Six Flags Magic Mountain and Samsung use augmented reality on Revolution

After using Hololens, which doesn't have a camera between you and what's in front of you, I can only imagine that this sucks.

Ugh. I can't wait for this fad to die out. Why is it not enough for these execs for a coaster to just be a coaster anymore?

I never thought mixing these two ideas was a good idea. I love coasters just the way they are.

I think the fact that it doesn't go away tells you that popularity with the majority of park goers is very different from popularity with enthusiasts.

Samsung? Let's hope it does not burst into flames.

I blame everyone who likes theming. This is just an extension of theming. ;)

sfmmlovernomatterwhaty'allsay said:

Ugh. I can't wait for this fad to die out. Why is it not enough for these execs for a coaster to just be a coaster anymore?

Their belief is that it can be marketed as a new attraction at a fraction of the cost. I'd be interested to see if the numbers bear that out. #Gonching

So, it's not going away?

https://coasterbuzz.com/Forums/Topic/loading-times-on-vr-rides-alwa...w/2#937013 (that's actually a solid jump-in point for the entire thread)

I'm not sure I would draw any conclusions from this particular story, because the various news releases are clearly a push from Samsung. This feels more like a promotional opportunity for them, and if they're floating the bill for it all, the appeal on the part of anyone is questionable.

Definitely. Then again, do you add something that guests don't like just because it's free? Well, if you're Six Flags, you probably do.

I wonder how many more are returning or being added?

Again, if they're back or expanding, it's not the liability that enthusiasts want to think it is.

Mostly off topic: Is the reverse Batman train still touring or did it end up somewhere for good?

They may be getting it for less than free. Though same analysis applies in terms of whether its worth it to the extent its a negative experience for customers.

In previous topics about virtual reality on coasters, I disapproved the idea, but very much approved of the idea of augmented reality. Virtual reality prevents you from seeing what's going on in the real world. Augmented, or mixed, reality, allows the fantastical things to happen within your reality. It allows you to see what is really going on, plus adds imaginary events into that reality. It's perfect.

I'm not going to roll my eyes at this idea. I think augmented reality is going to be much more popular than virtual reality, not just in roller coasters and entertainment, but in everyday life.

I would even predict that augmented reality is going to be as popular as television, the internet, and cell phones. It's "the" next step in technology. I'm kind of excited about it, if you can't tell.

I think augmented reality makes sense on paper, but not sure it's every really going to take hold. Although, you're talking using it more in an entertainment sense - so maybe. I mean, isn't that kind of what Pokemon did to some degree?

Of course, there's a Gonchback coming here. :)

I envisioned augmented reality more as a source of information and utility once inside the park back in 2008/2009.

A bit short-sighted maybe, but still the idea of using your phone as an "information window" to the world around you somehow makes sense. We do it already, it's just about changing the way we interface...and maybe that's why there's no interest. Same result.

As far as an entertainment thing, it'll be interesting to see if this is better received than straight VR. Or will it just be strapping something to your haed to ride a coaster that's objectionable? Although the article mentions:

On top of the virtual imagery, there's a level of gamification. "As riders drop at high speeds, the mixed reality view changes to a completely immersive, virtual reality environment and a fighter spaceship cockpit materializes and envelops the riders into a tunnel of light," the PR breathlessly explains. From there, you'll be brought into one of three (virtual) drone bays, "each of which offer a completely different gaming experience and three different endings," Six Flags explains.

So it does slip into the standard VR experience for much of the ride.

My limited experience with this is indeed Pokemon Go. We play the crap out of that game, and love it, but I can count on 1 hand the amount of times I've turned the Augmented Reality feature of the game on. And that's only because I wanted to take a picture of a Pokemon with a real world background. Other than that, AR stays off. It's a giant PITA, even in this overly simple form.

Such technology can often be a pain in its infancy, but that's the price to be paid for the great rewards as technology advances.

That being said, and maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I just don't see what is so unfulfilling about the roller coaster experience that it takes VR to make it more interesting, and especially when it's on rides that are among the most popular in their parks. I get the budget aspect of it as far as it being a low-cost way to market a new attraction, but to me, I just feel like it probably takes more from the experience than it adds.

I guess I just wish the park/ride experience would be immersive enough to justify the lack of VR. Reality is thrilling enough on its own. Get off of my lawn.

I predict something like Google Glass with augmented reality, used throughout your entire waking life. You put on your lightweight glasses first thing in the morning, and take them off when it's bedtime. They show you everything, form the prices of the items you are shopping for at the store, to who you are looking at as you pass them on the street, and if you've come in contact with them before. They inform you of bus schedule times, in real time. You use AR at work. The glasses show you the actual wait time for a roller coaster at the amusement park. Netflix and Hulu; Facebook and CoasterBuzz, all hands free and automatically. We will live in a world of enhanced vision in which everything is connected.

The ads will suck balls.

The next step soon after that will be optional contact lens, or even an eye implant of some kind that will make the glasses obsolete.

This technology will kill the desktop computer, the tablet, and the smart phone, but the internet will live on through it

And introducing the technology in a theme park attraction is a great way to familiarize people to it.

Q: Is the augmented reality feature good enough that riders can safely put on the headsets before getting into the train?

Because that's the biggest problem with putting this VR crap on coasters. It takes a ride engineered to move 2,000 PPH and cuts the capacity to about 300 PPH, which should be totally unacceptable.

Getting everybody ready to go before boarding would go a long way toward fixing that.

--Dave Althoff Jr.

I do agree with that. I might have a less critical view if there was a way for those folks to be prepped ahead of time and thus capacity was not impacted. I still think it's ridiculous, but at least it wouldn't impact me.