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Derren Brown's Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon


Marc

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Got an update on what's changed for version 2.5 and why they've done it, don't read if you want to keep it a secret!

 

Spoiler

I can confirm that the middle section has been turned into a strobe maze. We have been informed that this is because the technical issues with the moving train were causing e-stops and breakdowns which affects the entire ride. Therefore they took the decision to remove it to improve overall reliability. The train is still in the end and the maze now goes up though the tunnel and back to a new projection screen of the demons.

The new vr scene (at least I dont remember seeing it) includes further interactive immersion still combining live and computer generated footage. One of the live passengers wants to get off and stands up who's then dragged away by the demon from behind. A moment later she jump scares you after being beaten up by the demon.

 

 

 

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Derren Brown Ghost Train must go down as one of the most expensive flops in UK theme history.
Spoiler So the main hanging train scene that was advertised everywhere is no longer visible ? 
 



It’s the part where you get out in the middle and a train comes towards you that has gone.


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The new section has potential to be better than what it was replacing, a few tweaks and it could be really good. 

 

I had a good ride on Ghost Train yesterday, VR was working well, shop section was all working (apart from the awkward moment the demon was still stood there after the lights came back on). 

 

Lets just hope they can keep Ghost Train running at this standard!

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The new section has potential to be better than what it was replacing, a few tweaks and it could be really good. 
 
I had a good ride on Ghost Train yesterday, VR was working well, shop section was all working (apart from the awkward moment the demon was still stood there after the lights came back on). 
 
Lets just hope they can keep Ghost Train running at this standard!


Did the Demon hang around and take selfies?


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My “ride” today on DBGT was absolutely awful. Lots of standing around, some of the headsets were broken meaning two of my friends couldn’t use them (why they couldn’t have just taken them from the riders per train count is beyond me) as well as mine breaking mid way through the first section. The fact that headsets seem to break so easily just gives me no faith in VR for theme parks.

 

Also, the new section completely destroyed the flow of the experience, it just left everyone else confused and was a bad move.

 

Frankly I thought this was a complete embarrassment for the park, this is their 3rd season with it and they still haven’t sorted it out. Granted it’s a very complex ride system, but it’s a theme park attraction so they should know how to handle it. People are queuing hours for it so it just doesn’t really seem justified to make them wait ages for a pile of s***.

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I get the impression the ghost train will be an ongoing adjustment from the park.

 

Scene Two in particular has seen some substantial changes, making it more of a walkthrough/maze than what was previously a show scene. At first I can say, the decision to change this was definitely a mixed bag. However hearing upon the move being as a result of excessive breakdowns, it is perhaps more of a positive in that regard. 

 

Derren has been a problematic attraction for shut downs (usually on a daily basis). Fingers cross this debatable move will noticeably improve it’s reliability. 

 

Can also add on my last ride, the VR worked well as did the shop. Apart from the Demon getting stuck outside after the ending, which was just bizarre.

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So, here’s my experience of DBGT yesterday:

 

First VR section: Well my headset was beyond broken; aside from the video being really faint/dark (could just about make out the train windows and seats, then it got worse and I pretty much saw nothing)...when I looked down, I saw a “Now Playing” bar with the play button, etc :lol: 

 

Live action section: Either there weren’t any actors during our go, or there were, but they weren’t obvious/clearly visible (it wasn’t just me, others noticed this too). So that interrupted the flow of the experience for me, as I left the scene wondering what was going on and where the actors were. However, I do understand why they’ve had to change it/can’t fix the train, so hopefully this will reduce the number of shutdowns. 

 

Second VR section: This is easily the best part of the attraction! It’s had more stuff added which works really well, and I did actually jump a little at one of the new parts! :P And my headset worked perfectly!

 

The only other issue I had was that none of the actors touched me during the VR scenes. Not only did this take something away from the experience, but after the issues during the first VR and then the confusion/anti-climax of the new live action scene, it just added to the inconsistency and confusion.

 

The animatronic getting stuck in the shop was just brilliant :lol: Also I’ve never had the floor move before (guess it depends where you stand?) so that was a nice surprise. 

 

Overall, I am glad they vastly improved the ride last year and added more stuff to the second VR this year. But I’m getting fed up of VR headset roulette and just the general inconsistency this attraction has. 

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Agree with Mer's post above. My headset on parts 1 and 2 was working fine - however - the problem I always have is having to hold the flippin' thing on your head otherwise it slips down! Maybe you can adjust the straps but time always seems to be of the essence and I'm just happy to have a headset that actually works. Does kill the vibe a bit with attendants saying "Headsets in bags don't work" :D

 

I did get touched during the VR... would say that the second bit of VR is vastly improved with extra bits now, and both sets of VR do work well (even with having to hold the headset on your head). Think I preferred the original "middle section" to be honest (currently) as the "maze" was just a bit odd - maybe they'll tweak the new middle section but it just felt a bit naff, and the projection was particularly poor. The fake shop ending works well - but agree, was quite funny seeing the Demon just left stuck there at the end :D

 

Was trying to work out what was in the closed off part of the queue - it was the part where your head is photo'd and you lean on a rest, assume this was for the 3D jars that never really worked - or actually never worked at all?! So in the queue, that bit is shut off (1st photo point still operational) and the luggage hold is now shut off too.

 

The less said of the state of the posters in the queue line, the better - there's literally nothing of them left now :(

 

So yes - DBGTROTD2 is good - it's definitely better than 2016 and 2017, so the ride should be finished sometime in 2020.

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On 26/03/2018 at 12:31 AM, Mer said:

 

 

The animatronic getting stuck in the shop was just brilliant :lol: Also I’ve never had the floor move before (guess it depends where you stand?) so that was a nice surprise. 

Animatronic?? Ok....!

 

P.J: the train in the second scene had a mind of its own. It’s not coming back...

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7 hours ago, PJ. said:

If they ever work out why the second scene was breaking down so much could they go back to it or as that it now?


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I believe the train front you see in the mid section is still the same one that races towards you, it's just static now. I guess whatever mechanism they designed for it just couldn't handle the load. Assuming that the scene runs every 5 minutes (3 trains, each cycle runs for 15 minutes), the mechanism would have to operate 84 times in a 7 hour day. I do hope to see it back, maybe once they;ve resolved the other issues they might revisit it.

 

Rather than double post I'll post my current thoughts on DBGT V2.5

 

Spoiler

I was pretty impressed by the ghost train when I rode it on Monday. The preshow was rushed which was a shame, and the photo point was not in operation.

 

VR was working perfectly on both segments, audio was nice and loud too. My train had maybe 2 or 3 VR headsets in bags. Not too sure of the middle scene, I feel it's missing *something*. I was expecting maybe the demon to appear somewhere, instead we were just herded back to the train. Just add a focal point like the demon appearing and trying to chase you and it would be perfect. The fake gift shop totally got me! I totally forgot about it until I got into the room. All effects working, demon didn't hang around either. 

 

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The train you see as you walk down the tunnel isn’t the one which used to swing out - the one which swung out was literally made from metal bars / lights, through the smoke looking just like a train - the one you see down the tunnel now may have been the one which used to sit opisite the tunnel? 

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3 hours ago, WWTPRadio said:

Animatronic?? Ok....!

 

 

 

What? Confused...

 

 

Also @MattyMoo - yep, I have that same issue with not having time to adjust the headsets! However, I did notice that the staff on Saturday were helping adjust headsets once they were on, which was good :P 

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3 hours ago, MattyMoo said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

The animatronic demon at the end is actually someone in an outfit :diablo:

 

I always thought that lmao, but it obviously isn't if it's been getting stuck after the lights come back on. I also only went on it once, I assume it does the same movement each ride so its obviously an animatronic? That's what I've heard anyway :lol:

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47 minutes ago, Graw said:

I always thought that lmao, but it obviously isn't if it's been getting stuck after the lights come back on. I also only went on it once, I assume it does the same movement each ride so its obviously an animatronic? That's what I've heard anyway :lol:

 

This was my thinking too (and yes it does appear to always do the same movement)! Plus I just didn’t think that Thorpe would actually pay someone to do that when they could just use an animatronic :ph34r: Kudos to them if they actually do :P 

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7 minutes ago, Cian said:

It's part animatronic part costume. The "getting stuck" issue probably refers to a technical error with the rotating wall which reveals the demon. 

ohh that's wild, do you know what part of the demon the actor is in? I just can't see how it's an actor or why it's an actor if the demon always does the same movement like it does in videos etc, seems pointless to me. surely if it was an actor it could do more varied movements etc to scare more people? the movements are really lifelike though tbf

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