Mark9 Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 I'm fine with this. It won by 4% which is peanuts and if anything, Nemesis gave the new boy a run for its money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jom222 Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 It didn't win by much so again shows that even after all these year Nemesis is still really popular Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 It seems you can now by a "Smiler Pizza".... http://www.thedrum.com/news/2014/03/17/alton-towers-and-goodfella-s-team-create-smiler-pizza Interesting marketing idea. Shame I don't like spicy food! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 It's also a shame it looks NOTHING like anything you would see on The Smiler! (eg. spirals) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 That's because it's a pizza... not a rollercoaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragon2000 Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 Really surprised myself when I came to make my vote and ended up typing in The Smiler over Nemesis. The ride just feels like such an awesome journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) The original Smiler artwork - http://threeverywisemonkeys.blogspot.co.uk/ Not quiet sure which I prefer - the concept art or the real thing. The concept art looks much more detailed and complete, but I do like the clean and clinical feel we've got with the main ride. Not to mention to balance between being scary and humour-filled as well; the concept art makes it seem much darker. Edited July 30, 2014 by pluk Link amended to original source Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 Concept ftw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 As much as they've drawn a certain atmosphere into the alternative, I'm sure in reality it would have just looked a bit of a mess. What we have now is better, just a shame it has been done so cheaply and remains looking incomplete and a bit of a mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 This really is intriguing... ...I DEFINITELY would've settled for Portal - The Ride instead of Smiler!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC! Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 I much prefer the marmaliser elements in the concept images, they just look more intimidating which I would prefer, I wish they did the near miss elements for the batwing like in the original planning applications! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Users Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 The concept art is beautifully depressing but its realisation would have probably been much weaker and too close to Saw. It is very dark as well. The station reminds me of a gas chamber... SteveJ and Kerfuffle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 The concept art would've resulted in another dull destroyed dystopian ride theme from a Merlin attraction... Whilst Smiler's existing theme is flawed in many ways, I prefer the originality... OldFarmerDean and SteveJ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPGG Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Why don't we like Smiler's existing theme? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Why don't we like Smiler's existing theme? Isn't it obvious? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Why don't we like Smiler's existing theme? It's more the lack of really pushing the theme forward, so we've ended up with a bland concrete exterior and poorly executed explanation to what's going on... The theme itself, is a fantastic original idea, but it's just put forward in a haphazard way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 The missing element in The Smiler's theme is the lack of a pre-show. The indoor queue area would've been a perfect opportunity to have a Ministry of Joy "Welcome" video on a loop, giving insight into the backstory of the ride. Instead we are presented with the "Optical Procedure" room which isn't particularly impressive or very enjoyable to be stuck in, being too dark and loud. It could've quite easily had a doctor's waiting room theme, which firstly would've been a bit of a surreal transition from the outside queue, and it would've also led very well into the surgical station area. pluk and th13teen 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Preshow videos on a loop are the worst kinds of preshows and usually add nothing to the ride. It was great when I went in the "Optical Procedure" room I didn't have some naff ministry backstory rubbish forced on me. Almost every ride project built in the last 10 years has had a poorly produced preshow video, in an attempt to make a ride "themed". Instead with The Smiler we have flashy lights! Hooray! The current preshow room is far from amazing, but it's something different and adds to the sense of disorientation before you start the ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Users Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 I will forever be baffled why they didn't film the guy from the shop video for a pre-show in the indoor queue at the same time. Have the merge point before the video and make it short enough so that it doesn't affect throughput. Sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
th13teen Posted July 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 I wish the inside had been themed a little better, but it is a unique world inside, and perhaps anything more would have ruined the ride...after all it is meant to confuse the hell out of you...so why not start with the backstory or lack of! haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraX Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 The whole indoor section is a huge missed opportunity, which is (un)complete with the wasted drop out of the station. Has it ever actually been pointed out that Merlin obviously had their eyes on this for 'inspiration' http://ziogiorgio.com/2013/07/28/avolites-media-ai-infinity-8-servers-spin-visual-magic-at-glastonbury/ th13teen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 I've always said that they should put some posters up in the station similar to the ones in The Sanctuary, but obviously bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Yes they should. Maybe one day they will.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjh123horry Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Yes they should. Maybe one day they will....I think how ever much we hope they will improve that inside section and make the ride actually have some sense/finish the story they had begun, we have to remember with The Sanctury in the main story, the MOJ shut it down because the treatments they prescribbed were just to sadistic and they thought Kelman didnt know what he was doing, Kelman just kept it open without their knowledge and carried on his twisted experiments.Majority of the poster in The Santury are all based on seeing a doctor, there are a few on getting marmalised they could use. Hopefully at some point theyll bring everyting together so then the story carries through with all that social media they did, the sanctury, the ride, and possibly any other rides they link to it in the future, other wise its just a waste of time them even trying to create the story in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Well those ARE some great ideas, but the video below pretty much explains why we have what we have today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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