I recall the words "open-air" from one of the plans as well. Not necessarily a bad thing on its own, it just needs to look better than.. that.
Project 2025/Caldera: Rapterra (Launched B&M Wing Coaster)
- Thread starter horsesboy
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even if they don’t do anything with the station it’s still beating pantheon with the plants and the alleged theming they keep talking about but not really showing (im looking at you reptilian exit cave)
Also in the description of their new Rapterra report (which while the video is premiering on Monday you can click and read the description already on YouTube) it specifically mentions theming after landscaping, so please give them some time to cook, I for one remain cautious optimistic. And who knows with that new Flight of Fear theming they’re working on maybe we’ll get some facade or at least paint to blend it in better.
Also in the description of their new Rapterra report (which while the video is premiering on Monday you can click and read the description already on YouTube) it specifically mentions theming after landscaping, so please give them some time to cook, I for one remain cautious optimistic. And who knows with that new Flight of Fear theming they’re working on maybe we’ll get some facade or at least paint to blend it in better.
1 - My comment is partially tongue in cheek
2 - To me, this is a let down. I don't like the concept that the stations are the dig site and the temple is actually near by. IMO if they wanted to do this right, they should make the entrance to the queue be the dig site, the entire queue is the dig site to the temple, and the station is the temple itself.
It’s also worth pointing out the station for a wing coaster was essentially going to be a wide hanger setup as its structure with the wider set up than a typical coaster plus the elevated operating booth. We will see what the final product looks like before too long.
Few thoughts:
The station looks awful right now, but it's a construction site. Major work needs to take place to make the station look even remotely acceptable (let alone good), but they have months to do said work. I am a little concerned about the currently obvious prefab nature of the building and the lack of any distinct architectural elements, but I am still in a "wait and see" mindset. They have time, let 'em cook.
Now, re: the theorized thematic direction...
If the station is a digsite structure/research building/other Whey Foundation-built, temporary/rough/industrial-looking structure, there's nothing inherently wrong with that. A huge part of competent, successful theme park design is picking stories/themes/settings which jive with the park's budget/ability. As long as the story is well conveyed, "value-engineering" can be perfectly acceptable in Jungle X—it is already explained in-lore, but now KD needs to relay that effectively to guests on the ground. We'll see if they do.
The station looks awful right now, but it's a construction site. Major work needs to take place to make the station look even remotely acceptable (let alone good), but they have months to do said work. I am a little concerned about the currently obvious prefab nature of the building and the lack of any distinct architectural elements, but I am still in a "wait and see" mindset. They have time, let 'em cook.
Now, re: the theorized thematic direction...
If the station is a digsite structure/research building/other Whey Foundation-built, temporary/rough/industrial-looking structure, there's nothing inherently wrong with that. A huge part of competent, successful theme park design is picking stories/themes/settings which jive with the park's budget/ability. As long as the story is well conveyed, "value-engineering" can be perfectly acceptable in Jungle X—it is already explained in-lore, but now KD needs to relay that effectively to guests on the ground. We'll see if they do.
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If you are an Ace Member Ace Midalantic is hosting an event featuring a tour of the ride at the end of February.
Like I said, I'm not a fan of this direction but if they do so, fabric side walls, work stations, excavation tools and set decoration would be huge in making that story telling go a long way.
But I'm going to add this caveat:
They don't have just one station that's got the half done prefab look. Pantherian's station left over from I/P-305. That station was quite bare and pre-fab looking (granted it fit pit row feel) that needs to have this type of work done to it as well. Now I know it's hard to get eyes back in there and maybe they are working on that station right now and will move to Rapterra after. But it's certainly something to keep an eye on as they try to get to multiple projects a year.
As I said before, Tumbili’s station quite literally consists of tarps suspended from poles (with the station representing a dig site and the maintenance building being the temple), and I haven’t seen any major criticism of Tumbili’s thematic approach.
Likewise, Reptilian’s station is open-air, and I think it looks fine. And according to the in-universe Jungle X map, Reptilian’s station is canonically a “research station,” not the temple. The actual temple appears to be the cave. Which means that of all three existing temple-themed rides, not one of them has their temple represented by a station.
Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion about whether they like the thematic direction, but considering that it is literally unprecedented in Jungle X for a ride station to represent a temple, I think it’s a stretch to be disappointed that they didn’t change course for Rapterra. Again, it’s all well and good to have a personal opinion, but this critique strikes me as just that: personal opinion.
You combined a lot of different posts and thoughts from me into one somewhat misrepresenting post here.
Yes I’m of the personal opinion that stations should have been the temple and the queue entrance the research, which has nothing to do with the part you quoted.
The part you are quoting has to do with the issue that if they are doing more with Rapeterra’s station, I was reminding/expanding that they also need to do something with Panthera’s station as well as it was quite basic.
So with the part you quoted, I was responding @Zachary adding what I would be ok with that they could do more to make the story built.
We need to talk about the 4:05 track wobble in the video.
I already fear this will have a rattle as well. I love the content and depth, but some things in the vid of testing if you look closely are slightly concerning about the ride smoothness. I hope I am wrong.
Still stoked though!
I already fear this will have a rattle as well. I love the content and depth, but some things in the vid of testing if you look closely are slightly concerning about the ride smoothness. I hope I am wrong.
Still stoked though!
That launch rattle looks horrible. What is going on with B&M?
I agree - one thing after the next it seems. Watch Thunderbird's launch and you'll REALLY see the difference.
Interesting that there seems to be two areas with temporary fencing around the ride: the launch and the low-to-the-ground dive by the Reptilian cave. We already know theming elements are going within the temporary fencing at the launch (you can see their concrete footers in the video), but I wonder if that suggests a reason for why the fencing by the Reptilian cave is still temporary? It might also be possible that they need to access that area for some other reason still, but it’s worth noting.
Also, shoutout to the marketing team for that video. It’s always cool to hear from the park’s own leadership like the director of operations.
It’ll be interesting to see if BB2 shows a rattle too once it starts testing. Granted, I’m not familiar enough with early ride testing to know if early testing without water dummies typically produces a visual rattle anyway.
Think it might be time to stop blaming B&M and start looking at the installers or the steel manufacturer. That track ain't straight.
I saw Reddit flipping shit over this and honestly think it could be nothing. Is this not how almost any coaster launch would look from an angle like this? I feel like wing trains would only exaggerate the movements too
Check Thunderbird, which is far older than this, and you see almost no "jitter" of this sort. The fact that its on multiple sections of straight track is concerning IMO.
It's not an encouraging sign. I know of very few launch coasters that feature that kind of movement, B&M or otherwise. The wing seating will also make it quite obvious I'm afraid, riding off center of the track. Coasters launching on center of track - maybe not so much of a feeling. One's thighs/legs will feel such movements and interpret that as a change in axial movement, similar to a car going down unsmoothed pavement.
Man I hope its nothing too.
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