My Ode to Atari: Space Invaders - The Ride

[mikeyca]

Here's my ode to Atari...a junior coaster called "Space Invaders: The Ride." This is a rocket-car coaster that flies through the darkness while under attack from alien machinery. When I began building this ride, it was inspired by Space Mountain, but the finished product isn't really much like it.

View the video by clicking here (http://www.meyee.net/rct3/videos/space.wmv), or visit the "Space Invaders: The Ride" page on my website (linked below in my sig).

Here are a few screenshots:

http://www.meyee.net/rct3/images/space.jpg
The exterior of the ride.

http://www.meyee.net/rct3/images/space1.jpg
The interior of the loading station, as viewed from the glass window-encased queue line

http://www.meyee.net/rct3/images/space2.jpg
An alien robot attacks a coaster car

http://www.meyee.net/rct3/images/space3.jpg
A wider-angle shot of the ride

[sevey13]

Let me be the first to congratulate you on another hit. I watch your coasters, like, 5 times a week. I LOVE THEM!! Keep it up! Can't wait to try out your park.

[Bitter Jeweler]

Simply amazing. Great videos, great rides!

[marnetmar]

Very well done coaster & video mikeyca :up: :up:

[omgukk]

The video is an A+, probably the best rct video yet. I really like the ride also. Big fan of techno so i love the music also.:p Very nice job 10/10.

[Your_Name_Here]

Man, that is a great coaster. If I were mutant, I would give it like, 9 and a half thumbs up! Great Job!

[rctmanikat]

Absolutely Fantastic great job on that ride i love it 9/10:up:

[davidmc]

To hell with the coaster (although I'm sure it's great), that video was a damned masterpiece.

[Vodhin]

Ex-El-Ent-E!

Great Coaster! Great Video! Great Scenery!

3 thumbs up! (that's Sydney Lopsides, for ya...)

[Demon Xin]

Woah..that would've been so awesome in real life....

But of course, it being rendered in RCT3 is the next best thing!

I would've gladly given 7 thumbs up, but sadly I only have 2...

[omgukk]

Whats the name of the ablum the song is from I'd love to buy it.

[mikeyca]

Originally posted by omgukk
Whats the name of the ablum the song is from I'd love to buy it.

Heh...funny you should ask. It's actually not on any album. A friend of mine (Robert Castillo, credited in the beginning of the video) composed it himself...it's a 12-minute piece called "Don't Let Go." He's actually hording it to himself until he releases a demo album in the near-but-unknown future.

However, I'll pass along the word to him that were it on an album you would "love to buy it." He's very proud of the piece. :D

[omgukk]

I'm real into that type of trance, so.

[adrenalinaddict]

Cool coaster in Germany has tiny lights all round it for stars, very effective as you think the lights are going to go right through you. Another one has lasers shooting over your head (not sure if rct3 offers those tho). You could use that on this ride or an adult version of it. The laser fencing available in rct3 would work well on it too.

[CoasterExpert]

Nice Job I love your rides

[SkyTearer]

DUDE! That video was epic! The music and the scenery reminded me of space mountain but, much more adult that that baby ride.

[aoshi]

I think it was really good 9/10
the only problem is it doesnt really feel like space invaders but that isnt your fault, its just lack of theming. you did an awesome job with what we have though!
btw the video was very well shot and edited as well!

[mikeyca]

Originally posted by aoshi67
I think it was really good 9/10
the only problem is it doesnt really feel like space invaders but that isnt your fault, its just lack of theming. you did an awesome job with what we have though!
btw the video was very well shot and edited as well!

Thanks aoshi67! As for the ride not feeling like "Space Invaders," I understand what you're saying--it's mostly just the name I was using. However, it's also because all I remember of the game was a very grid-like "stack" of mutants moving side to side and occasionally shooting down at your ship, which was also moving side to side on the bottom of the screen. Then every once in awhile there would be a flying saucer that moves across the top. In other words, what theming COULD one do to capture the "feel" of "Space Invaders"? I'm constantly revising and editing my rides, so any suggestions would be much appreciated!

[davidmc]

Hmm, while it's not perfect, I did think of something that might capture the "feeling" of Space Invaders."

Make a 10x12ish stepped area, with 12 rows of steps 10 squares wide. You'd have to play with the height of the steps to capture it perfectly. On the first 10 rows of steps, put those three legged Martian animations, leave the 11th row blank, and put one of the UFO animatronics on the 12th step.

I'd try it outside of your ride first, as I like your ride a lot, and it actually could end up looking out of place. On the other hand, it might impart what you're looking for perfectly.

If I didn't describe that well enough, let me know and I'll try and figure out a better way of transferring the thoughts in my head into a textual format. :)

[1302731]

That's another beauty. Here at Frontier we're collating a load of 'best of' videos from these forums so that everyone who works here can see them. You're running a bit of a monopoly at the moment with this new one alongside Mt. Cheyenne and Gold Mine Escape.

Keep up the good work.

[omgukk]

Grrrr that song is so good! Tell your friend to hurry up!

[mikeyca]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I went back and attempted to give a bit more semblance to the actual video game in my ride's scenery. Below are a couple of screenshots reflecting the changes. I'm going to update my video as well so that these changes can be seen in the ride. The only unfortunate thing is that all the additional animatronic scenery added a lot of light to the inside of the ride, diminishing the "dark ride" aspect of it. Ah well...trade-offs... :D Does this seem a little more like "Space Invaders" now? Thanks!

EDIT: The video has been updated. Click on the link in the beginning of this thread, or else CLICK HERE (http://www.meyee.net/rct3/videos/space.wmv).

The alien robots in attack formation. I chose not to make it a solid rectangular block formation as it just seemed a bit overwhelming for the ride. I thought that this slightly pyramid-like formation was a bit more proportionate and aesthetically pleasing. Hmm...I guess that makes it look more like Galaga instead...is that blasphemous? :D
http://www.meyee.net/rct3/images/space5.jpg

The dreaded UFO attack.
http://www.meyee.net/rct3/images/space4.jpg

[sevey13]

Did you get my PM?

[davidmc]

I can't decide if you inspire me to greatness or put me so to shame that I give up designing, but either way, you absoutely, positively, nailed it. You know how Olympic Gymnastic judges are always afraid to give a perfect 10, in case the next gymnast does even better? I can safely give that video a 10.

My wife hates video games, but is sweet enough to tolerate my enthusiasm for them. She watched the video and she wants me to teach her how to build stuff in RTC3 now. :)

PS, that mechanic coming out when you're entering the hallway is perfect, in an "I'm the 'cleaner' for Area 51, and no, I can't tell you what I just took care of" sort of way. Was he placed intentionally, or was that just a random piece of luck?

[mikeyca]

Originally posted by davidmc
I can't decide if you inspire me to greatness or put me so to shame that I give up designing, but either way, you absoutely, positively, nailed it. You know how Olympic Gymnastic judges are always afraid to give a perfect 10, in case the next gymnast does even better? I can safely give that video a 10.

My wife hates video games, but is sweet enough to tolerate my enthusiasm for them. She watched the video and she wants me to teach her how to build stuff in RTC3 now. :)

PS, that mechanic coming out when you're entering the hallway is perfect, in an "I'm the 'cleaner' for Area 51, and no, I can't tell you what I just took care of" sort of way. Was he placed intentionally, or was that just a random piece of luck?

Wow, what an incredible compliment. Thank YOU for the suggestions. And I'm glad your wife has taken a liking to the game now! :D

As for the mechanic...he was just a bit of luck I ran into with the video during "taping," however, in my updated video, that particular sequence is gone...sorry :(

[JCat]

Superb, Mike. What's your PC processor speed if you don't mind I ask? When capturing movies through Fraps, it bogged myframe rate down, and actually winds up recording a choppy video. The second you turn off the movie capture, the game moves back to lightning speed. You must be using something faster then a 2.5 MHZ processor, which is what I have (along with a gig of memory and 9700 pro)? Thanks -- your videos are quite inspiring and I love your style and music selection (that Dive in to the Pool track was one I used in a Wedding video I edited - so I almost lost it when I saw it on your flume video which was so perfect).

[mikeyca]

Originally posted by Pumper
Superb, Mike. What's your PC processor speed if you don't mind I ask? When capturing movies through Fraps, it bogged myframe rate down, and actually winds up recording a choppy video. The second you turn off the movie capture, the game moves back to lightning speed. You must be using something faster then a 2.5 MHZ processor, which is what I have (along with a gig of memory and 9700 pro)? Thanks -- your videos are quite inspiring and I love your style and music selection (that Dive in to the Pool track was one I used in a Wedding video I edited - so I almost lost it when I saw it on your flume video which was so perfect).

My PC is a Pentium 4 3.0 GHz + HT running on 1GB memory and PCI-Express 128 MB ATI Radeon X800 SE. My frame rate also bogs down a bit with Fraps, usually to the mid-teens.

Thanks for the kind words! :D

[JCat]

Originally posted by mikeyca
My PC is a Pentium 4 3.0 GHz + HT running on 1GB memory and PCI-Express 128 MB ATI Radeon X800 SE. My frame rate also bogs down a bit with Fraps, usually to the mid-teens.

Thanks for the kind words! :D

Ah! I'm glad I know that - for a while there, I thought I wasn't tweaking something correctly in fraps. Guess I'll have to stick with the RCT3 build in movie capture, and watch TV for an hour until it's finished.
:bulb:
I can't wait to upgrade in January!

Thanks for that - and keep up the awesome flicks!

[TecWzrD]

As usual an incredible heart stopping video Mike! I feel this is your best work so far as the music and composition is just amazing. I too would pay to listen to that kind of music. Does your friend have a website?

You have produced many incredible rides and have one park to download so far on your site. Do you plan on releasing a park with all these rides together in the future?

[Milkdud]

Another brilliant ride and video by Mike Yee!!!!!
Your work is stunning and I can't say this enough. If I ever saw you on the street I'd ask you for an autograph!! :D

[PDohm123]

Dude, this is an awesome video! And the ride looks great too! LOVE the music to it, would definitely buy it. And the pyramidic robots...PERFECT! I give it a 10/10. You guys make me green with envy. I'm just starting out to experiment with ride themeing, trying to capture what I think it's a fairly accurate feeling of the ride. For example, on the ride, Force 9, I use the sci-fi walls to create a patchworked tunnel that the car relatively "shoots out of" when it climbs up the vertical track. And on Calamity Mine from RCT 2, I've built a mining company building around the station, as well as some mine-shaft style buildings on two specific points on the track. Compared to Bitter's work and this...my stuff is literally slim pickins...GREAT JOB!

[Teirmose]

Pure magic........... once again from mikeyca, one of
the Video Movie Making Masters. Thank You for the entertainment. :D

[WoddenWarior]

Update makes it even better. Awesome job. You are probable the most creative member on the forum.

Keep up all of the awesome work.

[adupuis1]

They looking great. Are you going make it so we can download it.

[Simbolism]

Space Invaders may have been posted a month ago, but I just stumbled upon it.

This coaster is awesome! Great theming concept and implementation!

I'm loving all of your work. Keep it up!

[Anselm]

Wow, I could never quite get theming down on this game. You Mike, simply amazing...

[PDohm123]

It's been over a month since Mikey did anything with this thread. I hope he's ok.

[mikeyca]

Originally posted by PDohm123
It's been over a month since Mikey did anything with this thread. I hope he's ok.

Thanks for the concern PDohm123! I think I posted this video back in late November--this was one of the first "cinematic" style movies I did. Since then I've posted three more (Alice, Escape from Atlantis and Night On Bald Mountain). So, I'm doing just fine (Happy New Year to all!)--I just haven't revisited THIS particular thread for awhile.

If you haven't already checked out my other movies, you can find them on my website (see my sig). Thanks again! :D

[irishgentleman]

AWSOME RIDE I LOVE IT I AM new to this game im pretty good But that IS way Better THan perfect it IT IS SUPER ULTRA MEGA EXTREME PERFECT WHEN CAN I DOwnlaod it!? :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :alien: :up: :cool:

[hillibilly]

"Brothers yet another thread shall be riaaassed from the depths of death and be renewn in spirt" There has been alot of threads brought back. " First there was nothing. Then God ssid let there be light. There still was nothing you could just see it better now."

[mazeinies]

Its great... but i allready gotr this name for m ride in mty park (threads dead soi doesn't mather)


loks excelent




maz :D

[edit] never mind you sposted earlyer

[-MoNtU]

Originally posted by mazeinies
Its great... but i allready gotr this name for m ride in mty park (threads dead soi doesn't mather)


loks excelent




maz :D

[edit] never mind you sposted earlyer

Spell check....

[-MoNtU]

Originally posted by irishgentleman
AWSOME RIDE I LOVE IT I AM new to this game im pretty good But that IS way Better THan perfect it IT IS SUPER ULTRA MEGA EXTREME PERFECT WHEN CAN I DOwnlaod it!? :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :alien: :up: :cool:

Way to bring back a dead thread.

[dimsy_3000]

Originally posted by SkyTearer
DUDE! That video was epic! The music and the scenery reminded me of space mountain but, much more adult that that baby ride.

HEY! space mountain is the BEST ride ever! no disqusion about that (sorry for my english i'm Belgian :D )

Anyhow! GREAAAAAAAT rideeeee! Looks indeed allot like space mountain! wonderfull, wish i could make something like that! you'r a true tallent and great video Looooove it! :up:

[PDohm123]

Originally posted by Tmul
Way to bring back a dead thread.

Way to be a jerk.

[irishgentleman]

When can u download it and was he being sarcastic when he way to bring a dead thread