Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Build Your Own Carnival Ride

Posted by michael on from the you-ride-it-first dept.

SoCalChris writes "Check out these guys who are building their own dark ride similar to the ones found at carnivals and theme parks. The ride is complete with PLC's in each of the cars, and one more PLC for the entire ride. The ride also features a blocking system like professionally built rides."

38 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. Carnies? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does it come with a free carnie person?

    1. Re:Carnies? by kingofnopants · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's an add-on and cost extra but, i think everyone will agree that at a one time payment of only 49.99 it's worth it.

      --
      Disco Stu was talkin' to you.
    2. Re:Carnies? by NotAnotherReboot · · Score: 5, Funny

      Austin: Only two things scare me, and one is nuclear war.
      Basil: What's the other?
      Austin: Excuse me?
      Basil: What's the other thing that scares you?
      Austin: Carnies.
      Basil: What?
      Austin: Circus folk. Nomads you know. Smell like cabbage. Small hands.

    3. Re:Carnies? by msheppard · · Score: 4, Funny

      He's not just some guy, Marge. He's a Carny and part of a noble tradition.
      Carnies built this country-the carnival part of it anyway -- and though
      they may be rat-like in appearance, they are truly kings among men.
      [5F08]

      M@

      --
      Krispy Cream is people
  2. Already?! by Xtraneous · · Score: 5, Informative

    Arghhh, slashdotted, yet there is a Hope!

    Google's Cach

    --
    .noitacidem deen uoy siht daer nac uoy fI
  3. Spooky by ActiveSX · · Score: 5, Funny

    Their web server's in for one hell of a dark ride.

  4. call me anal by spacefem · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'm really tired of people getting the plural form of every abbreviation wrong. It's PLCs. Not PLC's. The PLC doesn't own anything. You wouldn't say "programmable logic controller's". Uhg.

    --

    spacefem.com
    1. Re:call me anal by Elbereth · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually, most people would say "programmable logic controller's".

      You're not suffiently cynical yet.

    2. Re:call me anal by LadyJessica · · Score: 5, Informative

      I agree. Can't people follow the simplest English punctuation? :-) Check out Bob The Angry Flower for a tutorial for the apostrophe impared.

      --

      -- Jessica
      The mutant geek grrl from Hell.

    3. Re:call me anal by Dr.+Awktagon · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well, okay, but the more important thing is to actually write out abbreviations the first time, even if the writer thinks the audience knows them.

      The first thing I thought when I saw PLC was "public limited company", for whatever reason.. even though I know what a programmable logic controller is.

      It didn't make sense for me at first why *either* of those things would be in a carnival ride car, but after a few hundred milliseconds of brain activity I decided it must be the programmable logic controller, or maybe some special "carnival lingo" (Hey Joe! We're all out of Pyrotechnic Lumbar Cartridges on car #3).

      At no point during this time did I take any notice of the apostrophe. (Or the fact that there were no periods, throw that into your grammar mix: P.L.C.)

      Now, I want those milliseconds back. Nearly a second of my time, gone forever! Think of the places I could've gone, the things I could've accomplished! Damn you slashdot!!

  5. For those who don't know what a Dark Ride is by EraseEraseMe · · Score: 5, Informative

    Visit here

    The Dark Ride and Funhouse historical Society

    --
    "Anybody who tells me I can't use a program because it's not open source, go suck on rms. I'm not interested." (LT 2004)
    1. Re:For those who don't know what a Dark Ride is by istartedi · · Score: 5, Funny

      I still don't know what a dark ride is, but the signal/noise ratio on that website was scary enough. I tried to hold out as long as I could. When I looked down at the edge of my screen and saw "loading http://www.laffinthedark.com/sounds/sal001f.wav 5 of 17" I knew I could stand the terror no longer.

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  6. This is insane by Dragon218 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Before any comments are up, this site is already slashdotted. Google's mirror. No pictures, but better than nothing.

    --

    "It's the little touches that make a future solid enough to be destroyed" --William S. Bourroughs
    1. Re:This is insane by pete-classic · · Score: 4, Informative

      Google will give you thumbnails.

      -Peter

  7. Does it come with.... by sheepab · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does it come with an automated system that makes it break down every 15 minutes, so it truely simulates real carnivals?

    --


    In college, really poor, need a flatscreen.
    1. Re:Does it come with.... by bsartist · · Score: 5, Funny

      Does it come with an automated system that makes it break down every 15 minutes

      Well, if you wanted a true simulation of a real traveling carnival ride, you'd have to do much more than that.

      You'd also have to forgo any and all maintenance, and keep the operator supplied with enough hash (or other intoxicants) for him to be completely oblivious to the terrified screams of customers whose children are being thrown from the ride due to inadequate restraints.

      For a little added bonus, you can have the operator sell the above-mentioned hash (or other intoxicants) to passing children. This will provide an additional source of cash for you - which will, sooner or later, be necessary to pay for legal expenses and bail.

      --
      Lost: Sig, white with black letters. No collar. Reward if found!
  8. Not quite jive, but... by Aiwendel · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Check out these guys who are building their own dark ride similar to the ones found at carnivals and theme parks."


    I happen to speak a little Slashdotese. I think this translates as :

    "Kickass! Let's see how fast we can get their website over its 30gb a month transfer limit!"

  9. Build your own carnival ride by sheepab · · Score: 4, Funny

    Also known as Roller-Coaster Tycoon, now availible for the Mac!

    --


    In college, really poor, need a flatscreen.
  10. Re:Link or Mirror? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    Only 5 replies and the darn URLs been /.ed!

    I don't, but my friend Google does:

    http://216.239.35.100/search?q=cache:j8SrIlANLtUC: www.phantasmechanics.com/darkride/+&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

  11. Mirror by ahaning · · Score: 4, Informative

    All I'm missing is the last file, drvplan.jpg, but here you go anyway: http://www.osuweb.net/~ahaning/www.phantasmechanic s.com/darkride/

    *ahaning throws the URL at the rabid users and gets out of the way as quickly as possible... as if feeding starved dogs*

    --
    Withdrawal before climax is very ineffective and those who try this are usually called "parents."
  12. Convenient mirror... by Jouster · · Score: 5, Informative

    I grabbed what I could, but the site was in the middle of a meltdown.

    Grab the .ZIP file, or the .BZ file.

    Jouster

    1. Re:Convenient mirror... by Jouster · · Score: 3, Informative

      Okay, new version, page 1 is complete, page 2 has some pictures missing, and no page 3 (sorry!).

      Grab it in ZIP, BZ, or convenient browseable form.

      Jouster

  13. While I know money is an object by mhesseltine · · Score: 5, Informative

    From the second page of the article:

    On Friday, February 15, the Chinese -made Enco metal lathe arrived. It took about 4 hours to set it all up, as it had to be hoisted and mounted upon its pedistal. The whole rig probably weighs over 1,200 pounds. Don't even think of starting a project like this dark ride unless you invest in one of these machine tools. (You'll also want a milling machine.) This unit, plus tools and digital readout (DRO) runs about $6K. It's a bit noisy and vibrates, but it's a lot cheaper than a domestic unit - and it works.
    If you are going to do something like this, please invest in a decent tool. EMCO machine tools are the sorriest pieces of crap you can find. Look at a used machinery auction and buy a good Clausing-Colchester lathe and a Bridgeport or Lagun milling machine.

    As another alternative; if you're going to drop this much money on buying machine tools, just to build one ride, contact a local job shop and work with them on making the parts.

    --
    Overrated / Underrated : Moderation :: Anonymous Coward : Posting
    1. Re:While I know money is an object by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

      If you are going to do something like this, please invest in a decent tool. EMCO machine tools are the sorriest pieces of crap you can find.

      Hey don't forget, these are people who like living dangerously.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  14. Why not.... by paganizer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ..do it a little cheaper?
    big box on pneumatics, big screen tv on the front, 20" CRT's on the sides, and a few days rendering up something on 3Dstudio?
    would be a lot more bizarre, and cost a lot less.

    See my Stuff! web.changestorm.com

    --
    Why, yes, I AM a Pagan Libertarian.
  15. Luke, by fidget42 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am your fath.. Oh, you said dark ride. My bad.

    --
    The dogcow says "Moof!"
  16. Just GREAT!!!! by Chris_Stankowitz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I finally after many years just began trusting roller coasters ( including the cyclone http://www.astroland.com/cyclone.html, I live in Brooklyn, NY) and after reports like this one http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/WABC_071002_coast ers.html and a few others on news mags I have mustered up enough balls to get back on them and now I hear that your average joe shmoe is building caosters? Is this thing safe? Has it been tested? Is there an "Authority" that approves roller caosters at all?

  17. Idea for spooking people by lewko · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you REALLY want to scare people, have a monitor in the foyer with a sign on it saying "Safety Monitoring System" and a Blue Screen of Death.

    Muhahahahahaha.....

    --
    Do you or your partner snore? - Visit www.snoring.com.au
  18. They're gonna call it... by SniffleBear · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Flaming Sybian (And that's what it actually is!)!

    Will be popular with the ladies.

  19. The use of an apostrophe is indeed. . . by kfg · · Score: 5, Informative

    accetable in pluralizing acronyms, as well as for other "non word" elements.

    It's a contraction. The apstrophe substitutes for the "e" in the suffix "es," which is an older, but still acceptable form.

    The dropping of the apostrophe in pluralizing acronyms is a modern phemonemon that comes about because of the modern practice, unjustifiable by traditional usage, of treating acronyms as if they were actually words.

    They are not. They are abbreviations.

    KFG

    1. Re:The use of an apostrophe is indeed. . . by kfg · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Please, we do not need the grammar lesson from old fogies ;)"

      The evidence suggests otherwise. :)

      KFG

    2. Re:The use of an apostrophe is indeed. . . by ottffssent · · Score: 5, Informative
      The dropping of the apostrophe in pluralizing acronyms is a modern phemonemon that comes about because of the modern practice, unjustifiable by traditional usage, of treating acronyms as if they were actually words.

      They are not. They are abbreviations.


      And the word is controller. Which pluralizes to controllers, not controlleres.

      So, while you may be right in general, that doesn't make PLC's any more acceptable than before.
      --
      High-speed Road Trip (18.000KPH)
  20. I built a ride when I was about 15 by ylikone · · Score: 5, Funny

    My ride consisted of a grocery store shopping cart with a rope tied to it. I drove a large metal stake into the ground at the top of a ravine and tied the other end of the rope to it. Then I would place my younger sister and her friend into the cart and push it down into the ravine. The rope would stop the cart from going all the way down into the rocks and water at the bottom... but I did not think of putting seat belts on my ride so it didn't end up working that well.

    --
    Meh.
  21. Disclaimer reads: by dr_dank · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bearded lady sold separately.

    --
    Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
  22. Re:Probably been suggested before... by fobbman · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Here is the entry in the official Slashdot FAQ that answers your question.

    Yes, it's been suggested before. And yes, it's off-topic. But there are enough newer Slashdot members around right now that are posting this idea (and then modding it up) that it's time to link to the FAQ again.

  23. Favorite Carnival Ride by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny


    There was this one carnival attraction in my hometown where you crawl through a bunch of black boxes, cushions, and tubes in total darkness.

    Teenage guys LOVED that one because they could grab girls every which way without ever getting caught.

    Now *that* would be the one to build in your backyard.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  24. Trent Reznor Owns This by puto · · Score: 5, Funny

    As a Native New Orleanian I guess I should mention that the House of Shock where this ride is located is a Trent Reznor project.

    I worked at the ISP that kicked him his bandwidth in the day and his group were a pretty nice bunch of guys. I remember one day when I was BOFHing some tech calls and someone calls to add a couple of pop boxes for a domain and reset a pass. In my best "fuck you asshole, stupid loser that you are" voice I asked for the customers last name. When I replied "Like uh Trent" guy said yeah and I pulled the account up. Felt like such an ass.

    Course the ultimate scare would be to be the only guy in the ride with 4 300 lb female ex cons who just got outta stir and are looking for some strange. As the lights go out and the strains of the song Closer chime in.... oof gonna have nightmares about that one.

    Puto

    --
    The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
  25. Mirror by SoCalChris · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm not sure how long it will last, but here's a mirror...

    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr1.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr2.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr3.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr4.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr5.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr6.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr7.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr8.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr9.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr10.htm