// The technology

Simulator Technology

A motion base engineered from scratch, real-time worlds built in Unreal Engine 5, and mind-blowing 3D sound — designed to put you in control without ever pulling you out of the illusion.

► Designed from scratch

Built to break the four-minute rule.

When we started Magic Edge, we did not intend to design our own simulation platform. The Air Force, the Navy, and the commercial airlines had been training pilots in simulators for decades — even Disney and Universal Studios had built them into “Back to the Future” and “Star Tours.” But at NASA Ames in Mountain View, California, we learned why those rides are limited to about four minutes: the traditional motion bases used at every commercial simulation center make the general public sick after just a few minutes.

The scientists told us we needed to design a motion base from scratch, and described the motion algorithms to use. The capsule needed a lot of pitch — about twice what a standard motion base offered — about three times the roll capability, and three times the vertical motion. The outcome is the motion base you see in the video clips.

► The spec

four feet of motion. Forty-five degrees of nerve.

4 FT

Vertical motion

±45°

Pitch

±45°

Roll

► The Carousel Simulator

a Single Loadpoint Reduces Costs by increasing capsule efficiency

The Carousel Simulator will make a world of difference in an entertainment center. Not only does the single load and unload point lower employee costs, it also increases the ride efficiency. In our Mountain View Center, over one third of the capsule time was spent loading and unloading. The load/unload time was about 10-12 minutes while the ride time was 18 minutes. Using the Carousel’s single load point, each capsule’s load/unload time can drop to about 2 minutes. With a ride time of 18 minutes the capsule efficiency jumps to 90%.

► The Illusion

With a single load/unload station the illusion begins when the guests enter the launch area

When the guest walks into launch area, they will feel like they’re on the deck of an aircraft carrier surrounded by an ocean view and clouds above. The rear portion of the jet, from the cockpit back, is part of a projected video that shows a view of the carrier and other jets being readied for take-off. Lots of action and a cool moist wind blowing to pull the guest deeper into the illusion. And, of course, the simulator motion, the world created by the incredible Unreal Engine5, and mind blowing sound will pull them in even more.

► behind the curtain

While a single capsule is outfront, nine are in full action “behind the curtain”

With an attraction of 10 capsules, while one of them is being loaded, the other nine capsules are hidden and in motion out of view behind a video screen that shows the rear of the jet and the carrier action. Each capsule is sequenced through the load station while the other 9 are in action.

// The stack — visuals. motion. sound.

01 / VISUALS