The Sea - The Rivers - and the MiniSub land tracks
The Sea
Any time the explorer is near or in the sea then the companion dolphin is there
The original Nautilus is in the lagoon as a static display. There are unlimited copies in the sea for the explorer to use but appears to any one user as just one submarine. This cures overcrowding
These secondary social centers can be set on auto-cruise through the island reefs - drive it or look through the museum and surreal paintings among other parlor past times as you look out those huge windows to the sea
make some areas to find under water that can only be found by navigation hints from word of mouth such as a feature of underwater terrain that looks like a dragon
should the reef ring the whole island? Reefs build walls - would be great for a nautilus set on auto cruise at a certain depth to follow along a reef wall with flashlight like spotlight playing on the surface - perhaps directed by an explorer - perhaps every explorer has their own but it is really just the one - so much for replication!
while participants play chess etc. next to the windows of the Nautilus
Atlantis road continues underwater where exposed by height
underwater sea-scapes such as Atlantis etc.
a possible Atlantis out away from the island with the calcified tree forest as described in the book - and of course (as so much of Jules Verne's books) the fate of Atlantis is tied with local volcanic activity - Atlantis somehow fits in the dream structure theme - if not into the island /sea/Nautilus themes -mostly by association (in the western hemisphere) - any intellectual activity before the turn of the century was associated with studies on Latin and the philosophers of ancient Greek/Roman studies - So Nemo and his machine are products of those disciplines - and as you would expect -there are a few Latin inscriptions floating around on the Nautilus such as "Mobilis in mobile."
A huge underwater structure to zip around in by mini-sub Dolphin at night or witnessed by others on the island is the bio-luminescence of disturbed microorganisms - could also be a feature if the sub goes into a dark grotto and sees the bioluminescence on rocks etc.
underwater volcano such as in the book - maybe visible from high on the island
On the ocean side of OMEN Island is a forest of sea weed with a capture the flag set up for min-sub Dolphin exercises (games) and an obstacle course with a timer that freezes after each run. Bumping the timer post with the mini-sub Dolphin resets the timer hand. Bumping starts the timer hand movement and bumping again after completing the obstacle course stops the hand for inspecting the run time
raise a sunken boat - treasure - giant oysters with pearls -
the usual, grand adventure, turn of the century, view of the sea
Underwater shipwreck - Nemo Quote "A token of my misgivings. This was my very first sinking. As a young Indian lieutenant trying to overcome the tyrants of India, I began a campaign to move the British beacon pyres to steer the warships into the rocks. This was just the beginning of a life that understood 'he who controls the sea, controls the world' ". The wreck has a trail of debris from the hole in its hull back to the teeth that tore her.
Sea Grotto under the Condensation Sphere
one of the paths at the bottom of the sphere branching out to areas such as the power plant
could have steamed water (volcanic) and solid white cave from salt residue - sounds of boiling water
spiral staircase cut into the rock descends from middle of cave floor
should hear sound effects of water environment before seeing it
when steps first intersect the top of the sea grotto they continue down the wall so the grotto interior side is open to viewing and the other side of each spiral is cut back inside cave wall
half way down to the grotto floor the spiral turns to metal staircase since it was descending over an under hang and is open on all sides as it finishes descent to the floor (so it descends down the wall of a cave and then into midair when intersecting the horizontal part of the L shaped cave) - so a rock pile at bottom of stairs from excavating through roof of cave
where the participant comes out of the steam - maybe a dolphin jumps and races through the water past the participant - later can see it racing around in the outer grotto
lots of dripping water sound
after exploring the cave floor you come out to where you can see outside the cave to the ocean
The River of Life and the River of Death
if you investigate the river flowing out of the cliff rift at low tide (adjacent to the Lagoon) then you can investigate by foot to see that you want sub in there - make it easy to see cave by big entrance and or water spilling out of it
The first river splits into the River of Life and the River of Death
The River of Death ends at Poison Lake and the Abandoned Laboratory
The River of Life ends at the Bonsai Enclosure by water elevator
the underground river is accessed by mini-sub dolphin at high tide - any other time the river spills out of the bottom of the cliff rift just above the ocean water
water flows out of the southern cliff rift and into the ocean next to the enclosing reef of the lagoon - the underground river penetrates a distance and then splits into to 2 water ways - the flowing route to the right cuts back and is not obvious - the left route doesn't flow with current
only mini-sub Dolphins can penetrate the underground river - due to current of the underground river - very small opening (more current)
the only indicator of the westward route is ambient water rush and jostling in the current will be the indicators of the river of life - where both join the volume bigger and less current with the combination - so the noticeable change from medium current to none will be an indicator of a branching that isn't obvious
The first river splits into the River of Life and the River of Death which ends at Poison Lake and the Abandoned Laboratory
the underground river is accessed by mini-sub dolphin at high tide - any other time the river spills out of the bottom of the cliff rift just above the ocean water
water flows out of the southern cliff rift and into the ocean next to the enclosing reef of the lagoon - the underground river penetrates a distance and then splits into to 2 water ways - the flowing route to the right cuts back and is not obvious - the left route doesn't flow with current
only mini-sub Dolphins can penetrate the underground river - due to current of the underground river - very small opening (more current)
the only indicator of the westward route is ambient water rush and jostling in the current will be the indicators of the river of life - where both join the volume bigger and less current with the combination - so the noticeable change from medium current to none will be an indicator of a branching that isn't obvious
watch out for stalactites falling getting dislodged etc. like the movie
need a huge whirlpool - mysterious - affected by tidal? A barrier to sub unless tide is at high tide - could be a swimming challenge
do forced surfacing in caves by making shallow - and when river surfaces on island - to get new views without the top half of sub and above water
navigation lights at intersection of rivers to clearly indicate 2 underwater passages - one to the lake and one to the Underground Sequence by way of the river of life - a different color in each direction - so later on the participant will want to come back and try the route they missed - but make it easy to miss seeing the river of life route on the initial exploration going into the island interior by making the "Y" of the intersection splitting from the River of Death direction
can hear change in prop pitch and current against the sub when entering or going against current into the River of Life - any spot where passage narrows then current increases and should be detectable - no current going to the poison lake route so very fast through the tunnels for a cool ride and navigation fun - explorers could time selves or have mini-sub races through numerous splits and fast turns and double entrances and up and down turns not just side to side
have a cave part that extends above the water and has something cool to explore by foot
underwater river could have flashes of creatures melding out of the rock as manifestations of tragedy or human subjugation - also real creatures that you get fleeting glimpses of - bumping against sub - and see them in distance - mystery
River of Death - because the branch of underwater river to the poison lake is non - flowing - have to go through several sub locks - unless you open up both locks then you could make poison lake much bigger since it is downhill from the volcano - so a current until it equalizes - could make a cool interaction
but sub locks would interfere with some cool sub racing through the treacherous tunnels - though racing would naturally be to each one and keep score
River of Death and Poison lake
The River of Death ends at the Poison lake where the Laboratory is.
Explorer could have found this in early exploration in the high desert. May not be seen until arrival by sub - is tucked away in a corner of the Mesa - purposefully hidden so there is a good chance of coming in by sub and the user not knowing where they are at
evidence the place was abandoned and in ruins - tattered flag on the flag pole etc.
Atlantis road also ends here so evidence of Greek style oasis juxtaposed as ancient dreams against resultant technology killing everything there - birth of science (one of many) versus possible outcomes
the research for the making of the condensation sphere, the nautilus, and nuclear energy done here - possibly showing the sacrifices for the technology such as accidents, and environmental damage - dead trees that thrived on the abundance of water at one time
sub is only way to penetrate the poison lake structure nestled into the southwest corner of the high desert plateau
if discovered earlier in the exploration on foot or by dirigible then you may not be able to penetrate because of complete darkness - need the electric lanterns from subs as described in the book - so even if found early on they will have reason to come back
when water route surfaces on the way to the poison lake it would be cool as a deep ravine first - so you can see surface way up above outlined by the crack of top - seeing this from the top would be very cool too - keep it unconnected to the poison lake so its not leading a participant on foot right to it - trying to manipulate seeing this only by mini-sub Dolphin
plans and fabrication machinery showing construction of Dream Sphere, OMEN island , nuclear energy, etc.
sand turned to glass from nuclear meltdown - molten sand glass mixed and in fantastical shapes - ravaged landscape that blends in with the desert lava scape - a cool non-juxtaposition
the part of the Atlantis road leading through lava to the lake etc. can be easily hidden by the lava and sand so it is patchy enough - idea is to make it so a lot of participants will later realize they could have found the way by road but most don’t
River of Life
The River of Life surfaces in the Shadowed Jungle (below the Cliff Rift) and then continues up the Water Shaft climbing half way up the Cliff Rift
could make it so the sub driver doesn’t see the fork (see underground rivers) to the river of life/condensation sphere unless looks back on path to see other path lights or heading back from the poison lake - so one or the other would be overlooked - make it so the river of death is more obvious to follow and see the other fork easier on way back from poison lake/river of death
the river flows underground until reaches the shadowed jungle and then occasionally rises up to surface through canyons and then up to jungle
when river surfaces it would be cool as a deep ravine first so you can see surface way up outlined by the crack of top and then goes underground again before getting to the water shaft (see below)
once river goes underground again from the jungle area there won’t be as much water volume (lower area has some water from other streams
the sub of course would have extremely cool underwater lights too - perhaps a special colored light that automatically spotlights fauna that gets to close to the mini-sub Dolphin - or allows the explorer to use as a spot light
end of river of life is the water shaft going up and into the Cliff Rift
Water Elevator
A way for the mini-sub Dolphin to rise up the cliff rift and access the Underground Sequence.
Water Shaft is 2 way transit with mini-sub Dolphin cliff rift barrier
Glassed in water column next to waterfall - a pressure lock underneath it so water is trapped there - like a water elevator - riveted lattice across glass plates are more numerous crisscrossing at bottom of glass where more pressure
river surfaces at base of cliff and only way to go forward is through the sub locks just below the surface toward the cliff - cliff on which you can see heavy plate glass structure enclosing the cliff - making a water shaft
once past the double locks you can rise up the cliff behind steel girders - so you could be in the sub looking out over the tropics fantastic - as you go from underground upward into the glassed in water shaft the use of the locks releases a deluge of bubbles that rocks the sub
You look out over the Shadowed Jungle as you slowly rise up the Cliff Rift along with a few scarce bubbles while gently knocking against the glass occasionally
allows the sub to go up glass enclosed cliff - what a view as you climb almost to the top of the cliff rift (going further means an artificial tunnel with tracks the mini-sub Dolphin can hook up to - this water is static non flowing but connects into water from the condensation sphere - over flow goes down artificial waterfall next to and visible from inside the sub vertical shaft - from top can surface and get out of sub and check out top of waterfall
Snails clean the glass and can see their trails - reminder of the window into the lagoon when leaving Nemo's Bunker (reminders are great for giving scope to the environment ) some bubbles rising
Nemo: "So many visions of the elements of glass. The ability to separate and yet reveal. Two disparate forces that may be the secrets of the mind"
the lower part of the glass water shaft is where most pressure is and more interlacing steel needs to run over the plate glass - leaks of water spurts out from the seals - glass could have waves in it from old manufacturing - make all fit turn of century tech and also reality in physics and mechanical ways - huge snails keeping the glass cleared of algae - that would be some great animation and a fun little feature to have spotty algae and snail trails through it leading right up to animated snails - very cool effect to look through the glaze of algae to the outside view over the top of the shadowed jungle
along side the water shaft is an artificial waterfall the explorer can take a ride down (not with sub) - waterfall is also a water clock
a super deluge on the hour by water clock as a water container drips at steady rate and then tips the next container tripping the deluge in the next reservoir down - participants could show up on the hour for a ride over the falls and into the pool below that feeds into the river - perhaps can climb up the riveting that holds the enclosed water within the cliff to get back to the top and also an alternate path going up the cliff until it reaches top of water shaft and artificial waterfall
Once you surface then the Dolphin cockpit hatch opens back and the body hooks up to a small track and starts going up a tunnel
Tunnels, Tracks of the Land Dolphin
After accessing the Bonsai Enclosure by Dolphin then you can continue on tracks up into the first time access to the Underground Sequence.
along the way your Dolphin goes by a "Y" in the track that splits going back the way you are coming from (leads to the Giant Bonsai)
The track and tunnel is a part of a water system that feeds the 2 waterfalls
at top of enclosed waterfall the explorer can continue on foot or by hooking the sub up to a dry land track through artificial tunnels
the participant can hook up the sub to a track that parallels the continuing water way into the condensation sphere that feeds the water way they just used - the waterway flowing from the sphere branches off to the first track and to the pool at the observatory house - the track can be switched to take the sub to the enclosed bonsai - place lighting so it reflects off the track rails
tracks that the sub can hook up to for dry transport - user can control speed of the sub track transporter to make it a roller-coaster - would be easy to do frame rate wise in small space
as track tunnels lead to sphere and the bonsai enclosure use same lighting as in the nautilus indicating electricity in the underground tunnels