How would you improve Dark Forest?

[Tom]

Let it be obvious from the start that this topic is in no way serious; the aim of the topic is simply to come up with fairly ridiculous ways to 'improve' the Dark Forest themed area of the Alton Towers Resort.

This topic is 'photoshop' friendly so enjoy the example post:

'I would improve the Dark Forest with... Dragons.'

This is supposed to be a bit of fun. Any useful points that contribute to actual discussion should be directed here in the Th13teen topic.

[Deleted Users]

Ugh dragons... how blasé. The Dark Forest needs some controlling mastermind.

[Coaster]

NO SCAFFOLDING!

(Not the theming one, the one around Rita)

[pluk]

I can't do photoshop, but you get the idea.

[Ricky]

I was going to post the same thing Pluk!! But I do think they could do with bombing it and starting again

[Fred]

I believe the Dark Forest needs less trees.

There's being forest in a theme park.. and then there's just ridiculous.

Ban the trees.

[Deleted Users]

I can't do photoshop, but you get the idea.

Implying we can :rofl:

5 replies?

[Pickles]

Just have me standing there, instant improvement.

[Sidders]

*Resurrects*

What's wrong with this picture?

And this one:

Yes. Rita. Blasé, overdone argument I know, but I'm not talking about the piss-poor ride experience. I'm referring to the fact that from the minute you stand at the entrance to Dark Forest, you've got a red and black Intamin launched coaster ruining everything remotely dark about the place. Rita should not be Dark Forest's major attraction, Th13teen should be. Also, notice how it divides Dark Forest into two halves: one half looking like a construction site fell onto the money-making game stalls at a travelling fair, and the second half looking like a construction site in a wood clearing. You have to go past Rita's queue and launched track before you get to Th13teen.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like that Th13teen is hidden. Most of the ride is hidden from view and that's what should be the case with all ride in Dark Forest. So here's what I'd do with Rita if I had full creative control.

I'd build a launched Mack coaster. Since Thorpe isn't likely to get one, I'd give it to Alton. It'd be themed very similarly to Liseberg's Helix. The theme would revolve around the idea that there is more than just the crypt-keepers and wraiths protecting the forest. During the excavation that led to Th13teen's discovery, construction workers woke the tree spirits, but they remained dormant until now. That's as far as the typical excavation story goes. There's no new excavation discovering this ride, it's the spirits that were dormant until now since the original excavation.

The ride will, like Th13teen, hide most of it's goings-on in the trees. And, like Rita, it will be launched. But it will also have a lift hill.

This map show a vague idea of the new Dark Forest. Th13teen will be left untouched in this post. May return to that later. On this image, the green circles are trees, concealing the area, reducing sunlight, and hiding the rides. Also, you'll notice that I've removed all games stalls and eateries. The grey area is the queue line. Deliberately non-cattle pen, weaving in and around some of the ride's elements and the trees, and at some points coming into very close proximity with the track. The slightly lighter grey area underneath the "5.5" is where to queue will close if the extension is not needed. The triangles at the side of the grey lines represent stepped bridges. The black line is the lift hill, the blue line is the rolling launch section, and the red line is the brake run. The red shape to the top of the image is the station, without façade(s) or maintenance shed.

Quick Facts

Theme: Enchanted forest

Colour Scheme: Dark green track, brown supports.

Max Height: 69ft

Speed: 49.5mph (calculated drop speed), 65mph (launch speed)

Inversions: 4

G-Force: Unknown

Key

1) Station onload/offload.

2) Pre-lift section. Includes a few turns and a dip under a queueline bridge.

3) Lift hill begins.

4) Lift hill ends at a height of 68.9ft (same as Rita's highest point, where the lift hill will be).

5) Helix that rolls over into an elongated corkscrew.

5.5) A small bunny hop into a curving dive.

6) Highly-banked turn into Stengel dive.

7) Elongated corkscrew.

8) Rolling, inclined launch section (air-time hill).

9) Inclined Norwegian loop.

10) Inline twist (think Blue Fire's last inversion).

11) (hidden a bit) Downwards, inclined helix.

12) Brake run.

That would be a start for me. Will need time to theme properly.

[EC!]

Less scaffolding?? For a start then maybe get rid of Rita.

[Fred]

*Resurrects*

What's wrong with this picture?

The shade has made the picture very gloomy, uninviting and bland. That's what's wrong with that picture.

[Jammy3112]

Plus, there are more people walking out of that section than there are walking in!

[Matt 236]

Replace Rita with a wooden coaster then we'll have a better coaster and one more coherent to the area as well.

[JoshC.]

WARNING - BADLY EDITED PHOTOS AHEAD

Dark Forest needs a complete change. In fact, it needs flipping on its head, so I bring you...

LIGHT FIELDS

All trees around the area would be cut down and replaced with grass. Grass is good. Oh, and plants. Lots and lots and lots of plants. The slogan of the area would be 'Because you come to a theme park to look at plants'.

Th13teen would of course need a retheme. The area will be happy and lucky, so the ride will be renamed Ei8ht, a number which I've read somewhere is lucky. The crypt would be rethemed to a huge solar panel which will generate back-up energy for the park in case of a power cut. The inside section would have loads of bright green lights which blind you, so you can't see the drop coming. The track would be painted a lovely pea green.

Ei8ht's station

Rita would also be kept. Unfortunately, removing the Dark Forest left an unbreakable curse in that the ride itself can never ever leave. It would be called 'Lucky', and themed around a dog running around a field. Every 5 seconds the ride is in circuit, it triggers an incredibly loud sound of a 6 year old girl screaming 'LUCKYYYY' at the top of her voice. The ride would be pained a nice chocolate brown, and have trains that look like dogs.

A possible design for Lucky's trains.

[pluk]

Surely Fenton: The Ride.

"Oh, Jesus, Christ...." then the train launches to a deafening "Feeennttttooon"

[Deleted Users]

JoshC gets it.

[Fred]

JoshC does. But, by christ, those photoshop skills are impressive.

[JoshC.]

JoshC does. But, by christ, those photoshop skills are impressive.

Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, Alton Towers are no longer able to afford Photoshop when designing their concept art, and so could only resort to free software and Paint.

[Marc]

If they did up Rita abit (Paint the ride so it fits in, get rid of the scaffolding., sorted the queue so nets are not tied on a string to supports it could actually look half presentable without a tonne of money being spent on it!

Oh and sort out that fastrack unit so the queue of people dont block off the path to Thirteen too!

[Tom]

This is supposed to be a bit of fun. Any useful points that contribute to actual discussion should be directed here in the Th13teen topic.

Marc soooo doesn't get it.

[Mark9]

Add Baco trains to Rita.

[Tom]

[Marc]

Add Baco trains to Rita.

I think that would make me like it more..

[Fred]

Needs storm surge, I suggest where the entrance is, down alongside the main queue of Rita.

Just so people know it's there and want to join the queue to ride it.

[Tom]

Surely Fenton: The Ride.

"Oh, Jesus, Christ...." then the train launches to a deafening "Feeennttttooon"

Reading through old topics and this just had to be done