The Smiler - your thoughts?
- Thread starter SaiyanHajime
- Start date
sparky2u
Mega Poster
Why is B&M the only company who can produce perfectly smooth coasters, there is no excuse now-adays for any new coaster no matter who creates them to be rough / track gauge wrong / wearing down quickly using 3D CAD & other computer software. Are all of the effects working in the tunnel after the station drop.
I'll add my review of the "Smiler" on the 21st June.
I'll add my review of the "Smiler" on the 21st June.
Coaster-Fiend
Mega Poster
Not rode Smiler yet, but Nemesis is the best ride in the park.
Always has been.
It's a shame Alton spent 18 mil on a rough ride that probably won't age well.
Why couldn't they have just bought a B&M or Intamin?
Always has been.
It's a shame Alton spent 18 mil on a rough ride that probably won't age well.
Why couldn't they have just bought a B&M or Intamin?
Nemesis Inferno
Strata Poster
Coaster-Fiend said:
That awkward moment when...
To be fair, their first Eurofighter is 10 years old and not exactly rough... Wobbly in some places but nothing that made me hate the thing... Then again it mostly depends on what sort of threshold people have against 'roughness', since one man's Colossus is another's *generic smooth coaster here*...
Nemesis of oblivion
Strata Poster
I admit they're not silk smooth but have you ever ridden a Vekoma? That'll get you taking back those words cool)
sparky2u
Mega Poster
For those who have the Smiler app:
1. update the app to the latest version
2. Scan with the scanner in the game following pictures.
3. Now, all extras and effects in the game are unlocked, the Extras can be purchased now (with the coins that you collect in the game).
http://www.towersstreet.com/talk/planni ... the-smiler)-game-discussion/msg72641/#msg72641
1. update the app to the latest version
2. Scan with the scanner in the game following pictures.
3. Now, all extras and effects in the game are unlocked, the Extras can be purchased now (with the coins that you collect in the game).
http://www.towersstreet.com/talk/planni ... the-smiler)-game-discussion/msg72641/#msg72641
sparky2u
Mega Poster
Most SLC coasters can be classed as rough, If the woodies at BPB get the "topper track" treatment this would help creating a smoother ride. The roughest coasters i've ridden are:
"Ultimate" at LWV
"Colossus" at TP
"SLC's" at BPB, Walibi Holland & Heide-Park Soltau
"Boomerang's" at Walibi Holland & Walibi Belgium
"Eurofighters" at TP, Oakwood, Southend, Bobbejaanland
The wooden coasters i've been on were not that rough, more bouncing along on certain parts of the track.
"Ultimate" at LWV
"Colossus" at TP
"SLC's" at BPB, Walibi Holland & Heide-Park Soltau
"Boomerang's" at Walibi Holland & Walibi Belgium
"Eurofighters" at TP, Oakwood, Southend, Bobbejaanland
The wooden coasters i've been on were not that rough, more bouncing along on certain parts of the track.
Gazza
Giga Poster
Can anyone else think of any bad puns to use the #corrected tag with on Twitter :lol:
http://i.imgur.com/WkaWm3t.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/WkaWm3t.jpg
Screaming Coasters
Strata Poster
Nemesis of oblivion said:
OLD Vekoma's... New ones ride like Glass.
Whats this I keep hearing about supports need tightening? Is that bull or is that actually true?
Smithy
Strata Poster
Screaming Coasters said:
Think somebody said that Gerstlauer engineers had noted how rough the Cobra Roll was and it needed sorting. Idk if that's linked to supports tightening, re-alignment or that nuisance support that they were winching across after construction was complete at the top of the first lift.
^Yep, Mack are smooth as anything 
Disagree away :lol:
My problem was that it reminded me of the inside of Ben 10 at Drayton. It's just got the same kind of feel to it. It's hard to put a finger on it. Only it was like just bits of the Ben 10 theming, so like a cross between Ben 10 and G-Force. I was just expecting a little "more". I think the patterns are cool though and you're not in there very long.
See, I like that :lol:
To me, the Marmaliser, the bright trains, the slightly "clown" outfits of the staff - it's all meant to be fun and cheery, yet it's all surface covering. A vinyl table cloth in a greasy spoon covering up the years of built up brown sauce and disease. It's false and deliberately over the top to distract you from the nasty undercurrent. So that really worked for me. It's such an odd thing because it's really a mix of things and doesn't settle.
Personally, I'd have loved to see the fences in alternating white, black and yellow and the floor similarly painted - maybe the two working together to produce an effect that you get on ride or looking from above on the paths. That's the level of theme addition it needed. It's not industrial, it's "mad". A contemporary Alice through the rabbit hole.
The station needed something more on the front. The plastic curtains and entrance were used on Sub-Terror and there's no detailing there, or on the main bulk of the outside of the station but a few bits of yellow "pipe work". It's just not cohesive and enough.
Essentially, they had to use high chain link fences and concrete walls to achieve the practical side of the ride build/safety and to do it at the lowest cost. Then they chucked in just enough to make it seem like a deliberate part of the theme.
It's similar to how Thirteen uses the woods and wooden fences for the queue. It's not deliberate (well, the wooden fences are because metal ones would look awful, but you know what I mean), but they can tie it in with the ride. There it works because they've used the natural area to enhance the theme. The Smiler is all artificial, so they could have done much more. Sub Terror is clearly a "military facility", The Smiler is not clearly anything, but that doesn't stop it from being atmospheric. It's such a mix of things. Quirky and interesting.
Jordanovichy said:
Disagree away :lol:
My problem was that it reminded me of the inside of Ben 10 at Drayton. It's just got the same kind of feel to it. It's hard to put a finger on it. Only it was like just bits of the Ben 10 theming, so like a cross between Ben 10 and G-Force. I was just expecting a little "more". I think the patterns are cool though and you're not in there very long.
Jordanovichy said:
See, I like that :lol:
To me, the Marmaliser, the bright trains, the slightly "clown" outfits of the staff - it's all meant to be fun and cheery, yet it's all surface covering. A vinyl table cloth in a greasy spoon covering up the years of built up brown sauce and disease. It's false and deliberately over the top to distract you from the nasty undercurrent. So that really worked for me. It's such an odd thing because it's really a mix of things and doesn't settle.
Personally, I'd have loved to see the fences in alternating white, black and yellow and the floor similarly painted - maybe the two working together to produce an effect that you get on ride or looking from above on the paths. That's the level of theme addition it needed. It's not industrial, it's "mad". A contemporary Alice through the rabbit hole.
The station needed something more on the front. The plastic curtains and entrance were used on Sub-Terror and there's no detailing there, or on the main bulk of the outside of the station but a few bits of yellow "pipe work". It's just not cohesive and enough.
Essentially, they had to use high chain link fences and concrete walls to achieve the practical side of the ride build/safety and to do it at the lowest cost. Then they chucked in just enough to make it seem like a deliberate part of the theme.
It's similar to how Thirteen uses the woods and wooden fences for the queue. It's not deliberate (well, the wooden fences are because metal ones would look awful, but you know what I mean), but they can tie it in with the ride. There it works because they've used the natural area to enhance the theme. The Smiler is all artificial, so they could have done much more. Sub Terror is clearly a "military facility", The Smiler is not clearly anything, but that doesn't stop it from being atmospheric. It's such a mix of things. Quirky and interesting.
Jordanovichy
Credit Whore 2016
Ben said:
Thank you for a reasoned debate of my opinion
I like Air for its reridability factor. It is smooth and the fact you feel like your flying I love. I have never been on another flying coaster so I have nothing to compare it to.
I love Nemesis, don't get me wrong, I am finding it is running really well this season and I love the hang time you get sitting at the back over the loop but it is just missing something that Air gives me.
furie said:
I have never been to Drayton Manor, I want to go, when I do I am sure I will pay attention to the theming here
What I REALLY liked (but omitted to mention) was the Smiler logo and some writing being written on the wall around the queue line (and inside at one point I think) and so a ride support didn't get in the way they just wrote over the support which, given the right angle, made it fit perfectly which was mind boggling (all these little things added to play with your mind). furie said:
It is certainly not what you'd expect for the coaster it is. 14 inversions, you would expect something more like Nemesis' ride station, dark, enclosed, spooky. I suppose that is what they were trying to do with the Smiler with the whole 'marmalisation' aspect, try to trick the mind into thinking that everything is ok. I do like the colour, and the lights that come on when you are about to leave are rather smexy
Smithy
Strata Poster
Tbf, Air's my gf's favourite ride at Alton whereas I find it utterly boring. Once you get over the novelty of the riding position it's just dull, only bit that's remotely forceful is the turn when facing upwards, from then on it's just the sense of speed which is a bit dull really.
Can understand why people would rate it highly though, supremely smooth and if you do like 'near misses', swooping turns and the position is enjoyable enough for you then it'd work. You're mental, but I can see why
Can understand why people would rate it highly though, supremely smooth and if you do like 'near misses', swooping turns and the position is enjoyable enough for you then it'd work. You're mental, but I can see why
Jordanovichy
Credit Whore 2016
Smithy said:You're mental, but I can see why
I'll take that
It's the feeling of flying I love, it isn't 'thrilling' as the term demands, I just really like it.
Anyway, back to The Smiler....
SaiyanHajime
CF Legend
What? There hasn't been an exit through retail Merlin attraction since.................. Wait, no, there has not been one since they took over...?
The last Tussauds one was.... Nemesis Inferno?
I noticed on my recent trip to Thorpe, they're trying to correct past mistakes and encourage people through shops on Saw and Swarm, by putting junk in the way. *slow clap?*
I did not tell you that your opinion was wrong, I challenged your lacking review and corrected your misunderstanding of my words.
But thanks for elaborating a little.
Holy **** ****. Indeed... That demonstrates the importance of this thing single handedly. Though, I wonder, how accurate was "3 hours"? It's hard enough to guesstimate the queue time of an old ride with established staff, let alone something new...?
Phil your photos are fantastic and thanks for the breakdown... When you say the "public seem to love it", what did you witness?
For me, Eurofighter roughness (my experience comes from Speed, Saw, Rage and Mystery Mine... Saw being the worst) is a jarring, rattly, rumble deep in your skull. It's not to do with me physically contacting the restraint, it feels as though the wheels do not make tight enough contact with the track... Or as if the wheels are made of octagons.
Vampire does it too - and Vampire also staggers as if the rear cars are catching up to the front ones. It's weird. On Vampire, it's not such a huge issue, presumably because the flexible swinging cars remove a lot of the impact force of the wheels bouncing around on the track?
I'm just guessing.
Lets be perfectly honest here... Which of Tussauds/Merlins themes, which are not Disney ripoffs, do you understand? Because, I'm really not sure I fully comprehend any of them, because there really isn't much to get.
I'm exaggerating slightly.
Is there a coaster you think is smooth, though, seriously? You're the biggest pussy on here. I mean, no doubt Smiler is rough as a concreted turd, but that's besides the point.
I'd say Air's the best coaster at Alton from a purely objective and critical standpoint.Ben said:
Do I give a toss if I ride it on a visit, though? No.
Given how much infinately better Air is than Manta and the Superman's (yeah, yeah, yeah, Tatsu is amazing, I hear ya but I don't believe ya!), how well Air is STILL received by the public, how beautiful and well landscaped a ride it is and how that despite not fitting in with the rest of forbidden valley, it's just accepted as a part of the park without question... Not to mention it being a solid ride, I think Air is massively underrated.
As for the discussion about manufacturer roughness differences... Been on rough and smooth coasters of all the major manufacturers...
Except Maurer. Not ridden a rough Maurer. Granted I've not ridden many, but seriously, who's ridden a rough Maurer? Anyone?
Anywaaay, I doubt I'll ride it 'till September... And given Merlin's recent additions, they'll have changed the ride so much by then it will be better.
Even if Smiler is **** dreadful to ride, I think it's going to be the new Colossus in more ways than perhaps obvious. I hate Colossus from a personal perspective as a ride, but I'd cry if they removed it. It's beautiful, well landscaped (the best Tussauds ever accomplished, by far, and arguably the best landscaped roller coaster in the world) and appreciated for being a no **** real roller coaster.
My personal thoughts are that Smiler is going to be popular, insanely so, for years to come. It was the right choice for Alton.