This is “TRON: THE GRID” – A massive multiplayer gaming arena for all ages, based on real technology concepts.
For conceptual purposes, Horizons has been TRON-ified, and literally shines at night.
The TRON story is a natural fit for Future World. Not only does is contain ahead-of-its-time concepts about computing, the TRON films and TV program will help provide an instant draw for guests.
Guests enter through Flynn’s arcade. The queue is full of an eclectic combination of vintage arcade games and computer hardware. At the end of the queue is the Digitization Chamber, which converts matter to code, and transports guests to the Grid.
And the game begins! Guests circle around the gaming arena. In front of them is a TRON arcade joystick and a sweeping view of the arena. Guests will actually be looking at HD LED screens that give them the proper virtual perspective based on their position. As you look at other guests across the arena, they will appear to have been TRON-ified; their faces outlined in beams of light. Guests are randomly selected to play as either a Program or a Byte. Programs are blue, Bytes are orange. A personalized marker will always track where the guest is in the arena.
Programs will participate in a massive Light Cycle competition, while Bytes create and modify the Light Cycle arena, which could help or harm Programs as they race. There are 30 players – 15 Programs and 15 Bytes.
Programs drive the Light Cycles around the area. As they drive, impenetrable barriers are left behind. The object of the game is make your opponents drive into these barriers. However, this attraction adds another layer to the game. If you are playing as a Byte, you will be able to add or remove barriers by dropping Viruses on the arena. The Viruses either eat up existing barriers or create new ones.
A game will last 5 minutes. Destroyed Light Cycles will constantly re-spawn throughout the game. The game will have two winners: the Program whose Light Cycle was destroyed the least and whose barrier destroyed the most other Cycles, and the Byte that causes the most Light Cycles to be destroyed.
But wait! At a random time during the game, one guest will be declared a User! A hologram of that guest will appear at the center of the arena, and they can shout “USER!!” The User will have the power to make huge changes to the game. They could reset the game to the beginning, invert everyone’s controls, make guests swap characters, etc.
Guests will be able to track their scores online, and brag about them on Facebook and Twitter. As guests play more and more, they will unlock other features online – notably being able to watch live games from their own home!
As guests leave the arena, they are converted back to matter, and enter a real, working arcade. Here they can play other video games, watch live Light Cycle games, and check their stats.