EDMONTON - If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to fight off a zombie apocalypse, it’s time to make a trip to the West Edmonton Mall.
As the wind blows through your hair, your heart will pound, your stomach will flip, and you may even utter a scream as you shoot at dozens of hungry zombies coming at you from every direction.
Move over 3-D and IMAX theatres — 7-D cinemas have arrived in Edmonton.
On Thursday, the mall officially opened the Galaxy Quest 7-D Experience Theatre, the first 7-D cinema to come to Canada. The attraction is located in the mall’s Galaxyland amusement park.
7-D is a marketing term for the latest generation of 3-D theatres. It takes regular 3-D cinema and throws in the thrill of motion-simulated seats, powerful wind machines, strobe lights, and the interactivity of a video game to make it feel like participants are part of the virtual reality.
Galaxy Quest is an experience that is part video game, part adventure ride and part movie.
Every virtual adventure lasts between five and seven minutes. During the experience, the 16 seats in the theatre subtly vibrate, roll, and move to make participants feel like they are on a roller-coaster and forget they are strapped into a comfortable chair.
Each seat also comes equipped with a device to shoot at the screen. The Galaxy Quest measures shooting accuracy and keeps score for each participant, turning the virtual reality into a friendly competition. All the while, wind machines, strobe lights, lasers and surround sound add to the assault on the senses.
So far, the participants have given the edge-of-your-seat experience rave reviews.
“The moving seats and the video actually makes you feel like you are within the game,” said Kevin Wenham, who tried out the virtual reality with his two sons. “Throw in the competition, and it makes it even more fun.”
“I like that it keeps score,” said Wenham’s son Colin, who was eager to play another round and try to beat his dad.
Galaxy Quest was manufactured by Triotech, a Montreal-based company that develops attractions for amusement parks around the world.
Triotech has installed 7-D theatres in more than a dozen countries, including Germany, China, Thailand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Triotech president and chief executive Ernest Yale said the state-of-the-art experience took more than three years to develop. His company is in the process of developing more similar interactive attractions, which he says are the way of the future.
“These days people crave interactivity,” said Yale. “The younger generation wants more feedback, competition, and interactions to feel like they are actually part of the adventure.”
Yale said the company will develop different themed movies to add to the Galaxy Quest lineup. There are currently two stories users can experience — the zombie apocalypse theme, and Los Banditos, about an attack of robot cowboys. Triotech is also interested in developing a space adventure storyline that would fit perfectly with the Galaxyland theme.
Yale hopes Triotech will eventually install more 7-D theatres across Canada, although none have yet been planned.
Entrance to the Galaxy Quest Theatre requires either an all-day ride pass for Galaxyland or six ride tickets.EDMONTON - If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to fight off a zombie apocalypse, it’s time to make a trip to the West Edmonton Mall.
As the wind blows through your hair, your heart will pound, your stomach will flip, and you may even utter a scream as you shoot at dozens of hungry zombies coming at you from every direction.
Move over 3-D and IMAX theatres — 7-D cinemas have arrived in Edmonton.
On Thursday, the mall officially opened the Galaxy Quest 7-D Experience Theatre, the first 7-D cinema to come to Canada. The attraction is located in the mall’s Galaxyland amusement park.
7-D is a marketing term for the latest generation of 3-D theatres. It takes regular 3-D cinema and throws in the thrill of motion-simulated seats, powerful wind machines, strobe lights, and the interactivity of a video game to make it feel like participants are part of the virtual reality.
Galaxy Quest is an experience that is part video game, part adventure ride and part movie.
Every virtual adventure lasts between five and seven minutes. During the experience, the 16 seats in the theatre subtly vibrate, roll, and move to make participants feel like they are on a roller-coaster and forget they are strapped into a comfortable chair.
Each seat also comes equipped with a device to shoot at the screen. The Galaxy Quest measures shooting accuracy and keeps score for each participant, turning the virtual reality into a friendly competition. All the while, wind machines, strobe lights, lasers and surround sound add to the assault on the senses.
So far, the participants have given the edge-of-your-seat experience rave reviews.
“The moving seats and the video actually makes you feel like you are within the game,” said Kevin Wenham, who tried out the virtual reality with his two sons. “Throw in the competition, and it makes it even more fun.”
“I like that it keeps score,” said Wenham’s son Colin, who was eager to play another round and try to beat his dad.
Galaxy Quest was manufactured by Triotech, a Montreal-based company that develops attractions for amusement parks around the world.
Triotech has installed 7-D theatres in more than a dozen countries, including Germany, China, Thailand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Triotech president and chief executive Ernest Yale said the state-of-the-art experience took more than three years to develop. His company is in the process of developing more similar interactive attractions, which he says are the way of the future.
“These days people crave interactivity,” said Yale. “The younger generation wants more feedback, competition, and interactions to feel like they are actually part of the adventure.”
Yale said the company will develop different themed movies to add to the Galaxy Quest lineup. There are currently two stories users can experience — the zombie apocalypse theme, and Los Banditos, about an attack of robot cowboys. Triotech is also interested in developing a space adventure storyline that would fit perfectly with the Galaxyland theme.
Yale hopes Triotech will eventually install more 7-D theatres across Canada, although none have yet been planned.
Entrance to the Galaxy Quest Theatre requires either an all-day ride pass for Galaxyland or six ride tickets.
As the wind blows through your hair, your heart will pound, your stomach will flip, and you may even utter a scream as you shoot at dozens of hungry zombies coming at you from every direction.
Move over 3-D and IMAX theatres — 7-D cinemas have arrived in Edmonton.
On Thursday, the mall officially opened the Galaxy Quest 7-D Experience Theatre, the first 7-D cinema to come to Canada. The attraction is located in the mall’s Galaxyland amusement park.
7-D is a marketing term for the latest generation of 3-D theatres. It takes regular 3-D cinema and throws in the thrill of motion-simulated seats, powerful wind machines, strobe lights, and the interactivity of a video game to make it feel like participants are part of the virtual reality.
Galaxy Quest is an experience that is part video game, part adventure ride and part movie.
Every virtual adventure lasts between five and seven minutes. During the experience, the 16 seats in the theatre subtly vibrate, roll, and move to make participants feel like they are on a roller-coaster and forget they are strapped into a comfortable chair.
Each seat also comes equipped with a device to shoot at the screen. The Galaxy Quest measures shooting accuracy and keeps score for each participant, turning the virtual reality into a friendly competition. All the while, wind machines, strobe lights, lasers and surround sound add to the assault on the senses.
So far, the participants have given the edge-of-your-seat experience rave reviews.
“The moving seats and the video actually makes you feel like you are within the game,” said Kevin Wenham, who tried out the virtual reality with his two sons. “Throw in the competition, and it makes it even more fun.”
“I like that it keeps score,” said Wenham’s son Colin, who was eager to play another round and try to beat his dad.
Galaxy Quest was manufactured by Triotech, a Montreal-based company that develops attractions for amusement parks around the world.
Triotech has installed 7-D theatres in more than a dozen countries, including Germany, China, Thailand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Triotech president and chief executive Ernest Yale said the state-of-the-art experience took more than three years to develop. His company is in the process of developing more similar interactive attractions, which he says are the way of the future.
“These days people crave interactivity,” said Yale. “The younger generation wants more feedback, competition, and interactions to feel like they are actually part of the adventure.”
Yale said the company will develop different themed movies to add to the Galaxy Quest lineup. There are currently two stories users can experience — the zombie apocalypse theme, and Los Banditos, about an attack of robot cowboys. Triotech is also interested in developing a space adventure storyline that would fit perfectly with the Galaxyland theme.
Yale hopes Triotech will eventually install more 7-D theatres across Canada, although none have yet been planned.
Entrance to the Galaxy Quest Theatre requires either an all-day ride pass for Galaxyland or six ride tickets.EDMONTON - If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to fight off a zombie apocalypse, it’s time to make a trip to the West Edmonton Mall.
As the wind blows through your hair, your heart will pound, your stomach will flip, and you may even utter a scream as you shoot at dozens of hungry zombies coming at you from every direction.
Move over 3-D and IMAX theatres — 7-D cinemas have arrived in Edmonton.
On Thursday, the mall officially opened the Galaxy Quest 7-D Experience Theatre, the first 7-D cinema to come to Canada. The attraction is located in the mall’s Galaxyland amusement park.
7-D is a marketing term for the latest generation of 3-D theatres. It takes regular 3-D cinema and throws in the thrill of motion-simulated seats, powerful wind machines, strobe lights, and the interactivity of a video game to make it feel like participants are part of the virtual reality.
Galaxy Quest is an experience that is part video game, part adventure ride and part movie.
Every virtual adventure lasts between five and seven minutes. During the experience, the 16 seats in the theatre subtly vibrate, roll, and move to make participants feel like they are on a roller-coaster and forget they are strapped into a comfortable chair.
Each seat also comes equipped with a device to shoot at the screen. The Galaxy Quest measures shooting accuracy and keeps score for each participant, turning the virtual reality into a friendly competition. All the while, wind machines, strobe lights, lasers and surround sound add to the assault on the senses.
So far, the participants have given the edge-of-your-seat experience rave reviews.
“The moving seats and the video actually makes you feel like you are within the game,” said Kevin Wenham, who tried out the virtual reality with his two sons. “Throw in the competition, and it makes it even more fun.”
“I like that it keeps score,” said Wenham’s son Colin, who was eager to play another round and try to beat his dad.
Galaxy Quest was manufactured by Triotech, a Montreal-based company that develops attractions for amusement parks around the world.
Triotech has installed 7-D theatres in more than a dozen countries, including Germany, China, Thailand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Triotech president and chief executive Ernest Yale said the state-of-the-art experience took more than three years to develop. His company is in the process of developing more similar interactive attractions, which he says are the way of the future.
“These days people crave interactivity,” said Yale. “The younger generation wants more feedback, competition, and interactions to feel like they are actually part of the adventure.”
Yale said the company will develop different themed movies to add to the Galaxy Quest lineup. There are currently two stories users can experience — the zombie apocalypse theme, and Los Banditos, about an attack of robot cowboys. Triotech is also interested in developing a space adventure storyline that would fit perfectly with the Galaxyland theme.
Yale hopes Triotech will eventually install more 7-D theatres across Canada, although none have yet been planned.
Entrance to the Galaxy Quest Theatre requires either an all-day ride pass for Galaxyland or six ride tickets.
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