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Rides roll with added dimension

By Zhang Zixuan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-26 07:55

Customers give the four seat interactive cinema a chance to steal their breath. WANG JING / CHINA DAILY

Running fast through a snowy valley, falling screaming from the sky, bumping against a huge group of wooden casks, and swimming with dolphins in watery bubbles No it's not the end of the world, but lifelike scenes from the X-rider dynamic cinema in Wangjing area.

Installed at the center of Zhongting Square in the Wangjing International Business Center, the "4-D" four-seat mini cinema demands attention. Zhu Huihui, a ticket seller at the cinema, introduces the 10 five-minute scenes to potential customers.

"Snow Ride, Snow Coaster and Classic Coaster are the most exciting ones," said Zhu. "While in Aquaride, you can see many beautiful fishes in an underwater world."

There is also the Star Fighter for would-be combatants and The Wild World Adventure for cartoon lovers, he added.

Dong Xianpeng, who works for a nearby company, just finished his 5-minute Snow Coaster adventure. He took off the 3-D glasses, and wiped beads of sweat from his forehead.

"My chair was shaking and rotating like a real roller coaster, which frightened me when passing through the forest at such a crazy speed," he said.

"I couldn't believe it when real snow fluttered onto my face with the wind!"

"Effects such as snow, wind, bubbles, lighting and even smell can be created to make the scenes feel real," explained customer service manager Li Dongguo, pointing at the effects generator under the movie screen.

Another customer Sun Pan, experienced all 10 scenes in three days.

"I like the Snow Coaster the most," said Sun. "I can't wait to try new ones in the future."

He also hoped there would be more dynamic cinemas in Beijing.

The general manager of the cinema, Kim Keun-sang, said the dynamic cinema technology was imported from Korea, where it is very popular.

"It's the first one in Wangjing district, where Korean people are relatively centralized," said Kim, who is Korean.

"We're planning to set up more such cinemas with more seats and more scenes in Beijing if this one goes well."