That was my son and it was not a cut just an impression made from the mask.Peej1212 said:
Project 2018: Battle for Eire (VR Attraction)
- Thread starter Eric
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Just two tips for anyone who us giving this ride a shot for the first time in the next couple weeks:
Contrary to what the ops may tell you, don't tighten the mask until you are sitting down. Complaints of discomfort and headaches as a result of the pressure the mask puts on your head and face have continued throughout the soft openings this weekend. The less time you are applying that pressure, the less uncomfortable you'll be once you add the weight of the headset to the mask.
Secondly, try to keep your eyes looking straight ahead for the entire experience. Look around by moving your head like a bird—not by looking around with your eyes as you typically would. This seems to help some people with motion sickness and ensures that you are always looking at the highest quality portion of the display (as with any lenses, quality drops off towards the sides as distortion begins to become far more noticeable).
Contrary to what the ops may tell you, don't tighten the mask until you are sitting down. Complaints of discomfort and headaches as a result of the pressure the mask puts on your head and face have continued throughout the soft openings this weekend. The less time you are applying that pressure, the less uncomfortable you'll be once you add the weight of the headset to the mask.
Secondly, try to keep your eyes looking straight ahead for the entire experience. Look around by moving your head like a bird—not by looking around with your eyes as you typically would. This seems to help some people with motion sickness and ensures that you are always looking at the highest quality portion of the display (as with any lenses, quality drops off towards the sides as distortion begins to become far more noticeable).
So I've been thinking about something with BfE, and for those of use that have built it up, why it's going to be a bit of a disappointment:
1 - VR is still very much a tip of the iceberg thing. It really doesn't do much more than put you in an immersive environment. This is still very much a motion simulator ride. At it's core, the ride really isn't that new.
2 - I think, based off advertisements and first hand accounts of friends, this attraction was targeted at the 'tween' group. Too old for FOF and LOD, but not quite big enough for Alpie, Griff and the like. The ads have all been targeting that 8-13 age group.
3 - This is the first time a regional park is putting this type of immersive experience in a park with VR. I think there's bound to be issues/a level of 'incompleteness'.
I personally will go in with a mind set of 'fun' when I get the chance to ride this, trying to keep in mind what the ride really is. I think if your were expecting something on the Flight of Passage level ride, you were going to be let down anyways. For me I care about two things (1) is it entertaining and (2) did they try something new? I think the answer to both might be yes. As long at they tried those things, I'm encouraged.
EDIT:
I love that they are targeting that age group with the ads, FWIW. I've said a bunch of times how important balance is to a park, and having rides like this, whose main audience might be that age range, is important. Having that next generation of park goers finding things they like and wanting to be at the park is vital for the industries growth.
1 - VR is still very much a tip of the iceberg thing. It really doesn't do much more than put you in an immersive environment. This is still very much a motion simulator ride. At it's core, the ride really isn't that new.
2 - I think, based off advertisements and first hand accounts of friends, this attraction was targeted at the 'tween' group. Too old for FOF and LOD, but not quite big enough for Alpie, Griff and the like. The ads have all been targeting that 8-13 age group.
3 - This is the first time a regional park is putting this type of immersive experience in a park with VR. I think there's bound to be issues/a level of 'incompleteness'.
I personally will go in with a mind set of 'fun' when I get the chance to ride this, trying to keep in mind what the ride really is. I think if your were expecting something on the Flight of Passage level ride, you were going to be let down anyways. For me I care about two things (1) is it entertaining and (2) did they try something new? I think the answer to both might be yes. As long at they tried those things, I'm encouraged.
EDIT:
I love that they are targeting that age group with the ads, FWIW. I've said a bunch of times how important balance is to a park, and having rides like this, whose main audience might be that age range, is important. Having that next generation of park goers finding things they like and wanting to be at the park is vital for the industries growth.
So, I have been thinking for a while now about what I want to say about BfE. I haven't experienced it since Media Day, so I have been hopeful that some of my concerns would be addressed. Apparently, during last weekend's soft open, people were still having similar problems to mine.
First let me say that I think this is by far the best use of VR that I have seen in an amusement park (I haven't tried the Void yet). I have never been a fan of VR on roller coasters, and I have only had a good experience on one of the several I have tried (at Fun Spot). VR, to me, seems to lend itself naturally to motion simulators.
I also think that for people who have never tried VR, this attraction will be exciting and cool. It is fundamentally different from traditional 3- and 4-D technology.
I don't know enough about the technology to be able to comment on its longevity. My understanding is that while it may be on the bleeding edge right now, the industry is always moving forward, so BfE could become old tech very quickly.
What I can comment on with confidence is my personal experience on the ride.
Zachary and I both chose to ride with and without VR goggles, so we could compare the two. We started without the VR, and the ride was good. It wasn't amazing, as you would expect, since we were literally just watching a video on a huge, curved screen. Since the motion simulator was very gentle, it was definitely a safe option for people who are worried about the VR. I can't say whether it would cause motion sickness, since I have never had that problem.
When we rode it with the VR, I was very glad I had already seen the entire video, because my goggles blacked out 13 times (yes, I counted). I would have had no idea what was happening had I not already seen it, and I know I missed several critical plot points. I also had problems at the beginning getting my video centered. My understanding was that these issues were already being worked on Media Day, but it sounds as if they were not completely fixed as of last weekend.
Speaking of the story-line... I was not impressed. I know they have limited time, and I understand that the plot needs to appeal to everyone, but it was honestly just weak. They introduced a variety of characters that could have been interesting, yet none of them ever seemed to do anything. Ollie, for me, was the biggest let-down. His entire role seemed to be as a mode of transport. I don't expect them to be able to do complex character development, but I'd like to feel as if there was a purpose to the various people you meet beyond merchandising. The story, itself, had less nuance than a cereal commercial. In fact, if they had tried to sell me a box of Lucky Charms at the end, it would not have surprised me very much. At the end of the day, I was very bored.
And that boredom was only exacerbated by the intense pain I was enduring, because of the masks. About halfway through, I started thinking about how soon it would be over, so I could get the headgear off. The adult size was far too large for my head, but the children's pinched my cheeks. The discomfort was amplified dramatically, when I attached the goggles. The weight created so much pain, that two hours later my face still ached. I strongly recommend waiting as long as possible to put the mask on. Hopefully, they will create a wider range of sizes.
It was interesting to see the difference with and without VR. The video was much more zoomed in with the goggles, and of course, you could see the world all around you. There was also a cool section, where you could participate in the action, as well, if you were wearing the VR headsets.
Overall, I don't dislike BfE, and I believe they can fix some of my complaints. That said, I am not in any hurry to ride it again.
First let me say that I think this is by far the best use of VR that I have seen in an amusement park (I haven't tried the Void yet). I have never been a fan of VR on roller coasters, and I have only had a good experience on one of the several I have tried (at Fun Spot). VR, to me, seems to lend itself naturally to motion simulators.
I also think that for people who have never tried VR, this attraction will be exciting and cool. It is fundamentally different from traditional 3- and 4-D technology.
I don't know enough about the technology to be able to comment on its longevity. My understanding is that while it may be on the bleeding edge right now, the industry is always moving forward, so BfE could become old tech very quickly.
What I can comment on with confidence is my personal experience on the ride.
Zachary and I both chose to ride with and without VR goggles, so we could compare the two. We started without the VR, and the ride was good. It wasn't amazing, as you would expect, since we were literally just watching a video on a huge, curved screen. Since the motion simulator was very gentle, it was definitely a safe option for people who are worried about the VR. I can't say whether it would cause motion sickness, since I have never had that problem.
When we rode it with the VR, I was very glad I had already seen the entire video, because my goggles blacked out 13 times (yes, I counted). I would have had no idea what was happening had I not already seen it, and I know I missed several critical plot points. I also had problems at the beginning getting my video centered. My understanding was that these issues were already being worked on Media Day, but it sounds as if they were not completely fixed as of last weekend.
Speaking of the story-line... I was not impressed. I know they have limited time, and I understand that the plot needs to appeal to everyone, but it was honestly just weak. They introduced a variety of characters that could have been interesting, yet none of them ever seemed to do anything. Ollie, for me, was the biggest let-down. His entire role seemed to be as a mode of transport. I don't expect them to be able to do complex character development, but I'd like to feel as if there was a purpose to the various people you meet beyond merchandising. The story, itself, had less nuance than a cereal commercial. In fact, if they had tried to sell me a box of Lucky Charms at the end, it would not have surprised me very much. At the end of the day, I was very bored.
And that boredom was only exacerbated by the intense pain I was enduring, because of the masks. About halfway through, I started thinking about how soon it would be over, so I could get the headgear off. The adult size was far too large for my head, but the children's pinched my cheeks. The discomfort was amplified dramatically, when I attached the goggles. The weight created so much pain, that two hours later my face still ached. I strongly recommend waiting as long as possible to put the mask on. Hopefully, they will create a wider range of sizes.
It was interesting to see the difference with and without VR. The video was much more zoomed in with the goggles, and of course, you could see the world all around you. There was also a cool section, where you could participate in the action, as well, if you were wearing the VR headsets.
Overall, I don't dislike BfE, and I believe they can fix some of my complaints. That said, I am not in any hurry to ride it again.
I'm really liking the fact that the reviews on here so far are mixed. With some either really loving it, enjoyed it, liked it with some issues, and not disliking it but making the complaints known. I still have reasonable expectations with a ride like this, and you can bet that I will highly enjoy everything about it and have had fun with it once I actually ride it (VR goggles or not).
Thanks for posting your thoughts guys, I really appreciate it.
Thanks for posting your thoughts guys, I really appreciate it.
Park just announced on forms of social media Battle for Eire officially opens April 13th!
Nicole said:
How did the participation part work? In other words, by what means - like a handheld controller or something?
You have to "focus your magic" on the Heart of Eire to recapture it from Balor. You do that by pointing your head towards it. Two colored beams of light point towards whichever way you're facing.
It's a tremendously... uh... basic.... implementation.
That said, it is also the only element in the VR that I've found to be at all interactive.
It's a tremendously... uh... basic.... implementation.
That said, it is also the only element in the VR that I've found to be at all interactive.
Lord Robert said:I'm really liking the fact that the reviews on here so far are mixed. With some either really loving it, enjoyed it, liked it with some issues, and not disliking it but making the complaints known. I still have reasonable expectations with a ride like this, and you can bet that I will highly enjoy everything about it and have had fun with it once I actually ride it (VR goggles or not).
Thanks for posting your thoughts guys, I really appreciate it.
In contrast, I will go out of my way to hate everything about it.
In fact I already do. Everyone knows this this is terrible. It sucks. Nothing works and it looks and sounds awful.
Zachary said:
I find it a bit ironic that the climax of Corkscrew Hill also involved instructions for the riders to "focus your magic" on the púca. I believe it used that exact wording as well.
Lord Robert said:It seems opposites do attract.
Oh, you guys...
Joe said:
I think Battle for Eire's "Focus your magic" moment is meant to be a nod to Corkscrew Hill. A nice little Easter egg.
Lord Robert said:
In Questor you are asked to do something similar with your.. "Ergs" I Think?
So another dud for BGW's efforts to do a non-coaster ride? Shame from what I'm reading, but what do the kids think, who are not hardcore forum people like us? That's what I wanna know. I have 3 nephews and 1 niece, aged 10-15. Are they gonna hate me for taking them on this? You guys seem to think this was a money waster thus far :-(
Welp, here's back to hoping for Project Madrid to impress us some year ahead.
Welp, here's back to hoping for Project Madrid to impress us some year ahead.
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