The Smiler - Speculation

[Nightfall]

Just to bring conclusion to what I said before:
The issue for me is just that I don’t like the look of the station. But I also disagree with the suggestion that it looks ugly and that’s ok because the ride’s theme will explain why....

Just to clarify i don't think there will be a huge back-story i was merely indicated the sort of Mis-en-scen that would allow for the intergration of the two rides much more coherently than has been done in the past with the likes of Nemesis and Air.

I should also clarify that I wrote that section a long time before your post. It was more a response to some of the comment written directly after my previous posts but I liked the analogy so I posted it anyway. On the whole I tended to agree with what you wrote which is why I felt the need to clarify the exact reason why I disliked it in case I was being perceived for moaning for the sake of it.

[manual_operator]

Everyone seems to be missing the point, personally I think this ride will fit in fine, the building itself is actually quite far away from Oblivion therefore won't clash at all.

Also who's to say that Alton won't do a slight retheme to the entire area based on the new ride, it wouldn't be hard to make things look damaged and run down after an attack or abandonment. Some fake rust here and there and some dull coats of paint, with the two flats already gone for now it won't be hard at all to theme the entire area around this.

Also here's a picture illustrating the missing maintenance return section.



Is it now on the other side? Or was it accidentally forgotten about when the textures were added over it. Or was it always supposed to be on the other side and it was drawn in by mistake. It makes a lot more sense to have it on the other side however in terms of access and getting the train in and out of the station.

Surely the train would enter the maintenance from inside the building, then likely reversed back onto the switch track, and out through the normal hole? or am i missing what you're saying? :/

Also, I know I'm in the minority in liking the station exterior but personally I'm imagining it as kind of an asylum thats been there 'hidden' behind the Black Hole tent, making the GP think has that building always been there...hence why it isn't a brand spankingly new shiny building.

Just my thoughts

[manual_operator]

^^and by that I meant, similar to Rita's transfer track/maintenance shed...

[Morgano]

Just an update, Gerstlauer have updated their Eurofighter brochure with a new layout the "Eurofighter 1000". The new layout is for a launched Eurofighter and is actually Takabisha. This means Takabisha is an of the shelf model and isn't customised at all. Interestingly it reveals the true throughput as 650 pph which seems to lie true with the issues of throughput experienced by visitors to Takabisha.

The new brochure also mentions that the current world record drop of 121 degress can go even steeper if required. There's no mention of lapbars for new Eurofighters even though it was rumoured that Gerstlauer would no fit them for all new models.

The new brochure can be found here: http://www.gerstlauer-rides.de/assets/d ... ighter.pdf

[Instant Mix]

I'm a bit unsure about most of the themeing for this - it really does seem to clash wildly with the current 90's military / scifi theme that's currently in X sector , it seems alot more industrial , along the lines of something that'd belong in Forbidden Valley.

I'm not doubting for a second that the themeing will look amazing , I just honestly think it will clash , unless Alton have plans to completely upgrade the rest of X-Sector , which I somehow doubt.

[CoasterCrazyChris]

They are never going to "rough up" X-Sector to accommodate this ride. Just look at the new clean cut Fried Chicken Co. and the repaints round Oblivion's pit and that will become obvious.

[Javs]

Has anyone pointed out the width of the exit and entrance openings in the building?  They are quite wide for a 2 abreast train, so maybe this bolsters the idea of 4/6 abreast as opposed to this talk of possible x-trains?

[Rollercoasters4Life]

Also here's a picture illustrating the missing maintenance return section.



Is it now on the other side? Or was it accidentally forgotten about when the textures were added over it. Or was it always supposed to be on the other side and it was drawn in by mistake. It makes a lot more sense to have it on the other side however in terms of access and getting the train in and out of the station.

Surely the train would enter the maintenance from inside the building, then likely reversed back onto the switch track, and out through the normal hole? or am i missing what you're saying? :/

Also, I know I'm in the minority in liking the station exterior but personally I'm imagining it as kind of an asylum thats been there 'hidden' behind the Black Hole tent, making the GP think has that building always been there...hence why it isn't a brand spankingly new shiny building.

Just my thoughts

This is my prediction (Click on links below each picture if you want to see them bigger)

Here is my take on it:


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c259/shaney108/Rollercoasters4LifeSW7Prediction.jpg?t=1329176635

And this is how I feel the station building will be laid out on the ground level and the unload/load area of the station:


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c259/shaney108/Rollercoasters4LifeSW7BuildingFloor.jpg?t=1329176620

Now with that transfer track only being that long I can only see the cars being short in length. I think it will be a new train type with 3 rows with 4 abreast in each row - creating 12 per car.

[iain]

Am I being particularly thick here? But... from entering the station building, how will the trains drop several feet, rotate 180 degrees and move across a few foot to line up with the exit from the station?

Am I missing something silly?

Edit: Ah... too slow! Nice one Rollercoasters4Life. That has been bugging me for quite a while.

[captain]

I think that's very plausible! There's not really room for anything else to happen.

[ryanlovesaltontowers]

Sorry to bring the station back into the topic but does anyone else agree with me that although SW7 is nicely themed, the theme chosen just dosn't suit X-Sector, and it may seem if they add this aged effect to the rest of x-sector that Forbidden Vally and X-Sector will become very alike theming wise.

Not sure if anyone else has ever though this but i always had this idea that they were the sort of polar opposites of each other, one being pristine and clean, the other being worn and in ruin.

[Sam]

I don't want Oblivion's theme to be "distressed" to fit in with SW7, the way that Rita was. There's already enough rusty/dilapidated/abandoned themed rides being built by Merlin.

Though if the Oblivion queue doesn't get some maintenance and a refurb soon, it'll start looking like that anyway.

[CoasterCrazyChris]

Sorry to bring the station back into the topic but does anyone else agree with me that although SW7 is nicely themed, the theme chosen just dosn't suit X-Sector, and it may seem if they add this aged effect to the rest of x-sector that Forbidden Vally and X-Sector will become very alike theming wise.

Not sure if anyone else has ever though this but i always had this idea that they were the sort of polar opposites of each other, one being pristine and clean, the other being worn and in ruin.

I could not agree with you more.

EXACTLY my thoughts.

Asides from X-Sector, the only 'clean' themes in the park are Cloud Cuckoo Land, Spinball and The Flume. I don't want X-Sector to be made dilapilated.

I've heard enough rubbish about how we don't know the story yet and the theme will be explained and that the reasoning for it being run down is due to being attacked or abondoned, but this to me sounds like a load of silly far fetched tosh.

Everything should be true to the overall theme, but that doesn't mean it has to be an Oblivion clone.

[Johno]

The only thing that I'm not a fan of is how many old/destroyed buildings we're getting.

I can see why. Look at Air. Look at Oblivion. Look at Rita. Look at the Flume. All had modern, bright themes. All are showing the test of time, and now look a bit crap (ofc Rita has been rethemed).

But yeah, I quite like the look of Oblivions station. But can't help but really want Alton to give us a theme that doesn't look distressed!

[fredward]

The textures shown in those plans appear to be merlin stock textures

No doubt it will look a lot different once built and a lot less delapadated.

I havent double checked but they may well be the same textures used on the swarm station, and not representitive of the final product.

[AstroDan]

The only reason things in the park look distressed over time is because Alton Towers are, and have been for some time, diabolical at keeping attractions looking modern and fresh. They do not spend anywhere near enough money on keeping existing attractions looking as good as possible.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[RustyRider]

With the economy in the current mess it's in, can you really blame merlin for going with an easier to maintain theme...

[Nemesis94]

For what it's worth, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the interior of the station building. It's not that dissimilar to Rollercoasters4Life's ideas. The only difference being the location of the stairs. Due to the position of the coaster track underneath the station, it is my opinion that the ride must enter/exit from the same side (like Saw).

As with all other new coasters by Merlin, there must be a baggage room at some point that is accessible by both the queue and the exit line. Rather than taking up valuable room on the upper level, I think it is more likely it will be in the single story building to the right of the main station. This is where the three queue lines appear to converge. There might also be a pre-show in this building, but that's just speculation.

With regards the coaster track, I think the upper level is too narrow for the coaster to turn 180 degrees, and must use some of the lower semi-circular building. The ride could have a roll, but I've not marked this on. I doubt there will be some sort of "trick track" in the building, as they've sort of already done this with Thirteen.

[Morgano]

I'm 100% certain than what has been posted above by the two posters is what we'll see, it's the only logical explanation as to what will happen. Sure people will consider all sorts of amazing feats like a more than vertical drop, a turn table, a 13 style drop etc... but none of these will happen.

I'm sure we'll see a dropped turn in to an in-line twist before exiting the station. It's almost a standard Gerslauer signature to be honest and it works so well with the plans

I'm genuinely hoping that as the track slightly intrudes in to the exit shop that we'll see some sort of viewing gallery between the ride leaving the station and going in to the in-line twist. A glass window as such would be awesome!

[Ollie16]

Is it possible the inside of the shop could have a observation area to watch the trains decend from the loading platform?

Beaten to it!