X-Sector Developments (Including Oblivion)

[Withnail]

Personally I believe this is the best new ride to have ever been integrated into an existing themed area at Alton Towers. Air and Rita are the best examples of how not to do it. The Smiler is a leading example of how to do it. It looks and feels very at home in X Sector. I think Merlin Studios and the teams that have worked on this project have done brilliantly on making The Smiler blend in to the area.

THIS.

 

[AirFAN]

Personally I believe this is the best new ride to have ever been integrated into an existing themed area at Alton Towers. Air and Rita are the best examples of how not to do it. The Smiler is a leading example of how to do it. It looks and feels very at home in X Sector. I think Merlin Studios and the teams that have worked on this project have done brilliantly on making The Smiler blend in to the area.

THIS.

I completely agree! They really have gone all out with the Smiler. Yes, you can always find 'more' that can be done but they've really used the budget well and covered all areas - paying attention to the smaller details in particular.

It makes you think about what the management were smoking when they came up with Rita? It's a good ride but can you honestly say it couldn't have been made better if more thought had gone into it? I'm not talking about spending more money, I'm talking about fully using the resources available to you to create something ground breaking. An idea doesn't cost money, but poor execution and planning will in the long run.

 

[djtruefitt]

The smiler does fit well into X-Sector and the little attentions to detail around work well. for example the new signs at the entrance of x-sector, the signs on the toilet and rehydrator. they all fit in to the area, and are so much better than the boring generic ones that were there before.

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

The smiler does fit well into X-Sector and the little attentions to detail around work well. for example the new signs at the entrance of x-sector, the signs on the toilet and rehydrator. they all fit in to the area, and are so much better than the boring generic ones that were there before.

Yep, and the bright yellow cardboard box in the centre of the area fits perfectly too. After admiring the magnificence of The Smiler track, your eyes glance from this fantastic entrance feature to the beautifully colourful Rehydrator beyond. I'm pretty sure an abundance of bright yellow and orange paint is exactly what's needed to create an effective secret military theme. I mean, black are beige are so two decades ago...

 

[Rose Of Dawn]

Yep, and the bright yellow cardboard box in the centre of the area fits perfectly too. After admiring the magnificence of The Smiler track, your eyes glance from this fantastic entrance feature to the beautifully colourful Rehydrator beyond. I'm pretty sure an abundance of bright yellow and orange paint is exactly what's needed to create an effective secret military theme. I mean, black are beige are so two decades ago...

I agree. I'm sick of drab colours being used for large attractions. The bright colours The Smiler has brought to X-Sector are hugely refreshing.

I'm really impressed with not only how well The Smiler fits into X-Sector, but that it doesn't take anything away from the attractions already there.

 

[TPMC]

I've been to x-sector many times, but I have to say, I did not noticed oblivion to be honest last Friday (opening day).

 

[Rose Of Dawn]

I've been to x-sector many times, but I have to say, I did not noticed oblivion to be honest last Friday (opening day).

With a large, new attraction noticeable from a distance, situated right at the entrance, you are bound to notice it more than a ride that has been there for around 15 years. The Smiler is a more impressive sight anyway, Oblivion only come into it's own when you see both the drop and the tunnel together, which you don't get unless you are fairly close to it.

 

[Tim]

Now I haven't been to the park since The Smiler has opened but I did visit just before the planned opening date (crazy I know but The Smiler wasn't the purpose for my trip) and at the time I thought The Smiler blended very well with the rest of X-Sector. Oblivions drop was still the focal point when entering the area while for the most part The Smiler was concealed behind the trees (or will be trees as they had just been planted). Then once your inside and The Smiler comes into full view and the two rides felt like quite a nice compliment to each other.

Then there was the contrast between Black and Orange for Oblivion and Yellow for The Smiler which as I noted before fitted with X-Sector's original colour pallet. I also found the video being played on the Marmaliser screen very similar in style to the one played in Oblivions station.

But this is by no means a perfect execution:
-The Smiler's entrance is a RCT billboard with 14 cameras stuck on it, which in my opinion just make it look weird like the sign's having a bad hair day. Shame as I've liked most of Merlin's other entrance signs.
- The station is an eyesore if you chose to ignore it or not and there's no real reason why they had to make it a concrete block.
- As others have pointed out the pipes around Oblivion should be black, because orange is the complimentary colour not dominant, just like yellow compliments the mass of black track on The Smiler. If large chunks of The Smiler were painted yellow (cough the entrance) then it wouldn't work, likewise the Rehydrators pipes being entirely orange just makes it clash with the otherwise subtle theme.
- There are a few little design nitpicks that bother me such as the fences that line The Smilers area. I appreciate they have to be there but why are they on the main path with all the lovely rock work path edges and greenery behind them? Putting them back a few centimetres behind the rocks would have made them feel less cagey and much more aesthetic pleasing. Then as the greenery grew it would have grown around the fences and you'd barely even register they are there.
^ I know that last point is hard to explain, especially without pictures but it's one of those little details I'm surprised they miss.

But overall and going back to my original point The Smiler does blend with X-Sector. It's not a perfect match but many times better than Rita and UG Land and thematically makes sense unlike Nemesis and Air.

 

[James]

- There are a few little design nitpicks that bother me such as the fences that line The Smilers area. I appreciate they have to be there but why are they on the main path with all the lovely rock work path edges and greenery behind them? Putting them back a few centimetres behind the rocks would have made them feel less cagey and much more aesthetic pleasing. Then as the greenery grew it would have grown around the fences and you'd barely even register they are there.
^ I know that last point is hard to explain, especially without pictures but it's one of those little details I'm surprised they miss.

I know exactly what you mean. It's one thing that has bothered me too. All photos that show the fences in these areas have annoyed me a lot. The rocks work perfectly lining the path between the landscaping. I was surprised to see that the fences have been put in front of the rockwork. It just does not look right to me. As you say, having the fences a few centimetres back would really be more pleasing to the eye.

While it's a minor thing, it's a little detail I think could have been done differently.

 

[Ian]

The fence thing bugged me as well at first when I saw the first photos, but I've not really paid any attention to them when in the park. The massive coaster behind them is a little distracting

However, I do agree that they've cocked it up. You wouldn't put the skirting board on the internal cavity wall would you? This is just the same. The rocks are a boarder lining which comes BEFORE the fence.

 

[TheMan]

The fence thing bugged me as well at first when I saw the first photos, but I've not really paid any attention to them when in the park. The massive coaster behind them is a little distracting

However, I do agree that they've cocked it up. You wouldn't put the skirting board on the internal cavity wall would you? This is just the same. The rocks are a boarder lining which comes BEFORE the fence.

We know they read this forums, I bet someone will read that and swear a lot.

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

It does suck that spectators can only view the ride from behind a tall ugly fence that surrounds the whole site, which is further obscured by landscaping behind.

Completely goes against John Wardley's philosophy.

I think before next season they should look at adding some kind of viewing platform along the entrance path into the area.