January 12, 20169 yr comment_226010 I'm a bit disappointed by the idea that they can't be bothered to theme the ride in reality, so they'll stick a screen in front of your eyes and convince you that it's better themed. It's a dire future for theme parks if everything is plain steel and concrete with "virtual theming".
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226013 https://www.galacticatours.com/ Lots of bits on there about storyline etc.
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226014 In theory the VR will have a similar system to the vests on the swarm. I can imagine they are pulled down from above your head on strap like belts, where they then rest on your head, but if you have had enough you just push them up and they're off. Very exciting. Probably one of the most cinematic trailers I've seen from merlin, nothing tacky about it and it looked incredibly professional. I am very excited!
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226015 I'm still quite disappointed. The idea seems quite naff but at lest it's a USP. Seeing the video and concept art has made me slightly more optimistic. The graphics look great and the futuristic vibe is appealing. However, from an off ride perspective, surely it will look like the same light blue, tame, under themed flying coaster - with the addition of people wearing bulky black goggles.
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226017 Just to confirm, the straps are sort of what I thought, but if you take them off I imagine the goggles float on the strings tension around the neck area or rest on your chest. It'll be interesting to see how the goggles deal with the inversions, especially if taken off.
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226018 I think this may just be the future for VR. Oculus rift have a long way to go!
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226019 I'm glad there's going to be theming on the tunnel or "space portal". It looks like it is filled with fog which should enhance the experience for those not using VR. Also, anyone realised that Kepler 9 is earth?
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226030 I still don't know what to think about all this. All the reviews I've read about Alpen Express' VR treatment have been good (in that, it's a nice, novel, way to experience a coaster). And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit excited to try this out. But then all the standard worries crop up. How will throughput be affected? How will the VR vs non-VR work? How will the cleaning (of the goggles) work? Why on earth do we have to now have a blooming green screen photo point in the queue? What's this mean for Forbidden Valley? Is Air the right coaster to be doing this on? Is it really worth it? Will it have return appeal? As I say, I'm excited to try this out, and I'm sure that it'll be a good thing to experience at least once. But, at this stage, I have so many niggling concerns that just make me fear for this..
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226031 Looking at the website, it's themed around a tour, so maybe the green screen point will be for your family to pose for their tour photo or space ID card or something? That's all I can come up with. I'm excited about this new change, though I did like the original Air.
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226033 Looking at the website, it's themed around a tour, so maybe the green screen point will be for your family to pose for their tour photo or space ID card or something? That's all I can come up with. I'm excited about this new change, though I did like the original Air. It's more the fact that there will be a green screen photo point that annoys me. Even if the reason for the photo works perfectly within the story for the ride, I just hate the idea of having to stand in front of a blank screen, maybe with the odd prop, and having my photo taken.
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226035 It's more the fact that there will be a green screen photo point that annoys me. Even if the reason for the photo works perfectly within the story for the ride, I just hate the idea of having to stand in front of a blank screen, maybe with the odd prop, and having my photo taken.It is annoying, and my family often refuse to do them at various Merlin attractions, and it's an excuse for money.I suppose as you're using VR in most cases, ORPs won't be very good.
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226037 Very true about the ORP thing and I have no doubt that people will put their money in their pockets for them, but I just don't like them all that much. --- Also, the April opening thing is a bit of a weird one. Not having the big new thing open for the Easter weekend is a very strange decision to be honest, especially when this has been planned for so long?
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226042 Some concept art! Looks like we'll be getting a good theming element! LEGO Dimensions - The Ride anyone? Station looks meh I suppose. I'm assuming the screens will be the preshow?
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226045 Nice website... Its like stock photoland... Nice bit of Google Maps at the bottom there too... Alton Towers definitely has the upper hand with marketing. (sometimes... the videos can be poop too). I prefer this website to mindswanted... Multiple destinations could mean multiple videos? Reminds me of star tours somehow...
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226052 I feel like you're looking for things to complain about frankly. If the media decide to say it's a new rollercoaster then that isn't Alton Towers problem and frankly Galatica for all intents and purposes will be completely unique and different to Air. Before I did VR on Alpen Express I was extremely cynical but I came off of that very happy and satisfied with the experience. It breathed new life into an old ride. The public are still hooked on the Smiler crash, for the majority Galatica will be a new experience. And that is all that matters and what Galatica will be sold on. Why do you worry about what the public think. Worry about what you think more then disliking how its been reported.
January 12, 20169 yr comment_226054 I feel like you're looking for things to complain about frankly. If the media decide to say it's a new rollercoaster then that isn't Alton Towers problem and frankly Galatica for all intents and purposes will be completely unique and different to Air. Before I did VR on Alpen Express I was extremely cynical but I came off of that very happy and satisfied with the experience. It breathed new life into an old ride. The public are still hooked on the Smiler crash, for the majority Galatica will be a new experience. And that is all that matters and what Galatica will be sold on. Why do you worry about what the public think. Worry about what you think more then disliking how its been reported. It's Air but with goggles on your head, it's not new. If they were advertising it as what it is, which is an idea bolted onto an existing ride then I wouldn't have an issue, but they are blatantly trying to sell it as a new ride - the track in the advertising pictures is completely different.As for the public, they make up the majority of the park's visitor numbers so I think that their views are fairly important.
January 13, 20169 yr comment_226056 I've seen a considerable amount of comments on this on social media from the 'general public'. However it's being reported, it looks like it's done a decent job.
January 13, 20169 yr comment_226057 To be fair, the media usually take the information given out by the park's press release on the matter... Though saying because they use the wrong track as part of trying to pass it off as new is funny, given that they're CONSTANTLY getting it wrong...
January 13, 20169 yr comment_226058 It's Air but with goggles on your head, it's not new. If they were advertising it as what it is, which is an idea bolted onto an existing ride then I wouldn't have an issue, but they are blatantly trying to sell it as a new ride - the track in the advertising pictures is completely different. As for the public, they make up the majority of the park's visitor numbers so I think that their views are fairly important. I hope you never have aspirations to work in Marketing. What do you expect them to say? Come visit Alton Towers and ride Air, its not very different but you have VR googles now... They are making a multi million pound investment, with the goggles on it will be a totally different experience and they are right to sell it as a new attraction.
January 13, 20169 yr comment_226059 I hope you never have aspirations to work in Marketing. What do you expect them to say? Come visit Alton Towers and ride Air, its not very different but you have VR googles now... They are making a multi million pound investment, with the goggles on it will be a totally different experience and they are right to sell it as a new attraction. At best it's a "new experience", not a new attraction - that suggests that the ride is brand new, which it isn't.I don't want to work in marketing, but when they misadvertised Thirteen people went expecting too much and it backfired on them. I think this could be similar - if people go expecting a new coaster then it could cause a negative reaction, something which could have easily been avoided. As for using the wrong coaster track, I know they always do it but that doesn't stop it being misleading in this instance.
January 13, 20169 yr comment_226060 I can just see a Daily Mail readers reaction now, 'hey what are these googles for? Is it to stop me seeing the other car before we crash into it?'
January 13, 20169 yr comment_226061 I think they're playing the safe card with this. The general public will still be thinking about the smiler accident. If they are not constructing a new ride then there will be less for the GP to worry about due to the fact that they have already ridden air for over 10 years.
January 13, 20169 yr comment_226063 I can just see a Daily Mail readers reaction now, 'hey what are these googles for? Is it to stop me seeing the other car before we crash into it?' A Daily Mail article would probably question why it was only the women that lost limbs and how they'd be fine if they'd just stayed at home in the kitchen. Then, lets face it, the comments would say this is a good enough reason to shut our borders/leave the EU/ blame all immigrants.
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