Prototypes-Coasters & Flats

I've done a little searching on here and couldn't find an answer, so here goes. I may be opening a can of worms but...Is Tomb Raider:The Ride, Delirium, or TTD considered prototypes. There has been a heated discussion on a PKI site and there was no clear answer. Care to take a shot at it?

Dragster is NOT a prototype...that would be Xcelerator. No argument there.

It's my opinion that Tomb Raider's giant Top Spin is not a prototype...it's merely a larger version of an existing ride type, just as Huss' Delirium is based on their Frisbee.

So as far as I'm concerned it's "no" to all three. Your mileage may vary.

mOOSH

...also, I'd imagine that flat rides are first assembled elsewhere and tested before making their way to parks. With coasters, it's sometimes harder to do that.

I doubt either the giant Top Spin or giant Frisbee are prototypes.

With coasters, it's sometimes harder to do that.

And yet amazingly Zamperla sold four Volares! Makes me wonder if SFEG, Rye, PCW, or Prater ever rode before buying?

Hmmm, I am not too sure about the giant Frisbees. Would the first regular Frisbee be a proto or just a further development of the swinging ship?
The giant frisbees are not transportable and use a different propulsion system. Actually all they have in common is a swinging arm with a rotating gondola.
What about the Jump2? It is as well a completely different ride than the small forerunner.
I would agree with the giant TopSpin, though.

I have tried talking until I am blue in the face (yeah, I know, not really) to some of the peeps at PKIU and they will not relent that any of these are prototypes. I am not convinced that any of them are.

Actaully we were told at BeastBuzz about how on TR:TR each arm operates independent from the other and much of the challenge of operating the ride is the result of having to keep the arms so perfectly in sync.

Do the older, smaller top spins work that way?

If not, then I could see the calling TR:TR a prototype.

So just give it up and let them think what they will. Why get all worked up over it? There are more important things in life ;)

Too true, Moosh. Too true. :)

To steal from Slick Willie, "Define prototype."

Concept-prototype or production-prototype? *** Edited 7/15/2004 8:24:36 PM UTC by boblogone***

What about Vu? Is that considered a prototype? Or the boomerangs?

The ironic thing is that one of the Batmen: The Ride was a prototype. I think after 3 clones a ride should lose its prototype status. :)

SFGAm's BTR was the prototype and will ALWAYS be the prototype, regardless of how many others followed. Same holds true for all prototypes. Not sure I'm following your logic, RavenTDD.

That would be RavenTTD and you have been here long enough to know you should not look for logic when you see a happy face. :)

It's alright RavenTTD, I'm constantly referred to as "MambaGuy87" instead of "MarimbaGuy87." :)

I guess that would make the Sea Serpent at Moreys Piers the prototype of the Vekoma boomerang since it was installed first. I remember thinking how cool it was to ride when I was 12 years old.

I say this without having a point, and just wanted to get in on the discussion. ;)

Sea Serpent is not the prototype. Reino Aventura [which became Six Flags Mexico]received the first, in 1982. Three opened in 1984, including Sea Serpent. A quick search of rcdb.com will give you this list.

And often the prototype is NOT the first one. Many times the prototype is a working model not meant for consumer use. I seem to recall that Vekoma built a full-scale model of a Boomerang to test, tweak, and make sure it worked before selling the first model to Reino Aventura.

But you are correct that it was the first Boomerang in the United States ;)

*** Edited 7/16/2004 4:33:46 PM UTC by Mamoosh***

So....Hypersonique is actaully a prototype AND the "full scale model"...obviously I have little to add, LOL.

Except, I will add THIS little tidbit...SWAT should be copied...there should be a LOT of SWATS. :)

No....superman:the Escape is not a coaster!!!!!!!

Oh....wrong endless debate... ;)

Gator: the S&S air-launch prototype that was at the factory in Utah was only a launch, tower, and brakes. IIRC they used those elements and added the rest of the track to make Hypersonic. So while you can't call HXLC the prototype portions of it came from it ;)