how to work the HTC Vive quite well as I can sit down, adjust the headset and picture all very quickly, I’m not sure why they didn’t use a one size fits all elastic headset tbh.

2018 also saw the removal of the main chamber where a lot of the acting happened and replaced it with a cheaper but arguably just as fine scene.


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Tuggerz said:
The screens were there from the beginning, unless they’ve turned them off? I’m lucky that I know how to work the HTC Vive quite well as I can sit down, adjust the headset and picture all very quickly, I’m not sure why they didn’t use a one size fits all elastic headset tbh.

2018 also saw the removal of the main chamber where a lot of the acting happened and replaced it with a cheaper but arguably just as fine scene.


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Vive pro would be ideal!

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Tuggerz said:
Trust me, the computers were underpowered for VR.
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I would be interested in hearing more on this? When I rode it, the FPS in the headsets seemed to indicate that the computers being used, were in fact capable of running VR quite well. If the FPS is too low and unstable in VR, due to the nature of VR, it can and does induce quite violent sickness in people. The same sort of effect as sea sickness, this is why the VR has to be spot on in terms of powering it.

I am not doubting you, just curious to hear your side as to why it is underpowered?
 
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DistortAMG said:
I would be interested in hearing more on this? When I rode it, the FPS in the headsets seemed to indicate that the computers being used, were in fact capable of running VR quite well. If the FPS is too low and unstable in VR, due to the nature of VR, it can and does induce quite violent sickness in people. The same sort of effect as sea sickness.
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Indeed, but that's why the original graphics were so low and why so many complained it looked cartoonish, it ran the simulation well, but the computers in that environment running that content and taking a beating from the end section resulted in constantly overheating/breaking headsets that were already underpowered for the job they were meant to do. They didn't even consider water cooling from what I heard on the grapevine.

In the second year they rebuilt the PC's but still no water cooling, added more AC into the trains and changed the design of the second VR Section so it looked more realistic (it didn't) It was playing a video more than simulating anything. 2nd year was an improvement reliability wise and I believe now in its 3rd year they're at a place where they're happy with it despite it breaking every day still.
 
Tuggerz said:
Indeed, but that's why the original graphics were so low and why so many complained it looked cartoonish, it ran the simulation well, but the computers in that environment running that content and taking a beating from the end section resulted in constantly overheating/breaking headsets that were already underpowered for the job they were meant to do. They didn't even consider water cooling from what I heard on the grapevine.

In the second year they rebuilt the PC's but still no water cooling, added more AC into the trains and changed the design of the second VR Section so it looked more realistic (it didn't) It was playing a video more than simulating anything. 2nd year was an improvement reliability wise and I believe now in its 3rd year they're at a place where they're happy with it despite it breaking every day still.
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If my experience is anything to go by, watercooling would have caused more reliability problems than anything else. Hardware is efficient enough now that for most cases it can be cooled just as effectively by air as it can with water, unless you go into the extreme end of the range. Watercooling (even closed loops) need constant maintenance and TLC else it will break / leak / fail. Causing even more issues. Something I could not see Thorpe wanting to do.

I can see one of the issues being that they spent as little as possible on the systems used to run the VR, resulting in systems with sub par cooling capacity for the power that is inside, resulting in the issues they had. Typical Merlin.
 
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