TB305 Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 From LA Times: The next generation of thrill rides will blend the physical world of steel roller coasters with the digital universe of virtual reality to take riders on a real-life journey through a fictional fantasy realm. In hopes of turning the virtual into reality, Cedar Fair is testing a VR headset on the Thunder Run coaster before and after park hours at Canada’s Wonderland outside Toronto. Depending on the results of the tests, the virtual reality headsets could be deployed on nearly any coaster at the amusement park chain’s 11 locations, including Knott’s Berry Farm, Cedar Point and Kings Island in Ohio and Kings Dominion in Virginia, Cedar Fair officials said. Cedar Fair is partnering on the tests with Mack Rides, which has been working with virtual reality design and engineering firm VR Coasters. Canada’s Wonderland employees wearing VR headsets that completely cover their eyes have been testing the devices and assessing the experience on the Thunder Run coaster for more than a week. The 360-degree 3-D VR experience synchronizes to the motion of the coaster to fully immerse riders in a virtual world of nonstop action. The trick is syncing the steep drops, airtime hills and G-forces of the ride with the visuals on the screen. So far, the tests have found that coaster riders don’t experience motion sickness while wearing the VR headsets.Cedar Fair officials went to great lengths to stress that the testing does not mean the VR coaster experience is opening soon at Canada’s Wonderland — or any other park in the chain. In 2014, Mack Rides conducted more than 100 tests with VR headsets on the Blue Fire and Pegasus coasters at Germany’s Europa-Park, which serves as a proving ground for the ridemaker. Mack envisions pairing the VR technology with its own coasters or those of any manufacturer. During the Europa-Park VR tests, riders accompanied by animated characters traveled on a virtual mine train through a cave with falling rocks, bubbling lava pools and swaying bridges. Other story lines feature a flying stagecoach guided by winged horses and a journey on the back of a flying dragon, with plans for future video game-like applications. Full Article: CLICKY What do you guys think about this? Personally I really don't care for it, but it is certainly interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkid124 Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 If it's mandatory I won't ride the ride. That simple. That is unless I have a better experience with VR, because I get motion sickness. I think rides are fine as they are right now. No need to make them virtual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBrylczyk Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 ^ What he said. It could be cool but I find it rather pointless. Also, there should be a separate loading platform for crap like this, especially in North America where we're all so stupid that we can't even sit down and dispatch a train at a decent interval. If they threw these headsets on dispatch times would increase tenfold, not to mention the various morons taking their headsets off during the ride, hitting other riders, strangling themselves with the cables, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterbill Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 I absolutely hate this idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFOG1991 Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 I have yet to visit Canada's Wonderland, but why would they do this on a coaster that runs in and out of a giant mountain? It's not like the ride is over a parking lot and beside the park's waste management facilities. I imagine this will be a capacity nightmare as well. At least we can laugh at the funny looking riders... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaceBoarder Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 If they threw these headsets on dispatch times would increase tenfold, not to mention the various morons taking their headsets off during the ride, hitting other riders, strangling themselves with the cables, etc. I'll be 100% honest in admitting that I'd probably enjoy watching someone strangle themselves with their headset But for everthing else mentioned, I agree that it would kill the ride experience... Not worth the trouble... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper39 Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 If it's mandatory I won't ride the ride. That simple. That is unless I have a better experience with VR, because I get motion sickness. I think rides are fine as they are right now. No need to make them virtual. How will you know if it has a better experience with the VR if you won't ride it? I mean, I know this is the internet and a roller coaster enthusiast site at that but why all the hate towards a concept that NOBODY has even tried yet? I mean we're talkign about the park testing a concept on a Mack powered Mine Train that I had completly forgotten even existed, if it breathes some new life into that dated attraction GREAT! If it's a terrible, nauseating, capacity nightmare that looks like garbage then so be it but I'm all for giving the concept a chance before completly casting it off into the fiery pits of hell. It might be really cool, it might be hot garbage, but let's atleast give the thing a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkid124 Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 How will you know if it has a better experience with the VR if you won't ride it? I mean, I know this is the internet and a roller coaster enthusiast site at that but why all the hate towards a concept that NOBODY has even tried yet? I mean we're talkign about the park testing a concept on a Mack powered Mine Train that I had completly forgotten even existed, if it breathes some new life into that dated attraction GREAT! If it's a terrible, nauseating, capacity nightmare that looks like garbage then so be it but I'm all for giving the concept a chance before completly casting it off into the fiery pits of hell. It might be really cool, it might be hot garbage, but let's atleast give the thing a chance. My biggest issue is the motion sickness. I can do boats, coasters, planes, all that no problem. VR headsets are the only things that I have had issues with, and I have tried Oculus and even the Valravn VR app. If they decide to put it on old coasters like Thunder Run and Iron Dragon, go for it. I don't ride those anyways. I just don't want to see something like a B&M hyper go up, and you're forced to wear headsets. That would just ruin the experience for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philrad71 Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 (edited) ^ What he said. It could be cool but I find it rather pointless. Also, there should be a separate loading platform for crap like this, especially in North America where we're all so stupid that we can't even sit down and dispatch a train at a decent interval. If they threw these headsets on dispatch times would increase tenfold, not to mention the various morons taking their headsets off during the ride, hitting other riders, strangling themselves with the cables, etc. ^ I agree 100% with this post. It might work in a park like Europa (or perhaps even Canada), but not in the US where most people are tools that can't even follow simple ride guidelines. Edited September 24, 2015 by Philrad71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper39 Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 ^^And I totally get that it's just funny how Europa announced the exact same thing last week for a similar coaster and everyone in that thread was receptive to the concept and willingy to give it a shot but when the annoncement is about a Cedar Fair park all the sudden it's going to be a pointless, nauseating, capacity nightmare (and yes I understand Europa and Canada's Wonderland aren't exactly on the same level but you get the point). No one is forcing anyone to ride a VR coaster, and when the concept debuts to the public I highly doubt the headsets will be "mandatory", if anything it will probably be an upcharge. Isn't Europa's an additional fee? Again it may be pointless but we won't know until we try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkid124 Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 Again it may be pointless but we won't know until we try it. I know that I said before that I wouldn't ride the rides if they got headsets, but I would at least give it one shot. My previous experiences with VR have been for an extended period of time, whereas a ride lasts only for a few minutes. I doubt it would be mandatory though, because not everyone can stomach VR, and it is an opportunity to reel in some extra cash for parks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 Years ago, I caught pink eye and the doctor said that it was likely attributable to the fact that I had shared lab equipment in school, such as microscopes, goggles, etc., without the professor keeping it all sanitized. I'm no worry-wart, but there are times when I think, "Oh, great!" when someone damp and heavily coughing exits the seat I'm about to take on a ride. Look at the average park clientele -- I'm not crazy about sharing 3-D glasses, let alone dedicated headgear, with thousands of people. It's an intriguing technology, but I remember old TV docs like Wild Rides and Thrills, Chills, and Spills in the 90s, where each show would have closing segments dedicated to the "future" of the industry: motion simulators and VR implications. It seems like a direction that's going to be forced through sheer will and determined curiosity, but I'd be surprised if it caught on beyond being a gimmick at a conventional amusement park. I could see a park kiosk loaning out the gear as a ride enhancement option, while generating and considering feedback. From technology bugs, induced nausea, and hygiene/sanitation issues, to the simple-minded untrustworthy nature of some riders to take care of the devices, there's more than a few hurdles to overcome. Nevertheless, if someone wanted to invite me to try the technology and give a coaster a spin, I wouldn't say no! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Married a Canadian Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 I don't fully understand why you would use virtual reality on an actual ride itself..as that sort of defeats the purpose of a roller coaster ie the whole package is the stimulation from all your senses including the visual aspect of the horizon, coaster elements and interaction with the park. By putting on a VR headset you remove the visual element to replace it with something else. Thunder Run is an odd choice, you go inside the mountain and get to wave at the dragon on each circuit. Is Virtual Reality supposed to up the interaction with the dragon in this case?? Don't understand it personally. I would prefer technology of this ilk to remain on the rides like Transformers, Despicable Me, Spiderman, Escape from Gringotts etc etc. Leave roller coasters as those simple/complex structures of steel and or wood where all the stimuli you need come from the elements of the ride itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I305forever Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Do they have any plan for making sure these things dont all off other than a headband like Oculus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Password121 Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Assuming it is completely optional and doesn't cause more harm than good (in terms of sanitation, motion sickness, and capacity), I think it could a good move. It's not like this is a super high profile ride that would be destroyed by some VR sets that aren't even required (again assuming they aren't). You never know if something is a good idea until you try it, so why not? Enthusiasts seem to love combination coaster/dark rides, and being one of the tamer, older coasters at the park I don't see any harm in giving this the green light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willh51 Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 I'm surprised a company that wouldn't even run a backward train on a wooden coaster is now OK with doing VR. Hard pass from me. What's the point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virus Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 People actually think this won't be an upcharge? They would probably make you pay a certain amount, ride the ride, return it. You break it, you buy it. I think it's cool, and I think I'll do it once or twice next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCjunkie Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 CF needs to test an RMC coaster in one of their parks before testing any type of VR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ytterbiumanalyst Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 CF needs to test an RMC coaster in one of their parks before testing any type of VR. Maybe the VR shows you what the ride would be if RMC redid it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I305forever Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 It makes sense to ride a simulator simulating a roller coaster, but why ride a roller coaster simulating another roller coaster? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 CF needs to test an RMC coaster in one of their parks before testing any type of VR. Maybe the VR shows you what the ride would be if RMC redid it! Hmm--they could show you VR of a good coaster while you're stuck riding a crappy one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ytterbiumanalyst Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 CF needs to test an RMC coaster in one of their parks before testing any type of VR. Maybe the VR shows you what the ride would be if RMC redid it! Hmm--they could show you VR of a good coaster while you're stuck riding a crappy one. The possibilities are endless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Hero Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Endless indeed; maybe they could put VR on the Hurler clones and make it a simulation of El Toro or Boulder Dash or some other good wooden coaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP Maverick Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 Fast Pass + VR? You would rent the headset for the day and board a specific one or two rows on the ride. This would cut down on load times, as only 2-4 per ride will have headsets, and give Fast Pass a boost on less busy days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 They should use the big final scene from The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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