Friday, March 19, 2004 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Borgs Have Arrived

Star Trek: The Experience adds a `darker and edgier' take on classic sci-fi series

Robert Picardo, left, who reprises his role as the doctor from "Star Trek: Voyager," does battle with the Borgs in the new attraction at Star Trek: The Experience in the Las Vegas Hilton.

It's a digital world, and Star Trek: The Experience's new BORG Invasion 4D makes full use of the technology in creating an immersive attraction combining live action and animation, plus tactile special effects.

It's the first addition to Star Trek: The Experience since it opened in 1998.

BORG Invasion 4D takes visitors on a tour of a 24th century research facility as five actors portraying Borg collective drones -- a group of cybernetically enhanced beings who gain knowledge and technology by absorbing other species -- try to capture and assimilate humans using cybernetic technology.

Sight, sound and touch are brought into play as attractiongoers watch an original 3-D movie starring Robert Picardo, the doctor on "Star Trek: Voyager"; Alice Krige, the Borg Queen; and Kate Mulgrew as Admiral Janeway.

Choreographed with the all-digital movie are 23,000 watts of 12-channel sound, probes that poke guests in the back, timed air blasts, rumbling surround sound and a motion platform floor.

The movie features 3-D effects from the front, overhead and right and left sides of viewers. And a steadycam was used for the first time in a 3-D production to put viewers in the middle of the action.

Alexander Weber Jr., chief executive officer of Paramount Parks, calls BORG Invasion 4D "a darker and edgier dimension of the `Star Trek' universe. ... BORG Invasion 4D participants will experience an unprecedented marriage of technology and entertainment."

BORG Invasion 4D was developed by Paramount Parks, developers of Star Trek: The Experience. The company's designers worked with Rick Berman Productions, Viacom Consumer Products and Threshold Digital Entertainment, which produced the 3-D film portion of the attraction.

The movie was created on five sets and utilized three blue screens on two sound stages. The largest set was spread out over 15,000 square feet.

BORG Invasion 4D runs about 22 minutes, including the 7 1/2-minute movie.

Nothing else has changed at the themed attraction. There's still Quark's Bar & Restaurant and a "Star Trek" gift shop in the Deep Space Nine Promenade.

Admission includes one time through BORG Invasion 4D; the original attraction, Klingon Encounter, which takes guests on board a shuttlecraft in a battle against aliens; and a tour of the History of the Future Museum.

BORG Invasion 4D is not recommended for small children. Guests must be 42-inches tall to ride either attraction.