Future of Video Games Outside the Home, DisneyQuest 103
gatzke writes "Some interesting developments have been coming online with new technology being developed that may lead to new and exciting gaming outside the home. DisneyQuest in Orlando mixes classic / modern video games with virtual reality and interactive games. MagiQuest in Myrtle Beach is an immersive interactive treasure hunt environment with a simple wand interface."
Background I am a thirty-something engineer that grew up with personal computers. When I was in elementary school, I was learning BASIC while playing Atari games like Asteroids, Pong, and Night Rider at the arcade in the mall. Games improved around middle school, Pac-man, Centipede, Galaga, Spy Hunter, Donkey Kong and others were available at the local arcades. At that time my favorite dinner destination was the pizza place with animatronic animals and a huge arcade. My buddies and I even played games at the mall arcade in high school: altered beast, time warriors, and others. At college in the 90s, I would frequent the local gigantic bar / restaurant / pool hall / arcade that had a good variety of games, especially the linked Daytona Racing games where you could drink and drive safely.
I fell off he map for quite some time. Arcade games did not hold my interest. I blame the many Street Fighter variants, with all the buttons and secret moves. No longer could any idiot walk up to a game and have a good time. You had to dedicate a lot of time and effort to get anywhere in those games. The economics changed as well. Games started hitting two or three quarters, not just one. On the home front, I had first person shooters on my PC that were tons of fun and interactive. Why go pay a dollar per game just to get stomped on in public when I have a SLI Voodoo card at home that can run Quake at 1600x1200 on a 21 inch CRT? The home and console technology was outpacing what you could get at the arcade. The arcades dried up in most places, with a few games lingering here and there.
Recently, my wife and I discovered a couple of places that give me hope for the future of gaming outside the home again. DisneyQuest and MagiQuest.
DisneyQuest
A few years ago, my wife and I were at a conference in Orlando. We took an extra couple of days to see some of Disney. We happened across DisneyQuest in Downtown Disney near the Cirque du Soleil theater. Admission was expensive at over $30 per person for the day, but it ended up being worth it to me. Inside, you enter one of the best arcades ever, an arcade by Disney. All games are totally free after you pay admission. They had recent games like Crazy Taxi and Top Skater (note, on a recent return trip they have not added many obvious new games). They also had classic games like Asteroids, Moon Patrol, Space War, and BattleZone.
The real outstanding section for me were the VR games. They had an Aladdin type game with a motion sensitive visor where you fly a magic carpet with intuitive controls. They had a superhero game where you get a motion sensitive visor and sword to swing at bad guys. If you have tried out recent VR helmets, you know the resolution is quite lacking and the motion sensing is not the best, especially technology from around 2000. Overall, these were fun but could stand some improvements in the basic helmet technology.
They had other VR / immersive games that did not require a helmet. They had a pinball game where you stand on a giant puck and try to direct your video puck into a goal by leaning left and right, while you play with others on a giant screen. They had a river rafting ride where you and others are on a rubber raft paddling in front of a projection screen while you get bumped around. They had Mech Assault type game where four people get in a pod and try to rescue some colonists while shooting aliens. One of the better games was a pirate game where you wear 3D glasses and man the cannons of a pirate ship surrounded by a few large projection screens. The design-you-own VR roller coaster made me sick, since I thought stacking as many loops and barrel rolls in a row was a good idea. The best game was the bumper cars, which was totally not electronic. You and a partner are in a Plexiglas enclosed bumper car. One drives while the other mans a cannon to shoot nerf soccer balls at other cars. If the sensors detect a hit, you spin around for a few seconds. This was loads of fun, and you can usually run around and get on again if the crowds are light.
My overall impression was favorable, but I was not as enthusiastic after my more recent visit. The technology had not changed in four years, so you still had the old 3D visors. Some video game controllers were not getting the requisite repairs. Things were not as "Disney" as they could have been, but it was still fun.
MagiQuest
My wife and I also went to try out MagiQuest at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach. We really did not know what to expect from their advertising. You get a "magic wand" for $11 and then buy time in the game at $8 per hour with discounts if you do two hours on the same day. The wand appears to be some combination of RFID, IR in the tip, and motion sensor. You pick a character class and a name, then go through training where they show you how to cast at items to evoke a response. Chests will open, lights will flash, or some event will be triggered by your wand. After training, you enter the game area which is a large room with different areas. At the center is a stone-henge type place where you go to choose a quest from a touchscreen and watch a related video. The first twelve quests are relatively simple treasure hunt type tasks that have you exploring the environment looking for different items. They have a castle with a few rooms, a dungeon area, a pixie treehouse, a crypt, and some other areas.
There are items all around that you can use the wand to interact with. Cast at a picture and it lights up, even if it is not on your current list of items to be found. Chests open and show jewels or gold. Some statues will talk to you. The first set of quests are fairly simple, with explicit locations and descriptions of the items, but it can still be tricky to find all the items. The game tests your memory, since you will have seen some objects while working on other quests. After you complete the basic quests, they have a series of adventures to work on. My wife and I completed the twelve quests in two hours working together. I would encourage you to do it on your own, but we were dragging a two year old and my wife is seven months pregnant.
The technology is pretty robust. Some sensors required a few casts to activate, but overall it was not frustrating. Most items are static and respond with sound and light. There are around fifteen different stations with projection screen, LCD, or CRTs that are more detailed with some video. Some of these are end locations for quests where a character gives you a rune as reward for a completed quest or someone tells you a story. Some of these stations are apparently part of the more advanced adventures where you have more involved games to try out. They have a dragon and a goblin in the dungeon, but they also have lighter fantasy creatures like a unicorn and a fairy princess.
The environment is fairly immersive. The interactive items are generally embedded pretty well into the environment. The dungeon was my favorite, as you get the feeling of a realistic dark environment. The castle was pretty good, but it was mostly open to the gaming area with only a few rooms. Most of the game is wide open, where you can see all around, including the false sky. This is probably good for the general population, but it does not throw a gamer completely into the fantasy world (which may not be a bad thing). I would like to see a dark forest with shaded canopy and a main street with some interactive stores to explore and lower player density. Overall, it was never crowded, and things were smooth even with a large number of people running around.
There are other details to the game if you really get into it. They keep track of your gold and award you crappy prizes if you want. You get experience and levels, but I am not sure how that helps you. They have a dueling station where you can battle other Magi by choosing spells to use. They have extra crap you can buy to decorate your wand. They also have some extra tokens (compass and key) you can buy to increase your take of gold or give you clues in the game. The game is fun for both adults and kids, both serious gamers and those looking for something other than mini golf. It could be costly if you have a few kids to take in, but not bad after you get past the wand purchase. They also have parent spectator discount cards (first hour full price, second half off, free after)
I tried to search online for information, but it took me a while to realize I was searching for magicquest / magickquest / magic quest, not magiquest. You are a Magi in this game, and I have not seen how your character class influences your game.
Overall, we had a great time and want to go back soon. It is rough to take away beach time to go run around waving a plastic wand at treasure chests, but the game gets to you.
Conclusions
If you are in Orlando or Myrtle Beach, you may want to try these games out. Maybe the economics will work out and they could put them in local malls to get kid out running around again. It certainly is more complicated than buying a space invaders box and harvesting money from kids, but maybe the market is there.
Like geocaching, but with the magic of Disney! (Score:1)
Re:Like geocaching, but with the magic of Disney! (Score:2)
Been there twice now. That superheros ride makes me motion sick, but the other VR rides were cool. I think the mech one, if you have four people, was the best, in my opinion.
Gaming outside the home? (Score:1)
Re:Gaming outside the home? (Score:2)
Re:Gaming outside the home? (Score:2)
Jeez (Score:3, Funny)
gatzke writes "Some interesting developments have been coming online with new technology being developed that may lead to new and exciting gaming outside the home. DisneyQuest in Orlando mixes classic / modern video games with virtual reality and interactive games. MagiQuest in Myrtle Beach is an immersive interactive treasure hunt environment with a simple wand interface."
Background
I am a thirty-something engineer that grew up with personal computers. When I was in elementary school, I was learning BASIC while playing Atari games like Asteroids, Pong, and Night Rider at the arcade in the mall. Games improved around middle school, Pac-man, Centipede, Galaga, Spy Hunter, Donkey Kong and others were available at the local arcades. At that time my favorite dinner destination was the pizza place with animatronic animals and a huge arcade. My buddies and I even played games at the mall arcade in high school: altered beast, time warriors, and others. At college in the 90s, I would frequent the local gigantic bar / restaurant / pool hall / arcade that had a good variety of games, especially the linked Daytona Racing games where you could drink and drive safely.
I fell off he map for quite some time. Arcade games did not hold my interest. I blame the many Street Fighter variants, with all the buttons and secret moves. No longer could any idiot walk up to a game and have a good time. You had to dedicate a lot of time and effort to get anywhere in those games. The economics changed as well. Games started hitting two or three quarters, not just one. On the home front, I had first person shooters on my PC that were tons of fun and interactive. Why go pay a dollar per game just to get stomped on in public when I have a SLI Voodoo card at home that can run Quake at 1600x1200 on a 21 inch CRT? The home and console technology was outpacing what you could get at the arcade. The arcades dried up in most places, with a few games lingering here and there.
Recently, my wife and I discovered a couple of places that give me hope for the future of gaming outside the home again. DisneyQuest and MagiQuest.
DisneyQuest
A few years ago, my wife and I were at a conference in Orlando. We took an extra couple of days to see some of Disney. We happened across DisneyQuest in Downtown Disney near the Cirque du Soleil theater. Admission was expensive at over $30 per person for the day, but it ended up being worth it to me. Inside, you enter one of the best arcades ever, an arcade by Disney. All games are totally free after you pay admission. They had recent games like Crazy Taxi and Top Skater (note, on a recent return trip they have not added many obvious new games). They also had classic games like Asteroids, Moon Patrol, Space War, and BattleZone.
The real outstanding section for me were the VR games. They had an Aladdin type game with a motion sensitive visor where you fly a magic carpet with intuitive controls. They had a superhero game where you get a motion sensitive visor and sword to swing at bad guys. If you have tried out recent VR helmets, you know the resolution is quite lacking and the motion sensing is not the best, especially technology from around 2000. Overall, these were fun but could stand some improvements in the basic helmet technology.
They had other VR / immersive games that did not require a helmet. They had a pinball game where you stand on a giant puck and try to direct your video puck into a goal by leaning left and right, while you play with others on a giant screen. They had a river rafting ride where you and others are on a rubber raft paddling in front of a projection screen while you get bumped around. They had Mech Assault type game where four people get in a pod and try to rescue some colonists while shooting aliens. One of the better games was a pirate game where you wear 3D glasses and man the cannons of a pirate ship surrounded by a few large projection screens. The design-you-own VR roller coaster made me sick,
Whoas.. (Score:4, Funny)
You must have started writing this story just after you joined!
Re:Whoas.. (Score:2)
Re:Whoas.. (Score:2)
Re:Whoas.. (Score:2)
I found slashdot since their team was winning one of those distributed computing efforts, and I checked out the web page back in '98 I think.
I remember when they started the user ids. I held out on getting one for weeks, thinking it was an invasion of my privacy, but finally I joined up.
And I still read here. Pretty sad.
Ed
La Fuga (Score:2)
DisneyQuest closing in 2008 (Score:5, Informative)
It certainly is more complicated than buying a space invaders box and harvesting money from kids, but maybe the market is there.
I'm afraid not. WDW's DisneyQuest is set to close in 2008 [jimhillmedia.com] to become yet another ESPNZone. DisneyQuest was supposed to be a worldwide chain, but they bailed on it after opening two locations, and closing Chicago's after a little over two years. Disney has sunk hundreds of millions of dollars into DQ since 1994, and they're done.
Maybe Dave & Busters and Jillian's are the future of outside-the-home gaming, although the latter went bankrupt and was absorbed by the former. And Brunswick walked away from its D&B wannabe, US Play, after opening two locations (Atlanta and Minneapolis).
Re:DisneyQuest closing in 2008 (Score:2)
Re:DisneyQuest closing in 2008 (Score:1)
There's lines for EVERYTHING, from getting into the building to getting to play even the least game.
Not fun.
Re:DisneyQuest closing in 2008 (Score:2)
I should have known things were going downhill when their Tempest machine disappeared several months ago....
Re:DisneyQuest closing in 2008 (Score:2)
I should have known things were going downhill when their Tempest machine disappeared several months ago....
Now that you mention it, DQ is the only place in the world I've ever seen an Ehrgeiz machine. Now there was an underrated game...
Re:DisneyQuest closing in 2008 (Score:4, Insightful)
Considering the popularity of consoles and the fact that services like Xbox Live can provide multiplayer opponents whenever you want them, it's looking more and more like arcades have been entirely supplanted.
Still, I want to find a console that can give me a good pinball game. The virtual stuff just isn't the same as a good old machine...
Re:DisneyQuest closing in 2008 (Score:2)
Exactly.
There are also a lot of other specialized hardware that you can't (right now) get for your home. I was at Dave & Buster's a while ago and one of my friends played a cop shooting game where the machine had cameras that would figure out where you were, and you would have to physically dodge the bad guys, duck behind things to reload, etc. There's also the classic raci
Re:DisneyQuest closing in 2008 (Score:1)
Last time I was in one, it cost 4x 25c to play the newest version of tekken.
The only games that cost below
All the pinball games cost $1 to play.
All the racing games cost $1 to play.
End of after of gaming, you've just spent a good $20-30 easy. If you play a bunch of the game. Of course you can spend $4 and call it a day too.
Re:DisneyQuest closing in 2008 (Score:1)
And they seem to be getting worse too costwise too. It won't be too long until the cost argument goes the other way.
DisneyQuest developers are now making MMORPGs (Score:1)
Wonderful World of Warcraft? (Score:2)
What I think is even more interesting is moving in the other direction, theme parks based on popular MMO franchises [chromecow.com].
Quest-based, exploration-based, rides and virtual experiences that build upon the familiar geography of popular MMO worlds, with cross-promotions that build the core audience on both sides of the fence.
Re:DisneyQuest closing in 2008 (Score:2)
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_tourism
DisneyQuest rocks. (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:DisneyQuest rocks. (Score:2)
Last time I was there, they had closed that maze thing down. My wife and I had great fun, as one would drive and the other would follow the RC car around and give directions. That was a really neat little game...
Chicago DisneyQuest (Score:4, Interesting)
it just played as low-rent... (Score:2)
So the whole thing played as extremely low-rent. It had none of the magic and wonder you expected of Disney. You ended up seeing computer graphics and stuff you could see at home instead of animatronics and large-scale dark rides.
The ESPNZone was right next door, and altough it was completely Dave & Buster's knockoff, it worked because you didn't expect so much
bad names (Score:2, Interesting)
The need more dimly lit rooms with names like "Wizard's Castle" and "Frodo's Palace"
Call it retro.
Arcades are foreced to change or die (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Arcades are foreced to change or die (Score:2)
(after taxes, of course). Around me, minimum wage is still $5.15 an hour, which is less than it costs the governement (with its 2 million member group) to cover the cost of health insurance (employee and gov't parts, i.e. total cost).
I'm not singling you out...nobody seems to be winning here. There seems to be quite a compression of wages and cos
Re:Arcades are foreced to change or die (Score:1)
Re:Arcades are foreced to change or die (Score:2)
Re:Arcades are foreced to change or die (Score:2)
Also, there is the possibility of exchanging 1 arcade for 2 or 3 PS2 (ok ok and maybe 1 Xbox360) and charge for hour (in Mexico that is quite common). If the Arcades are not as "cost effective" as consoles, then buy consoles!.
If you do it as a club, you might ask for "wanted games" which you could buy. Also, you could make competitions and other things. Nothing wou
Re:Arcades are foreced to change or die (Score:2)
Re:Arcades are foreced to change or die (Score:1)
Anyone ever try Tomb??? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Anyone ever try Tomb??? (Score:1)
Also,
One important thing overlooked: (Score:5, Informative)
Nothing new... I drive So Cal freeways (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Nothing new... I drive So Cal freeways (Score:2)
Title should have been more accurate. I meant to consider video games outside the home, the classic arcade.
The ones you mention are all normal activites, except lazer tag, which we don't see too often in the states for some reason.
I agree on the advertising... (Score:1)
I was down in Myrtle about 2 months ago...and while the MagiQuest advertising was everywhere, and looked mildly interesting (for a person like me who loves fantasy lit, not sure about the general public), it was like pulling teeth to find out exactly what the attraction was. I didn't even get a real good explanation at their website. And I wasn't
Love to be his kids...not. (Score:2)
Anyone else think "time to grow the hell up?" You're in an amusement park
Re:Love to be his kids...not. (Score:1)
Oh, I see.
"a simple wand interface" (Score:2)
Re:"a simple wand interface" (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:"a simple wand interface" (Score:1)
Geesh, the image that it brings to mind: "Welease Bwian!!!"
Re:"a simple wand interface" (Score:2)
Re:"a simple wand interface" (Score:2)
Re:How do you suppose? (Score:2)
I live in Myrtle Beach (Score:1)
Re:I live in Myrtle Beach (Score:2)
We got there right when they opened on a weekday and it was not too bad.
I think they opened at 10:00, but by 11:00 it was picking up a good bit.
I assume in quieter seasons it is just fine.
Ed
VR is teh r0x0rz (Score:2, Insightful)
It was the fact that when I turned my head, the game turned too! It was so cool to look over and see my fellow players right there. It was so natural. It was sweet. The helmet wasn't a 3D viewer, it was Virtual Reality. I was hooked.
Re:VR is teh r0x0rz (Score:2)
This past March was my second trip to Disney while DQ was open, but it was the first time that the Aladdin game was actually running (my previous trip in 2000, the game was not available -- I forget whether it was down for repairs or not installed yet). I also loved moving my head right, and the screen moving as well. The other neat part was that the heads of the other chara
How about merging the virtual with reality? (Score:3, Interesting)
I wish that there was a really, really immersive gaming environment out in the real world somewhere, spanning 5+ acres (2+ hectares). I'm talking about something on par with a high-budget Hollywood set, only on a huge scale. Partly outdoors, partly indoors in mock laboratories or whatever, partly underground in mock bunkers, etc. If there was a real complex set up somewhere to look as impressive as your average Half-Life map, I'd be in to gaming again. And as a result getting some serious, serious exercise
I'm trying to imagine what it would be like to have a capture-the-flag or deathmatch game between multiple teams in a really detailed real-world environment like that. There would be a host of challenges to overcome (avoiding actual deaths would be one of those challenges). But it seems to me as though, with today's extreme sports and interest in Fear-Factor-esque physical challenges, there has to be some way to provide a level of real risk to the participants while still making survival likely.
If those flexible, transparent OLED displays ever become a reality, that would also provide an option for true HUDs, allowing for augmented reality to be blended into the environment. And if you wanted to practice with your team beforehand, a truly virtual version of the complex could be made available so that you could practice before meeting up to face your chosen competitors. I can't help but think something like this would rock, although I'm sure there are a slew of people out there who are going to tell me all the reasons why it wouldn't. (You there
Re:How about merging the virtual with reality? (Score:2)
What I was thinking was a standard arena - walls, floors, ceilings, doorways etc. - that wasn't decorated but instead painted in very simple colours for software image recognition. Walls could be red, floors blue, etc. Players are given light-guns and virtual reality headsets which have cameras mounted on them. The headsets display an 'augmented reality' projection
Augmented reality (Score:2)
There are some augmented reality things being developed, where you impose images on top of what is reality.
I saw one where you have to shoot aliens, but can't find the link now.
http://wearables.unisa.edu.au/projects/ARQuake/www
This magiquest could be modded / homebrew for ren fairs. Pay $20 to get a wand and cloak to wear, then wander around in the woods looking for clues the same way. A single quest could not be that hard to develop. The wand basically was some sort of IR device with a motion sensor i
Re:How about merging the virtual with reality? (Score:1)
Imagine a theme park that consists of several "worlds," each a different theme of gaming. In each of these worlds, you can experience arcade games, a few rides (physical or VR) and a VR/laser tag type arena or co-op challenge. Each part of this would be themed to match the world. Themes might include: racing, space, Medieval, WWII, animals, etc.
Add to this making the entire park an adventure. As you enter the park, you can choose
cheap babysitting (Score:4, Informative)
I have seen many entertainment complexes come and go over my lifetime. The ones that are surviving seem to be targeted to adults, like D&B, while the others, that just provide indoor distrations to kids, are failing. This seems expecially true of the places that require parents to stay and supervise. If you can't get rid of the kid, might as well just play video games at home.
On a high note, I am happy to report, that the afternoons and weekends find all our parks full of kids and parents, and even the museums full of patrons. I do hope that someone can figure out a way to make money on a large scale from the indoor electronic games, especailly in the hot summers, but I can't help but wonder if a problem with the business model is that kids just appreciate being outside and together in unstructured activity.
DisneyQuest from a locals point of view (Score:4, Informative)
I go to "Downtown Disney" almost every weekend for one reason or another. Downtown Disney is where DisneyQuest is located. What it comes down to is that DisneyQuest is awesome, but theres no replay-ability. You go once and experience everything there is in one day, and all that's left to do is play the regular arcade games. At $30 a day, it's not really worth it to just go and play regular arcade games. While there used to be lines outside DisneyQuest, the initial shock reaction of "ohhh virtual reality" has worn off.
Since it opened the only real new thing I can think of that has been added is...nothing. They replaced the Hercules ride with the Pirates of the Carribean ride, which is the only real new content added. They also switched from the credit system of giving out cards to people with credits on them to play games and ride rides to a one-fee for the day theme park style admission. None of my friends have been motivated to go back anytime recently, all of the tech is outdated. All the other Disney parks add stuff and give us reasons to go back. Examples are Epcot's mission space, Epcot's test track, Animal Kingdom's mount everest, MGM'S rockin roller coaster, Epcot's Soarin, etc.
The biggest reason DisneyQuest is dying is Disney's lack of innovation and new content. Why go to DisneyQuest when you can just go to a regular arcade and pay to play the games you want instead of paying to get in?
Re:DisneyQuest from a locals point of view (Score:2)
DQ offers annual passes for $89 too. Whenever my wife and I visit Downtown Disney (which is fairly often), we usually spend a couple of hours at DQ doing something, so it's been pretty cost-effective for us.
Both Test Track and Rock'N'Roller Coaster are older than "Pirates".
Re:DisneyQuest from a locals point of view (Score:1)
Re:DisneyQuest from a locals point of view (Score:2)
Yes it would, and unfortunately that problem isn't just limited to DQ.
Re:DisneyQuest from a locals point of view (Score:2)
I know it's bad form to reply to a sig, but it just put a huge smile on my face -- ever since I was a kid I LOVED riding the monorails (in fact I think that was my favorite part of going to Disney when I was really young), and over the years I've perfected my impersonation of the guy that does the announcing on the monorails.
Re:DisneyQuest from a locals point of view (Score:2)
Re:DisneyQuest from a locals point of view (Score:2)
Yeah, MagiQuest may be good... (Score:1)
Bad implementation or not, it's a good idea (Score:2)
I think it's sad that these games like the ones at DQ have
Re:Bad implementation or not, it's a good idea (Score:2)
Combatica (Score:2)
Re:Combatica (Score:2)
Vurtual World (Score:2)
www.virtualworld.com
Re:Vurtual World (Score:2)
Re:Vurtual World (Score:1)
Any time I went to that plaza, I always saw lots of people at Red Planet, and several of my friends talked about it constantly. I couldn't see paying the amounts they talked about to play something I could play (Mechwarrior) on my computer. It made even less sense a few years later when LAN parties were possible.
That location went under, but it appears that there is
Re:Vurtual World (Score:2)
Why Virtual World Pods fail... (Score:2)
The units are fun-as-hell to play but the type of people that has the interest and money to play them is too damn busy playing WoW or on XBL.
Maybe somebody could get them to work, but I've hired some smart people and they sure
Re:Why Virtual World Pods fail... (Score:2)
Re:Why Virtual World Pods fail... (Score:2)
Re:Why Virtual World Pods fail... (Score:2)
VR Helmets... I got so sick on Alladin! (Score:1)
So for the next hour or so I walked around with cold sweats feeling really ill, playing tame games to get some of my money's worth, many of which were really really cool! Eventually m
Re:VR Helmets... I got so sick on Alladin! (Score:2)
SLI Voodoos 1024x768 (Score:1)