Team Prospero Brainstorming Thread - Project Ten: The Great Literature Ride

[JokersWild]

Super brief update: "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" has been replaced with "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy." As I worked on the scene more, I realized that there weren't really any iconic scenes in the book, and I was worried that it would end up being too much like the film. So, we still have modern sci-fi representation, and Hitchhiker's is a bit lighter than the other novels being used in the scene. Everything will be up in a bit. I'm just finishing some stuff up/ restructuring a bit.

 

[DashHaber]

Mythology


Guests begin in a dark tunnel moving into the Egyptian set, which is completely dark.

“Since the beginning of time, humans have told stories. Although stories were initially conveyed orally, as we evolved, our storytelling evolved. The ability to physically record stories allowed them to be widespread and adopted as cultural heritage. In no place was this storytelling more prominent than Ancient Egypt.”

Torches light up, illuminating the room in a flickering light. Guests are within a pyramid, and wall art and hieroglyphics tell the story of Osiris.

“Ancient Egyptian myths influenced their politics, religion, and history. Of these myths, the most influential was the story of Osiris.”

On the wall, Osiris’ figure, which had appeared to merely be part of the wall art, begins to move.

“Osiris was the king of Egypt, who had lifegiving power. Under his rule, Egypt was peaceful; however, Set, Osiris’ brother and a god of chaos, rose up against Osiris. He murdered his brother, scattering pieces of his body throughout Egypt.”

This scene is depicted on the wall through projections.

“For years, Set ruled Egypt, while Osiris’ wife, Isis, searched for him. Finally, all the pieces of Osiris were recovered, and he was revived as the god of the dead. Isis and Osiris had a son, Horus, who grew to be the strongest of the gods. He challenged Set’s rule and defeated him in combat. Finally, after so many years of turmoil, Egypt had a rightful king.”

The conclusion of the story is depicted on the walls. Throughout this story, guests have barely moved in their cars. At the conclusion of the story, guests move into a dark transition tunnel.

“Although Egyptian myths were influential in their culture, there was still a disconnect between the people and the subjects of their stories.”

Guests enter the Greek set. It is a temple, with statues of the gods filling the room.

“The Greeks, known enthusiasts of the arts, made their myths take a physical form. With that love of the arts came an improvement in the sophistication and depth of their stories, and to all who heard and told the myths, the stories came to life.”

The statues, previously thought to have been static, begin to move and interact with each other.

“The Greeks believed the characters in their myths, Zeus, the god of the sky, Poseidon, the god of the sea, Hades, the god of the dead, Apollo, the god of archery and music, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, and many, many others, were real and lived in their worlds. In many senses, the Greeks progressed storytelling by setting their stories in the real world.”

Guests, who had been slowly moving around the stage, move into the exit tunnel, which is dark as well. However, as examples of the stories of Greek mythology are mentioned, they appear on the walls of the tunnel briefly.

“As the original storytellers, their great stories, tales of great strength, valor, romance, and adventure, influence storytelling even today.”

End scene.

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/415615990

​

I like the idea you've got here, using it as an intro on storytelling itself along with telling these myths. Something that might be neat for the Greek Mythology portion is bringing up the idea of how the stories make use of ordinary people pulled into these grand tales, such as Orpheus and his descent into the Underworld or the Trojan War. If you have the chance, that could make for a nice addition to further the idea of how stories can connect to us, or I can adjust if need be. Also, I picture it's the Chronicler's voice we'd hear during this bit.

Ok Tiki I want you to know you have goaded me into writing the same prompt twice.

Team, I’m thinking this will either immediately follow Pride, or it will replace it as the single romance scene. If we go with only one feel free choose between Pride and Gatsby. I like both, the Pride Plan is focused heavily on the characters and their dialogue while the Gatsby Plan is all about environment and feeling.

Romance: The Great Gatsby
The next room is Romance, a smaller area serving as a transition between the larger scaled Adventure and Historical Epic setpieces. Romance is themed to the classic 1925 novel The Great Gatsby.

Ride vehicles are suddenly swept into the glitz and glamor of Gatsby’s West Egg Mansion. The track splits into two, each waltzing around the center. Screen windows show sparkling fireworks outside, culminating as we exit the manor.

And then the music sharply cuts out. We are now outside the mansion, but it feels like an entirely different night: there are no signs of life, the lights seem to have all gone out, and the extravagant music from inside can be barely heard.

We can see the back of an unidentified figure, looking across the lake at a small but shimmering green light. After momentarily pausing to watch this figure, we turn away and exit the scene.​

Nice work on the update for your Pride and Prejudice scene. Also, we could probably fit this Great Gatsby scene in, considering how quick the scene is.

Super brief update: "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" has been replaced with "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy." As I worked on the scene more, I realized that there weren't really any iconic scenes in the book, and I was worried that it would end up being too much like the film. So, we still have modern sci-fi representation, and Hitchhiker's is a bit lighter than the other novels being used in the scene. Everything will be up in a bit. I'm just finishing some stuff up/ restructuring a bit.

Thanks for the update.

Historical Epic

Guests drive into a dark tunnel with very little light (except at the far end it appears there is light slightly around the corner on the left). The whole area has a strong musky smell and sounds like flowing water. Suddenly, the area lights up more when one of the shafts opens revealing Jean Valjean and Marius in the Sewers below France in Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.

Guests see Jean Valjean reaching down to pick up an unconscious Marius. “Come on Marius, we have to get going” guests can hear Jean Valjean say. The majority of the tunnel is still fairly dark so guests continue on towards the light. Just before getting to that light, guests can see Thenardier lurking in the shadows waiting to ask Jean Valjean for money.

Next, guests go into the light and come out to massive cliff rock on either side of them. The iconic engravings on the side of the cliff match the original. This can mean only one thing. Guests are at the Battle of the Red Cliffs from Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong.

Guests enter the scene at the calm before the storm. Suddenly, chaos can be heard from above as the massive battle takes place.

Guests can see spears and swords fall from the cliffs above into the simulated/ shallow water on either side of the vehicle (the swords and spears don’t come close to the guests and get weighted to the bottom to be conveyored to the top again in time for the next ride vehicle to pass. Keen guests will be able to see a soldier AA appear to be falling over partially hanging over the edge.

After escaping the Battle of the Red Cliffs, guests enter into a smaller-scale battle, the Battle of Xiaoting - more specifically a fight between Liu Bei and Sun Quan’s general, Lu Xun. (This part is slightly dramatized as the battle featured 100,000 warriors so the focus is on the leaders instead).

These two leaders are represented through A-1000’s allowing the Animatronics to fully move in a full “battle”. Swords are being swung at each other while they “block” the swings back. The guests follow along slowly as Liu Bei is being pushed back by the barrage of swings from Lu Xun. With enough clear blows to Liu Bei, it is clear that Lu Xun has won. He tells the guests “follow me” and the ride vehicles continue on to the Stone Sentinel Maze.

The Stone Sentinel Maze was a real-life maze that would appear and disappear with the tides. In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Lu Xun gets lost in the maze (and almost dies). Unfortunately, the guests also get lost in the maze.
With the help of the ride technology, there are multiple paths that the ride vehicles can take. The gif below shows three possible paths:

View attachment 488905

Eventually, the guests make it to an open square where they find Lu Xun (blue dot on gif). He says he found the way out of the maze finally and points to the opening just behind the guests. The cars turn around and weave down this final path to lead to the finale.


​

Really good work here, @AceAstro for your section.

 

[JokersWild]

A light at the end of the tunnel opens up into a large open field at twilight. At the far end is a large platform of ancient stone atop of which sits a gigantic monolith. Though it looks ancient, the monolith features what looks like a CRT computer display monitor, mostly blank with the exception of a single blinking cursor, with a horizontal green light below it. Etched into the bottom corner of the monolith are the words “Deep Thought.” Three people stand to either side of Deep Thought, looking on in anticipation. Approaching and surrounding the front of the platform, Deep Thought springs to life. The green light below its’ screen begins to get brighter as it begins to speak.

“The answer to the great question of life, the universe, and everything is....forty-two.”

The three onlookers sigh in disappointment. As they begin to fight with Deep Thought, a door at the base of the platform slides open.

Through the door and a small tunnel a small laboratory can be seen. Broken beakers, burners, and other chemistry equipment are strewn over the tables. In the center of the room stands a disheveled-looking man. Though he seems exhausted, he moves with a strange intensity as he lifts a beaker holding a glowing red liquid to his mouth and drinks it. As soon as the liquid touches his lips the man doubles over, audibly writhing in pain. His voice begins to distort and with a blinding flash of lightning and crack of thunder, the tired man is replaced with the hulking mass of a person, noticeably taller and more monstrous. The man roars and begins rampaging through the room. (this entire effect is done with screens. Please don’t dock our realism. I promise I’ll be good.)

The far end of the lab is covered in a thick black smoke. As the smoke begins to break, burning wood can be smelled and the sounds of distanced screams, accompanied by strange mechanical sounds, can be heard. Rounding a corner, the smoke completely dissipates, revealing a mostly destroyed Trafalgar Square, circa 1900. The square’s iconic fountain stands in ruin, occasionally spouting water. Surrounding the fountain are a number of buildings which have recently been destroyed, still billowing smoke. Deep red skeletons in tattered army uniforms lay draped over barbed wire.

After circling the fountain and heading deeper into London a tight street featuring even more rubble and skeletons can be found. The key difference, however, is that most of the buildings are covered in thick red vines, which are visibly overtaking the city. A deep siren can be heard as a Martian tripod can be seen peeking out from behind some of the taller buildings. On the other side of the street, a few British soldiers begin to pop out from behind rubble and try to shoot at the tripod. The tripod returns fire with its’ heatray. Barely missing the soldiers, one of the buildings behind them erupts with smoke and a small flame.

Passing the battle, we find ourselves at a large intersection. A large tripod stands on top of some rubble, searching with a spotlight. Quickly, the tripod’s spotlight lays its’ light over the vehicles. A deep siren can again be heard as it begins to point its’ heatray. With a flash of light and a plume of smoke, the heatray barely misses as the vehicles dodge.

Passing through the tripod’s legs, the frightening sounds of alien invasion fade into the quiet, unsettling sounds of a forest in the middle of the night. Eyes can be seen deep in the forest as the dark of the forest begins to lighten as we approach a large set of metal gates with a sign above reading “Pet Semetary.” Passing past gravestones, we quickly come upon a very much alive, but partially decomposed cat that is eating a mouse on its’ gravestone perch. It hisses as we pass. Heading to the back of the semetary we see an aged man who is holding a person in his arms. He seems distraught as he looks down into an open grave. We leave this scene behind as we pass into an open mausoleum.

The inside of the mausoleum quickly fades into an ice cave. The cave opens up a bit revealing a large shapeless black mass which blindly moves around the room. At the far end, towering up from deep within the cave stands Cthulhu. He lords over the cave, waiting. He doesn’t notice the vehicles as they pass.

Leaving the cave, we find a small ship which has caught itself in the ice. Entering, we find The Creature as he mourns over the body of his creator, Victor Frankenstein. He talks to himself about how this death has not brought him peace, and that he vows to end himself so that no others will ever know of his existence.

 

[DashHaber]

A light at the end of the tunnel opens up into a large open field at twilight. At the far end is a large platform of ancient stone atop of which sits a gigantic monolith. Though it looks ancient, the monolith features what looks like a CRT computer display monitor, mostly blank with the exception of a single blinking cursor, with a horizontal green light below it. Etched into the bottom corner of the monolith are the words “Deep Thought.” Three people stand to either side of Deep Thought, looking on in anticipation. Approaching and surrounding the front of the platform, Deep Thought springs to life. The green light below its’ screen begins to get brighter as it begins to speak.

“The answer to the great question of life, the universe, and everything is....forty-two.”

The three onlookers sigh in disappointment. As they begin to fight with Deep Thought, a door at the base of the platform slides open.

Through the door and a small tunnel a small laboratory can be seen. Broken beakers, burners, and other chemistry equipment are strewn over the tables. In the center of the room stands a disheveled-looking man. Though he seems exhausted, he moves with a strange intensity as he lifts a beaker holding a glowing red liquid to his mouth and drinks it. As soon as the liquid touches his lips the man doubles over, audibly writhing in pain. His voice begins to distort and with a blinding flash of lightning and crack of thunder, the tired man is replaced with the hulking mass of a person, noticeably taller and more monstrous. The man roars and begins rampaging through the room. (this entire effect is done with screens. Please don’t dock our realism. I promise I’ll be good.)

The far end of the lab is covered in a thick black smoke. As the smoke begins to break, burning wood can be smelled and the sounds of distanced screams, accompanied by strange mechanical sounds, can be heard. Rounding a corner, the smoke completely dissipates, revealing a mostly destroyed Trafalgar Square, circa 1900. The square’s iconic fountain stands in ruin, occasionally spouting water. Surrounding the fountain are a number of buildings which have recently been destroyed, still billowing smoke. Deep red skeletons in tattered army uniforms lay draped over barbed wire.

After circling the fountain and heading deeper into London a tight street featuring even more rubble and skeletons can be found. The key difference, however, is that most of the buildings are covered in thick red vines, which are visibly overtaking the city. A deep siren can be heard as a Martian tripod can be seen peeking out from behind some of the taller buildings. On the other side of the street, a few British soldiers begin to pop out from behind rubble and try to shoot at the tripod. The tripod returns fire with its’ heatray. Barely missing the soldiers, one of the buildings behind them erupts with smoke and a small flame.

Passing the battle, we find ourselves at a large intersection. A large tripod stands on top of some rubble, searching with a spotlight. Quickly, the tripod’s spotlight lays its’ light over the vehicles. A deep siren can again be heard as it begins to point its’ heatray. With a flash of light and a plume of smoke, the heatray barely misses as the vehicles dodge.

Passing through the tripod’s legs, the frightening sounds of alien invasion fade into the quiet, unsettling sounds of a forest in the middle of the night. Eyes can be seen deep in the forest as the dark of the forest begins to lighten as we approach a large set of metal gates with a sign above reading “Pet Semetary.” Passing past gravestones, we quickly come upon a very much alive, but partially decomposed cat that is eating a mouse on its’ gravestone perch. It hisses as we pass. Heading to the back of the semetary we see an aged man who is holding a person in his arms. He seems distraught as he looks down into an open grave. We leave this scene behind as we pass into an open mausoleum.

The inside of the mausoleum quickly fades into an ice cave. The cave opens up a bit revealing a large shapeless black mass which blindly moves around the room. At the far end, towering up from deep within the cave stands Cthulhu. He lords over the cave, waiting. He doesn’t notice the vehicles as they pass.

Leaving the cave, we find a small ship which has caught itself in the ice. Entering, we find The Creature as he mourns over the body of his creator, Victor Frankenstein. He talks to himself about how this death has not brought him peace, and that he vows to end himself so that no others will ever know of his existence.

Nice flow and design here. This makes good solid use of images and feelings to capture their tales, especially the more vignette-style of Horror with these core glimpses.

One thing I'll say with Science Fiction is that Hyde is actually shorter than Jekyll in the book. It's a slight detail, but I still like the idea you have. It could be depicted with a shadowy silhouette, as the taller refined-looking Jekyll becomes shorter, his combed back hair now wild as we hear his mad cackles.

Also, nice work on Pet Sematary. That does a good job getting the dominant feel without anything too graphic. Was there a specific individual that the aged man is?

 

[JokersWild]

Nice flow and design here. This makes good solid use of images and feelings to capture their tales, especially the more vignette-style of Horror with these core glimpses.

One thing I'll say with Science Fiction is that Hyde is actually shorter than Jekyll in the book. It's a slight detail, but I still like the idea you have. It could be depicted with a shadowy silhouette, as the taller refined-looking Jekyll becomes shorter, his combed back hair now wild as we hear his mad cackles.

Also, nice work on Pet Sematary. That does a good job getting the dominant feel without anything too graphic. Was there a specific individual that the aged man is?

I made him larger initially for drama’s sake/ recognizability, but I can definitely make him shorter if you’d like. I’m so used to League of Extraordinary Gentlemen where he’s basically an ape-man haha.

For Pet Semetary, it’s supposed to be Louis, the main character. The traumas he went through made him appear older (or it may be part of the curse? I don’t think it’s explained.). I can also fix it to mention him by name if you’d like as well.

 

[DashHaber]

I made him larger initially for drama’s sake/ recognizability, but I can definitely make him shorter if you’d like. I’m so used to League of Extraordinary Gentlemen where he’s basically an ape-man haha.

For Pet Semetary, it’s supposed to be Louis, the main character. The traumas he went through made him appear older (or it may be part of the curse? I don’t think it’s explained.). I can also fix it to mention him by name if you’d like as well.

Yeah, a lot of adaptations tend to make him bigger and bulkier, but he's actually shorter in the original book. I feel like that transformation should be clear enough for plenty to recognize Jekyll and Hyde.

No worries. Just double-checking. I can add the name as I finalize and edit the proposal.

 

[goofyyukyuk]

Mythology


Guests begin in a dark tunnel moving into the Egyptian set, which is completely dark. All narrations (in quotes) come directly from The Chronicler

“Since the beginning of time, humans have told stories. Although stories were initially conveyed orally, as we evolved, our storytelling evolved. The ability to physically record stories allowed them to be widespread and adopted as cultural heritage. In no place was this storytelling more prominent than Ancient Egypt.”

Torches light up, illuminating the room in a flickering light. Guests are within a pyramid, and wall art and hieroglyphics tell the story of Osiris.

“Ancient Egyptian myths influenced their politics, religion, and history. Of these myths, the most influential was the story of Osiris.”

On the wall, Osiris’ figure, which had appeared to merely be part of the wall art, begins to move.

“Osiris was the king of Egypt, who had lifegiving power. Under his rule, Egypt was peaceful; however, Set, Osiris’ brother and a god of chaos, rose up against Osiris. He murdered his brother, scattering pieces of his body throughout Egypt.”

This scene is depicted on the wall through projections.

“For years, Set ruled Egypt, while Osiris’ wife, Isis, searched for him. Finally, all the pieces of Osiris were recovered, and he was revived as the god of the dead. Isis and Osiris had a son, Horus, who grew to be the strongest of the gods. He challenged Set’s rule and defeated him in combat. Finally, after so many years of turmoil, Egypt had a rightful king.”

The conclusion of the story is depicted on the walls. Throughout this story, guests have barely moved in their cars. At the conclusion of the story, guests move into a dark transition tunnel.

“Although Egyptian myths were influential in their culture, there was still a disconnect between the people and the subjects of their stories.”

Guests enter the Greek set. It is a temple, with statues of the gods filling the room.

“The Greeks, known enthusiasts of the arts, made their myths take a physical form. With that love of the arts came an improvement in the sophistication and depth of their stories, and to all who heard and told the myths, the stories came to life.”

The statues, previously thought to have been static, begin to move and interact with each other.

“The Greeks believed the characters in their myths, Zeus, the god of the sky, Poseidon, the god of the sea, Hades, the god of the dead, Apollo, the god of archery and music, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, and many, many others, were real and lived in their worlds. In many senses, the Greeks progressed storytelling by setting their stories in the real world and bringing ordinary people into their epics.”

Guests, who had been slowly moving around the stage, move into the exit tunnel, which is dark as well. However, as examples of the stories of Greek mythology are mentioned, they appear on the walls of the tunnel briefly.

“As the original storytellers, their great stories, tales of great strength, valor, romance, and adventure, influence storytelling even today.”

End scene.

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/415615990

​

Updated with suggested edits! I also touched up some stuff on the Scratch presentation to make it look more fluid.

 

[DashHaber]

Updated with suggested edits! I also touched up some stuff on the Scratch presentation to make it look more fluid.

Looking good!

 

[Outbound]

Updated with suggested edits! I also touched up some stuff on the Scratch presentation to make it look more fluid.

Using Scratch is brilliant. I would have never thought of that!

 

[goofyyukyuk]

Using Scratch is brilliant. I would have never thought of that!

Haha thanks! I hadn't used it in like 5 years, but I just thought of it randomly when I was thinking about how to present my part... definitely easier to do it than I had remembered!

 

[montydysquith-navarro]

Hello! Here are my parts for the write-up.

Chapter 1: Ride Exterior​

@DashHaber, I think you might need to slightly adjust the interiors of first queue and preshow areas so that its architecture will align with the exteriors. Unless, we can just say that the Moorish-Islamic-looking building was repurposed by the Chronicler, who happens to be European and thus is more familiar with European architecture?

The newest ride in Universal Studios Islands of Adventure, Legends of Literature will be placed in Port of Entry as its signature attraction.
Port of Entry itself exhibits a unique architectural style, described as a blend of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean. As such, the architecture of the expansion will exhibit the same characteristics in order to create synergy between the two areas.

The ride will be placed in a new area east of the Port of Entry (near Splatoon: Inkopolis) called The Marketplace. This outdoor arcade will be themed to a souk or outdoor bazaar, in conjunction with the overall theme of Port of Entry. Several real-world places will be used as inspiration for this new area, including the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, the Marrakesh Souk in Morocco, and the souk El Trouk in Medina, Tunisia (see Photoset 1). The alleyway, mostly dressed in tans and browns, will be dotted with merchandise "for sale" by the market's residents: colorful mats, intricately-detailed lamps, etc.

At the end of this alleyway is the entrance to Legends of Literature and its adjacent club, the Backwater Bar. Both venues will be housed in a building reminiscent of the House of Wisdom or The Grand Library of Baghdad in Iran, one of the famous libraries from the Old World. The ride's entrance itself will be under a replica of La Giralda, the bell tower of the Seville Cathedral in Spain.

(L) Outside the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey; (C) The Marrakesh Souk, Morocco; (R) The Souk El Trouk in Medina, Tunisia

(L) A contemporary recreation of The House of Wisdom, Baghdad, Iraq; (C) Mustansiriya Madrasah, a present-day similar-looking building to the House of Wisdom, Baghdad, Iraq; (R) La Giralda in the Seville Cathedral, Spain

Chapter 3: Ride Vehicles​

Continuing the array of famous props from the literature world from the queue, a familiar car will greet guests as they enter the loading area. A steampunk version of England's, if not the world's, most famous car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (from Ian Fleming's novel of the same name), greets the guests with a honk of its horn as they board. With its shiny bronze colors and gold accents, this vehicle is fit for a fantasmagorical adventure through the land of stories.

(L) Steampunk vehicle (not my design); (C) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, as illustrated by John Burningham; (R) Dick Van with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as depicted in the 1968 film
​

The first phase of the transformation of Universal Studios Islands of Adventure saw the introduction of the trackless ride system in several new attractions within the park (Splattack!, Justice League: Brainiac's Attack!, Battleship). Due to the popularity of these rides, alongside the wild adventure that will be in store for the guests, it was decided that a trackless ride system will be used in Legends of Literature as well. In addition, the ride vehicles will be augmented with a small motion simulator built inside the body of the vehicle (similar to those used in the Animaniacs: Studio Spin ride in Universal Studios Hollywood*). On-board audio will also be available inside the car, in times when the Chronicler is needed to move things along. Each car can fit 5 guests (2 in the first row and 3 in the second) and is equipped with a seatbelt passenger restraint system. Likewise, the cars will be outfitted with vehicle doors on each side as well as personal pouches to store loose items in (cellphones, glasses, hats, etc.)

* @AceAstro @Pufflefan @Pi on my Cake @gam3rprincess

Chapter 8: Ride Finale​

Just a disclaimer before you read the description: the originally-proposed idea (a take on the original AA-filled Great Movie Ride finale) wasn't really working out as much as I'd like so I decided to switch gears entirely and use the good ol' some-kind-of-magic-runs-this-show plot device. I think this might affect some sequences altogether, so some adjustments might have to be made. Maybe we can employ some kind of "story light" (borrowing from Spaceship Earth's paused refurb) that ties all the scenes together? Funny enough, this kinda ties into @Outbound's mini-game in the gift shop a little bit.

As guests leave Lu Xun and the Stone Sentinel Maze (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) behind, they suddenly find themselves entering a swirling vortex as the music swells to a climax. As the ride vehicles pull back through the vortex, guests can spot flying books opening and closing as well as loose pages flying about. The book covers and papers themselves features text from the pieces of literature that were shown earlier. Also heard are several snippets of the characters' voices from earlier scenes, overlapping each other. It appears the magic that runs the entire show has gone amuck, as if it got overexcited by the potential these books hold within its pages.

​

Suddenly, the Chronicler appears amidst the storm of flying books and paper. He holds out his hands, and yells a command: "Stop!" In a white flash, the vortex disappears as the music decrescendos. A relieved sigh can be heard, then the lights go up on a rather disheveled library. Overturned books, scattered pieces of paper, and other paraphernalia as well as empty library shelves can be seen dotting the library floor. "Well, that was a climax no one saw coming," says the Chronicler with a chuckle. "It seems that the very magic that powers this island got too excited with these books' prospects. And so should you!" With a wave of his hand, all the scattered items rise from the floor and return to its place on the shelves. The Chronicler then checks his pocket watch and says "Well, look at the time. It seems that our little adventure through the world of stories is now over. But your own adventure hasn't! Now, go out there and live a good one!" The ride vehicles then exit to the unload area, which is just an extension of the library guests were just in earlier.

 

[DashHaber]

Hello! Here are my parts for the write-up.

Chapter 1: Ride Exterior​

@DashHaber, I think you might need to slightly adjust the interiors of first queue and preshow areas so that its architecture will align with the exteriors. Unless, we can just say that the Moorish-Islamic-looking building was repurposed by the Chronicler, who happens to be European and thus is more familiar with European architecture?

The newest ride in Universal Studios Islands of Adventure, Legends of Literature will be placed in Port of Entry as its signature attraction.
Port of Entry itself exhibits a unique architectural style, described as a blend of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean. As such, the architecture of the expansion will exhibit the same characteristics in order to create synergy between the two areas.

The ride will be placed in a new area east of the Port of Entry (near Splatoon: Inkopolis) called The Marketplace. This outdoor arcade will be themed to a souk or outdoor bazaar, in conjunction with the overall theme of Port of Entry. Several real-world places will be used as inspiration for this new area, including the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, the Marrakesh Souk in Morocco, and the souk El Trouk in Medina, Tunisia (see Photoset 1). The alleyway, mostly dressed in tans and browns, will be dotted with merchandise "for sale" by the market's residents: colorful mats, intricately-detailed lamps, etc.

At the end of this alleyway is the entrance to Legends of Literature and its adjacent club, the Backwater Bar. Both venues will be housed in a building reminiscent of the House of Wisdom or The Grand Library of Baghdad in Iran, one of the famous libraries from the Old World. The ride's entrance itself will be under a replica of La Giralda, the bell tower of the Seville Cathedral in Spain.

(L) Outside the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey; (C) The Marrakesh Souk, Morocco; (R) The Souk El Trouk in Medina, Tunisia

(L) A contemporary recreation of The House of Wisdom, Baghdad, Iraq; (C) Mustansiriya Madrasah, a present-day similar-looking building to the House of Wisdom, Baghdad, Iraq; (R) La Giralda in the Seville Cathedral, Spain

Chapter 3: Ride Vehicles​

Continuing the array of famous props from the literature world from the queue, a familiar car will greet guests as they enter the loading area. A steampunk version of England's, if not the world's, most famous car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (from Ian Fleming's novel of the same name), greets the guests with a honk of its horn as they board. With its shiny bronze colors and gold accents, this vehicle is fit for a fantasmagorical adventure through the land of stories.

(L) Steampunk vehicle (not my design); (C) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, as illustrated by John Burningham; (R) **** Van **** with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as depicted in the 1968 film
​

The first phase of the transformation of Universal Studios Islands of Adventure saw the introduction of the trackless ride system in several new attractions within the park (Splattack!, Justice League: Brainiac's Attack!, Battleship). Due to the popularity of these rides, alongside the wild adventure that will be in store for the guests, it was decided that a trackless ride system will be used in Legends of Literature as well. In addition, the ride vehicles will be augmented with a small motion simulator built inside the body of the vehicle (similar to those used in the Animaniacs: Studio Spin ride in Universal Studios Hollywood*). On-board audio will also be available inside the car, in times when the Chronicler is needed to move things along. Each car can fit 5 guests (2 in the first row and 3 in the second) and is equipped with a seatbelt passenger restraint system. Likewise, the cars will be outfitted with vehicle doors on each side as well as personal pouches to store loose items in (cellphones, glasses, hats, etc.)

* @AceAstro @Pufflefan @Pi on my Cake @gam3rprincess

Chapter 8: Ride Finale​

Just a disclaimer before you read the description: the originally-proposed idea (a take on the original AA-filled Great Movie Ride finale) wasn't really working out as much as I'd like so I decided to switch gears entirely and use the good ol' some-kind-of-magic-runs-this-show plot device. I think this might affect some sequences altogether, so some adjustments might have to be made. Maybe we can employ some kind of "story light" (borrowing from Spaceship Earth's paused refurb) that ties all the scenes together? Funny enough, this kinda ties into @Outbound's mini-game in the gift shop a little bit.

As guests leave Lu Xun and the Stone Sentinel Maze (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) behind, they suddenly find themselves entering a swirling vortex as the music swells to a climax. As the ride vehicles pull back through the vortex, guests can spot flying books opening and closing as well as loose pages flying about. The book covers and papers themselves features text from the pieces of literature that were shown earlier. Also heard are several snippets of the characters' voices from earlier scenes, overlapping each other. It appears the magic that runs the entire show has gone amuck, as if it got overexcited by the potential these books hold within its pages.

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Suddenly, the Chronicler appears amidst the storm of flying books and paper. He holds out his hands, and yells a command: "Stop!" In a white flash, the vortex disappears as the music decrescendos. A relieved sigh can be heard, then the lights go up on a rather disheveled library. Overturned books, scattered pieces of paper, and other paraphernalia as well as empty library shelves can be seen dotting the library floor. "Well, that was a climax no one saw coming," says the Chronicler with a chuckle. "It seems that the very magic that powers this island got too excited with these books' prospects. And so should you!" With a wave of his hand, all the scattered items rise from the floor and return to its place on the shelves. The Chronicler then checks his pocket watch and says "Well, look at the time. It seems that our little adventure through the world of stories is now over. But your own adventure hasn't! Now, go out there and live a good one!" The ride vehicles then exit to the unload area, which is just an extension of the library guests were just in earlier.

This is really cool! Great idea to fit in one more literary reference with the ride vehicle, making it Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Also, good call in factoring in the surrounding architecture when thinking about the design of the ride's exterior.

 

[montydysquith-navarro]

This is really cool! Great idea to fit in one more literary reference with the ride vehicle, making it Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Also, good call in factoring in the surrounding architecture when thinking about the design of the ride's exterior.

Thanks! I was actually having trouble with designing the ride vehicles (my mind keeps on straying on Mystic Manor's) and I saw that you included literature references in the queue and decided, what the heck, let's add one more!

 

[DashHaber]

Thanks! I was actually having trouble with designing the ride vehicles (my mind keeps on straying on Mystic Manor's) and I saw that you included literature references in the queue and decided, what the heck, let's add one more!

Glad to see that the assortment of references helped to spark one more.

Yeah, I'll try to do some adjustments in the first queue area to reflect some of that exterior design. I feel like the preshow room could get away with a more general "reading room" aesthetic as it's this first big step into the more fantastical nature of the Chronicler, but the first part of the queue should have a more realistic look that connects to the world outside.

 

[DashHaber]

Alright, folks. That should be all of the sections filled out. I've done some slight edits and adjustments in a few things, but it should all be ready. I'll post it a little later in the hub thread, so that we teammates can have a chance to look it over in case of anything else.

 

[Outbound]

Alright, folks. That should be all of the sections filled out. I've done some slight edits and adjustments in a few things, but it should all be ready. I'll post it a little later in the hub thread, so that we teammates can have a chance to look it over in case of anything else.

Can you post it here instead of the hub? I think if we post it to the hub the judges will end up headstarting on their reviews.

 

[DashHaber]

Oh, yes! Here's the link again. Also, I meant to say I'll post it later in the hub, so in the meantime, folks can have a chance to look it over.

Legends of Literature

docs.google.com

 

[goofyyukyuk]

Oh, yes! Here's the link again. Also, I meant to say I'll post it later in the hub, so in the meantime, folks can have a chance to look it over.

Legends of Literature

docs.google.com

Mythology stuff isn’t in the doc yet... also, does it make sense to have a queue, and then a preshow, and then more queue? I’d think it makes more sense to have the preshow be right before loading, but that’s just my opinion

 

[goofyyukyuk]

Mythology stuff isn’t in the doc yet... also, does it make sense to have a queue, and then a preshow, and then more queue? I’d think it makes more sense to have the preshow be right before loading, but that’s just my opinion

Mythology stuff is there now haha... guess the doc wasn’t fully loaded on my end

 

[DashHaber]

Mythology stuff isn’t in the doc yet... also, does it make sense to have a queue, and then a preshow, and then more queue? I’d think it makes more sense to have the preshow be right before loading, but that’s just my opinion

Really? The Mythology stuff should be there. I see it in the Google Doc right now.

Nevermind. I see it caught up for you.