Star Tours II

[Sorcerer's Apprentice]

One ride I've never been too keen on is Star Tours. Like Lucas himself regarding the films, I nearly always look upon simulator rides with scruntiny towards a better way it can be made.

Now I know it's ultimately inevitable that Star Tours II will come into reality within the next 12-24 months. I'm nearly certain.

Here's my idea, make the ride be 1 of 4 possible adventures, randomly selected by the computer, four different options will make it four time as popular, and guarantee it a long run as a top notch attraction.

People will likely get back in line over and over to experience all four options, while in all likely-hood it will take more than four times to ride them all. (random selection tends to work that way, you may ride 3,2,4,2,1, etc. in any order) .

This really would be a simple way to make it a 4 rides in 1 sort of attraction, something you can really only do with a simulator ride. This would not add much to the budget but add hugely to the success.

I'm very excited about the prospects of ST-II, with current technology, this is warming up to be possible the highest rider draw in the history of the park if they play their cards right!

[Junthor]

we just talked about this...



http://www.micechat.com/forums/showt...and-87177.html

[aashee]

Something needs to be done. There has to be a big Star Wars marketing campaign that would allow such an expense. Anything to make Tomorrowland a better experience gets a thumbs up by me.

[chadb14]

You've got a good idea. As long as they could come up with 4 good "destinations" it could work out well.

[mousechild]

It has been discussed before, but I agree Star Tours could use a visual freshening.

[GothicManor]

Technology has never been the problem its the will to do it and the money...

there are 8 simulators so there could be 8 different films:

The films could use ILM's top cgi capabilitys and cover all 6 films locations

they should not be restricted to space but flying thru coruscant city etc and pod racing etc underwater....

the vehicle interiors should be modified I recommend darkening them so that they are not so promenent to fit in with the variety of vehicles that will be used

they should be in 3d too using the polarized tech like bugs life I dont see anyone minding putting on the shades...

maybe instead of random you should be able to choose your adventure that way they can track the popularity of the films and adjust futures ones accordingly

I also recommend tho I know it wont be done that they have some sims occasionally have their motion be limited a simple programming change push a button and the sim will still move but a lot less and more gentler that way ANYONE can ride including small kids , grandparets and disabled!!! or even just one of the 8 can be a special gentler one and shows a different film each time????

that would be awesome and entirely possible but will they do it?? doubt it

[Sorcerer's Apprentice]

I don't see where it would cost THAT much money though. The simulators can be "re-adjusted" besides the motion isn't nearly as important, it could be more binary, if the visuals are fantastic enough, the ride will be thrilling enough to capture widespead appeal.

[Datameister]

Now I know it's ultimately inevitable that Star Tours II will come into reality within the next 12-24 months. I'm nearly certain.

Says who? A WDI project takes years upon years of design work, and the next version of Star Tours is still just something on their to-do list, to my knowledge.

they should not be restricted to space but flying thru coruscant city etc and pod racing etc underwater....

the vehicle interiors should be modified I recommend darkening them so that they are not so promenent to fit in with the variety of vehicles that will be used

That brings up a very interesting and difficult point. I agree that the ride as it is needs improvement, but one thing the current version has going for it is the integration between the physical aspects of the attraction and the filmed aspects. You appear to be entering a Star Speeder, the inside looks like the inside of a Star Speeder, and the story revolves around you being in a Star Speeder. It all fits. But how will this integration be achieved if all the vehicles in the stories are different, and they get randomized from simulator to simulator? What WDI did with scrims in Indy's "three" Halls of Promise won't work in a small, enclosed, environment that people can touch and look at for quite some time.

Also, using vehicles like pod racers (an idea countless people have sugge1sted over the years) brings up another problem--how is it a tour if you're riding in an intentionally dangerous one-person racing vehicle? It becomes more and more difficult and contrived as the vehicles become more esoteric. The premise of Star Tours really is that you're taking a tour through the stars, and that something goes horribly wrong.

Anyway, I'm so sorry to be shooting down ideas like this. Believe it or not, I would actually really love for the new Star Tours to incorporate multiple storylines and locales and vehicles, all randomized. It's just a matter of logistics.

The simulators can be "re-adjusted" besides the motion isn't nearly as important

Not true. The simulator hydraulics need to be dead-on perfect, or else a large percentage of the audience--more than normal--will start getting sick. It takes a lot of testing and re-programming, I'm sure, plus the technical considerations: the hydraulics have a limited range of motion, and they can get too hot if they keep being too active for too long, and they need time to recirculate fluid. Stuff like that. The simulator motion needs to be perfect in order for this attraction to work, and moreover, the limitations of the mechanism can actually necessitate changes to the attraction.

[mousechild]

I agree with Data's points and let me throw in once again the real wild card. This will be a George Lucas production. In the past the cost for a second film of comparable length to the first was estimated to be upwards of $20M and that was years ago. Lucas was also requiring that the ride queue be redone to fit the new film theme better. So bottom line one new show is going to be a major cost, eight would be staggering.

[Coheteboy]

I don't see where it would cost THAT much money though. The simulators can be "re-adjusted" besides the motion isn't nearly as important, it could be more binary, if the visuals are fantastic enough, the ride will be thrilling enough to capture widespead appeal.

You're talking about making FOUR new films. Let me rephrase. FOUR NEW STAR WARS films. You don't think that costs money? How about hiring the staff to storyboard it all out first. And create new designs (if necessary). then you have to get all four of those films approved. And if they're not approved, it's back to the drawing board! Then animators have to make it which will take a little while. Approvals again. Revisions, etc etc.

The ride itself needs an upgrade as well that will cost a lot of money. The current simulator is over 20 years old. I'm sure there's much better, smoother, and longer lasting ones out there.

8 cabins means 8 projectors that need to all be upgraded to digital projectors.


What you're suggesting is great to have, but certainly not going to get the most bang out of their buck. I'll be happy for an upgrade to one new movie, let alone four.


BUT. With today's technology, who's to say it has to be four different movies? How about a randomized single trip that could include thousands of possible variations? They can film all sorts of little things and allow the computer to randomly choose several destinations WITHIN the actual movie so that even if you go to endor (again), the way there would be completely different.

Of course with that idea, they'd still need to spend a lot of money on each destination and the big 'finale' action set piece. Going to a different planet really makes no difference if you always end up blowing up the death star each time.

[mycroft16]

As I discussed in the other thread...

Having multiple locations is not a problem at all. It is called "Star Tours". It is a tourism company with multiple destinations (I think there are about 12) listed on the departure board. All they have to do is come up with a "problem" for each of these destinations and there you go... done.

You're heading out for a tour of Courescant (reminiscent of a helicopter tour of Vegas at night or something) when Count Dooku's forces kidnap the Chancellor. You end up caught right in the middle of it all and aid Obi Wan and Anakin in their assault on General Greivous' flagship.

Or you're headed out to Tatooine and smugglers attempt to board your ship to steal all your valuables but you end up out running them by a daring flight down Begars Canyon before landing safely at Mos Eisley.

There are so many possible destinations and "problems" that this ride could have a lot more than just 4 simulations available.

What really needs to happen to make this possible is the actual vehicles need a serious overhaul. As they are currently, they are film based and the film reels are actually behind the passengers while the projector is in the front of the vehicle behind the screen. The film is passed under the passengers. This is not a really great option. Several dedicated servers need should be used to store the films in high def digital format that can be fed directly to the projector. This allow for removal of the reels behind the passenger cabin (possibly opening up the option of adding a row of seats and expanding ride capacity by ~10 people / simulator / ride). This would also make the vehicles lighter (should an additional row not be feasible) which would ease tensions on the physical mechanism below the simulators. It would also lower electrical overhead on each simulator.

Modernized "Rex" AAs could also be used as the older Rex is pretty limited and very limited in his motions. New dialog would need to be recorded based on each ride scenario. These scenarios would be randomly chosen and not announced until Rex welcomes you aboard for your flight to... such and such a place. Or this could be announced by the computerized boarding voice at each simulators loading platform.

Several different launch methods/scenarios could also be provided further randomizing the ride.

Setting the ride up in this manner would allow for very unpopular destinations to easily be swapped out for newer destinations simply by deleting the old and uploading the new program.

[GothicManor]

I don't see where it would cost THAT much money though. The simulators can be "re-adjusted" besides the motion isn't nearly as important, it could be more binary, if the visuals are fantastic enough, the ride will be thrilling enough to capture widespead appeal.

cgi films of ilm caliber are very expensive

[KISSman]

The only problem with going to one of four destinations is if some of the adventures are better than others and/or if people have clear preferences to some over others. I mean, you don't want to go on the ride hoping for the icy adventures on Hoth and getting stuck with the bland, desert planet of Tatooine.

I'm all for multiple destinations, but I worry about this issue should each adventure not be equally enjoyable.

[GothicManor]

Says who? A WDI project takes years upon years of design work, and the next version of Star Tours is still just something on their to-do list, to my knowledge.

That brings up a very interesting and difficult point. I agree that the ride as it is needs improvement, but one thing the current version has going for it is the integration between the physical aspects of the attraction and the filmed aspects. You appear to be entering a Star Speeder, the inside looks like the inside of a Star Speeder, and the story revolves around you being in a Star Speeder. It all fits. But how will this integration be achieved if all the vehicles in the stories are different, and they get randomized from simulator to simulator? What WDI did with scrims in Indy's "three" Halls of Promise won't work in a small, enclosed, environment that people can touch and look at for quite some time.

Also, using vehicles like pod racers (an idea countless people have sugge1sted over the years) brings up another problem--how is it a tour if you're riding in an intentionally dangerous one-person racing vehicle? It becomes more and more difficult and contrived as the vehicles become more esoteric. The premise of Star Tours really is that you're taking a tour through the stars, and that something goes horribly wrong.

Anyway, I'm so sorry to be shooting down ideas like this. Believe it or not, I would actually really love for the new Star Tours to incorporate multiple storylines and locales and vehicles, all randomized. It's just a matter of logistics.



Not true. The simulator hydraulics need to be dead-on perfect, or else a large percentage of the audience--more than normal--will start getting sick. It takes a lot of testing and re-programming, I'm sure, plus the technical considerations: the hydraulics have a limited range of motion, and they can get too hot if they keep being too active for too long, and they need time to recirculate fluid. Stuff like that. The simulator motion needs to be perfect in order for this attraction to work, and moreover, the limitations of the mechanism can actually necessitate changes to the attraction.

Yes but there isnt a star speeder in the star wars lexicon either so it would be a new unique vehicle that carries multiple passengers that is pod racerlike of just like current star tours a vehicle that is not supposed to be in a pod race but accidentally gets into one or they could come up with a new design that tries to incorporate features of all vehicles, pod racing, sub, city shuttle etc...

I think the most important improvement would be 3D HD screens

also additional 3d hd screens in the ceiling maybe sort of like the star trek sim in las vegas

[GothicManor]

well disney just needs to get over the "it has to pay for itself in 6 months in case its a flop so lets do it on the cheap" mentaility if you want an awesome attraction that will have a multi decade lifespan and generate fan loyalty you have to be willing to pay for it Walt never considered the cost thats why we have POTC and HM etc!