Future projections

Dataton’s Watchout multi-display software provided projection mapping on four landmark buildings in Riga, Latvia, as part of an annual festival. The Staro Riga Festival of Light attracted an estimated 500,000 visitors.

System integrator Solaris, based in Saint Petersburg and Moscow, Russia, supplied Watchout systems and hardware for projection mapping on to the facades of the Astor Riga Hotel, Congress Centre, St Peter’s Church and the Academy of Arts during the five-day festival.

Keywords: DATATON AB

Future projections

Fun in the wild west

Germany’s Fort Fun Abenteuerland has had an interactive theatre attraction from Triotech installed. The Canadian company’s XD Dark Ride, which won IAAPA’s Brass Ring Award for Best New Product in 2013, will serve as the regional theme park’s major new attraction for the 2015 season.

The 16-seat FoXDome ride fits into the park’s American Wild West theming. Fort Fun will have access to Triotech’s library of exclusive interactive content movies.

Keyword: TRIOTECH

Fun in the wild west

Walkie-talkie workout

TOR Systems has been awarded a contract to implement its booking system at the Sky Garden attraction at the top of London’s newest skyscraper, 20 Fenchurch Street – dubbed the Walkie-Talkie.

TOR’s Maxim system will be used to manage all bookings at the free-to-access Sky Garden, which occupies the top three floors of Rafael Vinoly’s 37 storey, 525ft skyscraper and offers stunning views.

Keywords: TOR SYSTEMS

Walkie-talkie workout

Simworx special effects

Dinosaurs and cowboys feature in a 5D special effects cinema installed by Simworx at an Irish theme park.

Ready for the start of the 2015 season, the new attraction at Tayto Park in Co. Meath features 48 seats and a three degrees of freedom motion base, providing left, right, forwards and backwards motion.

The cinema, housed in a new building, also features a range of special effects including water spray, air blasts, leg ticklers, bubbles and special effects lighting. A Christie digital projection system is utilised.

Tayto Park will initially run two different films in the cinema, providing a choice of five or ten minute movies. ‘Lost World’ is a comic dinosaur themed adventure while ‘Wild West Mine Ride’ sees a sheriff and his steed chasing a bank robber through the wild west. “We chose Simworx as we felt they offered the best value for money and also had the best quality product,” said Tayto Park general manager Charles Coyle.

Keyword: SIMWORX

Simworx special effects

Taking it to the streets

Graffiti artists were able to express their artworks using technology from TDC (Technical Direction Company) as part of a major cultural event. Australia’s annual White Night Melbourne took place in February, with the projected street art among the highlights.

The interactive mural project, Sofles – Graffiti Mapped, featured the work of Australian street artist Sofles. Using TDC’s projection mapping, artwork was displayed on Melbourne’s largest mural.

Keyword: TDC

Taking it to the streets

Lose yourself in fear

A scary ride through an endless zombie forest, ‘Lost in Fear’ is a new 4D film from Niceberg Studios. The stereoscopic 3D film is compatible with all major simulator and motion theatre brands and designed with 4D effects in mind.

Lasting four minutes and thirty five seconds, the ride film from Red Raion is being exclusively distributed by Niceberg Studios worldwide. In it, riders are taken down a haunted coaster track straight into zombie territory, with the undead creatures hidden in a scary forest determined to kick people off.

Keyword: Niceberg

Lose yourself in fear

Dome is in the running

An open platform dome display which began life as a high-end running experience for treadmill users is set to provide the latest in immersive audience experiences for the attractions industry.

Running Unlimited has adapted the Zone domes it launched for the H&F sector after discovering there’s a “limited choice of expensive, proprietary immersive dome solutions” available for attractions operators.

Keyword: RUNNING

Dome is in the running

Gateway to the galaxy

The Art Institute of Chicago has selected Gateway Ticketing Systems as its new ticketing provider.

Point-of-sale solution Galaxy will be implemented, to be used for front gate sales, order entry, resource management, and group sales on the web as well as for online reseller and consignment sales. The Institute said the system has the “technical sophistication” needed for it to be responsive to visitors now and in the future.

Keyword: GATEWAY

Gateway to the galaxy

S&S makes it a double

A Double Shot tower ride from S&S Worldwide is to be installed at the Eon Time theme park in Hohhot, China. Opening is scheduled for late 2015.

The mixed-use Eon Time project combines various aspects of natural elements with the surrounding context of the Chinese city. The Double Shot, which is already in production, launches 12 passengers nearly 80ft (24m) through two cycles of positive 3-G and negative 1-G ride experiences. The cycle repeats with two 30mph launch sequences in every ride.

Keyword: S&S

S&S makes it a double

Radio silence averted

An innovative radio system from Icom is helping volunteer guides communicate at The Ramsgate Tunnels, a recently-opened underground attraction in the UK.

Icom’s radio system features an innovative ‘leaky feeder’ that provides radio communication throughout the tunnel network, which is sixty feet underneath the town of Ramsgate and extends for three and a half miles.

Keyword: ICOM

Radio silence averted

Cinematic photo solutions

Dubai Parks and Resorts has handed Picsolve a five-year contract to provide a fully connected photo and video experience at four new themed developments.
Picsolve will provide a full range of digital, video and image capture solutions at the four attractions: Motiongate Dubai, Legoland Dubai, Bollywood Parks Dubai, and Riverpark.

The goal is to provide guests with a seamless and connected photo experience across the four sites. Using Picsolve’s unique Photo Tag and digital solution, guests will be able to ‘tag’ themselves or be tagged across experiences using a barcode, wristband or directly from the app.

Guests can then purchase photos as part of an ‘all-inclusive’ package, taking advantage of a one-off cost for all experiences captured throughout their visit.
Experiences will include photo and video on rides, in sets, with characters, as well as computer aided experiences.

Keyword: PICSOLVE

Cinematic photo solutions

Polin is letting it slide

An 8,000sq m (86,111sq ft) indoor waterpark has opened in Russia, with a variety of high-speed waterslides designed and installed by Polin Waterparks.

Aquario Indoor Aquapark, in Omsk, features seven waterslides as well as five toddler-sized attractions and is now the largest waterpark in the Urals.

Manufactured using resin transfer molding (RTM) composites technology, Turkey’s Polin supplied The Looping Rocket, which offers one of the tallest drops guests can experience in an indoor waterpark.

Among the other rides are The Multisurf, a fast and freewheeling mat-racing slide; The Freefall, which offers a drop experience without the dangers of an out-of-control descent; and The Wave Slide, a new uphill high-speed experience ride that is suitable for narrow spaces.

Among the attractions for young children is Polin’s jungle-themed waterplay structure adorned with parrots and palm trees.

Keyword: POLIN

Polin is letting it slide

A house of nightmares

Sally Corporation’s new walk-through haunted house attraction has opened at Sweden’s Gröna Lund amusement park.

House of Nightmares is set in an old Victorian mansion and focuses on the evil Dr Morphio – a crazed scientist carrying out experiments about nightmares. Special effects, lighting and sound are used to set the mood, while scenic elements enhance the back story. Also used are animatronic characters and props.

Keyword: SALLY

A house of nightmares

Ultimate vending

The result of a five-year mission, Sweet Amanda’s vending machine has now launched. With a modular design, the machine features a central ordering touchscreen, as well as either eight or 16 clear cylinders filled with unwrapped or wrapped branded candy.

Additional tubes at the side of the machine are loaded with capsules containing toys and novelties.

Keywords: SWEET AMANDA’S

Ultimate vending

Added thrills and spills

Two curved racing hydroslides are upping the thrill factor at a New Zealand resort. Designed, manufactured and installed by Australian Waterslides & Leisure, the waterslides were installed in time for the Christmas holiday season at Taupo DeBretts Spa Resort.

Construction began on 16 November 2014, with the slide components arriving in mid-December and in just one week the slides were assembled and sections lifted onto the steel framing. Australian’s ride was selected by public vote on the resort’s website.

Keyword: AWL

Added thrills and spills

Putting out the fires

WhiteWater Attractions has supplied three interactive play zones at Silver Dollar City in Missouri, US.

The theme park’s Fireman’s Landing features 10 areas and is styled as an 1880s volunteer recruitment fair. The play zones installed by WhiteWater include Firefighter’s Fire Drill, where children use interactive blasters that propel thousands of foam balls to put out mock fires, and a Firefighter’s Fire Escape play area.

Keyword: WHITEWATER

Putting out the fires

Tussauds’ is sound

Madame Tussauds’ Singapore site is now using a Symetrix SymNet Radius 12x8-centric audio processing and distribution infrastructure.

The open architecture Dante-scalable DSP (digital signal processor) is part of an audio installation by Electronics & Engineering (E&E). The audio distribution system includes microphones, speakers, amplifiers, players and show control equipment based on an original design by Thöne und Partner Germany. Crucial to deployment of the system is a fully-featured DSP.

Keyword: SYMETRIX

Tussauds’ is sound

3D display breakthrough

A new type of 3D display solution has been launched by Holotronica.

Holo-Gauze comprises a metallic transparent gauze and is designed to be used with 3D polarised projection systems. It can also achieve believable 2D hologram effects. According to Holotronica, Holo-Gauze has been created to be easier to transport and more affordable than traditional Pepper’s Ghost systems.

Keyword: HOLOTRONICA

3D display breakthrough

The time of their lives

A newly-invented piece of technology is helping to give visitors to the Doctor Who Experience the time of their lives.

Sarner created the wearable ‘Time Crystal’ pendant for the “regenerated” attraction in Cardiff, UK, in an attempt to draw visitors into the experience. Given out at the start of the attraction, the pendant glows, flashes and goes through a sequence of colours at certain junctures in the storyline of the experience.

As well as infrared and LED components, the device also vibrates, creating a “more multi-sensory experience”, according to Sarner projects director Ed Cookson.

“The wearable technology had to make sense as part of the story whilst adding to the visitor’s experience, but it became apparent that there was nothing on the market readily available so we had to invent our own. The pendant was designed from the ground up as a creative solution,” he said.

Keyword: SARNER

The time of their lives

Laser precision in Orlando

Turtle power has been unleashed at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort hotel in Orlando as a laser maze experience created by SimEx-Iwerks opened.

The attraction, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Laser Lockdown, features high-visibility lasers and UV lighting. The use of graphic components, character dialogue, special effects and themed music are all intended to immerse guests into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle universe.

One or two participants can take the maze challenge at a time. The attraction’s storyline involves guests having to disable a security system and navigate a web of high-tech lasers in order to save the turtles from Kraang’s secret laboratory.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Laser Lockdown is the second collaboration between SimEx-Iwerks and Nickelodeon Suites Resort, with the hotel previously installing a SimEx-Iwerks 4-D Theater.

Keyword: SIMEX-IWERKS

Laser precision in Orlando

A light in the museum

Rapenburg Plaza developed a fully integrated lighting design, multimedia, audio and show control system at the National Military Museum in the
Netherlands.

As part of the project, Rapenburg Plaza says it brought several design considerations to life, including sophisticated technical lighting bridges installed in the high ceilings for access to equipment for maintenance and long distance cable runs.

Keyword: RAPENBURG

A light in the museum

To be seen to be believed

Photographic solutions company Magic Memories has been awarded a new partnership contract with the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! visitor attraction in London. The use of Chroma key photography together with the Magic Memories hosted engagement model allows the partner companies to create a product customised to each guest.

Shaun Moroney, Magic Memories European sales director, said the partnership between the companies had been strong and remains a “concrete framework for further projects”.

Keywords: MAGIC MEMORIES

To be seen to be believed

Dynamic LED lighting

A range of LED video solutions for creating dynamic lighting designs and exterior installations has been introduced by Harman’s lighting division Martin Professional.

VDO Fenix 6 is a touring-friendly outdoor LED video panel with 6mm pixel pitch and full cross-rental compatibility. A robust, ergonomic frame eliminates the need to use an add-on touring frame and allows for fast and easy build-up of LED video walls.

Keyword: MARTIN

Dynamic LED lighting

Outdoor phone charging

Running out of smartphone battery at an amusement park could be a thing of the past with a new charging station solution.

CarrierClass Green Infrastructure (CCGI) has unveiled its ConnecTable solar power charging and backup power system. The ConnecTable provides solar power for mobile device charging, with CCGI saying it could either bring electricity to areas where visitors need it or where an amusement park would like its guests to congregate.

Keyword: CARRIERCLASS

Outdoor phone charging

Zombies loose in Turkey

With an undead theme, Triotech has installed an interactive dark ride attraction at a family entertainment centre in Turkey.

The attraction at FunLab Cevahir, Zombi, features four-person police-themed vehicles riding through four interactive and four non-interactive scenes.

Canada-headquartered Triotech designed and produced the animation and gaming system for the 216ft (66m)-long 3D attraction, which is enhanced with 4D effects.

Keyword: TRIOTECH

Zombies loose in Turkey

Reaching for the sky

A new ride film from The Juice has won a Silver Telly Award in a US ceremony.

Aerobatic Challenge from Crazybridge Studios, which is exclusively distributed by The Juice Films, was selected as a winner in the 35th Annual Telly Awards. Aerobatic Challenge, a 4D film, takes riders on a psychedelic and kaleidoscopic journey through the skies, looping the loop, featuring a fast pace and precise stunts.

Keywords: THE JUICE

Reaching for the sky

Jora ride wins Thea Award

Dutch design company Jora Vision is celebrating the third Thea award-winning project it has been involved in. French theme park Futuroscope’s dark ride The Time Machine, which features the Ubisoft video game characters the Raving Rabbids, received a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement at the Themed Entertainment Association’s 21st annual awards show.

Jora Vision was involved in the design, engineering and construction of the dark ride, working in collaboration with sister companies Jora Entertainment and Jora Graphics and other Dutch organisations.

The ride takes visitors on a journey through time with the infamous Raving Rabbids characters, combining 5D technology with offbeat humour.

The two previous Thea award-winning projects Jora Vision was involved in were The Forgotten Mine adventure minigolf in Belgium and Arthur, l’Aventure 4D, also at the Futuroscope theme park.

Keywords: JORA VISION

Jora ride wins Thea Award

Paint pictures with words

Imagineear’s latest multimedia guide has launched at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Engineered for the repeat rental market, the mediaPacker touch interactive, or MPti, provides a fully interactive touch screen and features a camera. Designed to be robust, the device is wifi, radio frequency, Bluetooth, GPS and FSK enabled.

The Van Gogh Museum’s use of the multimedia guide comes as part of a new presentation of its permanent collection, which takes advantage of digital technology and also includes a new website and app created by digital agency Fabrique. Imagineear’s MPti comes in 10 languages and aims to provide visitors with carefully curated and attractively presented content on a device which is intuitive to use.

‘We wanted to create a device that provided all of the technology that consumers expect, but that would be robust enough for intensive use. The MPti does just that.”

Keyword: IMAGINEEAR

Paint pictures with words

Dream contract for Syx

Syx Automations was selected to provide ticketing and membership software at a revamped and refurbished amusement park in the UK – the country’s oldest.

Syx’s ReCreateX software will be used to manage all ticket sales, both online and via the ticket booths, as well as memberships, catering, retail sales and access control at Dreamland, in the Kent seaside town of Margate. The company also managed pre-sales at the park.

Keyword: SYX

Dream contract for Syx

Scorpion in flames

MTFX has redesigned the look and feel of the Scorpion Express runaway train ride at the UK’s Chessington World of Adventures.

Based on a tried and tested set-up, the company implemented a bespoke flame system, which featured trigger points, warning systems and firing times specific to the ride. The idea was to give the new attraction an experiential ‘moment’ as the train moves around the track.

Keyword: MTFX

Scorpion in flames

Accuracy and realism

Cruden’s new powerboat simulator is an interactive experience for up to five guests, with emphasis on accuracy and realism. In creating the Cruden Powerboat 5CTR, the Dutch company said it had applied the same detailed modelling approach to wave and boat dynamics and professional image generation that feature in industry-standard race car simulators.

To help achieve this, Cruden worked with the Dutch military on its fast interceptor vessels and security boats as well as Florida powerboat specialists.

Keyword: CRUDEN

Accuracy and realism

3D printing for fabric

Disney’s research division has developed a new type of 3D printer that works with off-the-shelf fabric to create precise, but soft and deformable, 3D objects.
Developed by Disney Research in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, the “layered fabric” printer employs an approach where a sheet of fabric forms each layer of a 3D object.

Of most use to Disney might be the ability to 3D print soft toys, but it could also be used to create smart objects or fabricate clothes. The prototype printer is multimaterial and can integrate two types of fabric into a single object, including harder materials and electronic components, giving rise to the potential for adding touch sensitivity or LED displays – creating custom objects on demand that are also interactive electrical objects.

The printer was unveiled at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Seoul, South Korea, in April.

Keyword: DISNEY

3D printing for fabric

New concept in rides

A video simulator platform with interchangeable rides has been launched. From manufacturer Jolly Roger, the Ezee Swap ride is a coin-operated simulator aimed at children aged between 3 and 7, with each ride offering four selectable on-screen tracks, creating a repeatable experience.

The ride moves in a rocking and side to side motion following the on-screen footage, and is fully automatic. Ezee Swap is available in a variety of colours.

Keywords: JOLLY ROGER

New concept in rides

Truth behind the truce

An exhibit exploring the truth behind the Christmas Truce matches of the First World War, and the role played by a number of footballers in the conflict, has been designed by Mather & Co.

The Greater Game – Football & The First World War opened at the National Football Museum in Manchester, UK in December 2014 and runs until September 2015. Artefacts on display in the free exhibit include a diary kept by Lt C.B. Brockbank of the 6th Bn Cheshire Regiment detailing the famous 1914 Christmas Day match.

Keywords: MATHER & CO

Truth behind the truce

Embed’s Landmark role

Embed was selected to install its revenue management solution at a family entertainment centre (FEC) in Abu Dhabi – the 32nd Landmark Group-owned store to select the debit card and point of sale provider.

The Fun Works FEC in Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE, will use the Embed System, which provides cashless admission to large scale rides and attractions. Embed also invented a solution to manage workshops at the FEC.

Keyword: EMBED

Embed’s Landmark role

US venues select Accesso

Four cultural venues in the US have recently signed agreements to use Accesso Technology Group’s Siriusware Salespoint solutions.

The contract wins are for The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Whitney Museum of American Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art and Pacific Science Center. The four venues will make use of a variety of Siriusware Salespoint solutions covering e-commerce and front gate ticketing, access control, group sales, memberships, kiosks, food and beverage, and retail.

Keyword: ACCESSO

US venues select Accesso

A media server with Sense

Thorpe Park’s Angry Birds 4D effects theatre is using 7thSense Design’s Delta media server with passive stereo 3D output to power its projection system.

The UK-based uncompressed media serving and display specialist also supplied an audio server with 8-channel output to support a fully immersive and integrated experience. The 326-seat theatre was developed and supplied by Simworx as part of a new Angry Birds Land at the park.

Keyword: 7THSENSE

A media server with Sense

Illuminating history

Customised LED lighting fixtures from Gantom Lighting & Controls have been used in revamped galleries at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

The fixtures illuminate both the historic dioramas and the display cases of the First World War Galleries, which re-opened to the public in December 2014, and are part of a new lighting design by Benjamin Cisterne.

Keyword: GANTOM

Illuminating history

Crystal clear spheres

A Turkish resort has added a number of Polin waterpark attractions, including the dizzying ‘Sphere’ waterslide.

The manufacturer installed the rides at Crystal Aura Beach Resort & Spa in Kemer, with the aim of providing such enticing aquatic offerings that guests would want to stay on property for the duration of their visit. Polin had previously designed and installed waterparks at sister properties Crystal Sunset and Crystal Waterworld.

Polin’s Sphere waterslide is a streamlined version of its giant ‘Magic Sphere’. The two-person slide begins with a steep drop, before riders embark on a high-speed journey from one sphere to another.

The ride is manufactured using resin transfer molding (RTM) composites technology and features Polin’s patented ‘Natural Light Effects’ (NLE) technology, which requires no electricity. Instead, colourful designs shine through the fiberglass sides.

Keyword: POLIN

Crystal clear spheres