[Crustad510]

Hello All!

I wanted to share this year's Halloween creation.
I built and designed a backyard roller coaster/dark ride/motion simulator. It is the only ride in the world to combine a roller coaster pneumatic launch (in reverse) with a motion simulator. Riders travel through space on a turbulent unmanned star speeder experiencing a rescue mission.

This custom 2DOF motion simulator uses high-volume/low-pressure pneumatics to carry 8 passengers on a flight throughout space. This custom ride vehicle is made of 2" 11ga welded steel and can carry thousands of pounds on its "journey through space". The ride's finale consists of a reverse pneumatic launch (similar to those seen on roller coasters) capable of generating up to 1.6Gs of acceleration. (All launches in operation were done at 40PSI. The system had the capability of launching at up to 120).

Thank you to Mark Whittier from Broken Films for the great POV and off ride footage.

To see the BTS photo album, click here Intergalactic Adventures 2022 BTS

My email is [email protected].

We already have our plan for next year, incorporating motorized spinning of the ride vehicle (along with the motion base) and upgrading our control system to allow for multiple unique ride sequences and multiple show scenes (having multiple projection screens synced with motion).

Please ask me questions! Attach

 

[djjerme]

Very cool!

Have you considered mounting the screen to the ride carriage? That way it moves with the riders. I would think it would only improve the immersion for the riders.

All in all it's pretty epic for a home haunt.

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[Crustad510]

Very cool!

Have you considered mounting the screen to the ride carriage? That way it moves with the riders. I would think it would only improve the immersion for the riders.

All in all it's pretty epic for a home haunt.

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We definitely did think about this!

we considered a whole star tours version where the screen/projector was mounted to the ride but went with the separate plan for many reasons…

1. it would be almost impossible to reduce vibrations of the projector/screen because not only does the simulator tilt a lot, the pneumatic launch is very intense and would surely rattle a projector system to pieces.
2. We would have to run power and communications to the ride vehicle, (not only to power the video player, projector, but all the audio equipment.
3. we would not be able to incorporate practical effects. Since the screen is around 1 foot away from the windshield opening, we are able to shoot in water, scent, and fog effects from that opening. all controls and equipment can be on ground level and aren’t subject to movement.
4. it looks really cool when riders board with the physical windshield and Since they can see the whole ride vehicle they have no idea that they will end up in front of a 9 foot wide projection screen

 

[Ghost of Spookie]

Unreal theme park experience for a neighborhood haunt! Your ToTing neighbors were so lucky to experience that. I’ve been on a few “rides” like that at Universal, DisneyWorld/Disneyland and have to say you really did a fabulous job capturing the essentials. Love the reverse action for the end. Totally out of this neighborhood/world experience. How many people did you have participate? Any problems with the mechanisms? How long was the track? Great use of your open car port and long driveway! Thanks for the photos/video.

OK so what do you do for a living?

 

[Malicious]

fantastic! How long have you been working on that project and does it stay in place year round?

 

[djjerme]

We definitely did think about this!

we considered a whole star tours version where the screen/projector was mounted to the ride but went with the separate plan for many reasons…

1. it would be almost impossible to reduce vibrations of the projector/screen because not only does the simulator tilt a lot, the pneumatic launch is very intense and would surely rattle a projector system to pieces.
2. We would have to run power and communications to the ride vehicle, (not only to power the video player, projector, but all the audio equipment.
3. we would not be able to incorporate practical effects. Since the screen is around 1 foot away from the windshield opening, we are able to shoot in water, scent, and fog effects from that opening. all controls and equipment can be on ground level and aren’t subject to movement.
4. it looks really cool when riders board with the physical windshield and Since they can see the whole ride vehicle they have no idea that they will end up in front of a 9 foot wide projection screen

I figured vibrations would be a huge issue with ride mounted. You see it done both ways in
Professional installation for the same reasons. It's always fascinating how much the mind can "fill in the gaps".



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[Crustad510]

Unreal theme park experience for a neighborhood haunt! Your ToTing neighbors were so lucky to experience that. I’ve been on a few “rides” like that at Universal, DisneyWorld/Disneyland and have to say you really did a fabulous job capturing the essentials. Love the reverse action for the end. Totally out of this neighborhood/world experience. How many people did you have participate? Any problems with the mechanisms? How long was the track? Great use of your open car port and long driveway! Thanks for the photos/video.

OK so what do you do for a living?

We sadly didn't get many nights of operation (we had 2 testing nights and then an official opening night on Halloween) but on Halloween alone, we had over 600 riders! We had the ride open for a little over 3 and a half hours and the whole night CONTINUOUSLY we were cramming in at least 8 riders per cycle. (most of the time we ran with 5 in the front and 4 people in the back)!

By Halloween night there were no mechanical issues, we had no safety failures, no failures of the control system, and no physical breakages of any kind. All bolts on the ride vehicle were marked with tamper-proof paint indicators, and when we were disassembling the ride vehicle yesterday not a single bolt was shown to be loosened!

Before halloween there were tons of issues (like every ride in the testing phases). Most were small and technology-related (cords getting unplugged, solenoids deciding to not work all of a sudden, etc...).

The track was 51 feet long! When riders first boarded the ride, they were driven down the whole length of the track in pitch black dark with the windshield cover down so it felt way longer than it actually is

 

[Crustad510]

fantastic! How long have you been working on that project and does it stay in place year round?

I began planning in February, sadly it has since been disassembled. We trashed the projection screen, launch system, ride vehicle exterior (we kept the steel frame), and all other themed walls and supports.

The ride vehicle and the track is going to be in storage until springtime when I will start construction and modifying it to fit the design for next year's attraction (which is already in the design phases).

(The control system and all electronics have also been disassembled, I have started conversations with some control system designers and software providers in the actual theme park industry and they are going to be working with us to come up with a first of its kind show/ride control system for home haunts!)

 

[NightmareVault]

Awesome work! Would love to make a dark ride myself someday but have no idea where to start. Guess I got a lot of homework to do.

 

[larry]

Wow. That just blows my mind how impressive that is!

 

[RogueSaber]

I just...Wow! I thought getting my pneumatically-lifted UFO operational was an impressive feat. This, though, is some next level awesomeness. Absolutely mind-blowing!
I have new goals now.

 

[VladtheImpaler666]

So awesome and impressive. If it were my house, I’d install some space heaters and leave it up year round. I’d just take my work Zoom calls from my personal rocket ship. Haha

Have you thought about blasting the riders with an air cannon? Could also inject some dank smell (eg monster’s breath).


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[Ghost of Spookie]

Wow. That just blows my mind how impressive that is!

OMG Larry! Original Fearless Leader!! How are you?! Nice to see you post on the board. How was your halloween?

 

[jakeIven]

How much did all of it cost?

 

[larry]

OMG Larry! Original Fearless Leader!! How are you?! Nice to see you post on the board. How was your halloween?

Hi. I figured I have been lurking long enough. I have been fighting issues with my neck injury. I am feeling a bit better now and I am back consulting again.

My Halloween was not eventful this year...hopefully better next.

It looks like you (and every other lifer here) has been doing well. (?)

 

[Hauntu4life]

Wow! Wow! Wow! This is incredible!

Any chance when you rebuild it you could do a YouTube instructional on the construction and/or the whole process of building this monumental ride? Here’s my ideas:

1) I noticed some light bleeds in the ride chamber that clearly needed to be filled.

2) I was also thinking that it might be effective if you had the ride vehicle “dock” with the screen portion and have a frame built around the projector screen so you can cover it on all 4 sides with black cloth. That way the entire experience is immersive when the vehicle docks with the screen.

3) You could even have a theater curtain effect that opens a curtain to the screen.

4) As part of the final scare, perhaps you could figure a way for a lightweight “lid” to fit onto the top of the ride that slams shut with a scary light up monster mouth of one of those creatures. So it appears that it is suddenly inside the cabin of the vehicle and it scares the be-Jesus out of those unsuspecting neighborhood trick or treaters then suddenly they are yanked back for a final jolt of scary excitement.

Best of luck! Can’t wait to see next year’s upgrades!