Dark Rides
www.parkworld-online.com
Interactive game play
STORM CHASER &
Effects react when hit by a sound, light or video animation. During the ride, additional animations and effects are projected onto the screen or wall so players keep their fingers on the trigger at all times. Special effects include smoke coming from the trolls and a blast hot air from a dragon. Players are awarded between 100 and 4,500 point for each target hit and bonus targets are hidden in every scene, although they are not easy to find. This is deliberate and designed to encourage repeat rides. An average score is around 6,000 points, a good one is about double that, and the maximum score possible is close to 30,000.
Flexible Content
Houben believes media-based content will provide a more flexible and affordable option for many operators in future: “The traditional dark ride could become history unless parks have huge budgets available for theming and animatronics,” he warns. For the time being, Kingdom Quest caters to those who maybe
aren’t so familiar with computer games by the inclusion of three scenes with Lego props and scenic elements courtesy of P&P Projects, which also worked on the original Legoland Discovery Centre in Berlin. Included in the Manchester ride are such features as opening and closing treasure chests, moving Lego rats and 2.5-metre-tall trolls.
Kingdom Quest is the first interactive dark ride to be realised by 3DBA and partners, although others will open soon in Moscow and Dubai. The company is also working on a 3D version, which should offer another unique experience guests cannot get at home. Justin East, meanwhile, hints that Merlin will be adding similar rides at future Legoland Discovery Centres: “The ride in Manchester provided the best value for interactivity in an indoor urban family entertainment centre,” he concludes. “Looking at guest satisfaction, I think we will hone it and evolve it for the next one.”
www.legolanddiscoverycentre.co.uk
INSPIRATION OF FLIGHT Earlier this year, not one but two new dark rides opened in Shanghai, courtesy of 3DBA and partners including Falcon’s Treehouse (design and media content) and Kraftwerk (AV/show control). Both rides blend the latest in 3D stereoscopic media, scenic components and special effects with strong storylines, however their themes could not be more different. The first to open was Storm Chaser at Happy Valley Shanghai, where riders are immersed into an abandoned Caribbean island, where a once-in- a-lifetime super storm is brewing. A custom designed ride vehicle by Preston & Barbieri turns from side to side during the ride, focusing riders' attention and enabling a number of visual tricks. Joining an elite squad of storm chasers,
Storm Chaser
passengers are dispatched to the island where they are thrust into the most brutal weather known to man. The climax finds the guests trapped inside a crumbling fortress when they are hit head on by a massive tornado. Located inside the China Aviation Pavilion at Expo 2010, Inspiration of Flight opened on May 1 and follows the story of a grandmother who passes her love of flight onto her grandchildren, and watches proudly as they grow up to be leaders of the aviation industry. The ride uses a trackless transport system by ETF. During the ride the vehicles stop, back up, and come together, with as many as three vehicles travelling through a room at one time. The unique combination of media, scenic elements and ride program results in an emotional experience that offers an optimistic glimpse of the future. “We wanted to elevate the traditional Expo experience by taking advantage of the immersive capabilities offered by theme park attractions,” says David Edmonds at Falcon's Treehouse. “Shanghai's entertainment industry is rapidly evolving and we're proud to be part of it.”
http://bit.ly/a2iFNl http://bit.ly/a307hN
Inspiration of Flight
More interactive game play AUGUST 2010 31
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