An increasing number of entertainment locations are introducing virtual reality (VR) experiences, including shopping centres, theme parks, bowling alleys, cinemas and videogame arcades. Andretti Indoor Karting & Games has now joined this list with a virtual roller coaster experience called Gear Coaster.
Andretti Indoor Karting & Games has worked together with Zamperla to create a VR roller coaster experience that allows customers to get the rush of riding a roller coaster in the safety, comfort and convenience of VR.
The Gear Coaster features ride experiences from both The Cyclone and The Thunderbolt, rides that are featured at Luna Park in Coney Island in New York, as well as the Mine Train at Ocean Park in Hong Kong.
The ride technology allows customers who might be otherwise unable to ride a standard roller coaster to experience what it is like by donning a VR headset and setting in a replica of a roller coaster seat. The VR experience also lets people who might be otherwise too anxious to ride a real-world roller coaster try it out in a safe and controlled way.
The replica roller coaster seats allows the movement of the coaster, including the shakes, bounces and dips of the experience to be faithfully re-created in time with the VR experience shown on the headset, along with wind machines to make the experience even more immersive.
The company has conducted extensive testing to ensure that The Gear Coaster doesn’t cause the simulation sickness symptoms that can affect some users in VR. The Gear Coaster currently has three available roller coaster experiences, but there is capacity to add more at a later date.
The Gear Coaster is available at Andretti Indoor Karting & Games in Orlando, Florida, and VR experiences can be purchased at $6.95 (USD) for a single ride, or $9.95 for two rides.
Further information can be found on the Andretti Indoor Karting & Games website. Further coverage of new location-based VR experiences will be here on VRFocus.
via Mint VR