Park People
www.parkworld-online.com
modelling, photo realistic pre-visualizations, and VR fly- throughs that translate to detailed drawings. “These new technologies save a lot of time for our clients at the beginning of a project, so they can more clearly see changes early on when it's easier to adjust.” A recent example of this is the Monkey King attraction
designed by ITEC, which is currently under construction in China. It is a technologically advanced projected media- based ride similar to the Harry Potter ride in Orlando, for which ITEC developed the audio/visual components and technology back-end. The VR isn't in the ride itself - ITEC are using it for pre-visualization, to show the developers during the concept and planning stages exactly how the ride will look upon completion. In general, Coan believes, VR requires a lot more headset maturation before integrating itself further into theme park design. “Some attractions, like a roller coaster in Sea World, currently use VR to provide immersive imagery as you progress through the movements of the ride. However, we feel there is more growth potential for Augmented Reality (AR) in the industry. VR is an excellent personal technology, but theme parks can leverage their large, controlled spaces to deliver more impressive and advanced AR experiences than anyone else.” Coan confirms that VR and AR, along with branded IP
content, admissions, and premium service strategies, are the major trends driving location-based entertainment at the moment. “Parks want to develop experiences that keep patrons immersed in the park, rather than on their phones.
Some developers are also considering how to take people's personal experiences from home and bring them to parks. This concept is being discussed in the context of gaming because of the deep investment consumers have with their avatars, although it is still in very early stages. On the business side, VR is being used in the development of more online content to increase exposure and attract new guests.”
How to engage an audience Theme park designs always vary from country to country. ITEC identifies the requirements of each project by looking at a range of factors, such as visitor profiles, ride types and content, revenue options, operation techniques, and the sophistication of technical solutions. “One of the most common challenges as park designers is
determining whether our client wants a regional and culture- specific design, or the ‘best of the West’, which is inspired by the major attractions in the United States,” reveals Coan. “As we continue to work on more projects around the globe, and some in developing countries, we must be cognizant of our limitations in design. For example, the predominant source of transportation includes bikes instead of automobiles in some cases. This means we cannot develop attractions or rides that assume a core competency for driving. Before beginning any project, we must place ourselves in the daily lives of a locations' citizens, understand their culture and determine which rides and attractions will fit their day-to-day experiences.”
As president and design principal at ITEC Entertainment, Bill’s primary responsibilities the creative development of concepts and designs of all ITEC themed entertainment projects and the management of ITEC’s relationships with its clients and partners throughout the world. His vision and industry knowledge have helped cultivate ITEC Entertainment’s heritage as a global leader in themed entertainment.
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