Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
Rise doesn't feel like a warehouse for at least two reasons: the goal was to create realistic, full scale rooms and sets to move through, as opposed to MMRR which takes an abstract approach to its scene design (regarding scale and not the fact that they're animated) and has to shuffle around four vehicles instead of two, requiring larger, more open rooms.
The first two post-track switch scenes are the worst offenders. let's examine them:
The western scene - this scene doesn't work at all for me because of the scale. Mickey and Minnie are projected as approximately one foot in height, but are only a few feet from you. Scenic detail and depth are all projected onto the flat walls. It doesn't feel like you're physically in the scene at all, just riding around watching animations be projected. The floor is big and open to accommodate the four vehicles side by side, adding to the flatness. Aside from the centerpiece, the scene is entirely flat except for the rocks which protrude out a bit.
The carnival scene - this one works a bit better for scale. The stands and kiosks are offset from the wall which has taller structures projected onto it, which gives a decent perception of depth. Mickey and Minnie are full size physical figures here again. The main issue here is still the big open floor to accommodate all four vehicles to occupy, side by side, at the same time. Again, having that much visible open floor space kills any sense of immersion.
These are followed by the tornado scene which inexplicably wastes a lot of space and is void of any detail. The following volcano/underwater scene similarly reduces most of its visual depth and detail to projecting onto the flat walls above you.
The remaining scenes are much better and more immersive and, IMO, are how every scene should have been approached:
The busy city street is a realistic scale loaded with physical depth and detail rather than reducing this to projections on the walls. If it had taken the approach of the previous rooms, the buildings would not actually be 3D and would also entirely be projections. The vehicles ride through this scene in single file, reducing the open floor space and allowing for the sets to be closer to the rider. This creates a more intimate feel. Also, physically traversing through a scene as opposed to just watching it unfold around you is a key element to dark ride immersion that is missing from the first half of the ride. (side note: this is also why Kong, Fast & Furious, and a decent portion of Gringotts at UOR fall short of being immersive and engaging experiences).
The dance scene is a little too barren, but having a low ceiling visually separates it from the rest of the attraction and makes it convincing enough that you actually entered one of the buildings. Thinking back to GMR, it had multiple segments with lower ceilings which creates variety and aides in the illusion of not being inside a warehouse.
The factory/park and finale picnic scenes, like the city street scene, have plenty of physical setpieces placed at varying distances between the rider and the walls, so they don't feel flat. The vehicles also once again ride in single file here, reducing the amount of open floor space.
Conclusion: if the entire ride had been designed like the second half of the attraction, I don't think there would be "warehouse" complaints. Much of this is due to the first few scenes feeling the need to show off the trackless vehicle technology. Any attempt at doing this detracts from immersion in some way, either by calling attention to the ride system or by requiring large, open floor space. For this reason I do not care to see more trackless ride systems of this type.
Afterthought: It's crazy to think of what a journey GMR felt like compared to the comparatively small amount of scenes and short ride time in MMRR and that they occupy the same amount of physical space.
The first two post-track switch scenes are the worst offenders. let's examine them:
The western scene - this scene doesn't work at all for me because of the scale. Mickey and Minnie are projected as approximately one foot in height, but are only a few feet from you. Scenic detail and depth are all projected onto the flat walls. It doesn't feel like you're physically in the scene at all, just riding around watching animations be projected. The floor is big and open to accommodate the four vehicles side by side, adding to the flatness. Aside from the centerpiece, the scene is entirely flat except for the rocks which protrude out a bit.
The carnival scene - this one works a bit better for scale. The stands and kiosks are offset from the wall which has taller structures projected onto it, which gives a decent perception of depth. Mickey and Minnie are full size physical figures here again. The main issue here is still the big open floor to accommodate all four vehicles to occupy, side by side, at the same time. Again, having that much visible open floor space kills any sense of immersion.
These are followed by the tornado scene which inexplicably wastes a lot of space and is void of any detail. The following volcano/underwater scene similarly reduces most of its visual depth and detail to projecting onto the flat walls above you.
The remaining scenes are much better and more immersive and, IMO, are how every scene should have been approached:
The busy city street is a realistic scale loaded with physical depth and detail rather than reducing this to projections on the walls. If it had taken the approach of the previous rooms, the buildings would not actually be 3D and would also entirely be projections. The vehicles ride through this scene in single file, reducing the open floor space and allowing for the sets to be closer to the rider. This creates a more intimate feel. Also, physically traversing through a scene as opposed to just watching it unfold around you is a key element to dark ride immersion that is missing from the first half of the ride. (side note: this is also why Kong, Fast & Furious, and a decent portion of Gringotts at UOR fall short of being immersive and engaging experiences).
The dance scene is a little too barren, but having a low ceiling visually separates it from the rest of the attraction and makes it convincing enough that you actually entered one of the buildings. Thinking back to GMR, it had multiple segments with lower ceilings which creates variety and aides in the illusion of not being inside a warehouse.
The factory/park and finale picnic scenes, like the city street scene, have plenty of physical setpieces placed at varying distances between the rider and the walls, so they don't feel flat. The vehicles also once again ride in single file here, reducing the amount of open floor space.
Conclusion: if the entire ride had been designed like the second half of the attraction, I don't think there would be "warehouse" complaints. Much of this is due to the first few scenes feeling the need to show off the trackless vehicle technology. Any attempt at doing this detracts from immersion in some way, either by calling attention to the ride system or by requiring large, open floor space. For this reason I do not care to see more trackless ride systems of this type.
Afterthought: It's crazy to think of what a journey GMR felt like compared to the comparatively small amount of scenes and short ride time in MMRR and that they occupy the same amount of physical space.
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