SkyCoaster 3D: iPhone’s Stomach Churning Thrill Ride (UPDATED)
11:14 pm, February 19th, 2009, Lonnie Lazar
Have you ever tried reading in the car and gotten a headache, or even sick to your stomach? For just 99¢ you can get that feeling anywhere, any time with SkyCoaster 3D on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
SkyCoaster 3D makes effective use of panoramic photography by Gavin Farrell and iPhone’s 3D rendering engine to create a fully customizable rollercoaster experience right on your mobile device. Users can tweak parameters such as height, track length, and acceleration, as well as adjust the ride’s loop-the-loop, corkscrew and downward spiral effects.
The app comes with a built-in techno soundtrack to heighten (or, if you prefer, enhance) its vertiginous effects, or a track from the device’s iPod can be used. The precise map of every ride is randomly generated, so each ride is unique.
Barf bags sold separately.
UPDATE: v1.1 of SkyCoaster 3D released early Friday and v1.1 makes it even easier to induce barfing. The track is more detailed (with links that run perpendicularly to the rails), which gives a greater sensation of speed. Also, you can look around during the ride, and even ride the roller coaster with your back facing forward.
Posted by Lonnie Lazar in News, Software, iPhone, iPod Touch | Comment on this article












It needs to get closer to the ground to really give the feeling of speed. Though i’d imagine that would be more computation, and require higher resolution images.
Tom, on February 20th, 2009 at 1:09 am
Hey Lonnie,
Apple approved and released v1.1 of SkyCoaster 3D earlier this morning, and v1.1 makes it even easier to induce barfing. The track is more detailed (with links that run perpendicularly to the rails), which gives a greater sensation of speed. Also, you can look around during the ride, and even ride the roller coaster with your back facing forward!
Please give the new version a whirl and let us know what you think!
Ziconic, on February 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pm