Thorpe Park | Derren Brown's Ghost Train | VR Attraction

[Dar]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

Unless that thing is going to flail about like some over-enthusiastic goon at the sight of a new big apple, there's a heck of a lot of wasted space in that warehouse. Is it all to maintain the mystique of the suspended train?

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

My guess would be that it is similar to Hex in that it is broken down into preshow like chunks to extend experience and throughput. I can't think why else it would take up so much room. Unless it really does move like a conventional ghost train, but I'm sceptical, as I'm pretty sure the seemingly colossal budget is paying Brown.

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[Lofty]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

claustrophobic or afraid of heights shouldn't ride.

Sounds pretty interesting!

This makes me thinking of mineshaft type experience. I can't think of any other examples where claustrophobia and vertigo meet. Unless there are transitioning elements that change the environment "physically".

Mineshaft experience?!

Claustrophobic as the VR headsets are very claustrophobic.

Afraid of heights as you can see from the train illusion, it's actually somewhat high off of the ground.

 

[Ben]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

My guess would be that it is similar to Hex in that it is broken down into preshow like chunks to extend experience and throughput. I can't think why else it would take up so much room. Unless it really does move like a conventional ghost train, but I'm sceptical, as I'm pretty sure the seemingly colossal budget is paying Brown.

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Nah it ain't like a traditional ghost train, why would it be, it's VR.

This is gonna have the movements of a Stannah Stairlift.

There will be other 'rooms' but this one is quite large for the sake of the illusion.

We also don't actually know what the budget for this is, so stop pinning on the 'it's 35 mil' train.

 

[Pink Cadillac]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

Not sure what this is... The ORP shop? There's not many screens, but it looks great.

Those white braces look like they were stolen from my local train station. Gold star for realism.

Towers Times

 

[Lofty]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

Fracking. Really?

 

[Chris Brown]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

So it looks like im going to be visiting Thorpe 3 times in the next 4 weeks yet there's still no word on an opening date. Think Thorpe are shooting themselves in the foot here by staying quiet

 

[Ian]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

^ Says the person who is visiting the park 3 times in the next month, and will probably visit when DBGT opens!

The one thing that Merlin has NEVER learnt is getting a ride open when they said they will. the park had no reason to doubt the project managers when they said it'll be open in early May. That's what the PM is paid handsomely to ensure. However, things go tits up all the time, especially when there are "1000 specialists" working on one attraction. Hopefully next time they'll keep and prospective dates to themselves and only announce it when the ride has been signed off.

I'm still a bit worried about the lack of enthusiasm for DBGT from theme park enthusiasts....but that's usually a good sign that the overwhelming majority (casual visitors) will love it!

 

[Chris Brown]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

If I didn’t have an annual pass or have an exciting opportunity come up I wouldn’t be visiting at all!

I dunno I just thought they’d be more transparent as near enough any information says it’ll be open in May. It just makes it a nightmare when planning a trip and it will put a few people off going, from a business perspective (not necessarily a themepark) its better to put a worst case scenario date out and possibly surprise people when it opens earlier than expected.

Having an interest in themeparks I often have work colleagues and friends asking if there's anything exciting happening at parks in the UK, when i tell them about DBGT they always lose interest when i tell them its not a coaster. This could be an incredible experience but it's quite simply 'not a roller coaster' to a lot of people.

 

[Screaming Coasters]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

Looking forward to seeing how Merlin pull this attraction off.

Having been on attractions that have a mix of some live action, some VR and some simulation, I always find the experience to be totally disjointed and it's the VR hardware that does it. The fact that you have to put a block on your head, adjust it, stick headphones on, play the game / watch the scene, take off the now sweaty VR kit, half way through the attraction, or at any point just puts me off the whole thing altogether. It really detracts from what they're trying to do by adding extra faff for nothing.

The whole idea of an attraction is to let the attraction work for you, not have the user work for it. This is why I'm on the fence with VR type equipment. I'm not sure if I'm getting my point across correctly, but this is how I sit with this ride.

I fear that it's going to be too clever for its own good. I think that this is where Galactica now sits.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

I don't even like 3D glasses because anything on my face can make me nauseous. I know I'm unusual there, but I agree with Erol... There's something inherently disjointed and removing when you have to physically adorn something to be apart of the experience. And that's true even with attempts to make it narratively relevant. There's something inherently eugh about having to put 3D glasses on to enjoy something. It's one reason I'm so eh about Universal Orlando, just feels like I spend all day with 3D glasses on.

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[Mysterious Sue]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

How do people who need to wear glasses all the time get on? Do they fit underneath the VR headset?

 

[nealbie]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

Yup. You can also take off your specs and adjust the focus as long as your eyesight isn't stupidly **** up.

And for once you're not that weird Joey. One of the most common reasons people don't like wearing prescription glasses is the pressure on their nose causing nausea and dizziness. Unfortunately 3D contact lenses aren't a thing.

 

[Chris Brown]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

I agree Joey, they keep harping on about this 13 minute ride experience but how much of that is going to be faff putting on your headset or whatever. If its not fully dedicated to VR then there must be some changeover period which will be hard to keep the experience going. I think Universal works well as you have to keep the glasses on for the entire ride as a pose to swapping between 3D and non 3D. I went to a '3D' pantomime over christmas which had like two 5 minute scenes where you needed to put on your 3D glasses and it just ruined it. I couldn't even be **** to put the glasses on for the second 3D scene. Not comparing DBGT to a pantomime but it just didnt flow.

 

[cjbrandy]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

Are they actually going to enforce the 13+ age restriction with staff asking for these kids IDs as if it was a cinema movie? That's a very bad idea if they are imo, it should just be a reccommendation and this could cause a lot of furious parents complaining about how their 11-12 year old really wanted to ride.

 

[caffeine_demon]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

is it just me, or is it really irritating having that "date coming soon" message on the site still?

 

[Pink Cadillac]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

noo trailer
[youtubevid]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5QhZsXLXLk[/youtubevid]

I'm interested to hear people's reactions and read the reviews of this, but I think I'll prefer the Hogwarts Express.

 

[spicy]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

Yawn. Just open the damn thing already.

 

[Lofty]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

Love that teaser.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train (WC16) | Thorpe Park | May 2

I didn't like it. It was really awkward when he said "My Ghost Train" and I laughed causing me to choke on my coffee a bit.