Commentary

Innovations keep driving gamification for attractions

Boosted by technology and patents, gamification has clearly gained momentum in the amusement and attractions space.

Image provided by DOF Robotics.

January 16, 2023 by Kevin Williams

As technologies such as VR, AR, MR and autonomous motion evolve, interactive game elements are seeing continued investment across the attractions industry. Following is a recent update.

Dynamic Attractions and Dynamic Technologies Group recently announced the Dynamic Motion Theater, comprising live on-stage action and a 360-degree screen, with the audience seated on a circular platform. The attraction is scheduled to be opened at Futuroscope, in France, under the name of Tornado Chasers — receiving its grand opening in August.

Meanwhile, Intamin announced its Dynamic Motion Stage — an immersive attraction ride system with four hydraulic cylinders with a central fixed support with multiple ride pods offering various seating configurations, offering capacity of up to 108 passengers and the ability to support media-based or physical props storytelling and 4D effects.

The system will be able to support dome and screen-based projection and has been promoted as a new level of an immersive ride experience. This marks one of a number of rides of interest from the market for this novel approach to media-based attractions.

Other new developments revealed in this field included those from Cavu and Kuka, revealing the new autonomous ride attraction, using self-driving vehicle technology from Kuka able to achieve a dynamic motion profile through AI technology.

Patents drive innovation

The deployment of gamification into the attraction sector gathers pace with new patents every day, showing the thinking of the attraction developers towards a gamified/interactive future. This was illustrated with the news of a filing of a U.S. patent by water attraction developer Whitewater West Industries.

The company proposed an "Interactive Amusement Attraction and Method" that offers the ability for riders on waterslides to take part in a game experience hitting embedded trackers on the flume or special triggers. Scores are accumulated and tracked on screens and smart apps.

Vortex Aquatic Structures International created the "Dream Tunnel" in partnership with Super Aqua Club to develop the media-based water experience. It is aimed at being deployed within attractions such as flumes and water rides, with a combination of laser imagery, waterfall display and audio to create an immersive experience played within the space.

Falcon's Creative Group has introduced its 4D Dark Ride technology, representing the EVO-6 motion-base tracked ride system in partnership with Oceaneering. The company also revealed more of its plans for the Falcon's resort project, "Falcon's Beyond," currently in the development stage following the announcement of the partnership with Katmandu Park.

Triotech steps forward

Triotech recreated its "HyperRide" attraction with a tracked ride-car moving between screens which the player shoots at.

The company also launched its "Qube" platform — an amusement-based enclosure that offers four motion seats for players with guns to shoot at the action on screen. This is best described as a scaled down variant of the popular "Dark Ride Theater" shooting experience, which should appeal to a wider operator base. The Qube systems will prove a popular FEC piece for venues still undecided on buying the full-size theater attraction. The company also introduced its interactive "Storm," a two-player VR amusement piece called "Creepy Castle."

Triotech has also announced an attraction based on the popular IP, "PUBG: Battlegrounds." Developed in partnership with Lotte World in South Korea, the 8,000-square-foot walk-through attraction will be called "Battlegrounds World Agent" and will include the popular elements from the "Player Unknown Battle Ground" shooting game split into three zones.

DOF Robotics has introduced "Digital Park: Mission Space," a multi-stage experience that lasts over 30 minutes, broken down into stages, with teams of six players. It also comprises motion simulation and themed experience led by cast members.

The attractions stages include the first being shot into space, interaction with the space station, and then the surface of the moon and interactive elements — along with the ride simulation. The attraction has been created to support from six to 30 guests at a time with six sessions per hour.

The concept incorporates endless theming (story) options, from space, underwater, time-travelling and even zombie adventures. The first installation of this attraction has been signed for launch at Camlica Tower in Istanbul, Turkey — opening in 2023.

Bold Move Nation introduced "AR Quest" with dinosaur-themed "Raptor Expedition" — an interactive walk-through that falls into the mixed reality category of innovation.

The company is also involved with other AR and VR solutions, with the "WaterSlider VR" experience, along with a "phygital" (the marriage of physical and digital interactivity) VR escape room platform, targeting parks as well as FEC deployment.

Game Over Escape Rooms — an international franchise based in Greece — introduced a range of experiences, including the launch of "Cube Challenges" game. Specially developed skills, fitness and brain power are all individual challenges for teams from two-to-six players, with all players wearing tracked wristbands and gathering points counted through the Cube OS.

Films inspire innovation

SimEx-Iwerks Entertainment has partnered with Red Raion — with a customized CGi film called "Frostbite: Dino Island III" — specially developed for the SimEx-Iwerks FlyRide theater system. Along with this, they announced three new experiential attractions. The first of these revealed was the 'Immersion Theater' — a scalable attraction comprising special effects and motion seat theater, running the corporation's selection of films as a turn-key attraction and allowing venue operators access to a simple media-theater installation. Initial renderings of the concept placed it in a zoological setting as an immersive experience for zoos, as well as smaller leisure parks.

Other providers of extensive film and content libraries include nWave Studio, announcing the film "Meg and The Lost Scepter" from the latest feature film "Chickenhare and The Hamster of Darkness."

Boosted by new technology, gamification has clearly gained momentum in the amusement and attractions space.

(Editor's note: Extracts from this blog are from recent coverage in The Stinger Report, published by Spider Entertainment and its director, Kevin Williams, the leading interactive out-of-home entertainment news service covering the immersive frontier and beyond.)

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About Kevin Williams

Along with advisory positions with other entrants into the market he is founder and publisher of the Stinger Report, “a-must-read” e-zine for those working or investing in the amusement, attractions and entertainment industry. He is a prolific writer and provides regular news columns for main trade publications. He also travels the globe as a keynote speaker, moderator and panelist at numerous industry conferences and events. Author of “The Out-of-Home Immersive Entertainment Frontier: Expanding Interactive Boundaries in Leisure Facilities,” the only book on this aspect of the market, with the second edition scheduled for a 2023 release.

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