4D Rollercoaster

[wintersolstice]

In 2d a rollercoaster can only go up and down slopes

In 3d it can do 3 things:

tilt

(using the "up-down" and "left-right" plane)
(it tilts left or right and one side goes up and one side down in case your wondering what I mean )

Up and down slopes

(using the "up-down" and "forward-backwards" plane)
(it goes up up and down slopes and has to be moving "forward" unlike "tilt" where it can be still)

Turn at bends

(using "forward-backwards" and "left-right" plane)
(it has to be moving "forward" and "turns" left or right)


In 4d all these can be done (same as the 2d "movement" can be done in 3d) but with an extra direction permutated with the 3 existing directions it can do 3 more things (6 in total!)

In 3d you can also have "helices" "corkscrews" and "loops" imagine what you could have in 4D

And this is only one ride!

[Keiji]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's really not that exciting.

No matter how many dimensions you have, there will always only be the vertical, the frontal and a number of laterals. Two of the new 4D movements are 100% equivalent to two of the 3D ones (tilt and turn), and the other is a rotation through the two laterals, which by itself is no more exciting to the rider than a straight line.

[wintersolstice]

100% equivalent to two of the 3D ones (tilt and turn)

Thanks but I worked that out (but only after I made the post though!), but I think it still gives 3 directions of tilt (they're the planes that don't used the "forwards-backwards axis" aren't they?)

And in theory the ones that don't use the "up-down" would be "turn" (again 3 types)

similarly to the "left-right"

So maybe I was wrong about the different "movements", but maybe there's different permutations of these three.(as in you do two or more of them at once)

And what about things that require more than two directions, like the "helix"

I'm obsiviously hopeless at "higher dimensions"!(everything I say seems to be flawed!:D)

[Keiji]

100% equivalent to two of the 3D ones (tilt and turn)

Thanks but I worked that out (but only after I made the post though!), but I think it still gives 3 directions of tilt (they're the planes that don't used the "forwards-backwards axis" aren't they?)

There are two planes you can tilt in and those are both identical to a roll in 3D. What you see as the third plane of "tilt" is actually a rotation through both 4D laterals, which as mentioned doesn't cause the rider to feel any forces on them at all, so it's pointless.

[wintersolstice]

Well then it looks like I was right, I'm rubbish at "higher dimensions" Every one of my ideas is shot down by somebody. I might as well give up.

[PWrong]

What you see as the third plane of "tilt" is actually a rotation through both 4D laterals, which as mentioned doesn't cause the rider to feel any forces on them at all

Wait what? Any rotation has a force involved. It just doesn't have a component in the up or forwards direction.

[Keiji]

Well yes, but it'd essentially be the same thing as spinning around on an office chair (which I'm sure everyone has tried at least once!).

[PWrong]

There's a few rides at theme parks where the individual chairs spin around while moving in all directions. I think that would add to the experience. In 4D you could have the same effect without having each chair rotate individually.

Anyway don't give up wintersolstice, I think you were right.

[Keiji]

There's a few rides at theme parks where the individual chairs spin around while moving in all directions.

Yes, while you are moving at the same time. If you spin in an office chair you don't generally go anywhere, which is the same effect as the 4D spin.

[PWrong]

Well if it's a roller coaster you'd be moving forwards almost all the time. It would be more like spinning on an office chair in a train.

[Keiji]

Except that if you spin on an office chair in a train, you are moving in one of the directions you are also spinning in.

It'd be more like spinning in an office chair in a lift... probably one whose cable snapped and is currently hurtling downwards at 55 miles per hour.

[PWrong]

I think a clifford rotation while simultaneously hurtling forwards would be quite exiting.