Where a theme park looks to a visitation rate of one-visit per year (at the best), the need for a sixteen to nineteen visits a year for a Mid-Sized entertainment venue (such as a bowling alley, cinema or mall venue) places a whole new development requirement for ‘attractions’ that populate this space.

Calculated in the 10, 20 and 30-seat systems (also know as 500 per-hour throughput features) requirement of these attractions, there is a small number of manufacturers targeting this sector as a means to establish and populate the new needs of a changed landscape. Previous experiments in this area (also know as ‘attractions in a box’), saw Disney, SONY and SEGA experiment to mini-attraction systems, JOYPLOIS for the Japanese manufacturer, METREON for Sony and DisneyQuest for the American Mega-Entertainment corporation proved many of the routes that will now be taken by newcomers, (read the Breaking news to see the continuing relevance of METREON in the market).

Following these efforts developers of mid-size attractions included MaxFlight, and their two seat ‘extreme’ simulators started the ball rolling for the mall sector, with additional museum and science centre application (such as Kalamazoo). Interactive mass rider attractions was proven as a fundamental need for these systems, the repeat visitation only achievable if the rider felt that other opportunities and outcomes were possible - so the experience did not become hackneyed.

As mentioned previously in Stinger coverage (Stinger #406) iWerks in the late Eighties had experimented originally with mass-audience interactive attractions (‘Virtual Adventures’). Moving beyond this unusual capsule style experience, the more conventional theatre seating style of attraction with an interactive element was achieved by Ham on Rye. The American developer of an innovative virtual reality HMD attraction found show success but financial failure in the market, bowing out of the 2004 scene in some disgrace (see Stinger #232).

Hoping to build a new market, and addressing much of the lessons learned from previous development, European developer AlterFace, goes beyond their innovative motion tracking exhibits for the science and museum sector. The company looked towards the development of an attraction initially to fill the need of the mid-size venue, but also offered an interactive software experience that could be updated - rather than demolished!

The company is just completing two of the new innovative interactive audience attractions. The first is to be found at the Scottish city Edinburgh, the ‘Dynamic Earth’ attraction offering an unparallel experience. The first venue attraction to offer interactive audience participation on the outcome of a full-length experience, with the appearance of the first Ecological narrative. (Revealed in Stinger TiLE coverage last year), the 60-seat dome experience uses rotating seating structures to move the guests into the viewing portion.

The family-entertainment experience is the first to look at eco-issues; the audience selecting what major world events they want to see affect the planet over a simulation of the passing of time, the effects of global warming, population changes and climatic ramifications are applied to a representation of Scotland - in 3D representation by AlterFace that offers shocking results that have been meticulously modeled by the corporation, each experience and its combinations selected by the audience - each presentation different.

The second innovative attraction is the development of the first interactive 4D theatre experience. Where 4D has looked towards increased seat features (smoke, fog, spray, tickle, scent, rumble, and the rest), interactive addition keeps the experience fresh. The experience developed by AlterFace, and will be launched in April in Belgium is ‘Desperados’. Guests sitting in the saddle use their gun interface to blast bad guys and undertake trick shooting. The attraction borrows much from the concept devised from the Ham on Rye style of audience participation experience, each guest’s score and abilities monitored and rewarded.

With Desperados, the attraction offers an audience inclusive winners and competition is achieved for individuals creating a competitive experience. The use of a special software system also means that in the future AlterFace will be able to swap-out the software to develop new experiences using the same principles. With the proof of this concept’s first installations the next level of 4D theatre - interactivity - will direct the style of experience.

The AlterFace system is devised to offer a 10 to 25-seat configuration- this small package of audience entertainment, building on the interactive of an ever-changing competitive experience. Though not interactive, the ‘XD’ theatre system from TrioTech offers a configurable package to suit any pocket or available space of venue. Though not a true ‘4D’ experience, but a 3D show with intense motion seat experience - the attractions scalability and unique pricing package makes it the ideal choice for the periphery of the guest entertainment sector. The Belgium theme park ‘Bobbejaanland’ announced in 2006 that they would be the first facility to open Desperado.

The popularity of 4D (effect theatre) systems ranging from the motion seat 3D system such as XD to the full drop seat, seat mister and fog effect theatres derived from the success of the larger theme park attracts such as ‘Honey I Shrunk the Audience!’ at Walt DisneyLand America. The UK has seen an explosion in interest in Mid-Size Effects Theatre placement with the announcement on February that the popular tourist venue Blackpool Pleasure beach had opened one of the first ‘CineFex 4D’ theatres at their site.

The 72-seat theatre is developed by KraftWerks in Belgium, and marks a move by the company supported by their 3DBA / nWave relationship that sees Blackpool showing three bespoke 4D experiences. The project is one of the few 4D attractions that offer’s High Definition 3D experience achieved by two specialist projector systems supplying two-channels each. This marks one of six European mid-size attractions being opened by the company offering a better alternative to the larger Dome or Motion Theatre alternative options.

Continuing the theatre, but interactive route, the development of new interface attractions that can be applied both in the entertainment sphere but also in the ‘edutainment’ field has gained ground. The need for Museums and Sciences centers (as well as the new Technology-Planetarium concepts) is for compelling and repeat visitation experiences. Beyond 4D applications (more suited to attractions), a number of museums have turned to audience participation attractions. One such new technology was developed by BARCO, projector and display specialists. With their 'Magic-Y' technology each guest is equipped with a magic wand interface, that if waved at particular items on screen can me interactive with. This impressive system already installed in a number of European museums, and being considered for attraction application.

Another small venue attraction that uses a gun interface comes from an idea originated by SEGA for their JOYPOLIS facility. The ‘House of the Dead 4 Special’ attraction was launched in 2006, but is based on a concept that SEGA first showed as ‘Lost World Special’ in 1998. The player takes part in a motion based version of the conventional Zombie blaster - SEGA AM#4 developing a system that has rotating two seat units that turn the player from and too the screen so increasing the intensive shooting action. The enclosure offering a dark-ride meets arcade DX experience.

For SEGA, the need to create themed entertainment attractions for their ‘theme park in a box’ saw a series of ride / attraction styles developed. The Stinger has looked at the networked game systems that hope to compete with mid-size attractions - such as VWE’s, Banpresto and TransForce system capsule games (see Stinger #452) - the question is with interactive audience experiences what will the future hold.