OK...over on ThrillNetwork, no one has a definite answer as to how the Ghost scene is done. you know, where you stop, the ghosts appear, disappear, the stars appear, and the window breaks. People have said Scrim, people have said Mirrors, people ahve said prejectors. Someone please give me an honest answer!
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Tower of Terror
- Thread starter Kyle Brylczyk
- Start date
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
I'm not quite sure how its done, I think steve knows, but they do NOT use scrims.
woofboy111
New Member
The ghosts that are there are actually the same concept as the ghosts on the HM. The only difference is that they are to the side of you, instead of under you, and instead of being animatronic figures that are reflecting on the glass, they are somehow reflected digitally.
I know http://www.phantasmechanics.com/ has a diagram about how the whole ghost thing works somewhere on their site. The effect is called "Peppers Ghost."
The stars just light up when the lights go out using fiber optic cables.
I know http://www.phantasmechanics.com/ has a diagram about how the whole ghost thing works somewhere on their site. The effect is called "Peppers Ghost."
The stars just light up when the lights go out using fiber optic cables.
NO
It Is simple THEY DO USE A DIGITAL PROJECTOR BUT NOT ONTO THE GLASS IT IS ONTO THE WALL COVERED BY THE HALL WAYS ARCH DESIGN IT IS VERY SIMPLE IT IS PROJECTED ON A WALL AND THEN REFLECTED IN THE GLSS. TURN ON YOUR T.V ON WITH ALL THE LIGHT OUT GET A CD CASE TAKE THE PAPER OUT OF THE FROUNT TURN AWAY FROM YOUR TV LOOK AT THE SIMI TRANSPARENT REFLECTION OF THE IMAGES FROM THE TV ON THE CASE AND THAT IS PEPPERS GHOST THAT IS HOW IT WORKS.
:hammer:
It Is simple THEY DO USE A DIGITAL PROJECTOR BUT NOT ONTO THE GLASS IT IS ONTO THE WALL COVERED BY THE HALL WAYS ARCH DESIGN IT IS VERY SIMPLE IT IS PROJECTED ON A WALL AND THEN REFLECTED IN THE GLSS. TURN ON YOUR T.V ON WITH ALL THE LIGHT OUT GET A CD CASE TAKE THE PAPER OUT OF THE FROUNT TURN AWAY FROM YOUR TV LOOK AT THE SIMI TRANSPARENT REFLECTION OF THE IMAGES FROM THE TV ON THE CASE AND THAT IS PEPPERS GHOST THAT IS HOW IT WORKS.
:hammer:
CrashNet
Well-Known Member
The Answer to the TOT most asked question
Ok ladies and gentlemen, this is how the tower of terror ghost scene works. It is somewhat complicated, but I will do my best to put it in simply non engineering terms. Many of you are right, although I can't tell whether you know for sure or if you are just guessing. First thing to clear up, as many of you probably noticed, the "ghosts" in the ghost scene are the same actors in the video in the library. Just like they made the movie, they digitally (for clarity) filmed the same actors following a script made for the scene. The film was simply manipulated by a compositing program to make them appear, disappear, and have a blue looking hue (color). Gracy_hm is right. They use force perspective. Force perspective is the same process they use to make the castle at the Magic Kingdom look so tall. The hallway "set," for a lack of a better word, starting from rider side (the side closest to the rider or the front) has the same dimensions as the width and height of the elevator cab. The length of the hallway is only around six feet with the end of the hallway being only four feet tall and the width proportionately smaller than the width of the cab and the front of the "hallway" set. Now its time to get technical. If you notice the hallway is only around six feet long. Another very simple concept is used to make it look even longer: a video screen. Always wondered how the window moves closer to you and then shatters? Theres your answer. A simple video sychronized with the rest of the scene simply plays in the background. Now to get technical and specific. Tom Morrow is also right--scrims are not used. Heres the basic idea. The entire set for the hallway is inside a large room commonly called a projection room. The entire room is painted flat black. The tower of terror ghost scene has two projectors: one at the back to simulate a back wall, part of the floor (so the lightning can reflect off of the floor), and a window and to provide the crashing window effect, and one located to the riders right (perpendicular to the hallway) the same distance from the rider as the "ghosts." A piece of glass, yes glass for those of you who question the others, is located at the same position as the image to be projected. The glass is set at a 45 degree angle from the front and back walls. The digital projector simply plays back precreated film which with the proper light provided in the hallway (ever wondered why the hallway was a little darker than you thought it should be?) the video is reflected off of the glass. The lightning that "zaps" the five people into oblivion is part of the video. The rest of the lightning that makes the walls look like they are electrified is created the same way those effects are created in the fifth dimension scene later in the ride. Preprogrammed stobe lighting behind translucent parts of the wall flash on cue to creat the rest of the lightning effect. The translucent part of the walls are shaped like lightning. The lights simply illuminate them from behind for a brief period of time. Now to the final element, the stars. Simple. In order to prevent reflection of light the glass used to reflect the ghost video slides back into the projection room as the lights change from blue to yellow-orange. The stars are bunched together fiber optics embedded in the walls. The next time you ride TOT, look very carefully. Its hidden pretty well, but you can still see the walls by the positioning of the stars. The screen playing the video simply dissolves into a picture showing stars and the shattering window. The doors close and the scene ends. That is how the tower of terror ghost scene is created.
Ok ladies and gentlemen, this is how the tower of terror ghost scene works. It is somewhat complicated, but I will do my best to put it in simply non engineering terms. Many of you are right, although I can't tell whether you know for sure or if you are just guessing. First thing to clear up, as many of you probably noticed, the "ghosts" in the ghost scene are the same actors in the video in the library. Just like they made the movie, they digitally (for clarity) filmed the same actors following a script made for the scene. The film was simply manipulated by a compositing program to make them appear, disappear, and have a blue looking hue (color). Gracy_hm is right. They use force perspective. Force perspective is the same process they use to make the castle at the Magic Kingdom look so tall. The hallway "set," for a lack of a better word, starting from rider side (the side closest to the rider or the front) has the same dimensions as the width and height of the elevator cab. The length of the hallway is only around six feet with the end of the hallway being only four feet tall and the width proportionately smaller than the width of the cab and the front of the "hallway" set. Now its time to get technical. If you notice the hallway is only around six feet long. Another very simple concept is used to make it look even longer: a video screen. Always wondered how the window moves closer to you and then shatters? Theres your answer. A simple video sychronized with the rest of the scene simply plays in the background. Now to get technical and specific. Tom Morrow is also right--scrims are not used. Heres the basic idea. The entire set for the hallway is inside a large room commonly called a projection room. The entire room is painted flat black. The tower of terror ghost scene has two projectors: one at the back to simulate a back wall, part of the floor (so the lightning can reflect off of the floor), and a window and to provide the crashing window effect, and one located to the riders right (perpendicular to the hallway) the same distance from the rider as the "ghosts." A piece of glass, yes glass for those of you who question the others, is located at the same position as the image to be projected. The glass is set at a 45 degree angle from the front and back walls. The digital projector simply plays back precreated film which with the proper light provided in the hallway (ever wondered why the hallway was a little darker than you thought it should be?) the video is reflected off of the glass. The lightning that "zaps" the five people into oblivion is part of the video. The rest of the lightning that makes the walls look like they are electrified is created the same way those effects are created in the fifth dimension scene later in the ride. Preprogrammed stobe lighting behind translucent parts of the wall flash on cue to creat the rest of the lightning effect. The translucent part of the walls are shaped like lightning. The lights simply illuminate them from behind for a brief period of time. Now to the final element, the stars. Simple. In order to prevent reflection of light the glass used to reflect the ghost video slides back into the projection room as the lights change from blue to yellow-orange. The stars are bunched together fiber optics embedded in the walls. The next time you ride TOT, look very carefully. Its hidden pretty well, but you can still see the walls by the positioning of the stars. The screen playing the video simply dissolves into a picture showing stars and the shattering window. The doors close and the scene ends. That is how the tower of terror ghost scene is created.
Imagineering_935
New Member
Okay, I’m really doubting this is still active.... BUT I found a new video on YouTube and it shows the ride breaking down at the hallway scene.. the house lights turn on right as the starfield happens. Now, at 4:07 you can see the lights turn on as the ride finishes it’s cycle of the scene. THEN at 4:32 we can see what I’m assuming is some sort of glass that comes back into position from retraction. You can also see an object on the ground as well and three flood lights above. The grounded object I’m assuming is a projector for an effect but the glass the is shown moving at this time stamp covers the projector and 3 lights as it goes in front of it (from riders viewpoint) I’m guessing the purpose of that sheet of glass is to hide the project and lighting BUT why was it retracted in the first place? In low light cam versions of this ride you can see the room still with the glass across the room for the full duration and no projector on the ground. But for some reason in this video when the lights turn during the starfield, at this point the glass is retracted? Why? Can anyone think of a reason as to why you would need to retract the glass? Why is it not seen retracting in other versions of the ride? Video is below,
Timestamps;
4:07 - lights turn on
4:32 - glass begins returning to normal position
Hopefully there are still people on this thread so we can have a talk about it! If not I’ll make a new thread haha
Timestamps;
4:07 - lights turn on
4:32 - glass begins returning to normal position
Hopefully there are still people on this thread so we can have a talk about it! If not I’ll make a new thread haha
Rob562
Well-Known Member
I don't believe what you're seeing moving in the video is the actual glass, but rather a reflection of the projection surface.
The glass in the hallway never moves. During the ghost portion of the scene it reflects a rear-projection screen that is just out of view to the side. Once the ghosts are done, that screen slides out of the way and there are stars behind it that light up and get reflected, giving a more three-dimensional look to the starfield.
So in the video, with the houselights on, that screen is now being fully lit up and visible in the glass as it resets back to its show position.
-Rob
The glass in the hallway never moves. During the ghost portion of the scene it reflects a rear-projection screen that is just out of view to the side. Once the ghosts are done, that screen slides out of the way and there are stars behind it that light up and get reflected, giving a more three-dimensional look to the starfield.
So in the video, with the houselights on, that screen is now being fully lit up and visible in the glass as it resets back to its show position.
-Rob
Imagineering_935
New Member
Ohh, yeah that actually makes a lot more sense, thanks for replying Rob!
So the projection screen (off to the side) retracts and then the glass in the hallway reflects the fiber optic lights from the side room during the starfield? I’m wondering why they retract the projection screen and not just have the fiber optic lights shine though when it’s time. Never the less, that helps a lot thank you!
So the projection screen (off to the side) retracts and then the glass in the hallway reflects the fiber optic lights from the side room during the starfield? I’m wondering why they retract the projection screen and not just have the fiber optic lights shine though when it’s time. Never the less, that helps a lot thank you!
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