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So, You Want to be an Imagineer Season 18 HUB THREAD
- Thread starter TheOriginalTiki
- Start date
Tux
Well-Known Member
I'm late to respond, sorry about that. That's very understandable, sorry about not reading between the lines there, you did a great job with it! With that in mind, The Dodo idea was a very cool and fun idea in the end. It's understandable, sometimes writing yourself in a corner happens. Don't beat yourself up about it.
PerGron
Well-Known Member
TEAM NUCITRA PRESENTS:
QUEUE
The queue takes you next to the Haunted Mansion and out to the ride entrance behind the mansion. Part of the queue will be set in a forest where multiple different cryptids and monsters of Algonquian legend can be spotted. Throughout the queue, you can also pick up one of the many variations of the Wendigo legend found in Algonquian legend, pieced together in a story in the lodge, helping to set the mood for the attraction.
The Hunter
This tale can be pieced together by reading signs posted throughout the lodge in the queue, helping to set up the attraction and the lore of the Wendigo.
There was once a hunter, the fiercest and most ruthless in the land. Known for hunting the largest of beasts and keeping their heads as trophies. One day, he heard about a mysterious creature known to some as the Wendigo, the spirit of greed and corruption. Immediately intrigued, the hunter set out to capture the Wendigo and add it to his vast collection of slain animals to further his ego.
After entering a mysterious wood, he came across the Algonquian people, who have ties to the Wendigo, and demanded to the chief that they grant him knowledge of the Wendigo. The Algonquian people reluctantly told the hunter what they knew about the malicious beast. They told him about how the Wendigo takes over the bodies of those consumed by greed and the eternal hunger that the Wendigo forever searches to fulfill. They granted him knowledge of the Wendigo’s hideous appearance. It’s desiccated skin pulled tightly over its bones. With its bones pushing out against its skin, its complexion the ash-gray of death, and its eyes pushed back deep into their sockets, the Wendigo looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred from the grave.
Ignoring their warnings, the hunter set out to capture the Wendigo. He spotted an albino creature followed by voices in his head tempting him to chase the creature. After a tedious chase through the woods, the hunter cornered the creature until it vanished in front of his eyes. Confused, the hunter looked around until he felt a terrible sensation. Consumed by greed, he began to transform into the Wendigo, the same creature he sought to capture. Every inch of humanity he had left began to fade away when the intense hunger started, trying to kill everything in sight. Some say he still roams the woods to this day, trying to satisfy his indefinite starvation.
RIDE-THROUGH
Once you pass through the queue, you board your keelboats from the backside of the trapper’s lodge. Your keelboat leaves through the docks and sets out into the forest. This portion is outside as you pass through a serene forest with the sounds of birds chirping and other animal noises. As you pass through this short, calm segment, you can spot some animatronic animals lining the banks of the river. A gentle deer and her fawn look on as you pass, while a grizzly bear scratches its back on a tall pine tree. A wolf and her pups play by the water’s edge as a moose wades in the river. You finally reach a fork in the river, but it appears a family of beavers dammed up one route, so you are redirected down the other path, into a darker portion of the forest.
You pass through dense trees into the main show building. The atmosphere changes from the serene outdoors with the chirping birds to a darker atmosphere, most light not peaking through the dense forest canopy. Here, we see the glowing yellow eyes of forest predators peering at us as we approach a campsite. A fire is lit where an Algonquian shaman stands, surrounded by the people of his village. He wears the skull and antlers of a stag atop his head and his movements indicate he is telling a story, yet it is being told in the Algonquian dialect. Among the Indigenous folks surrounding the fire stands a white man donned in furs and pelts, a rifle by his side. The shaman continues to tell his story as our boat rounds a corner to see the shaman discussing with the trapper, this time, in English.
Trapper: “After beaver I am, care to point me towards em?”
Shaman: “Just downriver is a beaver’s lodge. Yet, I must warn you, I have seen you trapping before, you take entire families. If we consume all of the trout in the river, there will be no food for winter, a beaver and a trout are not so different. If we trap all of the beaver, there will be nothing left in our future. Go well, but do not be greedy, for continuing down the path you are on will lead you down the curse of a Wendigo.
Trapper: “Your tales of monsters worry me not shaman. I ain’t gonna turn into no man-eating monster for killing some extra beaver or nothing.”
Shaman: “Heed this advice, take only what you must, should you hope to return a human and not a wendigo. Believe me or not, greed only consumes you, until you can never get enough, an insatiable appetite, feasting on the flesh of man, but your hunger never subsides. That is the curse of the wendigo. Be wary traveler, should you hope to not regret this.
Our boat passes through a clearing in the trees as we encounter our trapper standing by a pile of cleaned pelts, a beaver’s lodge smoldering from the flame, the sweet and smokey smell of the maple branches used in the lodge filling our nostrils as it burns. From across the way, we see a white stag, a rare creature, one believed by many in the Algonquian culture to be the embodiment of a spirit or soul visiting, something that mustn't be killed. We watch as the trapper lifts his rifle and we hear a gunshot. The white stag vanishes into thin air as we pass, rounding a corner as we hear a horrifying scream from where the trapper was, the sounds of bones cracking and immense pain growing, we hit a rough patch of water, our boats tossing and turning as we pass through. The sounds of the forest change from the chirping of birds to the hooting of owls, an omen of death in many Algonquian cultures.
A baby begins crying off in the distance, and our boat turns to follow the sound, hoping to rescue the baby from whatever consumed the trapper. We round the corner as the wind begins to whip, blowing rough and hard, rocking the boat. The air becomes bitter and cold, and the atmosphere of the forest becomes darker and scarier as the sound of the baby crying changes into horrifying shrieks. We reach an embankment where the sounds are the loudest, and, from the bushes, we see a pair of white, boney antlers. Our boat stalls as the antlers begin to rise, showcasing the entire beast. Standing at eight feet tall, the beast stares at us, it’s body lanky and incredibly thin, it’s patchy black fur on skin stretched tightly across its boney body, its ribs and bones clearly visible. Where it’s head should be, the decaying skull of a stag, the eye sockets, a complete void of darkness and evil, with sharp teeth. The creature opens its mouth, emitting a terrifying shriek, mixed with the cries of a baby, the hoot of an owl, and the screams of the trapper, all at once, as our keelboat rushes backwards down the river. Just as fast as the creature appears, all light is snuffed out, and it is gone.
Our boat careens backward down the river, the sense of dread still filling us as we hear the sound of a massive creature galloping towards us along the bank on all fours, breaking leaves and twigs as it goes, pushing aside and shaking trees, and startling animals from their hiding spots. The sounds the creature was emitting before still echoing from its cavernous skeletal mouth. We reach an embankment, but it is too close and we feel the boat stop as if grabbed from behind. The boat begins shaking as something climbs atop the roof of the boat, growling. Some seats will feel dripping from above as the creature salivates, thinking of its next meal. The boat shakes again as the creature leaps off the roof, grabbing the boat again. However, we hear chanting similar to that around the Algonquian fire earlier. The beast shrieks and throws our boat as we screech across the ground, running over rocks and gravel, before sliding back into the water.
We continue, rapidly, down the river, the rapids picking up as we speed down in an attempt to escape, and suddenly, the running stops. Nothing can be heard except the sound of crickets. Our boat slows down, only to reach another beaver dam, this time blocking our path. From behind the dam, the same, horrifying creature from before rises up, somehow having gotten ahead of us. We all watch as it lurches forward on all fours, its lanky legs and arms spindly and long creeping towards us as a predator stalking its prey. However, the chanting begins again, and from the forest emerges the shaman, chanting at the beast. He is able to approach it, chanting and emitting light from his torch, lighting the beast aflame. Through a series of effects, we watch as the creature transforms from its horrific self to our trapper, shaken, but alright.
The shaman tells the trapper that he did not heed his warning and allowed his greed to consume him, and that is why he became the ravenous wendigo. Luckily, some wendigo can be saved by a holy man who knows the spirits, should their ancestors wish to save him.
Shaman: Greed is among the greatest evils. Should we take too much, very little is left for others. Everything we encounter in these woods is a part of a cycle. To interrupt the cycle and destroy a crucial step is to destroy life itself. You are lucky, our ancestors were looking down at you, for many who cross the line between human and wendigo cannot be saved.
Trapper: “I didn’t believe it. I didn’t think anyone would be hurt if I took a little bit extra, but now I see.”
Shaman: “Nobody aims to become a wendigo, it is not about thinking, it is about doing. Take what you must, but leave more for tomorrow. Leave more for those around you. This is the true way to defeat a wendigo. To succumb is to allow yourself to be consumed by your greed, and now you know what it is like. Go well travelers, and beware of the curse of the Wendigo.”
The beaver dam splits in two as our boat gently cruises out of the forest, passing by a larger Algonquian village, longhouses, and shacks, as children play and men and women work. Here, we see a society working together for the betterment of the group, the birds singing again as we pass by. Right before returning to the dock, we pass by a final setpiece, right outside of the village. Here, in a forest clearing, we see the White Stag. It winks at us as we pass by, vanishing once the whole boat goes by, and with that, we return to the dock, now understanding The Curse of the Wendigo.
TECHNICALS
Technology Behind the Ride
Curse of the Wendigo will use the best of modern, advanced theme park technology to create an E-Ticket unlike any other. Truly pushing the bounds of attraction storytelling and unique thrills!
The Power of the Ride System
The Base Ride System is the same as Shanghai Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean. Essentially, the front end and back end of the boat are both tethered to separate tracks under the water. They are guided along the tracks using magnetic propulsion.
The tethers are not rigid, which means the boats can realistically float on the water without feeling like a vehicle on rails. The two tracks can separate meaning the boats can move backward, sideways, wobbly paths, turning, and diagonal just as easily as they can move forwards. The magnetic propulsion means there is near-total control of speed (up to a certain limit, this cannot turn into a roller coaster) as well as the ability to stop on a dime and fully lock into place.
This gives Imagineers a lot of freedom to creatively bring the story on the Wendigo to life. A boat ride with nearly as much maneuverability as a trackless ride system (without the quick spinning). And this is just the beginning of the technology we plan to use!
Bringing The White Stag to Life
While the vast majority of sets, animatronics, and figures in the ride are fully practical (or only use projections to help enhance what is already there), The White Stag (implied to be a spirit) will be brought to life with projection mapping over a blank simple motion figure, similar to how the figures in Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway are brought to life. This will lend it an otherworldly quality and shimmer compared to the full physical animatronic. Helping the White Stag be a standout figure.
The projection mapping coupled with a Pepper's Ghost effect (the trees in the false forest make it easy to hide glass panes) will also allow the White Stag to simply and completely shimmer in and out of existence before our very eyes more realistically and mystically than either effect individually could.
How Guests can be Stalked by the Wendigo
Most of the effects for the sequence of the ride where guests are chased by the Wendigo are pretty simple. Figures with various levels of complexity jumping out at guests. The creature running at us with greenery covering the mechanics like the Carnotaurus in Dinosaur. Loud, shocking noises, and bright flashing lights. All the usual and expected stuff.
One effect will be a true stand out using, as of yet unutilized, tech from Disney Imagineering. A Stuntronic of the Wendigo.
The most high-tech of the stuntronics are animatronics designed to be able to leap through the air at dizzying heights performing complex acrobatics and reposition itself to land safely. This ride won't require the tech pushed to its limits like that. A simplified version will be developed that can replicate the Wendigo leaping over the heads of guests. As they pass through a section of the river with high, rocky walls on with side, the Wendigo Figure will be launched directly over guests. Clawing and growling at them in midair like has never been seen before, and then it will safely land on the other side in a net that will be set to slide it into a launcher.
There will be two Wendigo Stuntronics so that it can rotate and have time to be reset. It also will alternate what side it launches from, so there is no need for it to be able to fully reset. It can just keep bouncing back and forth. This will have the added benefit of increasing rerideability since there are multiple places it can launch from (one for each side for each animatronic, four total) giving it a sense of unpredictability.
Knocked out of the Water; The Dock and Lock
At a certain point during the chase, The Wendigo knocks guest's boats out of the water causing them to skid across the rough forest ground before splashing back into the water. This is achieved through an effect that is being referred to as a Dock and Lock. The concept is pretty simple, The boat locks very quickly and fully into place using the magnetic propulsion system, then supports are raised from below that dock the boat (coupled with some added high friction coating that further locks it into place, then the section of the track that it is now locked onto begins to move.
What the boats Dock and Locked onto is a motion simulator base on a track. Essentially a simplified, makeshift EMV (like Dinosaur or Indiana Jones Adventure). This will allow us to simulated the movement of being thrown and sliding across a rough, rocky terrain before coming back to the water where the Dock and Lock procedure will happen in reverse. Four of these EMV style bases will be made. At any time 1 is in use, 1 is waiting for the next boat, 1 is having its boat leave, and 1 is returning to the start.
With the tech in place already, the entire Dock and Lock process will be almost instantaneous leading to incredibly smooth transitions creating a very thrilling and unique segment that will be utterly unexpected in a boat ride.
The Transformation Climax
As was mentioned earlier, the ride system allows for boats to move smoothly sideways. This means we can have guest's boats move around a circular set piece while facing inward at a climactic scene. Such as the end of the ride. In that scene, The Wendigo tries to attack guests, the Algonquin chief intervenes, The Wendigo is healed by the chief and returned to his human form. Three phases.
Essentially, each phase of the scene is a separate set. Very careful design and very carefully placed mirrors give the illusion that this is one, large, complete set. This allows each phase to have figures and effects built solely for one moment rather than trying to accomplish everything. The fact that this ride takes place in dark woods is a key factor in making this work. Trees can be used to easily hide divisions, mirrors, and effects. Lighting effects are easy to implement in the dark setting of the ride too. Plus, with all the rides facing towards the center of the circle, Pepper's Ghost effects are easy to implement with things just behind and above guest's heads being seen in reflections on glass hidden in plain sight. This gives Imagineers all the freedom needed to create dazzling, showstopping effects unlike anything seen before using technology that already exists.
Mood Sensing Technology to Manage Fear/Engagement Levels
Disney filed a patent in 2018 for technology to sense guest's moods through things such as heart rate monitors in lap bars, breathing, facial expressions, and more. The patent can use this knowledge of guest's moods to alter ride paths and experiences.
Imagineers are aware this is a darker, more intense ride than guests and families expect from the Magic Kingdom. They are also aware of the complaints the previous surprisingly intense ride, Alien Encounter, received. Along with warnings in the queue, this mood sensing technology will be implemented to help keep it from scaring anyone too badly. Certain effects can be automatically toned down or even turned off for boats with younger or more scared guests. Jumpscares skipped, lights less jumpy, noises less loud. Still a more intense than normal ride, but steps can be taken to keep guests within an acceptable level of fear without compromising the ride experience. Any guests really too scared (such as hysterically crying kids) can alert a cast member to meet them at the exit with stickers and a cuddly stuffed animal to hug to help cheer them back up and minimize the effect this will have on the rest of that family's day. Possibly even give an automatic flex FastPass to the family if they have My Disney Experience and Magic Bands that the system can track. Conversely, if guests don't seem engaged enough these same effects can be cranked up creating an even more exciting and terrifying experience!
This can go further than simply managing guest's fear levels though. The story of the Wendigo is not well known, especially the true story rather than the simplified zombie/werewolf hybrid often seen in Hollywood films. The plot of the ride is more esoteric with a lesser-known source material compared to common theme park attractions. If the mood sensors see that guests are too confused, extra voices in the distance or narration can be added to help clarify plot points. A voice made to sound like a fellow guest riding the boat could gasp and say "wow, a spirit" to clarify what the White Stag is or the Algonquin chief can be heard from just out of sight saying "The man has been consumed by his greed. Cursed by it. He is a man no more. He is the Wendigo!" for the scene where the trapper transforms into the beast in case there's a boat full of Joe Normals and Karen Intitolatos who don't quite get what is going on.
THE LONGHOUSE
The Longhouse is an optional extra exhibit at the exit of the attraction, reminiscent of the AFI Villains display formerly at Hollywood Studios after the Backlot Tour. Here, guests can meander through a series of exhibits displaying artifacts, artwork, and stories of the many different Algonquian tribes.
The Algonquian culture is not a singular tribe, but instead a group of tribes spanning from the Great Lakes region, through most of Eastern Canada, and into New England. Each tribe has their own individual cultures, traditions, and stories, all of which are reflected here in this exhibit display. Many items here are on loan from the Smithsonian Archives, especially from the Museum of the American Indian.
Should guests not want to visit the exhibit, they may bypass it, but for any guest looking to enrich themselves in a brand new series of cultures, and to learn more about the story of the Wendigo and many other monsters and myths, this exhibit provides a perfect educational opportunity to do so.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for reading! I wanted to give a special shoutout to my dear friend Dr. Jane Doe (for anonymity purposes) one of the many amazing anthropologists the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian for being our cultural consultant and making sure that our attraction was able to accurately and respectfully portray the cultures of the Algonquian people and their beliefs and legends. We couldn't have done it without you!
QUEUE
The queue takes you next to the Haunted Mansion and out to the ride entrance behind the mansion. Part of the queue will be set in a forest where multiple different cryptids and monsters of Algonquian legend can be spotted. Throughout the queue, you can also pick up one of the many variations of the Wendigo legend found in Algonquian legend, pieced together in a story in the lodge, helping to set the mood for the attraction.
The Hunter
This tale can be pieced together by reading signs posted throughout the lodge in the queue, helping to set up the attraction and the lore of the Wendigo.
There was once a hunter, the fiercest and most ruthless in the land. Known for hunting the largest of beasts and keeping their heads as trophies. One day, he heard about a mysterious creature known to some as the Wendigo, the spirit of greed and corruption. Immediately intrigued, the hunter set out to capture the Wendigo and add it to his vast collection of slain animals to further his ego.
After entering a mysterious wood, he came across the Algonquian people, who have ties to the Wendigo, and demanded to the chief that they grant him knowledge of the Wendigo. The Algonquian people reluctantly told the hunter what they knew about the malicious beast. They told him about how the Wendigo takes over the bodies of those consumed by greed and the eternal hunger that the Wendigo forever searches to fulfill. They granted him knowledge of the Wendigo’s hideous appearance. It’s desiccated skin pulled tightly over its bones. With its bones pushing out against its skin, its complexion the ash-gray of death, and its eyes pushed back deep into their sockets, the Wendigo looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred from the grave.
Ignoring their warnings, the hunter set out to capture the Wendigo. He spotted an albino creature followed by voices in his head tempting him to chase the creature. After a tedious chase through the woods, the hunter cornered the creature until it vanished in front of his eyes. Confused, the hunter looked around until he felt a terrible sensation. Consumed by greed, he began to transform into the Wendigo, the same creature he sought to capture. Every inch of humanity he had left began to fade away when the intense hunger started, trying to kill everything in sight. Some say he still roams the woods to this day, trying to satisfy his indefinite starvation.
RIDE-THROUGH
Once you pass through the queue, you board your keelboats from the backside of the trapper’s lodge. Your keelboat leaves through the docks and sets out into the forest. This portion is outside as you pass through a serene forest with the sounds of birds chirping and other animal noises. As you pass through this short, calm segment, you can spot some animatronic animals lining the banks of the river. A gentle deer and her fawn look on as you pass, while a grizzly bear scratches its back on a tall pine tree. A wolf and her pups play by the water’s edge as a moose wades in the river. You finally reach a fork in the river, but it appears a family of beavers dammed up one route, so you are redirected down the other path, into a darker portion of the forest.
You pass through dense trees into the main show building. The atmosphere changes from the serene outdoors with the chirping birds to a darker atmosphere, most light not peaking through the dense forest canopy. Here, we see the glowing yellow eyes of forest predators peering at us as we approach a campsite. A fire is lit where an Algonquian shaman stands, surrounded by the people of his village. He wears the skull and antlers of a stag atop his head and his movements indicate he is telling a story, yet it is being told in the Algonquian dialect. Among the Indigenous folks surrounding the fire stands a white man donned in furs and pelts, a rifle by his side. The shaman continues to tell his story as our boat rounds a corner to see the shaman discussing with the trapper, this time, in English.
Trapper: “After beaver I am, care to point me towards em?”
Shaman: “Just downriver is a beaver’s lodge. Yet, I must warn you, I have seen you trapping before, you take entire families. If we consume all of the trout in the river, there will be no food for winter, a beaver and a trout are not so different. If we trap all of the beaver, there will be nothing left in our future. Go well, but do not be greedy, for continuing down the path you are on will lead you down the curse of a Wendigo.
Trapper: “Your tales of monsters worry me not shaman. I ain’t gonna turn into no man-eating monster for killing some extra beaver or nothing.”
Shaman: “Heed this advice, take only what you must, should you hope to return a human and not a wendigo. Believe me or not, greed only consumes you, until you can never get enough, an insatiable appetite, feasting on the flesh of man, but your hunger never subsides. That is the curse of the wendigo. Be wary traveler, should you hope to not regret this.
Our boat passes through a clearing in the trees as we encounter our trapper standing by a pile of cleaned pelts, a beaver’s lodge smoldering from the flame, the sweet and smokey smell of the maple branches used in the lodge filling our nostrils as it burns. From across the way, we see a white stag, a rare creature, one believed by many in the Algonquian culture to be the embodiment of a spirit or soul visiting, something that mustn't be killed. We watch as the trapper lifts his rifle and we hear a gunshot. The white stag vanishes into thin air as we pass, rounding a corner as we hear a horrifying scream from where the trapper was, the sounds of bones cracking and immense pain growing, we hit a rough patch of water, our boats tossing and turning as we pass through. The sounds of the forest change from the chirping of birds to the hooting of owls, an omen of death in many Algonquian cultures.
A baby begins crying off in the distance, and our boat turns to follow the sound, hoping to rescue the baby from whatever consumed the trapper. We round the corner as the wind begins to whip, blowing rough and hard, rocking the boat. The air becomes bitter and cold, and the atmosphere of the forest becomes darker and scarier as the sound of the baby crying changes into horrifying shrieks. We reach an embankment where the sounds are the loudest, and, from the bushes, we see a pair of white, boney antlers. Our boat stalls as the antlers begin to rise, showcasing the entire beast. Standing at eight feet tall, the beast stares at us, it’s body lanky and incredibly thin, it’s patchy black fur on skin stretched tightly across its boney body, its ribs and bones clearly visible. Where it’s head should be, the decaying skull of a stag, the eye sockets, a complete void of darkness and evil, with sharp teeth. The creature opens its mouth, emitting a terrifying shriek, mixed with the cries of a baby, the hoot of an owl, and the screams of the trapper, all at once, as our keelboat rushes backwards down the river. Just as fast as the creature appears, all light is snuffed out, and it is gone.
Our boat careens backward down the river, the sense of dread still filling us as we hear the sound of a massive creature galloping towards us along the bank on all fours, breaking leaves and twigs as it goes, pushing aside and shaking trees, and startling animals from their hiding spots. The sounds the creature was emitting before still echoing from its cavernous skeletal mouth. We reach an embankment, but it is too close and we feel the boat stop as if grabbed from behind. The boat begins shaking as something climbs atop the roof of the boat, growling. Some seats will feel dripping from above as the creature salivates, thinking of its next meal. The boat shakes again as the creature leaps off the roof, grabbing the boat again. However, we hear chanting similar to that around the Algonquian fire earlier. The beast shrieks and throws our boat as we screech across the ground, running over rocks and gravel, before sliding back into the water.
We continue, rapidly, down the river, the rapids picking up as we speed down in an attempt to escape, and suddenly, the running stops. Nothing can be heard except the sound of crickets. Our boat slows down, only to reach another beaver dam, this time blocking our path. From behind the dam, the same, horrifying creature from before rises up, somehow having gotten ahead of us. We all watch as it lurches forward on all fours, its lanky legs and arms spindly and long creeping towards us as a predator stalking its prey. However, the chanting begins again, and from the forest emerges the shaman, chanting at the beast. He is able to approach it, chanting and emitting light from his torch, lighting the beast aflame. Through a series of effects, we watch as the creature transforms from its horrific self to our trapper, shaken, but alright.
The shaman tells the trapper that he did not heed his warning and allowed his greed to consume him, and that is why he became the ravenous wendigo. Luckily, some wendigo can be saved by a holy man who knows the spirits, should their ancestors wish to save him.
Shaman: Greed is among the greatest evils. Should we take too much, very little is left for others. Everything we encounter in these woods is a part of a cycle. To interrupt the cycle and destroy a crucial step is to destroy life itself. You are lucky, our ancestors were looking down at you, for many who cross the line between human and wendigo cannot be saved.
Trapper: “I didn’t believe it. I didn’t think anyone would be hurt if I took a little bit extra, but now I see.”
Shaman: “Nobody aims to become a wendigo, it is not about thinking, it is about doing. Take what you must, but leave more for tomorrow. Leave more for those around you. This is the true way to defeat a wendigo. To succumb is to allow yourself to be consumed by your greed, and now you know what it is like. Go well travelers, and beware of the curse of the Wendigo.”
The beaver dam splits in two as our boat gently cruises out of the forest, passing by a larger Algonquian village, longhouses, and shacks, as children play and men and women work. Here, we see a society working together for the betterment of the group, the birds singing again as we pass by. Right before returning to the dock, we pass by a final setpiece, right outside of the village. Here, in a forest clearing, we see the White Stag. It winks at us as we pass by, vanishing once the whole boat goes by, and with that, we return to the dock, now understanding The Curse of the Wendigo.
TECHNICALS
Technology Behind the Ride
Curse of the Wendigo will use the best of modern, advanced theme park technology to create an E-Ticket unlike any other. Truly pushing the bounds of attraction storytelling and unique thrills!
The Power of the Ride System
The Base Ride System is the same as Shanghai Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean. Essentially, the front end and back end of the boat are both tethered to separate tracks under the water. They are guided along the tracks using magnetic propulsion.
The tethers are not rigid, which means the boats can realistically float on the water without feeling like a vehicle on rails. The two tracks can separate meaning the boats can move backward, sideways, wobbly paths, turning, and diagonal just as easily as they can move forwards. The magnetic propulsion means there is near-total control of speed (up to a certain limit, this cannot turn into a roller coaster) as well as the ability to stop on a dime and fully lock into place.
This gives Imagineers a lot of freedom to creatively bring the story on the Wendigo to life. A boat ride with nearly as much maneuverability as a trackless ride system (without the quick spinning). And this is just the beginning of the technology we plan to use!
Bringing The White Stag to Life
While the vast majority of sets, animatronics, and figures in the ride are fully practical (or only use projections to help enhance what is already there), The White Stag (implied to be a spirit) will be brought to life with projection mapping over a blank simple motion figure, similar to how the figures in Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway are brought to life. This will lend it an otherworldly quality and shimmer compared to the full physical animatronic. Helping the White Stag be a standout figure.
The projection mapping coupled with a Pepper's Ghost effect (the trees in the false forest make it easy to hide glass panes) will also allow the White Stag to simply and completely shimmer in and out of existence before our very eyes more realistically and mystically than either effect individually could.
How Guests can be Stalked by the Wendigo
Most of the effects for the sequence of the ride where guests are chased by the Wendigo are pretty simple. Figures with various levels of complexity jumping out at guests. The creature running at us with greenery covering the mechanics like the Carnotaurus in Dinosaur. Loud, shocking noises, and bright flashing lights. All the usual and expected stuff.
One effect will be a true stand out using, as of yet unutilized, tech from Disney Imagineering. A Stuntronic of the Wendigo.
The most high-tech of the stuntronics are animatronics designed to be able to leap through the air at dizzying heights performing complex acrobatics and reposition itself to land safely. This ride won't require the tech pushed to its limits like that. A simplified version will be developed that can replicate the Wendigo leaping over the heads of guests. As they pass through a section of the river with high, rocky walls on with side, the Wendigo Figure will be launched directly over guests. Clawing and growling at them in midair like has never been seen before, and then it will safely land on the other side in a net that will be set to slide it into a launcher.
There will be two Wendigo Stuntronics so that it can rotate and have time to be reset. It also will alternate what side it launches from, so there is no need for it to be able to fully reset. It can just keep bouncing back and forth. This will have the added benefit of increasing rerideability since there are multiple places it can launch from (one for each side for each animatronic, four total) giving it a sense of unpredictability.
Knocked out of the Water; The Dock and Lock
At a certain point during the chase, The Wendigo knocks guest's boats out of the water causing them to skid across the rough forest ground before splashing back into the water. This is achieved through an effect that is being referred to as a Dock and Lock. The concept is pretty simple, The boat locks very quickly and fully into place using the magnetic propulsion system, then supports are raised from below that dock the boat (coupled with some added high friction coating that further locks it into place, then the section of the track that it is now locked onto begins to move.
What the boats Dock and Locked onto is a motion simulator base on a track. Essentially a simplified, makeshift EMV (like Dinosaur or Indiana Jones Adventure). This will allow us to simulated the movement of being thrown and sliding across a rough, rocky terrain before coming back to the water where the Dock and Lock procedure will happen in reverse. Four of these EMV style bases will be made. At any time 1 is in use, 1 is waiting for the next boat, 1 is having its boat leave, and 1 is returning to the start.
With the tech in place already, the entire Dock and Lock process will be almost instantaneous leading to incredibly smooth transitions creating a very thrilling and unique segment that will be utterly unexpected in a boat ride.
The Transformation Climax
As was mentioned earlier, the ride system allows for boats to move smoothly sideways. This means we can have guest's boats move around a circular set piece while facing inward at a climactic scene. Such as the end of the ride. In that scene, The Wendigo tries to attack guests, the Algonquin chief intervenes, The Wendigo is healed by the chief and returned to his human form. Three phases.
Essentially, each phase of the scene is a separate set. Very careful design and very carefully placed mirrors give the illusion that this is one, large, complete set. This allows each phase to have figures and effects built solely for one moment rather than trying to accomplish everything. The fact that this ride takes place in dark woods is a key factor in making this work. Trees can be used to easily hide divisions, mirrors, and effects. Lighting effects are easy to implement in the dark setting of the ride too. Plus, with all the rides facing towards the center of the circle, Pepper's Ghost effects are easy to implement with things just behind and above guest's heads being seen in reflections on glass hidden in plain sight. This gives Imagineers all the freedom needed to create dazzling, showstopping effects unlike anything seen before using technology that already exists.
Mood Sensing Technology to Manage Fear/Engagement Levels
Disney filed a patent in 2018 for technology to sense guest's moods through things such as heart rate monitors in lap bars, breathing, facial expressions, and more. The patent can use this knowledge of guest's moods to alter ride paths and experiences.
Imagineers are aware this is a darker, more intense ride than guests and families expect from the Magic Kingdom. They are also aware of the complaints the previous surprisingly intense ride, Alien Encounter, received. Along with warnings in the queue, this mood sensing technology will be implemented to help keep it from scaring anyone too badly. Certain effects can be automatically toned down or even turned off for boats with younger or more scared guests. Jumpscares skipped, lights less jumpy, noises less loud. Still a more intense than normal ride, but steps can be taken to keep guests within an acceptable level of fear without compromising the ride experience. Any guests really too scared (such as hysterically crying kids) can alert a cast member to meet them at the exit with stickers and a cuddly stuffed animal to hug to help cheer them back up and minimize the effect this will have on the rest of that family's day. Possibly even give an automatic flex FastPass to the family if they have My Disney Experience and Magic Bands that the system can track. Conversely, if guests don't seem engaged enough these same effects can be cranked up creating an even more exciting and terrifying experience!
This can go further than simply managing guest's fear levels though. The story of the Wendigo is not well known, especially the true story rather than the simplified zombie/werewolf hybrid often seen in Hollywood films. The plot of the ride is more esoteric with a lesser-known source material compared to common theme park attractions. If the mood sensors see that guests are too confused, extra voices in the distance or narration can be added to help clarify plot points. A voice made to sound like a fellow guest riding the boat could gasp and say "wow, a spirit" to clarify what the White Stag is or the Algonquin chief can be heard from just out of sight saying "The man has been consumed by his greed. Cursed by it. He is a man no more. He is the Wendigo!" for the scene where the trapper transforms into the beast in case there's a boat full of Joe Normals and Karen Intitolatos who don't quite get what is going on.
THE LONGHOUSE
The Longhouse is an optional extra exhibit at the exit of the attraction, reminiscent of the AFI Villains display formerly at Hollywood Studios after the Backlot Tour. Here, guests can meander through a series of exhibits displaying artifacts, artwork, and stories of the many different Algonquian tribes.
The Algonquian culture is not a singular tribe, but instead a group of tribes spanning from the Great Lakes region, through most of Eastern Canada, and into New England. Each tribe has their own individual cultures, traditions, and stories, all of which are reflected here in this exhibit display. Many items here are on loan from the Smithsonian Archives, especially from the Museum of the American Indian.
Should guests not want to visit the exhibit, they may bypass it, but for any guest looking to enrich themselves in a brand new series of cultures, and to learn more about the story of the Wendigo and many other monsters and myths, this exhibit provides a perfect educational opportunity to do so.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for reading! I wanted to give a special shoutout to my dear friend Dr. Jane Doe (for anonymity purposes) one of the many amazing anthropologists the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian for being our cultural consultant and making sure that our attraction was able to accurately and respectfully portray the cultures of the Algonquian people and their beliefs and legends. We couldn't have done it without you!
Outbound
Well-Known Member
Reviews will be posted throughout the day, cullminating in a podcast at 8PM Eastern where we'll reveal the winning team and the advantage they get in the next project, as well as this round's PoMVP winner. In the meantime, I'm going to go ahead and cut the double elimination suspense now. Let me start by saying this is the first round where there was absolutely no one to eliminate who simply didn't show up. Everyone left on the board has contributed to and made their mark on the season in a pretty significant way already. It's with a heavy heart that this round in particular has to be a double elimination. Alphabetically, we'll start with NuCitra.
The first nominee from NuCitra is...
The second nominee from NuCitra is...
The person eliminated from NuCitra is...
Let's move on to NuOrbis. The first NuOrbis nominee is...
The second nominee from NuOrbis is...
The person eliminated from NuOrbis is...
The first nominee from NuCitra is...
@DashHaber. While you've been a pretty consistent presence so far this season, timing wasn't on your side this round. You did warn your team you'd be gone which is a good step, but the fact of the matter is out of everyone on NuCitra you contributed the least to the overall concept. Busy schedules doesn't guarantee safety, as balancing that sort of stuff has always been part of the game.
The second nominee from NuCitra is...
@Brer Panther. This is a pretty cut and dry case. Your concept art is good and adds to the project, but you've been hiding behind the artwork since the first round. One of the big things I stress this season is working well in a group setting, and while I can't say you're problematic in that regard you certainly don't contribute much to the brainstorming and creative process compared to pretty much everyone else left in the cast.
The person eliminated from NuCitra is...
@Brer Panther. While you technically contributed more than Dash did this round, I'm basing this elimination off of combined activity throughout the season. You made a post in your brainstorming thread apologizing for lack of activity in this season, and honestly there's nothing to be sorry for. It is what it is and I'm sure you had other stuff going on, and you decided to lean on your art which is a good skill to have in this game. Had you been more consistent in the brainstorming throughout the season, this would probably be a different result. As it stands now though, I can't justify you advancing further when art pretty much exclusively what you've contributed in the six rounds you've played. Thanks for playing this season and as always please feel free to reach out if you see a prompt you'd like to be a guest judge for.
Let's move on to NuOrbis. The first NuOrbis nominee is...
@ThatGuyFromFlorida. You've had a hell of a run through six rounds. Going from someone who was frankly problematic to the brainstorming process in the first couple rounds to slowly easing into being more flexible with the brainstorming and then in project five really coming into your own with the instrumentals as well as having a consistent voice in the brainstorming. That being said, this project you pretty much dropped the ball in a big way. After voting for the theme, you straight up disappeared and never bothered to sign up for a job. It's hard to look past a team member encouraging you in the group PM and you still not coming around. You've been a wonderful pre-merge character this season, but that's going to be hard to look past.
The second nominee from NuOrbis is...
@gam3rprincess. In very different ways from ThatGuy, you've also had a bit of a rocky road throughout these six rounds. While you excelled in the mini golf project and led your team to victory, there were a few prompts you very much struggled with. That being said, even in your struggles you've always come out on top. This round your nomination is not for a lack of you doing stuff but simply because were at a point in the competition where EVERYONE is firing on all cylinders. I think now is the time where newer players like @montydysquith-navarro and @NigelChanning09 are going to have to step up their somewhat quiet games if they want to make it past the heavy hitters remaining in the cast going into the merge. This nomination is not a slight on you but more an examination of the true threat level of a lot of the players left on the board.
The person eliminated from NuOrbis is...
@ThatGuyFromFlorida. You've had a great if bumpy run this season, and I've had a blast watching your highs and lows. If you would have contributed as much to this project as you did to the last project, this could have been a very different result. As it stands now though, you were the only person left in the cast who didn't contribute to the finished product in some way. Your fatal, game-ending move was simply not responding to @Sharon&Susan in the group PM. I can't overlook that. If you're not engaged with your own teammates, I can't guarantee you'll be engaged with the game as a whole going forward. This was an especially easy decision when contrasted against the other nominee who has had their ups and downs in terms of activity but is always a positive influence on the team in some way. Make no mistake, out of all the eliminations so far you've BY FAR left the biggest mark on the season, and should be proud of that. Again, any prompt you see in the future that you'd like to guest judge on, just say the word!
CookieMouse
Well-Known Member
While I loved playing, it feels like a huge weight just fell off my shoulder, especially since I Am still doing school, due to my procrastination...
My feedback is going to be reflective of all the judges, so for that reason once I post the scores on my end the winner of the project will be announced and we'll be able to move on to the next round where the winning team will have to make a pivotal choice. Before we start, I just want to acknowledge how much I appreciate that this post-swap game has very much turned into a mini sequel to "Purists vs. Innovators". The two teams have taken radically different approaches in both projects...one aiming for old school tried and true concepts of Imagineering, and the other aiming for presentation flourish and outside the box ideas. Who will come out ahead this round?
NuCitra
Not even going to beat around the bush here, for me personally this project is perfect. Every element of our grading scale is notched up to a ten for me. It's a wildly creative concept executed with an acute sense of realism. The detail is in the Goldilocks "just right!" category of not too much text but enough to get it across. The presentation...I honestly don't know how you DON'T give this a 10/10 based on @goofyyukyukyuk17's JAW-DROPPING queue model alone, not to mention @Brer Panther's excellent concept art, the ride through slide show, and Pi's work with blueprints. Team work was firing on all cynalders with everyone contributing something to the overall picture, and Brer Panther being eliminated is by far the most active and engaged someone's been with a project who's gone on to be eliminated so far. It's going to set a precedent in the season that there's nowhere to hide, and each and every person in the final 11 is here not just to play, but to WIN.
Overall I'm just floored with this thing. The only knock I was going to have against you was realism because of the Alien Encounter factor, but then you went to great lengths to explain the heartrate technology and suddenly the idea of cast members being at the exit to calm crying children is awesome and an integral part of why I love the overall concept. I definitely get some Mystery Lodge vibes from this thing, mixed with an obvious likeness to Jaws in the ride system and pacing as well as some Alien Encounter thrown in for good measure. All in all it's an absolutely ingenious concept that I think has the potential to be the most adult-orientated thrill ride at Magic Kingdom yet check boxes that young kids can enjoy. I'm picturing this fitting into the park similar to how Indiana Jones fits into Disneyland. While my over the top praise kind of spoils the result, I can't help but deem this easily my favorite project so far this season. Every single person on this team should be proud of their accomplishments here.
Creativity: 10/10
Realism: 10/10
Detail: 10/10
Presentation: 10/10
Group Work: 10/10
Total: 50/50
NuOrbis
You know that meme that's been going around about Star Trek: Piccard about "sheer *bleep*ing Hubris"? Well, that's pretty much my thoughts when you decided to throw Minecraft into the mix. Not gonna lie, I was rather let down by this one. Not just because I feel like this team was at the tipping point of choosing far more interesting concepts like a 1950's racing dark ride for Knott's or a 360* 1917 dark ride. Instead, you let presentation sort of dictate things over anything else. While I appreciate that Outbound invited the judges onto the server, I'm an old man who has a really cheap computer so I couldn't do it even if I wanted to. Here's my real problem with this project though...All that promise you guys talked up about how to plus this up from the mini golf project? The narration/voice acting, the having multiple team members in the server guiding you through the experience? Yea...Where was THAT project?? Sorry, but by trying to chase the #GameChanger mantra, I feel like you created a presentation that's actually less than the sum of its parts.
First off, let's talk placement.Middle School Campus: The Theme Park Walt Disney Studios is certainly a good fit for something like this as it desperately needs...well...pretty much anything. I also did enjoy the timeline stuff with Disney buying Minecraft, the Pixar franchise, the concern in overlap between the movie and ride. All that was really creative. When it comes to the ride though...all it really was is a trip through some biomes. I mean, nothing wrong with that persay, but I didn't really get any more of a sense of adventure from this than I did from the mini golf project and altogether this project came off feeling like a bit of a repeat of that. The video was BEGGING for narration, even if it was from Stereotypical Australian Youtuber. The text added some context to the ridethrough, but it got to be a pain switching back and forth to get the full drift of what the ride was going for. Ultimately, it felt like a slightly expanded upon version of what many of these team members already did with the mini golf project. Minecraft is popular for sure, but I don't think it's got universal appeal in the same way Nintendo does. Because of that, I thought it was a little much to say that adding a flat ride and restaurant in phase two would make this compete with Super Nintendo World. Minecraft simply doesn't have the level of variety in its visual storytelling to compete with Nintendo World. You should have ran with this project and made it entirely its own thing. This project is the best example so far that the grading scale is there for a reason and only 10 points can be gotten out of presentation, so divide your resources wisely.
Creativity: 7/10 - I just can't get that into Minecraft when a lot of the concepts were already used in the mini golf project and the team passed on FAR more creative concepts in favor of this.
Realism: 8/10 - The ride itself is realistic enough with good placement. While I appreciated the alternate timeline, I don't really buy that Pixar would have a Minecraft cinematic universe when they're very much trying to keep to original films for the new decade and they've never done an adaptation of anything.
Detail: 9/10 - It's all there, I just think half the detail is in the doc and the other half is in the visuals and I wish the two were better combined.
Presentation: 9/10 - While I'd like to give this another 10 for the effort that went into it, the fact of the matter is that almost none of the pluses to the presentation brought up with the Minecraft IP actually made their way into the video itself.
Group Work: 8/10 - This team has had a weird dynamic of splitting off and doing their own thing early into the brainstorming process. It hasn't worked for two rounds in a row now. While everyone did contribute something, I feel like working more closely with each other on individual components of the project is a key ingredient this group is missing that the other team has nailed.
Total: 41/50
The other TMNT members will be providing additional feedback throughout the day as well as the previously announced podcast at 8PM Eastern, but with all that in mind this project is a bit of a landslide victory for NuCitra. PoMVP goes to @goofyyukyukyuk17 for his amazing queue model. Truly carrying on that #GameChanger spirit this season has been predicated on. Now, let's move on to the FINAL pre-merge project. The loosing team of this project will eliminate one person. The person eliminated this next round will be the last player who will NOT get a seat on the jury and get to vote for the winner at the end of the game. MAKE. SURE. IT'S. NOT. YOU.
Project Seven: A Splash of Placemaking
You asked for it, you got it! For this project, we'll be taking a look at the surrounding areas around Disneyland and Walt Disney World's Splash Mountain attraction. As we all know, Princess and the Frog will soon be moving into the Brers home, changing the landscape of both the lands the Splash Mountains reside in forever. Both parks have challenges. While Disneyland has the advantage of the New Orleans Square setting, it also now is in a Critter Country land that barely has anything to do with Critters. Most of Critter Country is Winnie the Pooh right now, and that's clearly not thematically going to flow with Princess Tiana and company. Meanwhile in Florida while Splash has the benefit of being in more of its own sub-area, it also has the problem of having the equally iconic Big Thunder Mountain Railroad directly across from it...an attraction that has a definitive LACK of a New Orleans bayou flair.
The goal of the project is simple. Create some placemaking and transitions in the areas surrounding either park's Splash Mountain in order to make the switch-over to Princess and the Frog more natural. You are allowed to make changes to attractions in the surrounding area, but be careful with the realism points there and focus more on scenic transitions and the actual land itself. You are NOT allowed to do a full write up of the actual Princess and the Frog attraction but are allowed to elaborate on how the facade, queue, and attraction entrance would function within your new area.
NuCitra, since you won last round you get to pick rather you want to work on Frontierland in Walt Disney World, or Critter Country in Disneyland. Please have your choice made by tonight at the latest. The sooner the better. If not decided on by tomorrow morning, we'll have no choice but to flip a coin for it. So don't loose this advantage and be decisive about this as soon as possible. Good luck teams. This project is due Friday, July 10th at 11:59PM Eastern.
Glad you're not taking the elimination personally. You should definitely be proud of being such a big character with a memorable arc through the first five projects. You sort of fizzled out in the end there, but you will still be a great note in the overall story of the season.
NuCitra
Not even going to beat around the bush here, for me personally this project is perfect. Every element of our grading scale is notched up to a ten for me. It's a wildly creative concept executed with an acute sense of realism. The detail is in the Goldilocks "just right!" category of not too much text but enough to get it across. The presentation...I honestly don't know how you DON'T give this a 10/10 based on @goofyyukyukyuk17's JAW-DROPPING queue model alone, not to mention @Brer Panther's excellent concept art, the ride through slide show, and Pi's work with blueprints. Team work was firing on all cynalders with everyone contributing something to the overall picture, and Brer Panther being eliminated is by far the most active and engaged someone's been with a project who's gone on to be eliminated so far. It's going to set a precedent in the season that there's nowhere to hide, and each and every person in the final 11 is here not just to play, but to WIN.
Overall I'm just floored with this thing. The only knock I was going to have against you was realism because of the Alien Encounter factor, but then you went to great lengths to explain the heartrate technology and suddenly the idea of cast members being at the exit to calm crying children is awesome and an integral part of why I love the overall concept. I definitely get some Mystery Lodge vibes from this thing, mixed with an obvious likeness to Jaws in the ride system and pacing as well as some Alien Encounter thrown in for good measure. All in all it's an absolutely ingenious concept that I think has the potential to be the most adult-orientated thrill ride at Magic Kingdom yet check boxes that young kids can enjoy. I'm picturing this fitting into the park similar to how Indiana Jones fits into Disneyland. While my over the top praise kind of spoils the result, I can't help but deem this easily my favorite project so far this season. Every single person on this team should be proud of their accomplishments here.
Creativity: 10/10
Realism: 10/10
Detail: 10/10
Presentation: 10/10
Group Work: 10/10
Total: 50/50
NuOrbis
You know that meme that's been going around about Star Trek: Piccard about "sheer *bleep*ing Hubris"? Well, that's pretty much my thoughts when you decided to throw Minecraft into the mix. Not gonna lie, I was rather let down by this one. Not just because I feel like this team was at the tipping point of choosing far more interesting concepts like a 1950's racing dark ride for Knott's or a 360* 1917 dark ride. Instead, you let presentation sort of dictate things over anything else. While I appreciate that Outbound invited the judges onto the server, I'm an old man who has a really cheap computer so I couldn't do it even if I wanted to. Here's my real problem with this project though...All that promise you guys talked up about how to plus this up from the mini golf project? The narration/voice acting, the having multiple team members in the server guiding you through the experience? Yea...Where was THAT project?? Sorry, but by trying to chase the #GameChanger mantra, I feel like you created a presentation that's actually less than the sum of its parts.
First off, let's talk placement.
Creativity: 7/10 - I just can't get that into Minecraft when a lot of the concepts were already used in the mini golf project and the team passed on FAR more creative concepts in favor of this.
Realism: 8/10 - The ride itself is realistic enough with good placement. While I appreciated the alternate timeline, I don't really buy that Pixar would have a Minecraft cinematic universe when they're very much trying to keep to original films for the new decade and they've never done an adaptation of anything.
Detail: 9/10 - It's all there, I just think half the detail is in the doc and the other half is in the visuals and I wish the two were better combined.
Presentation: 9/10 - While I'd like to give this another 10 for the effort that went into it, the fact of the matter is that almost none of the pluses to the presentation brought up with the Minecraft IP actually made their way into the video itself.
Group Work: 8/10 - This team has had a weird dynamic of splitting off and doing their own thing early into the brainstorming process. It hasn't worked for two rounds in a row now. While everyone did contribute something, I feel like working more closely with each other on individual components of the project is a key ingredient this group is missing that the other team has nailed.
Total: 41/50
The other TMNT members will be providing additional feedback throughout the day as well as the previously announced podcast at 8PM Eastern, but with all that in mind this project is a bit of a landslide victory for NuCitra. PoMVP goes to @goofyyukyukyuk17 for his amazing queue model. Truly carrying on that #GameChanger spirit this season has been predicated on. Now, let's move on to the FINAL pre-merge project. The loosing team of this project will eliminate one person. The person eliminated this next round will be the last player who will NOT get a seat on the jury and get to vote for the winner at the end of the game. MAKE. SURE. IT'S. NOT. YOU.
Project Seven: A Splash of Placemaking
You asked for it, you got it! For this project, we'll be taking a look at the surrounding areas around Disneyland and Walt Disney World's Splash Mountain attraction. As we all know, Princess and the Frog will soon be moving into the Brers home, changing the landscape of both the lands the Splash Mountains reside in forever. Both parks have challenges. While Disneyland has the advantage of the New Orleans Square setting, it also now is in a Critter Country land that barely has anything to do with Critters. Most of Critter Country is Winnie the Pooh right now, and that's clearly not thematically going to flow with Princess Tiana and company. Meanwhile in Florida while Splash has the benefit of being in more of its own sub-area, it also has the problem of having the equally iconic Big Thunder Mountain Railroad directly across from it...an attraction that has a definitive LACK of a New Orleans bayou flair.
The goal of the project is simple. Create some placemaking and transitions in the areas surrounding either park's Splash Mountain in order to make the switch-over to Princess and the Frog more natural. You are allowed to make changes to attractions in the surrounding area, but be careful with the realism points there and focus more on scenic transitions and the actual land itself. You are NOT allowed to do a full write up of the actual Princess and the Frog attraction but are allowed to elaborate on how the facade, queue, and attraction entrance would function within your new area.
NuCitra, since you won last round you get to pick rather you want to work on Frontierland in Walt Disney World, or Critter Country in Disneyland. Please have your choice made by tonight at the latest. The sooner the better. If not decided on by tomorrow morning, we'll have no choice but to flip a coin for it. So don't loose this advantage and be decisive about this as soon as possible. Good luck teams. This project is due Friday, July 10th at 11:59PM Eastern.
Glad you're not taking the elimination personally. You should definitely be proud of being such a big character with a memorable arc through the first five projects. You sort of fizzled out in the end there, but you will still be a great note in the overall story of the season.
mickeyfan5534
Well-Known Member
Stay tuned for the podcast. I'm sure Tiki and I will talk about the genesis of this next prompt.My feedback is going to be reflective of all the judges, so for that reason once I post the scores on my end the winner of the project will be announced and we'll be able to move on to the next round where the winning team will have to make a pivotal choice. Before we start, I just want to acknowledge how much I appreciate that this post-swap game has very much turned into a mini sequel to "Purists vs. Innovators". The two teams have taken radically different approaches in both projects...one aiming for old school tried and true concepts of Imagineering, and the other aiming for presentation flourish and outside the box ideas. Who will come out ahead this round?
NuCitra
Not even going to beat around the bush here, for me personally this project is perfect. Every element of our grading scale is notched up to a ten for me. It's a wildly creative concept executed with an acute sense of realism. The detail is in the Goldilocks "just right!" category of not too much text but enough to get it across. The presentation...I honestly don't know how you DON'T give this a 10/10 based on @goofyyukyukyuk17's JAW-DROPPING queue model alone, not to mention @Brer Panther's excellent concept art, the ride through slide show, and Pi's work with blueprints. Team work was firing on all cynalders with everyone contributing something to the overall picture, and Brer Panther being eliminated is by far the most active and engaged someone's been with a project who's gone on to be eliminated so far. It's going to set a precedent in the season that there's nowhere to hide, and each and every person in the final 11 is here not just to play, but to WIN.
Overall I'm just floored with this thing. The only knock I was going to have against you was realism because of the Alien Encounter factor, but then you went to great lengths to explain the heartrate technology and suddenly the idea of cast members being at the exit to calm crying children is awesome and an integral part of why I love the overall concept. I definitely get some Mystery Lodge vibes from this thing, mixed with an obvious likeness to Jaws in the ride system and pacing as well as some Alien Encounter thrown in for good measure. All in all it's an absolutely ingenious concept that I think has the potential to be the most adult-orientated thrill ride at Magic Kingdom yet check boxes that young kids can enjoy. I'm picturing this fitting into the park similar to how Indiana Jones fits into Disneyland. While my over the top praise kind of spoils the result, I can't help but deem this easily my favorite project so far this season. Every single person on this team should be proud of their accomplishments here.
Creativity: 10/10
Realism: 10/10
Detail: 10/10
Presentation: 10/10
Group Work: 10/10
Total: 50/50
NuOrbis
You know that meme that's been going around about Star Trek: Piccard about "sheer *bleep*ing Hubris"? Well, that's pretty much my thoughts when you decided to throw Minecraft into the mix. Not gonna lie, I was rather let down by this one. Not just because I feel like this team was at the tipping point of choosing far more interesting concepts like a 1950's racing dark ride for Knott's or a 360* 1917 dark ride. Instead, you let presentation sort of dictate things over anything else. While I appreciate that Outbound invited the judges onto the server, I'm an old man who has a really cheap computer so I couldn't do it even if I wanted to. Here's my real problem with this project though...All that promise you guys talked up about how to plus this up from the mini golf project? The narration/voice acting, the having multiple team members in the server guiding you through the experience? Yea...Where was THAT project?? Sorry, but by trying to chase the #GameChanger mantra, I feel like you created a presentation that's actually less than the sum of its parts.
First off, let's talk placement.Middle School Campus: The Theme ParkWalt Disney Studios is certainly a good fit for something like this as it desperately needs...well...pretty much anything. I also did enjoy the timeline stuff with Disney buying Minecraft, the Pixar franchise, the concern in overlap between the movie and ride. All that was really creative. When it comes to the ride though...all it really was is a trip through some biomes. I mean, nothing wrong with that persay, but I didn't really get any more of a sense of adventure from this than I did from the mini golf project and altogether this project came off feeling like a bit of a repeat of that. The video was BEGGING for narration, even if it was from Stereotypical Australian Youtuber. The text added some context to the ridethrough, but it got to be a pain switching back and forth to get the full drift of what the ride was going for. Ultimately, it felt like a slightly expanded upon version of what many of these team members already did with the mini golf project. Minecraft is popular for sure, but I don't think it's got universal appeal in the same way Nintendo does. Because of that, I thought it was a little much to say that adding a flat ride and restaurant in phase two would make this compete with Super Nintendo World. Minecraft simply doesn't have the level of variety in its visual storytelling to compete with Nintendo World. You should have ran with this project and made it entirely its own thing. This project is the best example so far that the grading scale is there for a reason and only 10 points can be gotten out of presentation, so divide your resources wisely.
Creativity: 7/10 - I just can't get that into Minecraft when a lot of the concepts were already used in the mini golf project and the team passed on FAR more creative concepts in favor of this.
Realism: 8/10 - The ride itself is realistic enough with good placement. While I appreciated the alternate timeline, I don't really buy that Pixar would have a Minecraft cinematic universe when they're very much trying to keep to original films for the new decade and they've never done an adaptation of anything.
Detail: 9/10 - It's all there, I just think half the detail is in the doc and the other half is in the visuals and I wish the two were better combined.
Presentation: 9/10 - While I'd like to give this another 10 for the effort that went into it, the fact of the matter is that almost none of the pluses to the presentation brought up with the Minecraft IP actually made their way into the video itself.
Group Work: 8/10 - This team has had a weird dynamic of splitting off and doing their own thing early into the brainstorming process. It hasn't worked for two rounds in a row now. While everyone did contribute something, I feel like working more closely with each other on individual components of the project is a key ingredient this group is missing that the other team has nailed.
Total: 41/50
The other TMNT members will be providing additional feedback throughout the day as well as the previously announced podcast at 8PM Eastern, but with all that in mind this project is a bit of a landslide victory for NuCitra. PoMVP goes to @goofyyukyukyuk17 for his amazing queue model. Truly carrying on that #GameChanger spirit this season has been predicated on. Now, let's move on to the FINAL pre-merge project. The loosing team of this project will eliminate one person. The person eliminated this next round will be the last player who will NOT get a seat on the jury and get to vote for the winner at the end of the game. MAKE. SURE. IT'S. NOT. YOU.
Project Seven: A Splash of Placemaking
You asked for it, you got it! For this project, we'll be taking a look at the surrounding areas around Disneyland and Walt Disney World's Splash Mountain attraction. As we all know, Princess and the Frog will soon be moving into the Brers home, changing the landscape of both the lands the Splash Mountains reside in forever. Both parks have challenges. While Disneyland has the advantage of the New Orleans Square setting, it also now is in a Critter Country land that barely has anything to do with Critters. Most of Critter Country is Winnie the Pooh right now, and that's clearly not thematically going to flow with Princess Tiana and company. Meanwhile in Florida while Splash has the benefit of being in more of its own sub-area, it also has the problem of having the equally iconic Big Thunder Mountain Railroad directly across from it...an attraction that has a definitive LACK of a New Orleans bayou flair.
The goal of the project is simple. Create some placemaking and transitions in the areas surrounding either park's Splash Mountain in order to make the switch-over to Princess and the Frog more natural. You are allowed to make changes to attractions in the surrounding area, but be careful with the realism points there and focus more on scenic transitions and the actual land itself. You are NOT allowed to do a full write up of the actual Princess and the Frog attraction but are allowed to elaborate on how the facade, queue, and attraction entrance would function within your new area.
NuCitra, since you won last round you get to pick rather you want to work on Frontierland in Walt Disney World, or Critter Country in Disneyland. Please have your choice made by tonight at the latest. The sooner the better. If not decided on by tomorrow morning, we'll have no choice but to flip a coin for it. So don't loose this advantage and be decisive about this as soon as possible. Good luck teams. This project is due Friday, July 10th at 11:59PM Eastern.
Glad you're not taking the elimination personally. You should definitely be proud of being such a big character with a memorable arc through the first five projects. You sort of fizzled out in the end there, but you will still be a great note in the overall story of the season.
NuCitra will be working on Magic Kingdom's Frontierland
NuOrbis will be working on Disneyland's Critter County
NuOrbis will be working on Disneyland's Critter County
NateD1226
Well-Known Member
NateD1226’s Reviews
Team NuCitra - Curse of the Wendigo
Team NuCitra - Curse of the Wendigo
- WOW! This was a lot to unpack but it works very well.
- The queue was awesome! It was something I have never seen before with the 3D model. It was an amazing addition that I absolutely loved.
- A minor nitpick but I think the ride through could've used some pictures just to break up the large walls of text
- The story was great and really had a lot of passion poured into it
- I think the overall ride is amazing, but the whole idea is really grand. With that being said, I think it is not really realistic with all the technology and the intensity of the story. But, that doesn’t deteriorate the greatness of the ride.
- Overall, what an amazing project! Amazing work!
Creativity: 10/10
Realism: 9/10
Detail: 10/10
Presentation: 10/10
Group Work: 10/10
Total: 49/50
Team NuOrbis - Minecraft: The Ride
Realism: 9/10
Detail: 10/10
Presentation: 10/10
Group Work: 10/10
Total: 49/50
Team NuOrbis - Minecraft: The Ride
- The background of how this world came to be was great! It was fun to see all the dates that led up to the opening of the land.
- The description of the story was nice. Very simple and straight to the point.
- The detail in the ride through was a little lackluster to me. It’s all there but it is plain, and I think that is what bothers me the most with this IP choice. It doesn’t have enough substance to lend itself to a ride. Y’all mentioned a lot of IP’s that had a lot of great potential.
- Just like Tiki said, it was very nice that we were invited into the server but I don't have Minecraft and I am pretty sure my computer would fall apart if I tried to download it lmao. With that, the video was my only chance to look at the ride and it needed a bit more. It just felt like it was missing something.
- Overall, the ride was decent but it needed a lot more work.
Creativity: 9/10
Realism: 8/10
Detail: 8/10
Presentation: 9/10
Group Work: 9/10
Total: 43/50
Realism: 8/10
Detail: 8/10
Presentation: 9/10
Group Work: 9/10
Total: 43/50
mickeyfan5534
Well-Known Member
I apologize for the lack of my usual deeper review. With that said:
Reviews
NuCitra
Creativity - 10/10 - You took so many amazingly creative ideas here and really made an all-time great project. You had my folklore-loving attention the moment you all agreed on American Folklore and then cryptids. Putting a scarier E-ticket right next to The Haunted Mansion was a brilliant idea and turns Liberty Square into something of a horror-themed land.
Realism - 9/10 - This is such a great pitch and I can really see Imagineers presenting something like this if they were given this same blue sky prompt.
Detail - 10/10 - You clearly did research here. This entire project was just... *chef's kiss*
Presentation - 9/10 - At first I scored you an 8 here. And then I went back and reread and looked at the contents of your forum post. Delivery method does not a presentation make. So many awesome touches here and there that really added up.
Group Work - 10/10 - Special shout out to @PerGronStudio for apparently having an absolutely stellar source to make sure you do justice to the Wendigo and Algonquin folklore.
Total - 48/50 - An all-time great (dare I say game-changer?) of a project.
NuOrbis
Creativity - 8/10 - Whelp, I'll give you this: you took the risk and built up the world of this ride.
Realism - 7/10 - Blue sky aside, would this really happen though?
Detail - 8/10 - Going from Citra's absolute perfection of detail to this... wasn't awesome tbh.
Presentation - 9/10 - There was a lot I was excited for in your brainstorm in terms of presentation that... never came around. I wanted Outbound's Aussie to return with a new host of characters beside him and it didn't happen. As I said above, delivery method does not a presentation make. I could have just done with the Google Doc with screenshots from the Minecraft build and felt a lot better about this ride.
Group Work - 8/10 - You really like breaking off which is totally valid a project style, but it can result in something of a disjointed project. For this next round, which is shorter anyway, I'd like to see you really focus on your communication as a team as we head into the merge. I absolutely do not want to see this comp become "So, NuCitra Wants to Be An Imagineer?"
Total - 40/50 - Ultimately, you came into this with a presentation gimmick first and then worked your project around that. It didn't work.
NuCitra
Creativity - 10/10 - You took so many amazingly creative ideas here and really made an all-time great project. You had my folklore-loving attention the moment you all agreed on American Folklore and then cryptids. Putting a scarier E-ticket right next to The Haunted Mansion was a brilliant idea and turns Liberty Square into something of a horror-themed land.
Realism - 9/10 - This is such a great pitch and I can really see Imagineers presenting something like this if they were given this same blue sky prompt.
Detail - 10/10 - You clearly did research here. This entire project was just... *chef's kiss*
Presentation - 9/10 - At first I scored you an 8 here. And then I went back and reread and looked at the contents of your forum post. Delivery method does not a presentation make. So many awesome touches here and there that really added up.
Group Work - 10/10 - Special shout out to @PerGronStudio for apparently having an absolutely stellar source to make sure you do justice to the Wendigo and Algonquin folklore.
Total - 48/50 - An all-time great (dare I say game-changer?) of a project.
NuOrbis
Creativity - 8/10 - Whelp, I'll give you this: you took the risk and built up the world of this ride.
Realism - 7/10 - Blue sky aside, would this really happen though?
Detail - 8/10 - Going from Citra's absolute perfection of detail to this... wasn't awesome tbh.
Presentation - 9/10 - There was a lot I was excited for in your brainstorm in terms of presentation that... never came around. I wanted Outbound's Aussie to return with a new host of characters beside him and it didn't happen. As I said above, delivery method does not a presentation make. I could have just done with the Google Doc with screenshots from the Minecraft build and felt a lot better about this ride.
Group Work - 8/10 - You really like breaking off which is totally valid a project style, but it can result in something of a disjointed project. For this next round, which is shorter anyway, I'd like to see you really focus on your communication as a team as we head into the merge. I absolutely do not want to see this comp become "So, NuCitra Wants to Be An Imagineer?"
Total - 40/50 - Ultimately, you came into this with a presentation gimmick first and then worked your project around that. It didn't work.
Podcast happening in just a couple minutes
Pi on my Cake
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Tux
Well-Known Member
TEAM NUCITRA
> The creativity in this project was absolutely amazing, and I loved where the entire group wound up going with it in the end. I liked watching how the project started out with the basic pitch of American Folklore, which was bare bones enough to want to see how this idea would turn out in the end and what you would ultimately do with it. Then, eventually everyone went and decided to focus on Native American Culture, and at first I was slightly concerned about how this could go wrong, but I preferred to hope that you would do it right in the end, and you ultimately all did it well. The narrative of the Hunter chasing his own tail and eventually becoming something as horrific as the Wendigo was a great plot for the story, and I enjoyed how it paid respects to the culture and how the usage of the White Stag also works in this regard. It works out as a good plot for a thrill ride given that most thrill rides don't necessarily need to focus too many events, so the plot winds up working well in this regard. Meanwhile the effects used to bring this ride to life were extremely creative in their usage as well given how it utilizes some older effects, some newer effects, and some entirely new effects lile the stuntamatronics which sounds like an amazing addition. Overall, the amount of creativity used in this atrraction to make a great thrill ride with a story that pays tribute to a frequently misunderstood and disrespected culture was awesome!
> The realism in this project was very solid as well, I could genuinely imagine this attraction being added to the parks, especially with how it fits in being right next to the Haunted Mansion and how it could potentially fit in right in with Liberty Square/New Orleans Square considering how it fits in perfectly thematically either way. Their tones also mesh together extremely well given their more horror focused elements, which winds up creating a bit of a horror themed miniland. I also appreciated the touch of adding certain comfort factors for guests who might go on the ride without fully knowing the extent of how scary it might be for them, and the inclusion of other features like Magicbands and Fastpasses into the designs. All of the effects contained within the ride are extremely reasonable within scale, only complaint may be the loading and unloading stations being a little too narrow, but that's about it. The narration features are also a very nice touch that helps give better leeway into understanding the plot of the ride to those who don't understand. Overall, the ride takes several things into account that makes it something I could definitely see fitting into the park.
> The amount of detail put into this project was absolutely astounding, and the amount of research that was put in to make sure that this project was done absolutely right was amazing, and it was a pleasure to read through and see it all come together. You really gave this project your all in the end and you seemed to take every little thing into consideration when constructing it. The queue does it's job of setting everything up perfectly well and it does an excellent job at giving a brief summary of what to expect from the ride. Seeing all of Algonquian legends around the queue was interesting and I can tell that you cared about making the queue a large part of the experience as well. The ride scenes were quite scenic in how they were all described, and the video helps give an idea of what any unmentioned parts were like throughout. The dialogue segments were also appreciated as it gets the basic conflict of the plot across before it happens. The use of symbolism from Algonquian Culture was excellent, especially with how it plays into the environment and the main point of the ride. The baby part and buildup, while very obvious to where it was leading to, was still extremely suspenseful in the end, especially with the descriptions given. The chase scenes were all great, and I like how it really focuses on just how dangerous Wendigos are, and the ending where the Trapper turns back and where he talks to the Shaman about his greed is a very satisfying resolution to it all. The deep look into the mood sensing parts of the ride and the intricate mechanics were excellent touches, and I love how much care and consideration was put into making sure that it was something very magical. The Longhouse at the end is just the icing on the cake at the end on how it tops it all off with proper respects to the culture the ride was based off of and it's a excellent note to end it all on.
> The presentation for this project was absolutely wonderful! The amount of effort that went into the different parts of the project was amazing, with the wonderful map you created which perfectly communicates the different segments of the ride, it's size and scale, and where it's located while also making it easy to see where it is and how it works. The youtube video to expand on how the queue works and how it looks was a wonderful idea and it was extremely creative, and gave a good look into how the entirety of it looked, and I loved how you used a model for this part of the ride, which was a very creative and a deeply appreciated touch to the project. I also loved how it gave insight into the history and culture of Native Americans in a very thorough way while also showing respect to it. The video showing the references of certain backdrops and scenes of the ride was also an extremely nice touch which allowed for a better understanding of the ride at play as well and how it plays out in the end. The models of how the ride functions throughout and how it ultimately pans out in terms of mechanics was also excellent and allowed for a better understanding of what exactly is being imagined. Everyone did a fabulous job constructing the entire presentation throughout and I love just how much everyone was involved in it, with so much detail and effort being put into the entire process. I don't mind it being a forum post, everything else is great and does an excellent job at conveying just how the ride works. I feel like the text could have benefitted from some more images in between, doesn't have to be anything special, just something to act as a stopping point every now and then would be nice. Overall, the presentation for this project is absolutely fantastic and a lot was put into it that really made it stand out. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have been so rough about it in my final score in the end, but it's far too late for me to change that now. I should have been more active so I could've changed it while I still could. I hope I can make up for this in the future. Sorry about that! Just know that everyone did absolutely amazing regardless!
> The Group Work was perfect this round, everyone contributed so much to the overall project, and everyone worked extremely well together to create a truly amazing project in the end. I loved how everyone added onto eachother in the brainstorming discussions until the ideas piled up and go so specific it turned into this particular concept and then everyone was dedicated to do their very best at completing the project the best they could, and it really shows throughout the project. From creating their own models, contacting friends with reliable resources, making blueprints, creating videos, making concept art...I could go on about how much everyone contributed to this project. Excellent job!
Creativity: 10/10
Realism: 10/10
Detail: 9/10
Presentation: 8/10
Group Work: 10/10
Overall - 47/50
----------‐--------------------------
TEAM NUORBIS
> The project itself mostly uses a concept I've seen before throughout the forums and other imagineering websites, which is the idea of a Minecart based Minecraft ride. However, it's not the concept of an attraction itself that determines how it turns out in the end, but rather how the attraction itself plays out, after all there's reasons why ideas like Beastly Kingdom and Mythica are so popular in which it's the many ways these ideas can pan out, and I have to say, it does go more in depth compared to most of the others as this attraction winds up going throughout the entire game, and takes some creative liberties like Villagers taking over the role of Steve/Alex, and the backstory behind the entire attraction. The trading hall itself was a very bright idea and I like how it tied into the attraction itself and how it ties into the minecraft world while still also making sense as a gift shop. The idea of packaging it with a second phase and a movie was a also very bright idea to tie to it, but, I do feel like more could have been done with it in the end, but the biomes concept still keeps it interesting enough.
> The project itself reminds of all of outside IP's Disney has interacted with over the years to try and pitch rides for to try and get the Theme Park rights for, and I will say I do appreciate how you acknowledged the key audience for this attraction primarily being European with that being where most of the game's playerbase came from. I also appreciated the touch of mentioning the reactions to the project, as it was also an extremely nice touch that was fun to see acknowledged. While the connection with Mojang could seem a bit off, as I mentioned above, Disney has already tried this before with Harry Potter, Nintendo, Etc... earlier so it isn't as unrealistic as it sounds. That being said, something about the placement of the attraction feels disconnected to the rest of the park since it feels like it just kind of exists out of the blue in the location where you put it, and I don't know how the location itself would work aesthetically or thematically with the rest, not because it's a video game property, but more because it just feels out of place in a way, because the pitches for the aforementioned concepts had them planted in areas where they would fit like in Fantasyland for Harry Potter.
> As for detail, I feel like this project focused more on the overall vision of what the attraction wound up giving to the parks as a whole in the end rather than just the ride, and I can still follow about what's going on throughout the ride and I liked how the project itself relied more on the video side while still giving different options. I do like the amount of focus that was put into creating one huge overall plan in the end and how thorough the explanations and look into the announcements, and openings were and the direct cause and effects of it, as well as how it would all wind up playing out in the end. I also appreciated how it all wound up tying into the point made in the conclusion about how Minecraft is entirely imagination based and how it could work creatively in many different ways due to that, it made the overall project feel more cohesive and it made me understand where you were going with everything. The ride itself was great, and I liked how it truely revised Durango's usage of Minecraft in earlier prompts and tried to improve it.
> That being said, I absolutely adored the presentation this round. The dedication of creating an entire minecraft map for the project and then creating a video for it was excellent and it was a very creative way to tie the IP into the very design of the project. The video tour by @Outbound made it very engaging to watch through, and there was still the Google Document that summarized everything while giving the extra information that wasn't provided in the video to help flesh out the concept further in an attempt to make it feel whole. The designing on the google document was very aesthetically pleasing on the eyes, and the editted photos and documents that went along with it helped compliment the rest of the project while giving more depth to it. The presentation was one of the biggest strengths of this project overall in the end.
> The group work for this project was great for the most part! It took much debating on what to do project wise, but once Minecraft was suggested everyone basically wound up running with it in the end. After a bit, everyone decided on what parts of the project they wanted to do and slightly split apart to go ahead and finish their respective parts. It was very solid, and aside for some few pockets of inactivity, everything was great! It was awesome to see the collaboration on the building of the minecraft world towards the end of the project and to watch the screenshots of certain structures being built. You did excellent in these parts and I hope everyone continues to have this level communication this round!
Creativity: 8/10
Realism: 7/10
Detail: 9/10
Presentation: 10/10
Group Work: 9/10
Overall - 43/50
> The creativity in this project was absolutely amazing, and I loved where the entire group wound up going with it in the end. I liked watching how the project started out with the basic pitch of American Folklore, which was bare bones enough to want to see how this idea would turn out in the end and what you would ultimately do with it. Then, eventually everyone went and decided to focus on Native American Culture, and at first I was slightly concerned about how this could go wrong, but I preferred to hope that you would do it right in the end, and you ultimately all did it well. The narrative of the Hunter chasing his own tail and eventually becoming something as horrific as the Wendigo was a great plot for the story, and I enjoyed how it paid respects to the culture and how the usage of the White Stag also works in this regard. It works out as a good plot for a thrill ride given that most thrill rides don't necessarily need to focus too many events, so the plot winds up working well in this regard. Meanwhile the effects used to bring this ride to life were extremely creative in their usage as well given how it utilizes some older effects, some newer effects, and some entirely new effects lile the stuntamatronics which sounds like an amazing addition. Overall, the amount of creativity used in this atrraction to make a great thrill ride with a story that pays tribute to a frequently misunderstood and disrespected culture was awesome!
> The realism in this project was very solid as well, I could genuinely imagine this attraction being added to the parks, especially with how it fits in being right next to the Haunted Mansion and how it could potentially fit in right in with Liberty Square/New Orleans Square considering how it fits in perfectly thematically either way. Their tones also mesh together extremely well given their more horror focused elements, which winds up creating a bit of a horror themed miniland. I also appreciated the touch of adding certain comfort factors for guests who might go on the ride without fully knowing the extent of how scary it might be for them, and the inclusion of other features like Magicbands and Fastpasses into the designs. All of the effects contained within the ride are extremely reasonable within scale, only complaint may be the loading and unloading stations being a little too narrow, but that's about it. The narration features are also a very nice touch that helps give better leeway into understanding the plot of the ride to those who don't understand. Overall, the ride takes several things into account that makes it something I could definitely see fitting into the park.
> The amount of detail put into this project was absolutely astounding, and the amount of research that was put in to make sure that this project was done absolutely right was amazing, and it was a pleasure to read through and see it all come together. You really gave this project your all in the end and you seemed to take every little thing into consideration when constructing it. The queue does it's job of setting everything up perfectly well and it does an excellent job at giving a brief summary of what to expect from the ride. Seeing all of Algonquian legends around the queue was interesting and I can tell that you cared about making the queue a large part of the experience as well. The ride scenes were quite scenic in how they were all described, and the video helps give an idea of what any unmentioned parts were like throughout. The dialogue segments were also appreciated as it gets the basic conflict of the plot across before it happens. The use of symbolism from Algonquian Culture was excellent, especially with how it plays into the environment and the main point of the ride. The baby part and buildup, while very obvious to where it was leading to, was still extremely suspenseful in the end, especially with the descriptions given. The chase scenes were all great, and I like how it really focuses on just how dangerous Wendigos are, and the ending where the Trapper turns back and where he talks to the Shaman about his greed is a very satisfying resolution to it all. The deep look into the mood sensing parts of the ride and the intricate mechanics were excellent touches, and I love how much care and consideration was put into making sure that it was something very magical. The Longhouse at the end is just the icing on the cake at the end on how it tops it all off with proper respects to the culture the ride was based off of and it's a excellent note to end it all on.
> The presentation for this project was absolutely wonderful! The amount of effort that went into the different parts of the project was amazing, with the wonderful map you created which perfectly communicates the different segments of the ride, it's size and scale, and where it's located while also making it easy to see where it is and how it works. The youtube video to expand on how the queue works and how it looks was a wonderful idea and it was extremely creative, and gave a good look into how the entirety of it looked, and I loved how you used a model for this part of the ride, which was a very creative and a deeply appreciated touch to the project. I also loved how it gave insight into the history and culture of Native Americans in a very thorough way while also showing respect to it. The video showing the references of certain backdrops and scenes of the ride was also an extremely nice touch which allowed for a better understanding of the ride at play as well and how it plays out in the end. The models of how the ride functions throughout and how it ultimately pans out in terms of mechanics was also excellent and allowed for a better understanding of what exactly is being imagined. Everyone did a fabulous job constructing the entire presentation throughout and I love just how much everyone was involved in it, with so much detail and effort being put into the entire process. I don't mind it being a forum post, everything else is great and does an excellent job at conveying just how the ride works. I feel like the text could have benefitted from some more images in between, doesn't have to be anything special, just something to act as a stopping point every now and then would be nice. Overall, the presentation for this project is absolutely fantastic and a lot was put into it that really made it stand out. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have been so rough about it in my final score in the end, but it's far too late for me to change that now. I should have been more active so I could've changed it while I still could. I hope I can make up for this in the future. Sorry about that! Just know that everyone did absolutely amazing regardless!
> The Group Work was perfect this round, everyone contributed so much to the overall project, and everyone worked extremely well together to create a truly amazing project in the end. I loved how everyone added onto eachother in the brainstorming discussions until the ideas piled up and go so specific it turned into this particular concept and then everyone was dedicated to do their very best at completing the project the best they could, and it really shows throughout the project. From creating their own models, contacting friends with reliable resources, making blueprints, creating videos, making concept art...I could go on about how much everyone contributed to this project. Excellent job!
Creativity: 10/10
Realism: 10/10
Detail: 9/10
Presentation: 8/10
Group Work: 10/10
Overall - 47/50
----------‐--------------------------
TEAM NUORBIS
> The project itself mostly uses a concept I've seen before throughout the forums and other imagineering websites, which is the idea of a Minecart based Minecraft ride. However, it's not the concept of an attraction itself that determines how it turns out in the end, but rather how the attraction itself plays out, after all there's reasons why ideas like Beastly Kingdom and Mythica are so popular in which it's the many ways these ideas can pan out, and I have to say, it does go more in depth compared to most of the others as this attraction winds up going throughout the entire game, and takes some creative liberties like Villagers taking over the role of Steve/Alex, and the backstory behind the entire attraction. The trading hall itself was a very bright idea and I like how it tied into the attraction itself and how it ties into the minecraft world while still also making sense as a gift shop. The idea of packaging it with a second phase and a movie was a also very bright idea to tie to it, but, I do feel like more could have been done with it in the end, but the biomes concept still keeps it interesting enough.
> The project itself reminds of all of outside IP's Disney has interacted with over the years to try and pitch rides for to try and get the Theme Park rights for, and I will say I do appreciate how you acknowledged the key audience for this attraction primarily being European with that being where most of the game's playerbase came from. I also appreciated the touch of mentioning the reactions to the project, as it was also an extremely nice touch that was fun to see acknowledged. While the connection with Mojang could seem a bit off, as I mentioned above, Disney has already tried this before with Harry Potter, Nintendo, Etc... earlier so it isn't as unrealistic as it sounds. That being said, something about the placement of the attraction feels disconnected to the rest of the park since it feels like it just kind of exists out of the blue in the location where you put it, and I don't know how the location itself would work aesthetically or thematically with the rest, not because it's a video game property, but more because it just feels out of place in a way, because the pitches for the aforementioned concepts had them planted in areas where they would fit like in Fantasyland for Harry Potter.
> As for detail, I feel like this project focused more on the overall vision of what the attraction wound up giving to the parks as a whole in the end rather than just the ride, and I can still follow about what's going on throughout the ride and I liked how the project itself relied more on the video side while still giving different options. I do like the amount of focus that was put into creating one huge overall plan in the end and how thorough the explanations and look into the announcements, and openings were and the direct cause and effects of it, as well as how it would all wind up playing out in the end. I also appreciated how it all wound up tying into the point made in the conclusion about how Minecraft is entirely imagination based and how it could work creatively in many different ways due to that, it made the overall project feel more cohesive and it made me understand where you were going with everything. The ride itself was great, and I liked how it truely revised Durango's usage of Minecraft in earlier prompts and tried to improve it.
> That being said, I absolutely adored the presentation this round. The dedication of creating an entire minecraft map for the project and then creating a video for it was excellent and it was a very creative way to tie the IP into the very design of the project. The video tour by @Outbound made it very engaging to watch through, and there was still the Google Document that summarized everything while giving the extra information that wasn't provided in the video to help flesh out the concept further in an attempt to make it feel whole. The designing on the google document was very aesthetically pleasing on the eyes, and the editted photos and documents that went along with it helped compliment the rest of the project while giving more depth to it. The presentation was one of the biggest strengths of this project overall in the end.
> The group work for this project was great for the most part! It took much debating on what to do project wise, but once Minecraft was suggested everyone basically wound up running with it in the end. After a bit, everyone decided on what parts of the project they wanted to do and slightly split apart to go ahead and finish their respective parts. It was very solid, and aside for some few pockets of inactivity, everything was great! It was awesome to see the collaboration on the building of the minecraft world towards the end of the project and to watch the screenshots of certain structures being built. You did excellent in these parts and I hope everyone continues to have this level communication this round!
Creativity: 8/10
Realism: 7/10
Detail: 9/10
Presentation: 10/10
Group Work: 9/10
Overall - 43/50
JokersWild
Well-Known Member
I feel attacked.
Suchomimus
Well-Known Member
AceAstro
Well-Known Member
goofyyukyuk
Well-Known Member
Team NuCitra Presents:
Jazzy Reading Music
Who would have thought that a piece of land deep in the bayou, nestled away from the hustle and bustle of New Orleans, would become a place of delight and wonder?
Said to have been one of the key passage points in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, this intersection of swampland and river would become home to none other than Jean Lafitte, legendary pirate and privateer. In need of a waypoint closer to the mainland for his operations, Jean discovered the destination and founded a settlement there: La Porte D'entree à L'Ouest (translated as The Gateway to the West), or La Porte for short. This settlement was a safe harbor for all sorts of scoundrels who sought to evade the law, from fellow pirates to gamblers dodging their debts. Of course, even a legendary pirate like Lafitte would need people to serve as “mayor” while he was away, preserving the settlement’s traditions even after his passing. Many would manage, but more and more the word of westward expansion brought fear to its townspeople. However, a chance encounter in the 1840s would forever alter the settlement’s fate.
Henri LaTriche, the “mayor” of La Porte at that time, happened to meet a wealthy gentleman stopping off in the town for a night’s rest. Henri initially saw him as his latest mark, striking up conversation as he planned out how to fleece the man of his money in cards. However, as the gentleman talked about his plans to manage a gold mining operation out West and how it was his luck that the town was here to serve as a safe haven before heading West, Henri began thinking of all the wallets that would be passing through the town. He realized something: respectability could bring far more profits into his pocket than any crooked operation. With that, he launched a massive renovation of the town. Gone were the days of serving as just a safe harbor for criminals and thieves! La Porte would become a safe harbor for any travelers, whether those on the way or those seeking to carve out a new life for themselves! True, this mission was fueled by Henri’s greed, but these days, there is no doubting the welcoming atmosphere of the town.
Protected by the shades of the bayou, La Porte offers a quiet place for a traveler to rest their feet for a moment or two. The sounds of jazz and ragtime float through the air, as guests wander its streets at their own pace. For instance, those in need of a meal might stop by La Cuisinière du Bayou, managed by local chef Sylvain Broussard. Originally born in France, Sylvain grew up in the bayou and found the wonders of its tastes and flavors. Coming from a line of chefs, he has taken the family techniques and mixed them with a Cajun flavor sensation. Be sure to stop by for a bite. Meanwhile, folks in need of a little adventure might stop by the Wilkinson Treasure Expeditions cart. Schemer and veritable con man Nathan E. S. Wilkinson is there peddling tales of the legendary Lewis and Clark Treasure, claiming that his maps can guide folks to the location of riches that had once belonged to the famous explorers. You can stop by and join the quest for this treasure if you like. After all, this has just got to be the latest brand of humbug that Wilkinson is selling to visitors…right?
Of course, be mindful of wandering too far into the bayou. Hidden in the forests and swamps is a place that the locals call Frog Mountain. Besides the gators and frogs that populate that swampy piece of land, there is something far more powerful said to be there: magic. Some even claim that the land falls under the domain of Mama Odie, the Voodoo queen of the bayou. In any case, wander that part of the bayou at your own caution. You might just see some wondrous sights among the fireflies...or some shadowy friends from the "Other Side".
(Below is a Prezi presentation of our map of La Porte. You can both click through the slides to see images in the order they were intended to be seen along with descriptions, and you can also click and drag the map to explore it for yourself. Enjoy!)
prezi.com
Jazzy Reading Music
Who would have thought that a piece of land deep in the bayou, nestled away from the hustle and bustle of New Orleans, would become a place of delight and wonder?
Said to have been one of the key passage points in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, this intersection of swampland and river would become home to none other than Jean Lafitte, legendary pirate and privateer. In need of a waypoint closer to the mainland for his operations, Jean discovered the destination and founded a settlement there: La Porte D'entree à L'Ouest (translated as The Gateway to the West), or La Porte for short. This settlement was a safe harbor for all sorts of scoundrels who sought to evade the law, from fellow pirates to gamblers dodging their debts. Of course, even a legendary pirate like Lafitte would need people to serve as “mayor” while he was away, preserving the settlement’s traditions even after his passing. Many would manage, but more and more the word of westward expansion brought fear to its townspeople. However, a chance encounter in the 1840s would forever alter the settlement’s fate.
Henri LaTriche, the “mayor” of La Porte at that time, happened to meet a wealthy gentleman stopping off in the town for a night’s rest. Henri initially saw him as his latest mark, striking up conversation as he planned out how to fleece the man of his money in cards. However, as the gentleman talked about his plans to manage a gold mining operation out West and how it was his luck that the town was here to serve as a safe haven before heading West, Henri began thinking of all the wallets that would be passing through the town. He realized something: respectability could bring far more profits into his pocket than any crooked operation. With that, he launched a massive renovation of the town. Gone were the days of serving as just a safe harbor for criminals and thieves! La Porte would become a safe harbor for any travelers, whether those on the way or those seeking to carve out a new life for themselves! True, this mission was fueled by Henri’s greed, but these days, there is no doubting the welcoming atmosphere of the town.
Protected by the shades of the bayou, La Porte offers a quiet place for a traveler to rest their feet for a moment or two. The sounds of jazz and ragtime float through the air, as guests wander its streets at their own pace. For instance, those in need of a meal might stop by La Cuisinière du Bayou, managed by local chef Sylvain Broussard. Originally born in France, Sylvain grew up in the bayou and found the wonders of its tastes and flavors. Coming from a line of chefs, he has taken the family techniques and mixed them with a Cajun flavor sensation. Be sure to stop by for a bite. Meanwhile, folks in need of a little adventure might stop by the Wilkinson Treasure Expeditions cart. Schemer and veritable con man Nathan E. S. Wilkinson is there peddling tales of the legendary Lewis and Clark Treasure, claiming that his maps can guide folks to the location of riches that had once belonged to the famous explorers. You can stop by and join the quest for this treasure if you like. After all, this has just got to be the latest brand of humbug that Wilkinson is selling to visitors…right?
Of course, be mindful of wandering too far into the bayou. Hidden in the forests and swamps is a place that the locals call Frog Mountain. Besides the gators and frogs that populate that swampy piece of land, there is something far more powerful said to be there: magic. Some even claim that the land falls under the domain of Mama Odie, the Voodoo queen of the bayou. In any case, wander that part of the bayou at your own caution. You might just see some wondrous sights among the fireflies...or some shadowy friends from the "Other Side".
(Below is a Prezi presentation of our map of La Porte. You can both click through the slides to see images in the order they were intended to be seen along with descriptions, and you can also click and drag the map to explore it for yourself. Enjoy!)
La Porte
Transition Space from Carribbean Plaza to La Porte: Main Visual Theme- This is the Bayou. New Flora are brought over to this underutilized green space to give it the proper visuals of being at the edge of the swamp. Spanish moss hanging down, a Banyan tree in the background,
prezi.com
Attachments
pix
Well-Known Member
Team NuCitra Presents:
View attachment 482811
Jazzy Reading Music
Who would have thought that a piece of land deep in the bayou, nestled away from the hustle and bustle of New Orleans, would become a place of delight and wonder?
Said to have been one of the key passage points in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, this intersection of swampland and river would become home to none other than Jean Lafitte, legendary pirate and privateer. In need of a waypoint closer to the mainland for his operations, Jean discovered the destination and founded a settlement there: La Porte D'entree à L'Ouest (translated as The Gateway to the West), or La Porte for short. This settlement was a safe harbor for all sorts of scoundrels who sought to evade the law, from fellow pirates to gamblers dodging their debts. Of course, even a legendary pirate like Lafitte would need people to serve as “mayor” while he was away, preserving the settlement’s traditions even after his passing. Many would manage, but more and more the word of westward expansion brought fear to its townspeople. However, a chance encounter in the 1840s would forever alter the settlement’s fate.
Henri LaTriche, the “mayor” of La Porte at that time, happened to meet a wealthy gentleman stopping off in the town for a night’s rest. Henri initially saw him as his latest mark, striking up conversation as he planned out how to fleece the man of his money in cards. However, as the gentleman talked about his plans to manage a gold mining operation out West and how it was his luck that the town was here to serve as a safe haven before heading West, Henri began thinking of all the wallets that would be passing through the town. He realized something: respectability could bring far more profits into his pocket than any crooked operation. With that, he launched a massive renovation of the town. Gone were the days of serving as just a safe harbor for criminals and thieves! La Porte would become a safe harbor for any travelers, whether those on the way or those seeking to carve out a new life for themselves! True, this mission was fueled by Henri’s greed, but these days, there is no doubting the welcoming atmosphere of the town.
View attachment 482812
Protected by the shades of the bayou, La Porte offers a quiet place for a traveler to rest their feet for a moment or two. The sounds of jazz and ragtime float through the air, as guests wander its streets at their own pace. For instance, those in need of a meal might stop by La Cuisinière du Bayou, managed by local chef Sylvain Broussard. Originally born in France, Sylvain grew up in the bayou and found the wonders of its tastes and flavors. Coming from a line of chefs, he has taken the family techniques and mixed them with a Cajun flavor sensation. Be sure to stop by for a bite. Meanwhile, folks in need of a little adventure might stop by the Wilkinson Treasure Expeditions cart. Schemer and veritable con man Nathan E. S. Wilkinson is there peddling tales of the legendary Lewis and Clark Treasure, claiming that his maps can guide folks to the location of riches that had once belonged to the famous explorers. You can stop by and join the quest for this treasure if you like. After all, this has just got to be the latest brand of humbug that Wilkinson is selling to visitors…right?
View attachment 482813
Of course, be mindful of wandering too far into the bayou. Hidden in the forests and swamps is a place that the locals call Frog Mountain. Besides the gators and frogs that populate that swampy piece of land, there is something far more powerful said to be there: magic. Some even claim that the land falls under the domain of Mama Odie, the Voodoo queen of the bayou. In any case, wander that part of the bayou at your own caution. You might just see some wondrous sights among the fireflies...or some shadowy friends from the "Other Side".
(Below is a Prezi presentation of our map of La Porte. You can both click through the slides to see images in the order they were intended to be seen along with descriptions, and you can also click and drag the map to explore it for yourself. Enjoy!)
La Porte
Transition Space from Carribbean Plaza to La Porte: Main Visual Theme- This is the Bayou. New Flora are brought over to this underutilized green space to give it the proper visuals of being at the edge of the swamp. Spanish moss hanging down, a Banyan tree in the background,
View attachment 482816
Okay not that I'm on your side as this is a competition and I am very competitive but I ADORE the fact that you guys used Prezi it is one of my favorite sites for presentations.