Alterface, a leader in interactive technology, has provided insight into three of its top projects which are open to the public this summer season and utilise the firm’s interactive technology.
Debuting with the opening of Iowa’s Lost Island Theme Park on 18 June, Volkanu is an immersive dark ride that has been designed and produced by Sally Dark Rides.
Covering 9,750 square feet (905 sq m), the dark ride lasts approximately four minutes, with a range of dynamic scenery and animatronic figures. Guests are seated in trackless ‘Inferno’ ETF Ride Systems vehicles enhanced with onboard motion, interactive 3D media, and spectacular special effects.
Working hand-in-hand with the themed environment, the gameplay, together with the theming, take guests deeper into the story. The volcanic rock-like ‘Thermal Blasters’ feature a crystal that glows as guests hit targets within the ride. Both the shooting technology and the ride’s interactive system were supplied by Alterface.
Imagination Express
Alterface’s systems are well tested at Lego Discovery Centres around the globe, with no less than 27 of its dark rides benefiting from the firm’s interactive technology. In addition to this two more are on the way, with the most recent opening in Brussels last month. The new rides will play an important role in the ongoing update and transformation of the Lego Discovery Centre brand.
Aboard the Imagination Express train, LEGO fans and families use the supplied Alterface ‘magic’ devices to collect points in an oversized LEGO world. The journey will place guests in a giant bubble bath, and down a plughole, plunging into a brick-built ocean and blasting off into space.
Stéphane Battaille, Alterface’s CEO says: “For us, it is super important that the media and theming are combined in such a way that you forget about the technology. We never just provide a shooting system – we always try to figure out how it is going to transport people into the experience.”
Harrington Flint’s Island Adventures
Another notable project that Alterface was involved in recently is a new dark ride at Ingoldmells in the UK. Mellors Group, the operator of Fantasy Island, designed their own ride, assembling a team of suppliers. Five ETF Ride Systems Mystic Mover vehicles were acquired from a temporarily retired dark ride in the United Arab Emirates, which already featured Alterface’s shooting devices.
Fantasy Island’s director of operations and business development, James Parker, says: “Alterface and ETF were great to deal with, and had a lot of patience when working with our guys on site. Among other things, they changed the intensity of the guns to make the shooting quicker and more responsive”.
Riders join fictional explorer Harrington Flint as he comes face-to-face with his arch-nemesis Professor Crow, who is on an evil mission to raise the ancient Mayan god of war and take over the world. Riders are enlisted with helping treasure hunter Flint to defeat Crow and ward away ancient zombies.
At the end of the entrance queue, a door slides to reveal the ride experience, providing a touch of mystery in revealing the anticipated experience. Island Adventures has five scenes which use a mix of media and physical content.
With the ride being placed in the park’s iconic pyramid building, the Fantasy Island team has tried to be economical, reusing existing elements inside the structure such as concrete, rocks and pillars which integrate into the ride’s theming.
“It was very important for us to make the ride as immersive as possible. There is no point just plonking it in there! If you are going to do it, you might as well do a good job,” adds Parker.
The ride was originally planned to open during the 2021 season, however, was delayed due to the pandemic. Working with clients during a difficult time for the industry, so Battaille is pleased that these three attractions have now been able to proceed:
“What Mellors Group has achieved at Fantasy Island when they have never done a project of this kind before, is impressive. All three installations have been challenging due to COVID-19 and the supply chain, but we managed them without too many tears!”
Alterface is currently working with Storyland Studios on the world’s first Ubisoft Entertainment Center, set to open on the French Mediterranean coast in 2025.
