Well, I'm certainly not Gary, but I'll lend my perspective on a couple issues from the view of a theme park fan...
>>>1: the old show transported me back to the pre-vortex room.<<<<
I'm trying to figure out why that's better than what currently occurs. The temple is made up of a series of interconnected chambers. When you finally reach the secret chamber "hidden from [Darkennon's] eyes" by way of the vortex- you are at a point where Poseidon can help you directly. So he zaps you from the current room you're in, and into his Chamber. When the threat has been taken care of, he grants safe passage back to the temple and zaps you out of there.
Either way, the teleportation effect is still there.
>>>>>IMHO you are assuming the applause for the new show at the end is good.<<<<<<
Ah, so people are appluading because they hate it and are glad that it's over.
>>>>The old show left you in such a state of wonderment and question as to how you got back to this room. You know something happened but you are not sure what it was and you are trying to figure it out.<<<<<
Seemed pretty simple to me. Back in the old room again- that's where you're supposed to cue the applause. It's the exact same effect that occurs now. Maybe its best to ask yourself why it was confusing before, and why people understand now and applaud?
>>This condition is not conducive to spontaneous applause. <<
Again, the same effect ends the current show and there IS applause.
>>The applause for the new show is because they know the show is over. <<
Again, the same effect ended the old show- why would people not know it is the end?
Regardless- SAME effect in both shows. One elicits a positive response, the other a "huh?"
>>the vortex: in the old show the vortex was a point of reference as well as being cool to see and walk through. <<
Yes, it did make sense in the old show.
>>>In the new show the vortex has no relationship to the ending. we just as well put the vortex outside between Fury and Mythos so everyone can see and enjoy it. <<<<
This was explained fairly nicely at the beginning by Taylor. Legend has it that the temple contains a secret connection to the oceans. The Goddess brings it up again later... "Shhh! Listen!" and you hear the rush of water. It adds another layer of legend and personality to the temple. It coud also be inferred that perhaps the fact that Poseidon's spirit is on the other side of the vortex is the reason why Darkennon doesn't know where he is?
>>3: Keeper was low keyed and talked with you, relaying a story.<<<
And he talked, and talked.... there was no immersion. Nothing happened during this story. And why exactly were we in the temple to begin with? And what's with the scary old man crawling out of the wall and talking to us for anyway?
>> Taylor talks, (screams) at you and thus there is no bond of trust. <<
Taylor never screams AT you. He screams because he's scared, and if you were in the same situation, you would be, too. He's a character we can RELATE with because if I was being tormented by a long dead murderous high priest in an abandoned haunted temple, I'd be screaming as well.
>>Keeper led us thru the vortex by the calm of his person.<<
So, if the Keeper was Zeus, why was he leading us into this trap? Zeus couldn't leave well enough alone with Poseidon at the bottom of the sea? He just HAD to go down there in human form and wake a whole bunch of potential victims with him as well?
>>With Taylor you are just stuck in the wrong place with the wrong person.
<<
You do't have a CHOICE with Taylor. Darkennon has already made it clear at this point that there's only one path for you to take, and its with him. Taylor WANTS to get out of there and evacuate, but Darkennon doesn't allow it.
There was no ultimatum given in the old show. You followed the Keeper by your own will... and you seem to be concerned with the realism of the situation with your comment of "I seriously doubt anyone would follow taylor based on trust." In real life, who in their right mind would follow a weird old man that just popped out of a hole in the wall? Once again, in the new show, you HAVE to go.
>>The keeper character was based on subtle trust. With Taylor you are just stuck in the wrong place with the wrong person. <<
Subtle trust? You make him sound like he's a father figure or something. The Keeper made no logical sense story-wise. Who the heck is he? WHY are we listening to him? There's no reason for any of it. The truth is, anyone in Taylor's situation would not be able to retain complete composure to the course of events presented.
>>>>IDEAS FOR IMPROVEMENT: rewrite the story so the vortex is once again a point of reference and i am transported back to the pre-vortex room.<<<
It already is a point of reference. Specifically stated by Taylor and referenced later by the Goddess, and implied as the reason why Darkennon cannot see Poseidon.
Going back to the pre-vortex room would be impossible. Notice now that the Chamber of Death is very three-dimensional. There are props- skeletons, gold, actual THINGS adorning the walls. There was a reason why the show of old had an extremely plain looking room- and it had to do with just storing four solid walls and the connecting beams in the ceiling above you in the final chamber.
And again, within the context of the story, it makes no sense to go back to the Chamber of Death. "The Dark One has sealed the doors to this chamber with a locking spell impervious to magic. The way home is now impossible."
----- moving on to another poster...
>>>>Ah, now I see my mistake. This explains everything!
CLICK HERE!<<<<
Ahh, very intelligent.
>>>>But I know if it doesn't make ME lough, or get excited, or cry, or whatever - then it won't affect the audience either.
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So you believe the audience shares your sense of humor, excitement, etc... and you say you're not conceited? <<<<<
Once again, I'm most definately NOT trying to speak for Gary here, but there are fundamental elements that should be in every attraction and the old show was missing several of them. As a general rule, an attraction needs to be entertaining- and the truth is, most of the people were not entertained at all in either of the first two rooms of the old show. They were missing things that should be at the core of every theme park attraction.
I'm just a fan but I know that for an attraction to succeed, you need: humor, drama, action, heart, etc. The old show was lacking any sort of humor. The new one gets laughs consistently- but depends on the actor. The old show lacked drama up until the final chamber- and even then, you're just watching a battle between two petty gods. You're not really in the equation. It's between Zeus and Poseidon. In the new show, your lives are VERY much at stake- and Darkennon makes sure you know that right from the start. The heart in this show is that we have a guide that we can IDENTIFY with. He is us in that situation. This new show gets people excited... People yell and cheer consistently in the Chamber of Death when Taylor asks everyone if we're really brave enough to venture on. At this point, peoplehave been hooked into the story. The old show was extraordinarily slow in this room. There was not a single exciting thing that happened until the cartouche door opened and revealed the vortex.
>>>>>And I HAVE spoken with people regarding the new attraction and my impression is that it's about 50/50. Half seem to like the new the other half like the old and if that's the case, why bother.<<<<
It's not realistic at all to talk to only people who have seen the old show, which is what you're saying here. If a greater percentage of people who've never experienced the old show have a more positive reaction to the new one then did people who only saw the old show, then your point is moot.
>>>>>I still feel that the original was slightly better and they could have made some small adjustments and wound up with a better show than they have now and saved a ton of money in the process.<<<<<
If you've followed the history of the attraction at all, Universal tried this. TWICE. It would seem that they finally decided to just go all out and redo the entire storyline.
