cptnmingo Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 So my better half and I went on this early last week, 3 times. Once early on in the day we did it with the VR and it was okay, interesting novel concept... We then ran back to it at the end of the day and we managed to do it twice in a row. We did BOTH without the VR and I have to say in my personal opinion it was MUCH better. The light up Stargate thingy they've added is really fun to ride through and honestly the VR just looks too old school video game for me to really enjoy. I made a vlog about this which I'm currently editing, I'll stick it on YouTube soon so you can see a few of the improvements if you haven't already been. I noticed toward the end of the day a lot of the riders were doing it without VR and the staff seemed quite shocked by this? I hate to say it but, maybe they should have saved the money... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 I personally watch the station VR then take my headset off at the top of the lift hill and pop it in the pouch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 New for 2017 At Alton Towers: Air V2, The worlds first coaster to dedicate itself to VR, then hastily abandon it a year later. L7123456, Whatever and yeah 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whatever Posted August 7, 2016 Report Share Posted August 7, 2016 I do think Galactica was a nice idea, and the space galaxy aesthetic is nice, but it just doesn't seem to work. Like Imindetomator said, I won't be surprised if they abandon it. I'll be going to Towers next Tuesday, so I'll see if my opinion has changed by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted August 8, 2016 Report Share Posted August 8, 2016 I didn't do it with VR on either of my rides - my dad did on the second go and I asked him a few questions, including the thing about the vr going out of view, he said he didnt notice it and he always had a full view of either what's meant to be happening or just space with loads of stars. So either its been fixed or he just didn't notice it. On Saturday, August 06, 2016 at 10:45 PM, cptnmingo said: I noticed toward the end of the day a lot of the riders were doing it without VR and the staff seemed quite shocked by this? That's most likely because by the end of the day 3/4 of the train doesn't actually have a working headset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted August 9, 2016 Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 If you know where to look it's quite easy to see the edges, one section is the inline twist over the ice as it's falling away, and another is on the approach to the breakrun, also if you look backwards at the sphere in the station, it stops to quickly which spoils the effect. The ice section is the worst, once you've seen it, it'll stick out like a sore thumb thereafter. Oh and Sam, if you can do Air, do Swarm, it's very similar in feel (apart from you are sitting, not hanging). yeah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 9, 2016 Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 The longer that Galactica operates the more the VR aspect hangs by a thread - I don't see it making it past 2020 at most being honest, and thats being generous! Also surely the idea the phone gets hot came into the mix when in the development stage? So why on earth put it in a black pouch that will conduct the heat? That's something a 10 year old would consider... JoshuaA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted August 9, 2016 Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 I doubt it was even a consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted August 9, 2016 Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 I don't think anything other than "it's a cheap(ish) way to market an existing ride" was considered with Galactica in all honesty, the throughput has been crippled (going by my visit, both through slower dispatch times and seats out of operation), the headsets are having their fair share of issues, and I really can't see it lasting more than a few years given the reports of a lot of people already choosing not to use the headsets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whatever Posted August 10, 2016 Report Share Posted August 10, 2016 So I went to Towers today ((initially thought I was going yesterday) and despite mixed reviews of Galactica and thus dampening my hopes for it, I really enjoyed it. I really thought it was awesome. Maybe I'm just easy to please but I've never experienced anything quite like it before. My headset didn't fit that well because it's heavy and my nose is weird but it was truly a fun attraction that for me I'd like to do again. I used a RAP for queueing and even then that is long so I can see how the queue has been damaged by it. And even though I love it, it won't last long, most likely. cptnmingo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 Just to butt in and say - S6s aren't waterproof, but S7s are... so probably a better decision using those Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 On Tuesday, August 09, 2016 at 11:40 AM, Ian-S said: Oh and Sam, if you can do Air, do Swarm, it's very similar in feel (apart from you are sitting, not hanging). The thing I'm scared of on Swarm is the height and slow inversion at the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThemeParkCrafter Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 The drop is fantastic on swarm. If I was you go to 5th row right inner seat for a less forceful ride. Back to Galatica, I just find the layout rough at times and short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 The length is my only complaint about Galactica. Other than that its perfect and is the only thing on this planet better than Vampire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 20 hours ago, ChessingtonSam said: The length is my only complaint about Galactica. Other than that its perfect and is the only thing on this planet better than Vampire Millennium Force, Expedition GeForce and Fury 325 say hi! CharlieN, Cian and Project LC 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieN Posted August 13, 2016 Report Share Posted August 13, 2016 As do 300 or so other coasters which are better than Vampire! Chaz 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted August 13, 2016 Report Share Posted August 13, 2016 (edited) 19 hours ago, imindetonator said: Millennium Force, Expedition GeForce and Fury 325 say hi! 2 hours ago, CharlieN said: As do 300 or so other coasters which are better than Vampire! None of which I have ridden... Also there are 3 coasters better than Vampire because I forgot about Thirteen, and also Dragon's Fury overtook Vampire yesterday so... I still love Vampy uncontrollably, I just love the others more Edited August 13, 2016 by ChessingtonSam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt A Posted August 29, 2016 Report Share Posted August 29, 2016 Went on Galactica for the first time the other day and I absolutely loved it! Had quite low expectations after reading this forum but I was blown away by how good this ride was and how well the VR is implemented. Gotta say I didn't try it without the headset on! Noticed on the way out of the ride there's posters for other planets to visit 'coming soon', made me wonder if maybe they'll update the VR with something different next year say... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlivusPrime Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 It was pretty funny to hear how many staff members preferred Air when I went to Towers with my family a few weeks back. Whether it was a case of "the customer is always right" or not, we must have had about four different staff members say that the VR isn't anything special over the course of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Doyle Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 If I'm honest, I much prefer riding without the VR. I have nothing against VR at all and utterly love Derren Browns Ghost Train (when everything's working that is!!) but I just feel that the VR on this made it feel more like a glorified motion simulator rather than a pretty good flying coaster. It also felt like the VR was out of sync with the actual movements of the ride when I went on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 I personally haven't experienced Galactica with VR, but judging by other people's complaints I think it needs a full revamp for 2017, and by that I mean just make it an actual 360 video instead of what you get if you use cardboard on a non-360 YouTube video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 42 minutes ago, ChessingtonSam said: I personally haven't experienced Galactica with VR, but judging by other people's complaints I think it needs a full revamp for 2017, and by that I mean just make it an actual 360 video instead of what you get if you use cardboard on a non-360 YouTube video. Yes, lets see Towers waste even more money on an expensive and temperamental selection of phone monitors. Personally I'd much rather they ditched the VR altogether and bring back Air. The station, portal and soundtrack can stay though as they're acceptable. Coaster and cptnmingo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 What's the point in 360 degree VR when you can't move your head that much? JoshC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 20 minutes ago, Benin said: What's the point in 360 degree VR when you can't move your head that much? This chap wants the full experience though: I can see The Mirror headlines now... 'Backwards Facing Alton Towers! Theme park fails to provide suitable experiences for extremely flexible people; discrimination!!!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 50 minutes ago, Benin said: What's the point in 360 degree VR when you can't move your head that much? Because the ride turns over alot does it not? What is the point in VR if you just see a black box as soon as you turn over? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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