Now that the semester is in fully underway, so are our theme park projects. One of TPEG's main goals is to get members hands-on experience with projects. That means we set goals, practice project management, collaborate with team members and present our work. Our projects are completely student lead and a great learning experience for all of us. We currently have four projects underway and they're all Ohio State themed. I asked our team leads to share a little about their projects and here's what they had to say:
Afroduck's Revenge
Afroduck has been displaced from his home. Missing the tranquility of Mirror Lake, Afroduck takes FLIGHT! Once he arrives, he finds that the beauty of the lake is no more. Anger rushes through him as he LAUNCHES to take his REVENGE. AFRODUCK'S REVENGE is a Roller Coaster project that will incorporate a physical coaster model along with a computer model. This launched wing coaster is inspired by the construction of Bolliger & Mabillard. The model will feature a working launch of a 3D printed train along with a story driven ride theme. Students will gain experience with No Limits, SolidWorks, Coaster Dynamix, and other.
-Alec Reynolds
Tower of Thompson
The Tower of Thompson is a six foot scale model drop tower/dark ride attraction that is similar to Walt Disney World's Tower of Terror, except it is themed after the Thompson library at Ohio State. The steel structure is reused from an old TPEG project which has been reconstructed to fit the attraction's needs. Currently, we are working on the mechanics of how the model ride vehicle will travel on a track that wraps around the tower and drops in the center. There is another side to the project set aside from the technical part of the attraction which focuses on the design element of the ride. To communicate the inside of ride and what riders will be viewing, there is a team working on dioramas crafted from shoe boxes and other materials that depict scenes from the attraction. Our goal this year is to have a running and working model that can travel on a continuous track presented alongside a couple of dioramas that convey the attraction to observers.
-Morgan Brandt