Battle for Eire
- Thread starter Lord Robert
- Start date
You mean just watch with no headset? Good tip!
I finally had a chance to ride Battle for Eire over the past weekend, and can sum up my feelings in two words: never again. I wish I could think of a more eloquent way to describe the attraction, but "half-assed" and "forgettable" are cemented in my mind as the most fitting adjectives. This disaster deserves a list:
(1) Zero theming: I was most disappointed by the complete lack of theming throughout the ride's entrance. There was absolutely nothing added to the bare stone walls in the entrance to the ride, aside from a single, strange-looking fabric fairy that appeared to have been thrown on top of a sconce as an afterthought, possibly by an employee that ran across the thing in a bargain bin at Home Goods. Such utter lack of theming might be expected at a pure amusement park such as a Six Flags, but it was completely unforgivable at BGW. The only thing that stood out to me was the bottle of Jurbillium (sp?) in the final staging area prior to entering the ride. But then, of course it stood out - it was the only thing adorning the room. Normally I would have appreciated its presence as a respectful nod to Questor, but in the building's present, barren state it seemed instead to be saying, "Remember when there was an actual themed, immersive ride here?"
(2) Uncomfortable, heavy, ill-fitting headgear: The piece you put on your head prior to entering the ride was uncomfortable enough in itself, but after attaching the heavy viewer, I ended up needing to hold it up with my hand for the entire ride to avoid having it fall over my nose.
(3) Completely forgettable storyline (if one existed at all): I'd add more to this point, but it really was that forgettable. It didn't help that I was distracted the entire time trying to keep my headgear from falling into my lap.
(4) Ride movement was way too limited: I've ridden Questor - I know the ride itself is capable of way more. That said, in this case the limited movement may have been a blessing in disguise in view of the loose, heavy headgear.
(5) Physical aftermath: My husband and I both exited the ride with headaches and (I'm pretty sure) a distinct lean to the left that lasted a good 20 minutes.
My overall opinion? Battle for Eire is Drachen Fire-level bad, just for different reasons.
(1) Zero theming: I was most disappointed by the complete lack of theming throughout the ride's entrance. There was absolutely nothing added to the bare stone walls in the entrance to the ride, aside from a single, strange-looking fabric fairy that appeared to have been thrown on top of a sconce as an afterthought, possibly by an employee that ran across the thing in a bargain bin at Home Goods. Such utter lack of theming might be expected at a pure amusement park such as a Six Flags, but it was completely unforgivable at BGW. The only thing that stood out to me was the bottle of Jurbillium (sp?) in the final staging area prior to entering the ride. But then, of course it stood out - it was the only thing adorning the room. Normally I would have appreciated its presence as a respectful nod to Questor, but in the building's present, barren state it seemed instead to be saying, "Remember when there was an actual themed, immersive ride here?"
(2) Uncomfortable, heavy, ill-fitting headgear: The piece you put on your head prior to entering the ride was uncomfortable enough in itself, but after attaching the heavy viewer, I ended up needing to hold it up with my hand for the entire ride to avoid having it fall over my nose.
(3) Completely forgettable storyline (if one existed at all): I'd add more to this point, but it really was that forgettable. It didn't help that I was distracted the entire time trying to keep my headgear from falling into my lap.
(4) Ride movement was way too limited: I've ridden Questor - I know the ride itself is capable of way more. That said, in this case the limited movement may have been a blessing in disguise in view of the loose, heavy headgear.
(5) Physical aftermath: My husband and I both exited the ride with headaches and (I'm pretty sure) a distinct lean to the left that lasted a good 20 minutes.
My overall opinion? Battle for Eire is Drachen Fire-level bad, just for different reasons.
I rode it a few months ago with a nephew, and while certainly not in the target demo, I felt it had some potential. It would be an interesting exercise to see if creating multiple shows and rotating them.....daily...weekly....by ride bay etc....to create experiences that more of the guests would enjoy. That might require the continuation of the generic theme in the entrance, but it would seem interesting to have a Battle for Eire ride for the kiddos....and say Dark Kastle re-imagined for well maybe everyone else 
And certainly no reason to not bring back Corkscrew Hill and even Questor.
I mean funding may dictate that it take time to develop the new 3d rendered films, but apart from that being able to give almost everyone in the park something to enjoy in that space for the same fixed operating costs....seems like a pretty good idea to explore/brainstorm.
And certainly no reason to not bring back Corkscrew Hill and even Questor. I mean funding may dictate that it take time to develop the new 3d rendered films, but apart from that being able to give almost everyone in the park something to enjoy in that space for the same fixed operating costs....seems like a pretty good idea to explore/brainstorm.
So... How long do we give Battle for Eire? Maybe through 2020?
High operations costs, considerable maintenance costs, heavy staffing requirements, and already plummeting popularity seem to paint a pretty grim picture.
High operations costs, considerable maintenance costs, heavy staffing requirements, and already plummeting popularity seem to paint a pretty grim picture.
I’ll give it till 2021 given Finnegan’s Flyer is opening next year. Gonna yank BfE’s popularity away
An additional question is would opinions change on enjoying or tolerating the current headsets if you could watch Dark Kastle and other legacy films or new films instead.
The ride tech itself I think could stay around awhile. Battle for Eire, not long in its current format, but if they make changes to the story and sequencing....it could help...just my opinion. I personally wouldn't ride it again in its current version unless I was with someone who hadn't ridden it.
The ride tech itself I think could stay around awhile. Battle for Eire, not long in its current format, but if they make changes to the story and sequencing....it could help...just my opinion. I personally wouldn't ride it again in its current version unless I was with someone who hadn't ridden it.
To answer your question directly... for me there is nothing they could do to make up for those headsets. I was literally in pain for an hour after I rode it the first time. The second time I knew not to put that contraption until the last possible minute, so the pain didn’t last nearly as long.
Additionally, I don’t think the story was the most import aspect of DarKastle. There was much more to that ride than a video could replicate.
To address your underlying concept, I don’t think it is probably feasible to create multiple, rotating shows. Perhaps they could offer a holiday version the way SWO does. There is more, however, to the attraction than just the video, which was no small task, itself. They would have to reprogram the ride vehicle for each new video. Additionally, there are two pre-shows designed specifically for BfE.
Perhaps if BfE were drawing huge crowds into the park it could make sense. For me, at least, the last thing I want is another reason to have to don those headsets.
Additionally, I don’t think the story was the most import aspect of DarKastle. There was much more to that ride than a video could replicate.
To address your underlying concept, I don’t think it is probably feasible to create multiple, rotating shows. Perhaps they could offer a holiday version the way SWO does. There is more, however, to the attraction than just the video, which was no small task, itself. They would have to reprogram the ride vehicle for each new video. Additionally, there are two pre-shows designed specifically for BfE.
Perhaps if BfE were drawing huge crowds into the park it could make sense. For me, at least, the last thing I want is another reason to have to don those headsets.
My opinion of the ride wouldn't change regardless of what was shown. The point of the ride is VR, but they did absolutely nothing with it. Sure you can look around and behind you, but literally everything happens in front of you. There's no "Oh did you see this goblin fairly get stuck in a knights helmet and run into a wall." It would have been one thing if they had ANYTHING behind you or besides you. But its all in front of you. It lacks reride ability. there's no "what if I rode the whole ride facing left, what would I see?" The answer would be nothing. Not that it would matter, every time I've ridden it without VR, nobody is looking around anyways. Not even when it's stationary before the ride starts. They just look forward.
Not to mention the god awful headsets. My head is too big for the kids mask, and too small for the adult mask. So it's either headache or holding the damn thing up so it doesn't slip off.
Switching the videos isn't ideal either, as the point of DarKastle was to ride in the sleigh through sets as well as screens. Bringing back old rides wouldn't do the VR much good either since none of those old films weren't built for VR in the first place.
Not to mention the god awful headsets. My head is too big for the kids mask, and too small for the adult mask. So it's either headache or holding the damn thing up so it doesn't slip off.
Switching the videos isn't ideal either, as the point of DarKastle was to ride in the sleigh through sets as well as screens. Bringing back old rides wouldn't do the VR much good either since none of those old films weren't built for VR in the first place.
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They're just too heavy. I have rift and it is way more comfy and maybe half the weight. ultimately, I think BfE was the most realistic VR attampt as far as viability that a park has done, but still, the tech is not there. Still I think that the fact that the replaced an unpopular ride is still no problem for the park. They swung, and they missed, but at the very least they kept something fresh to keep coming back for year to year.
Was it good? no. Was it a cash grab? no. Just a minor risk and pr stunt that didn't quite work out.
The thing though is that is. The animation is just not good, the capabilities of the HTC Vive are immensely higher than what they put out with that video. It has a terrible refresh rate and the animation style itself is just dirty. I don't know why they were unable to produce a video that the Vive could show off.
I enjoyed it. Wife enjoyed it, kids enjoyed it. Nobody felt they had to ride again. In fact, I can't think of an incarnation of that ride system since Questor that really compelled repeat rides. I suppose Corkscrew Hill came closest, but Questor had that slightly gritty, analog realness to it, which somehow drew the rider back for more.
IMO the tech for something like Eire really isn't there yet, in that the headsets need substantial hardware miniaturization before they can be truly comfortable, secure on the head, and (probably more) durable. At any realistic price, that only comes with time, and IMO we are currently in that uncomfortable spot on the new-tech temporal curve where it's feasible enough for a regional park to try but not quite ready for prime time. I ended up holding the headset up and encouraging my kids to do the same -- a task made considerably easier on a ride that doesn't really feature much in the way of abrupt movement.
I would love it if someone more versed than me in the VR arts would comment on the basic architectural and computational differences between Eire's VR and that on a VR-enabled Six Flags coaster. Those rides and their associated headset tech feature considerably more intense ride dynamics, a wider range of environmental factors, and a larger user/rider base than Eire, but they seem to fare better overall from a usability and comfort standpoint.
IMO the tech for something like Eire really isn't there yet, in that the headsets need substantial hardware miniaturization before they can be truly comfortable, secure on the head, and (probably more) durable. At any realistic price, that only comes with time, and IMO we are currently in that uncomfortable spot on the new-tech temporal curve where it's feasible enough for a regional park to try but not quite ready for prime time. I ended up holding the headset up and encouraging my kids to do the same -- a task made considerably easier on a ride that doesn't really feature much in the way of abrupt movement.
I would love it if someone more versed than me in the VR arts would comment on the basic architectural and computational differences between Eire's VR and that on a VR-enabled Six Flags coaster. Those rides and their associated headset tech feature considerably more intense ride dynamics, a wider range of environmental factors, and a larger user/rider base than Eire, but they seem to fare better overall from a usability and comfort standpoint.
Almost all of these ran on the mobile VR systems, which are severely more limited. The reason these all "worked so well" was because they were just optimized brilliantly to run on such a small processor, usually a mobile phone or an apparatus similar.
The Vive is the most superior VR available out there, only rivaled by Oculus Rift's top stuff, and the fact that BfE can't surpass a Samsung Gear VR is disgraceful.
I hadn't really thought about that before. isn't it sad that some people could say that the mobile VR systems are better than BfE? HTC Vive is made to run games with immediate responsiveness and high quality graphics; I saw someone run GTA V in one and it looked like you were in Los Angeles. BfE is just a stinker. They need to rework it, it was RELEASED looking dated.
I think it's just as much about ergonomics as it is the software side. The headsets are just too heavy and they also aren't comfortable.
I have ridden several VR coasters and the only one that didn’t completely suck was Freedom Flyer at Fun Spot.
I missed Kraken, so I don’t know if it worked better.
The Six Flags versions I have tried were painful and never seemed to work. They essentially strap a cell phone to your face. It takes so long for the ride ops to get everyone set up and calibrated that the phones overheat, before the ride starts. Generally, we found the images either drifted to side or back or blacked out entirely.
Unaccountably, SFA put VR on Mind Eraser. Without the ability to brace myself for the especially painful bits (because the headset prevents you from putting your head all of the way back, and you can’t see what is coming regardless), I ended up with one hand on the headset to keep it from flying off and the other wrapped around the restraints in a failed attempt to protect myself from injury. And it wasn’t just me. We saw a kid on our train get off with a bloody nose.
In my opinion, other than the Void, which everyone must try, BfE is the best approach to amusement park VR.
But if you want to experience good VR, just go do the Void.
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Personally I did enjoy it for what it is and after the atrocious disaster called Europe in the Air, I would've gladly taken anything that succeeded that. But I will say that unlike Curse of DarKastle, this does feel like a prototype at times which a theme park ride shouldn't be in any circumstances in this day and age. But with that said, Battle for Eire is fun ride which is all that matters to me. ?
there is a lot of theming - in the preshow rooms, just because one hallway is virtually untouched doesn't mean there is nothing
I rode this several times in June and August with my kids. I will say this, as cute and adorable as it was, I have to agree, it seems rather half-assed. They eye-wear was heavy and we generally left with minor headaches. The kids kept wanting that air-conditioning though...?I rather liked Europe in the Air, and I think that could have continued with various versions of shows added. I honestly don't know this buildings dimensions, and I know BGW has MANY things on the horizon, but a dark, smaller, indoor family coaster would be quite a fun addition, especially once Finnegan's Flyer is added. Just my 2 cents. I don't see this lasting, even with the promise of air-conditioning.
Honestly at the point where a VR port of EITA probably would've been better and more impressive than BfE.
They need to make a VR port of Pirates 4-D and just use this as a VR theater. Those ride systems are so easy to reprogram to the visuals. Takes little to no time, someone has to just sit there and watch the video, and use a joystick to move the box how they see fit.
They need to make a VR port of Pirates 4-D and just use this as a VR theater. Those ride systems are so easy to reprogram to the visuals. Takes little to no time, someone has to just sit there and watch the video, and use a joystick to move the box how they see fit.
I don't have a perfect memory so I could be wrong, but I recall "decoration" type stuff - nothing that was really themed to the story or that immersed you in the experience. I also believe theming should start immediately upon entry into the attraction, starting in the hallway where guests spend so much time waiting in line. Otherwise, the park misses its greatest opportunity to have guests fully engaged and immersed by the time they reach the staging area. In the best dark rides, like DarKastle and Tower of Terror, immersion into the theme starts immediately when you enter the queue.
An example of a missed opportunity in BfE: when guests enter the first staging area and watch the story video, Addie mentions something about needing their love for Ireland to win her battle. Um, my love for Ireland? I don't hate Ireland, but since I'm not Irish I have no specific connection to the country either. The park missed an opportunity to use the time guests spend in line to immerse them in the country's culture and cultivate at least some fondness for Ireland, so that by the time they meet Addie in the video, they would feel like one of the "chosen" ones. As it was, without any sort of emotional connection to Ireland, I felt like more of a bystander, wondering why I was there.