Projection mapping. What's next?

[pushbutton]

With the coming introduction of projection mapping on the Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster, and at Australian Outback Spectacular, I've been trying to imagine what the next big technological breakthrough might be that could further improve theme park experiences.

First we had standard cinemas, then IMAX, and 3D, then 4D, and now 7D cinemas. We have virtual reality and holographic technology. Now projection mapping.

These enable rides and shows which were simply impossible not long ago.

Just for fun, can you imagine what might come next?

[joz]

Hopefully practical sets.

[Slick]

Hopefully less corners being cut.

[pushbutton]

42 minutes ago, joz said:

Hopefully practical sets.

What are practical sets?

[jjuttp]

39 minutes ago, pushbutton said:

What are practical sets?

Real sets as opposed to screens. Think of the Disney vs Universal debate.

Also, only 7D? There's a chain of 9D cinemas in Sydney, and 4DX is only just starting to take off now.

[pushbutton]

5 hours ago, jjuttp said:

Real sets as opposed to screens. Think of the Disney vs Universal debate.

Also, only 7D? There's a chain of 9D cinemas in Sydney, and 4DX is only just starting to take off now.

There are 9D cinemas in Queensland. There's no difference between 7D and 9D whatsoever! Different name for same technology!

Physical sets will always have a place of course, but this thread is about new technologies which can be used to enhance theme park experiences.

That doesn't mean only visual technology either. What about new types of ride technology?

[rappa]

You only have to look at Shanghai Pirates to see what’s next... the use of various technical effect mediums to enhance a physical ride experience. 

Universal are pushing the limits of technology and honestly the results suck! There is nothing immersive about being parked in front of a projection with 3D glasses no matter how clever. 

 

An amazing automated, animatronic experience in a practical set will always be far superior to any techno gadgetry. 

The technological development is in the delivery of audiences through that environment and the realism and reliability of those ‘sets’

 

IMO

[pushbutton]

37 minutes ago, djrappa said:

You only have to look at Shanghai Pirates to see what’s next... the use of various technical effect mediums to enhance a physical ride experience. 

Universal are pushing the limits of technology and honestly the results suck! There is nothing immersive about being parked in front of a projection with 3D glasses no matter how clever. 

 

An amazing automated, animatronic experience in a practical set will always be far superior to any techno gadgetry. 

The technological development is in the delivery of audiences through that environment and the realism and reliability of those ‘sets’

 

IMO

I'd say both physical sets and technology should be used to complement each other. A ride with only one or the other is probably unlikely to be very good.

[rappa]

Did you read what I posted?

maybe try reading it again 

[pushbutton]

Just watched a video of Shanghai Pirates, which I saw previously about a year ago. It's a good example of how animatronics and technological effects can work together to produce a brilliant ride.

 

djrappa, I was basically agreeing with your last post, not arguing!

[Brad2912]

Next level ride idea - that likely only Disney could pull off.

Mine cart/wild mouse style ride, crossed with a Midway Mania style interactive shooter that has altered sequences and ride courses based on outcomes. 

Ie. Using SDSC as a base layout for illustration purposes. Cart would go through the initial section with a few stops for theme relevant interactive shooting elements. Based on the score received to this point determines which level you move up to in the elevator - there would be 2 completely different track courses and experiences based on your score to that point,  You could even have a third level and track which requires a “perfect” score to reach. 

Almost like a “choose your own adventure” ride. 

Ultimate in interactivity, would encourage repeat riding like no other ride has in the past. 

Edited November 11, 2018 by Brad2912

[Jdude95]

12 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

Next level ride idea - that likely only Disney could pull off.

Mine cart/wide mouse style ride, crossed with a Midway Mania style interactive shooter that has altered sequences and ride courses based on outcomes. 

Ie. Using SDSC as a base layout for illustration purposes. Cart would go through the initial section with a few stops for theme relevant interactive shooting elements. Based on the score received to this point determines which level you move up to in the elevator - there would be 2 completely different track courses and experiences based on your score to that point,  You could even have a third level and track which requires a “perfect” score to reach. 

Almost like a “choose your own adventure” ride. 

Ultimate in interactivity, would encourage repeat riding like no other ride has in the past. 

Now that's something I would ride the hell out of.

[pushbutton]

I've had a similar idea myself but not necessarily with shooter elements. It could be just somewhat random (although not completely so you could still have a "special" section that you have to be lucky to see).

If any park introduces a variable ride such as these it will be a massive drawcard, as it would be unlike any other theme park attraction in the world  (to my knowledge).

Imagine a Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory ride where you are one of the golden ticket winners, but only if you are Charlie do you finish up on the Great Glass Elevator part!

Edited November 11, 2018 by pushbutton

[Tim Dasco]

Something like Mystic Manor at HKDL is great! Great use of technology and practical theming.

[rappa]

There’s actually a Sally ride (Tutankhamun) that unlocks a hidden ride path depending on score so it is completely doable and a very cool idea. 

[Jamberoo Fan]

22 hours ago, pushbutton said:

First we had standard cinemas, then IMAX, and 3D, then 4D, and now 7D cinemas. We have virtual reality and holographic technology. Now projection mapping.

Technology timeline:

• Before 1000's - Cinema (Began as Chinese 'trotting horse lamps' and over time, evolved to the cinema we know today)
• 1910's - 3D
• 1940's - Hologram (Began in usage of electron microscopes)
• 1960's - Virtual reality & projection mapping 
• 1970's - IMAX
• 1980's - 4D (This includes 7D)

Most 'new' theme park technology has been around for a while -  they've just improved over time or gone through different periods of popularity. The ones between 1960 & 1990 were all introduced to the world in a theme park or it's predecessors. The ones prior to 1960 weren't originally created for theme parks or their predecessors but were later introduced in theme parks.

22 hours ago, pushbutton said:

Just for fun, can you imagine what might come next?

Based on what I wrote above, it seems likely that most future theme park technology will be introduced in a theme park-like environment first anyway.

But in terms of what could change theme parks next, this article released this month in IAAPA's Funworld Magazine, details future technological changes in theme parks (such as projection mapping, which is gaining attention with Australian theme park enthusiasts due to it's introduction in Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster: Next Generation).

The article focuses on 3 technologies:

1. Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) - 1840's (Began as incendiary balloons but over time, evolved to the 'drones' we know today)
2. Projection mapping - 1960's
3. Fireworks - 800's (Also very likely had it's debut in a predecessor of theme parks)

Probably the most 'new' implementation of technology in the article is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in Puy du Fou's Cinéscénie:

Quote

The drones have carried lights, dresses (representing angels), banners, and flags, some being the dimensions of a human and weighing up to 2.5 kilograms, the maximum payload of a Neopter. 

Unmanned aerial vehicles have already been used for entertainment in Australia but not in theme parks (yet) except for marketing purposes:

You can imagine a show similar to the one above at night time theme park experiences such as Park After Dark or Carnivale but using the Cinéscénie example, imagine the possibilities of unmanned aerial vehicles at night-time theme park events such as Fright Nights & White Christmas! It would utilize the theme park's airspace for more than just fireworks and flying foxes. For a DC Comics/MW example, imagine the night the Bat-signal appears seemingly above Arkham Asylum: Shock Therapy for the 1st time.

Edited November 11, 2018 by Jamberoo Fan

[pushbutton]

I had no idea some of those technologies had been around for so long!

Just expanding on the variable ride idea, imagine a ride which was actually two totally different rides after the first short part. One slow and calm, the other hair-raising and fast.

Or one dry, and the other wet!

Random luck determined which you got!

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

18 hours ago, pushbutton said:

I'd say both physical sets and technology should be used to complement each other. A ride with only one or the other is probably unlikely to be very good.

You really need to get a time machine back to disney prior to the late 90s. In my opinion the technology upgrades on POTC have ruined it at Disneyland.

17 hours ago, Brad2912 said:

Next level ride idea - that likely only Disney could pull off.

Mine cart/wild mouse style ride, crossed with a Midway Mania style interactive shooter that has altered sequences and ride courses based on outcomes. 

Ie. Using SDSC as a base layout for illustration purposes. Cart would go through the initial section with a few stops for theme relevant interactive shooting elements. Based on the score received to this point determines which level you move up to in the elevator - there would be 2 completely different track courses and experiences based on your score to that point,  You could even have a third level and track which requires a “perfect” score to reach. 

Almost like a “choose your own adventure” ride. 

Ultimate in interactivity, would encourage repeat riding like no other ride has in the past. 

I don't mind the idea, but the fact that you need a perfect score to unlock the special level has several implications - disappointment for riders who can't do it, and variable wear and tear on the tracks where the special tracks have far less usage.

As mentioned, HKDL's Mystic Manor, with it's variable ride program does change for every single ride, meaning all variable options are used much the same. By all means the shooter sounds ok, but stopping a ride vehicle on the track for midway style gaming also kills your capacity - meaning you need many more channels to have multiple ride vehicles running at the same time...

[Mc coaster]

19 hours ago, pushbutton said:

I'd say both physical sets and technology should be used to complement each other. A ride with only one or the other is probably unlikely to be very good.

The thing is I think rides if done correctly can be amazing if they use both screens and physical sets. I think it becomes a problem when they decide to only use screens and no physical effects they look cheap, they do not feel as immersive and sometimes feel like you are just watching a movie. But I think on the other hand a ride with just physical sets are amazing yes sometimes they could do with a screen or two to liven it up but nothing can compare to seeing something 3D in front of think of the Navi river journey when you get off what do remember more the screens with the animals on them or that amazing shamen animatronic at the end. 

[pushbutton]

6 hours ago, Mc coaster said:

The thing is I think rides if done correctly can be amazing if they use both screens and physical sets. I think it becomes a problem when they decide to only use screens and no physical effects they look cheap, they do not feel as immersive and sometimes feel like you are just watching a movie. But I think on the other hand a ride with just physical sets are amazing yes sometimes they could do with a screen or two to liven it up but nothing can compare to seeing something 3D in front of think of the Navi river journey when you get off what do remember more the screens with the animals on them or that amazing shamen animatronic at the end. 

Projection mapping has nothing to do with screens! That's precisely what makes it so amazing.

 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

18 hours ago, pushbutton said:

Projection mapping has nothing to do with screens!

Anything that you project an image onto becomes a screen. To assist your interpretation, In the case of @Mc coaster's comments, what is being said is 'a mixture of physical sets and projections'.

[Coaster Hipster]

Cool topic!

I wonder if some sort of interactive media gadgetery could be possible in the future. So far you experience the ride as it was designed by the engineers and creative team... but what if you could decide and impact on the ride's course, video-game style? I guess interactive dark-ride already exist now I think about it, but is there more to do than just shoot and get a high score?

[red dragin]

With careful set design, you could have the story change every few months by modifying the projections. 

Or as suggested, have two track options with different stories (removing the points scored determines course features to spread wear and tear).

[Mc coaster]

1 hour ago, AlexB said:

Anything that you project an image onto becomes a screen. To assist your interpretation, In the case of @Mc coaster's comments, what is being said is 'a mixture of physical sets and projections'.

Thanks @AlexB that is exactly what I meant. Sorry if I was not very clear.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

1 hour ago, Mc coaster said:

Thanks @AlexB that is exactly what I meant. Sorry if I was not very clear.

Its fine! you were perfectly clear - even using industry specific terms, based on explanations of this stuff that has been said on these boards previously.

suffice it to say:

On 12/11/2018 at 10:23 AM, pushbutton said:

You have to be incredibly specific for some people!