Roller coasters are great and all, but the experience they are able to provide is limited by the laws of, well, reality.
Roller coasters are great and all, but the experience they are able to provide is limited by the laws of, well, reality. Which is why it makes total sense that Six Flagswould be gearing up to provide a brand new roller coaster experience, one that takes place in the law-bending realm of virtual reality.
In a surprise move, Six FlagsMagic Mountain announced that its next big attraction won't be made out of miles and miles of metal beams, rivets and bolts. But while it won't take up nearly the amount of space as a traditional theme park ride, this latest addition to the park might provide one of the most over-the-top experiences to date.
Even more surprising is that, instead of being a coaster set on Mars or the North Pole, you'll actually be put behind the cockpit of a jet that is chasing enemies through a large cities. Virtual rails and whatnot are still visible, giving the appearance of being a coaster, but everything else would be dang-near impossible to pull off in the real world. As for it's name, it's called “The New Revolution: Virtual Reality Coaster.”
In order to make this virtual reality coaster a reality, Six Flagshas partnered with Samsung Gear VR and Oculus, two of the leading developers of VR technology. Using these VR headsets, passengers will be able to view the world in 360 degrees, just like riding a real coaster. You'll actually have an easier time looking around at the sites, though, as your head wont be bolted to the back of your chair due to the ride's momentum.
If you're a Season Pass holder to the theme park, you're in luck. It looks like those folks will be the first to take The New Revolution for a test spin, as the ride opens for technical rehearsals to those pass holders beginning this Saturday, March 26. If you don't already have a Season Pass, you can sign up for one on the announcement page.
With all of the buzz going around about VR in the home these days, it's easy to forget that the hardware will have applications outside of the living room. Sure, folks will be able to undergo similar experiences with an Oculusor PlayStation VRstrapped to their head from the comfort of their own home, but it sounds like Six Flags is going all out to add in special touches that can't be experienced from a couch. The set for the ride will be constructed on gyros, accelerometers and the like, meaning that you'll actually feel the room making the same movements as the virtual reality ride.
For those of you who aren't too keen on VR, though, you'll actually be able to ride without a headset, viewing the experience through a standard, though massive, screen.
Subscribe To Topics You're Interested In