CONDUCTR (CDTR), the UK-based innovation studio, has teamed up with Alton Towers Resort to deliver a horror-themed escape maze for this year’s Scarefest event. The technology-enhanced attraction brings together two immersive entertainment genres into one spooky experience called Daz Games: PANIC, designed by CDTR in collaboration with legendary YouTube star Daz Black.
Guests must race to locate their uniquely assigned symbols in order to escape the live-action horror labyrinth, which combines the elements of an escape room and a live-action maze experience. They have seven minutes to complete this task before they are permanently ensnared in the game – and they are not alone.
Through custom media production, immersive soundscapes and effects, dramatic lighting, and delivery of the entire show system, including interactive technology and a gaming engine, CDTR worked with Daz Games to realise his creative vision for the event.
Escape the maze
The visitor experience starts with enrollment, during which they provide their information to the system, get a wristband, and receive the symbols they will need to locate to help them escape. Once inside the maze, the wristband uses sensors linked with powerful software and a proprietary gaming engine to detect whether the user has located both of their symbols.
Through the custom Session Management portal that CDTR built, operators can modify material and difficulty, remove interactives, and change timings among other important game factors. This provides a variety of customizable options so that less mobile players can still have the same amazing experience.
Full environmental control is made possible by a specifically designed CTDR engine that combines game logic with the operation of the show’s various aspects, such as the pre-show, main show, lighting, SFX, and interactive systems. In its Manchester R+D Lab, CDTR designed, developed and innovated all reader and hardware solutions.
In addition to emphasising daily winners and event schedules, leaderboards improve the competitive gaming experience by tracking the top scorers for each session in real-time.
A new genre of horror attraction
Peter Cliff, CEO/founder of CDTR explains:
“Together with Daz Games, we have created a new genre of horror attraction ideal for scare events. This uses technology to enhance and enrich the guest experience, using a seamless tracking mechanism that allows guests to focus on the interactive experience, rather than the technology interaction.
“By harnessing new and emerging technology platforms, we are delivering a fang-tastic new wave of interactive and immersive experience that delivers heightened emotional reactions, transforms physical environments and ensures narratives are always evolving. This drives that all-important recurring revenue, as players keep returning to beat their times.”
Bianca Sammut, divisional director at Alton Towers Resort adds:
“We are proud to be pioneering another world first as the UK’s favourite scare event returns for the 2023 season. This really is the ultimate adrenaline-inducing experience as guests race against the clock to complete their mission whilst evading capture from the inhabitants within. Due to the repeatable and ever-changing nature of this experience, we have received exceptional guest feedback, plus the largest increase in repeat guest visitation, which has driven significant growth in revenue.
“Working with Daz Games and CDTR, we have pushed the boundaries of attraction and experience innovation to bring a breath of fresh scare to guests this Halloween!”
Attendees at the upcoming IAAPA Expo in Orlando can book a meeting with the CDTR team via email.
Earlier this year, CDTR launched its new Game Volt product division. This aims to deliver quality, tech-enhanced social gaming products for the entertainment and leisure industry.
