Nemesis: Sub-Terra Discussion (**contains spoilers**)

General discussion regarding the UK's No.1 Theme Park. Talk about anything and everything Alton Towers here.
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Dormiens-Dave

Well the waiting is over and the ride is about to open, here is your Alton Towers General topic to discuss everything about Sub-Terra... Do you think it is the best Dark-Ride in years or a complete flop? here is the place to make your views known.

Don't forget to post your reviews of the ride in its review topic here

Please note this topic may contain spoilers, if you do not wish the ride to be spoiled stop reading now!
Last edited by Dormiens-Dave on Sat May 26, 2012 1:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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krug
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Does anyone know if the ride time (2.5 mins) quoted in the guardian article refers to the whole experience or just the main portion of the ride with the drop tower element?
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BigAl
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Surely that would just be the actual drop section? Remember, they have to get people into the lift, let the lift do its thing and then let people out into the ride chamber and get everyone onto a tower. I'm just guessing, but 2 and a half minutes sounds too short for the whole experience.
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garyh
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Watching the news report, reading the news reports, I have to admit, this ride sounds like another Thirteen, infact, it sounds even worse than Thirteen.  One short drop and thats it, all over.  Sorry but it sounds a complete let down excuse the pun.  Truth is Alton havent had a decent ride installed since Nemesis and Oblivion - but lets face it, Alton is a family resort now, if you want proper white knuckle rides go to Thorpe Park. 

Will be interested to hear reviews tomorrow from people who have been on it, preferably from non-fanboys who think Alton can do no wrong!
DiogoJ42

garyh wrote: Will be interested to hear reviews tomorrow from people who have been on it, preferably from non-fanboys who think Alton can do no wrong!
Well that rules out a good third of this forum.
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James
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garyh wrote: Watching the news report, reading the news reports, I have to admit, this ride sounds like another Thirteen, infact, it sounds even worse than Thirteen.  One short drop and thats it, all over.  Sorry but it sounds a complete let down excuse the pun. 
Thing is, what were you expecting?

We've known all along this will just be a short drop ride. The ride itself is nothing exciting, but I see no reason for people to suddenly come out with negative views when it's been known all along what we were getting. I believe Alton Towers do not want this to be a 'ride' as such, but an 'experience'. It's meant to be looked at as a whole package, not just the ride element (which is sadly the only thing people will bother noting on).

I do agree with your views that Alton needs a decent ride though. Hopefully SW7 will make up for that!

When I ride Sub Terra next week I'm not going to concentrate on the main ride, I'm going to look at the whole 'experience'. The build up, how strong the storyline is, how well the staff do at staying in character, the theming, the quality of effects, the lift taking you back up to the surface... the ride itself is nothing exciting, although the whole experience could be fantastic, so that's what I will be focusing on myself.
DiogoJ42

A "whole package" attraction is fine, but the core element has to be able to deliver.
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DomB
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DiogoJ42 wrote: A "whole package" attraction is fine, but the core element has to be able to deliver.
I see everyone on here raving about Hex, but that is a "whole package" ride too. The actual system itself is extremely mediocre at best, but the experience and the "whole package" make it a good ride. Surely Sub-Terra also fits in this category (if the actual experience is any good..)

Also, the article on the previous topic with the two teenage girls, shouldn't worry any of the enthusiasts. At that age they'd probably completely miss the point of anything like this, and that of Hex. From my own experience I used to think Hex was a rubbish ride at that age.
Last edited by DomB on Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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garyh
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Problem is with a ride like this, unless Alton will pay impeccible attention to all the themeing, making sure lighting and effects are working every time, then anything that isnt working, will have a huge impact on this "experience".  Take Hex for example, or Duel.  An experience is fine, I have no problem with that, when it works as it should, all day, every day, every year, but in reality that doesnt happen.

If this ride turns out to be just a very short drop and thats it, well, considering its a follow up to the legendary Nemesis, i'd feel quite insulted to be honest. 

Im not going to say anymore because I havent ridden it yet, but from what im hearing, I shouldnt hold expect another Thirteen.

Edit : Dom - with regards Hex, lets remember here that Hex is a very complex ride, the drum speed, rotation, the angle of the swing, must all be sync.  The ride lasts about a minute and it does work very well.  Combined with the atmosphere, music, lighting etc, Hex is a great success.  I'll keep an open mind about Sub Terra, but I think Hex is above it in terms of ride experience.
Last edited by garyh on Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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CoasterCrazyChris
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The ride itself was never going to be anything special whatsoever. We new this agggees ago.

It was always going to be how well they managed to elaborate the Nemesis story, and how good the theming is to help create the atmosphere.

From what i've seen, it's Th13teen all over. Drop in the dark, air blasts, scaffolding, shipping container..but also a good 3D entrance feature.

Unlike Th13teen though, this is a filler ride on the way to Nemesis, and in that respect I think it will be good.

:)
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AWTSW90
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The deteriorating quality in recent years aside, Hex is a superb example of a madhouse! A large, well themed model with decent effects, the ride impresses alone, the build up just adds to the experience (and adds a lot).
If experience is more important than the ride itself, then they will be as well to just add scare mazes from now on. It's all of the elements coming together that make an exceptional attraction, not one element alone. Having said that, the basis to any decent ride...is a decent ride, everything else builds on that to make it stand out.
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DomB
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garyh wrote: Edit : Dom - with regards Hex, lets remember here that Hex is a very complex ride, the drum speed, rotation, the angle of the swing, must all be sync.  The ride lasts about a minute and it does work very well.  Combined with the atmosphere, music, lighting etc, Hex is a great success.  I'll keep an open mind about Sub Terra, but I think Hex is above it in terms of ride experience.
You're entitled to your opinion, and although I can see how it is a complex ride, the actual core ride itself isn't really anything special, which you can see in the fact that other parks using the same system haven't been able to replicate the experience of hex. I agree with you however that the music, lighting and atmosphere make Hex what it is, but was stating how Alton Towers can make a fairly boring 'ride' into a great 'experience', which is what I hope Sub-Terra can achieve to some extent.
Last edited by DomB on Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
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hex4ever
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Not sure whether anyone's seen this yet but sub terra was on midlands today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff1lmbS_xng
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Th13teen wasn't over hyped, just over anticipated
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krug
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Wow, Hex is only a minute long?  Obviously i'm just talking about the end.  But, well, it seems longer.  Whats getting me is that, as i mentioned before, the article in the guardian says that terry lasts 2.5 mins.  If that is the ride itself, without the lift, then that's one hell of a long ride experience, in relation to what we know about terry.  I suppose that might include the telling of 'the story' aswell, which could take up a good portion of the time.  But, if its not, then I think that 2.5 mins of occasional darkness, sounds of nemesis around you, a drop in the dark and back/leg ticklers, could be pretty good. 
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CoasterCrazyChris
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I have to say i'm not too keen on the Oblivion style announcements playing around the entrance to the area.

It was far more effective when the Nemesis theme played out upon entering Forbidden Valley, as it built up the suspense as you walked down the path towards Nemesis and past the gun.

If they played announcements like that in X-Sector that would be much better. Personally, now I think the line between the Forbidden Valley and X-Sector themes is much too blurred.

:)
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jmc
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I am certainly not one to bash Alton Towers for the sake of it, and obviously I am yet to experience Sub-Terra, but I am absolutely baffled by their choice of installation. I appreciate that there are other elements to the experience, but after seeing the photos and especially the news report, I just cant understand why they have decided to install an attraction with exactly the same gimmicky ride element (a miniscule freefall drop complete with air blasts) as their previous addition to the park. I am concerned people are going to be disappointed yet again, as this has been marketed as a very scary attraction and people are going to go expecting a super intense thrill ride but theyre not going to get it. As for the theming, some of it does look impressive but again I am baffled by their use of scaffolding. Yes, the building may well be a 'temporary' set up, but it looked cheap with Thirteen and it looks cheap here. Noone goes to a theme park and expects to be greeted with a maze of scaffolding as theming.

Despite my negative post, I really hope to have my opinion changed when I visit on tuesday. I have been looking forward to this and do hope that at the very least it does the Nemesis story some justice.  :D
Dormiens-Dave

garyh wrote: but lets face it, Alton is a family resort now, if you want proper white knuckle rides go to Thorpe Park. 

Will be interested to hear reviews tomorrow from people who have been on it, preferably from non-fanboys who think Alton can do no wrong!
Thorpe Parks last 3 non coaster additions.... a tiny powered kiddy coaster they already had.... a crap scare maze.... and some rubber dingies. Just because im wondering where all thr Thorpe love is coming from. If you wish to make such a statement pick a park that has done something over and above Towers.

As for this ride it doesnt open for 5 hours but i will be quite honest about my feelings as i was about Th13teen so lets see shall we.
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CoasterCrazyChris wrote: I have to say i'm not too keen on the Oblivion style announcements playing around the entrance to the area.

It was far more effective when the Nemesis theme played out upon entering Forbidden Valley, as it built up the suspense as you walked down the path towards Nemesis and past the gun.
It still does - the drill (that gun) is still linked up to Nemesis, so when that rides open, the nemesis music is playing (and makes a lovely backdrop to the otherwise bland tvs).
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jmc wrote: I just cant understand why they have decided to install an attraction with exactly the same gimmicky ride element (a miniscule freefall drop complete with air blasts) as their previous addition to the park. I am concerned people are going to be disappointed yet again, as this has been marketed as a very scary attraction and people are going to go expecting a super intense thrill ride but theyre not going to get it.
me neither, but I am prepared to be open minded and hope the experience makes up for it. It does appear very similar to Th13teen though
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ATJoseph
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Great news Sub-Terra has a shop next to The Blade and infront of the Nemesis enterance!
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