Backwards Effect While Moving Forward

[MaxPower]

Do you suppose you could create the illusion of going backwards on a dark coaster while still moving forward?

Let's pretend you were in the dark (similar to RnR). Let's also pretend that you had some kind of airborne vehicle as the theme for your car (like the crystal powered flying vehicles in Atlantis).

Say you were traveling at a decent rate of speed with a large projection screen in front of you that scaled an image to your rate of speed. All of the sudden the Leviathan (from Atlantis) comes into view on screen and someone shouts over the synchronized score "Reverse!" Then you have a quick deceleration synchronized to the image of the Leviathan on the screen getting smaller (so that it looked like you were moving away from it). At the same time, throw in some sort of forced air system that blows from behind you to trick your senses a bit.

Finally, you'd have a LIM system in the track ahead that makes a quick turn to burst you away from the image, forced air effect stops, que projected image to suddenly gets big really fast as it moves away to your side (possibly chasing you) and viola, your moving forward again.

Has anyone ever seen a themed coaster that attempts such a thing? Do you think it would be possible to fool even die hard coaster fans with this or a similar scenario? Have I left anything out that would create an even better "backwards" effect?

- By pure coincidence, Blink 182's "Roller Coaster" was one of the songs that played in the background as I wrote this -

 

[Goofster]

Why not? IT's Disney



Let's quote the genuis:

 

[StarscreamLSU]

To the best of my knowledge no one has attempted this, but it's entirely possible.

All you have to do is have a screen projecting backwards motion all around. If you want an added effect, put some fans behind the coaster. This would give an excellent wind effect for extra touch.

Hmm, all you need now is a theme and place to put it.

 

[the ceo at wdw]

Yes it is posible!!! Will this ride have scenery on the sides of the train if so u have to find a way where it moves faster then the train going forward. So it will "seem" as the train is moving backwards. But if there is'nt any scenery on the sides then what you said will work. Lose the wind idea its not Twister Ride It Out a Universal lol gosh

 

[StarscreamLSU]

We're not talking gale force winds The wind would help to give the perception of moving backwards, like when wind hits you when you're going forward. Should try to work in as many senses as possbile IMO.

 

[the ceo at wdw]

yeah i agree how about scenery ? will there be any?

 

[Chad]

How fast would the coaster be moving towards the screen?

 

[the ceo at wdw]

I'd think it would go pretty slow im not sure

 

[StarscreamLSU]

Thinking about it - I think the idea is a little too complicated. I mean where is this screen in relation to the coaster track? How is the image projected?

To do the dark ride things you are suggesting would make for a slow coaster with virtually no turns. Maybe it would work better as a Spider-Man type ride?

Seems like there are a few too many technical issues to deal with.

You could maybe do it like this though, have the coaster run through an Atlantis looking set area, then you get to the ship graveyard and you can have the screen running then. You see the Leviathan and ask you're looking at the big screen the coaster track switchines (like a train track switch) and you go the rest of the ride backwards.

 

[the ceo at wdw]

It would work better as a spidermantype ride.

 

[Mikejakester]

There are alot of ways my people

Actually, there are a few ways in which you could make this effect... one of them it has never been done... (that I know of)
I don't know the theme or what exactly we are trying to do but I know there is a way that can work pretty well.. I have thought of it all ready as a Coaster Design that I call Mayday but It can be used with the backwards effect too...

well, I have a little confusion in how the theme goes but....I don't think the big screen thing is a good Idea, it will be better if the car was all around closed...like a car....but from the windshields up to the top of the car is in a oval shape, and it's also a screen.... like the screen in Time keeper but with out the divisions in between,and a lot smaller of course, So just imagine that. there you have the rollercoaster car, and the film being showed will be synchronized with the movements of the rollercoaster, now... a rollercoaster could be built power launch mode in which it shoots you and go thru a series of loops and corkscrews or whatever you want to add and at the end you run into a steep climb, in which at a given point all kinetic energy will be lost and will give you a sensation of a stall and will have a feeling of 0 gravity for like 2 seconds, kind of like the superman ride only it;s not 90 degrees but actually like 70, there as it forward kinetic energy is lost and so logic tells us that it will now go backwards down the steep hill that was climb and thru all of the other corkscrews or loops that's we already passed but this time backwards. creating the backwards feeling during the backward plunge in the steep hill. this combines visual simulation with rollercaoster, I don't know if it's been done but it's certainly new type of Technology.
I have no idea if you understood but ohwell!

 

[Mikejakester]

explanation

Will this ride have scenery on the sides of the train if so u have to find a way where it moves faster then the train going forward. So it will "seem" as the train is moving backwards. But if there is'nt any scenery on the sides then what you said will work. Lose the wind idea its not Twister Ride It Out a Universal lol gosh

what he means is the relative speed of an object. If your going fordward at 10 mph and you have scenery both sides and on top going fordward also at 20 mph and add the wind in the right direction you get a sensation of going 10mph backwards when your actually going 10mph fordward, but I bet it has to feel really wierd becuase the Gravity forces that you feel say that your going 10mph fordward and your brain says your going backwards, has to be a wierd feeling....

 

[space*mt*ranger]

Originally posted by MaxPower
- By pure coincidence, Blink 182's "Roller Coaster" was one of the songs that played in the background as I wrote this -

hot track(cool song)

 

[woofboy111]

Also, if the track was tilted downwards a little when you are going "backwards," or at least when you start going backwards, it will feel like you are getting jerked forward, by a change of direction.