Is there any future for virtual reality in theme park attractions? “Battle for Eire” discussion
In the latest episode of our "Building the World's Best Theme Parks" podcast, I spoke with David Schaefer from Falcon's Creative Group. As Vice President at Falcon's, David oversaw the development of Battle for Eire, the virtual reality motion simulator experience that opened this year at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia.
Unlike many other VR attractions in theme parks, Battle for Eire was designed from the ground up as an original attraction and not as an overlay onto an existing ride profile. That gave the team at Falcon's Creative Group the freedom to develop an experience that rewarded guests with a more compelling story while also avoiding some of the operational hassle that doomed previous VR installations around the industry.
"We used techniques, for example, when we were producing the media, of using the motion of the camera in the virtual CGI media production, extracting that data and loading it into the motion profile of the motion base," David said.
"It eliminated that human factor of interpretation of movement and makes it computer-accurate. Things like that really help with reducing nausea and motion sickness.
"Guests are fitted up with this [head]piece in the preshow, so well before they enter the theater, they are prepared and have it all adjusted. Then once they enter the theater, it's as simple as them picking up the... VR display device and it magnetically clips on the front of that unit."
See the full story here: https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201811/6391/