CMU School of Drama


Monday, March 30, 2015

Innovation and immersion: Escape from Gringotts

fxguide: For decades, guests at Universal Studios Theme Parks have enjoyed an array of immersive ride films. From Back to the Future: The Ride to Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time to Transformers: The Ride, each experience seems to up the ante on the use of motion simulators, large-scale imagery, stereo, high frame rates, stereoscopic projection, photorealistic animation and visual effects. Now, with Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, that level of immersion has been increased yet again.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

In high school, we have one of the lead computer graphics people from pixar come and talk to our science club about the rigorous math and science that was required in making good graphics. The amount of multidimensional calculus and differential equations that he talked about doing on a daily basis seemed to outstrip any other career where they told us that we would be using math often. This article mentioned some of the math and computational challenges that CG animators face, having to solve very large systems of vector differential equations is really what they need their super computers for, and the amount of time it takes between an edit and the visualized piece depends on how well optimized your Runge-Kutta and Laplace algorithms are optimized for what you are doing. I wish I knew more about that side of the field, that sounds cool to do.

Fiona Rhodes said...

I love this. My sister is obsessed with Harry Potter and came back from the Wizarding World park in Florida speaking only of the projections on the ride through Hogwarts. I’m glad they are expanding it, and that they are keeping the same standard of detail throughout- I think sometimes detail gets lost in themed entertainment, even though the little details are what keeps everything on the same page. Most interesting to me was that the article spoke about the model they had made in the studio, which could be experienced from an office chair wheeling one’s head through the track. It said that despite all of the newfound technology used to model the experience, the plot and general feel of the ride was best felt through the physical model. This is especially interesting to me because although virtual reality and modeling technology has advanced greatly, there is something more innately connected about the physical item that an audience notices. I hope that they take this into consideration on their rides, as well- and that they aren’t solely relying on media to sculpt their creations.

k said...

YAY!
I went to Harry Potter World about four years ago when it was still in its beginning stages, and I so wish I had put the trip off until now, when they are making so many amazing improvements and expanding so much. I have always been totally in love with the Harry Potter series and the most amazing thing to me is how immersive Harry Potter world already was, so I really hope I get a chance to go back. My favorite ride while I was there was a sort of half-real half-graphics ride that brought you through Hogwarts in an incredibly cool and personal way. Having imagined through my entire childhood what it would be like to be a part of this world, I was almost in tears riding it (partly because the dementors really scared me). There's something really beautiful about something you loved in your imagination coming to life in front of you, which is why I love this place so much. I think the Gringotts ride is only going to be more exciting- I just can't imagine how much a real Voldemort would freak me out when the dementors scared me as much as they did.

Kat Landry said...

YAY!
I went to Harry Potter World about four years ago when it was still in its beginning stages, and I so wish I had put the trip off until now, when they are making so many amazing improvements and expanding so much. I have always been totally in love with the Harry Potter series and the most amazing thing to me is how immersive Harry Potter world already was, so I really hope I get a chance to go back. My favorite ride while I was there was a sort of half-real half-graphics ride that brought you through Hogwarts in an incredibly cool and personal way. Having imagined through my entire childhood what it would be like to be a part of this world, I was almost in tears riding it (partly because the dementors really scared me). There's something really beautiful about something you loved in your imagination coming to life in front of you, which is why I love this place so much. I think the Gringotts ride is only going to be more exciting- I just can't imagine how much a real Voldemort would freak me out when the dementors scared me as much as they did.

Tom Kelly said...

this ride reminds me of Curse of Dark Castle at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg Virginia. The graphics combined with the intense movement of the ride itself i think will really transport you into the harry potter story. like they said in the video its really interesting to be able to be immersed in a great story that parallels the story you already know. the fact that you become this all knowing character in the story that knows exactly what is happening to Harry, Ron and Hermione while also having your own adventure really adds to your experience and your passion you already have for the established characters and story.Universal is doing a great job in immersing people into the world that J.K. Rowling has created.